Kevin “1sickdisease” Eyster Wins 2013 World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Showdown
After six days of intense play, the 2013 World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock Showdown came to an end on Tuesday with Kevin “1sickdisease” Eyster emerging victorious over a 542-player field to win the $660,395 first-place prize. Eyster’s win came in impressive fashion as he finished as chip leader on Day 3 and managed to ride it all the way to victory.
WPT Hard Rock Seminole Showdown Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kevin “1sickdisease” Eyster | $660,395 |
| 2nd | Ben Tarzia | $389,750 |
| 3rd | Zo Karim | $252,190 |
| 4th | Paul Dlugozima | $171,950 |
| 5th | Daniel Letts | $122,275 |
| 6th | Jeff Madsen | $100,000 |
Action resumed in Level 26 with the blinds at 20,000/40,000/5,000, and it took quite awhile for the first elimination of the day. According to the WPT Live Updates Team, it wasn’t until Level 27 (25,000/50,000/5,000) on Hand #58 that Jeff Madsen, who had began the day fourth in chips but had fallen to the short stack, hit the rail. The end came for Madsen when Eyster opened for 110,000 from the cutoff and Madsen shoved the button for 825,000. Eyster called with the A♥10♥ and was racing against the 2♣2♠ of Madsen. The 9♠4♦4♥ flop opened up some counterfeit options for Eyster, and the 3♦ turn did the same. Eyster didn’t end up counterfeiting his opponent, but he did eliminate him in sixth place when the 10♠ spiked on the river. Madsen earned $100,000 for his performance.
On Hand #88 in Level 28 (30,000/60,000/10,000), Ben Tarzia opened for 125,000 from the button and Daniel Letts moved all in for 795,000 from the big blind. Tarzia made the call with the Q♣J♣, and he needed to improve as Letts was out in front with the A♦8♣. Fortunately for him, and much to the dismay of Letts, the flop came down J♥8♥5♣ and paired his jack. Letts had paired his eight, but needed either another or an ace to stay alive. The 7♥ turn wasn’t what he needed, and neither was the 5♠ river. Letts was sent to the rail in fifth place for $122,275.
Two hands later, a short-stacked Paul Dlugozima moved all in from the small blind for 465,000 with the J♥9♦, and Eyster called from the big with the A♦3♣. The A♣8♣2♣ flop was kind to Eyster as it not only paired his ace, but also gave him a flush draw. That draw would come in when the 10♣ turned, which left Dlugozima drawing dead. The 6♠ was run out on the river for good measure, and Dlugozima took his leave in fourth place for $171,950.
Three-handed play was an extended affair, but all that seemed to happen during that time was Eyster adding to his chip lead while the other two players dwindled. Then in Level 30 (50,000/100,000/15,000), on Hand #180, Zo Karim raised to 215,000 from the small blind and Eyster made it 485,000 to go from the big blind. Karim thought for a bit before four-betting to 815,000, Eyster called, and the flop came down K♦5♦3♠. Karim bet 685,000, Eyster called, and the dealer burned and turned the 10♠. Karim proceeded to move all in for 2.37 million and Eyster called with the K♣Q♥. Fortunately for the at-risk Karim, he was ahead with the A♦A♠. The dealer burned one last time and put out the Q♠, spiking Eyster with a winning two pair. That river drove a dagger through Karim’s heart, sending him home in third place for $252,190.
Heads-up play began with Eyster holding a chip lead of 12.765 million to 3.5 million over Tarzia. From there, it took just eleven hands for him to clinch victory. The final hand came in Level 31 (60,000/120,000/20,000) when Eyster min-raised to 240,000 and then called when Tarzia moved all in for roughly 2.7 million.
Eyster: A♣10♣
Tarzia: 7♠7♥
Tarzia managed to get it in good, but his walking sticks wouldn’t hold as the board ran out A♥5♥2♥5♣10♦. Tarzia took home $389,750 for his runner-up finish while Eyster was awarded $660,395, a customized electric guitar from the Seminole Hard Rock, and a $25,500 seat into the WPT World Championship.
It's been quite the ride the past several months for Eyster, who has really made a name for himself in the poker world, both live and online. During the Full Tilt Online Poker Series XXI in December, Eyster won his first FTOPS gold jersey and $17,273 after taking down Event #25: $322 Pot-Limit Omaha Heads-up. Just a couple days later, he won Event #33: $109 No-Limit Hold'em Rush w/Rebuys for $79,608.
Then in January, Eyster earned his first World Series of Poker Circuit gold ring in Choctaw by taking down the $365 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed event for $27,573. At the March WSOP Circuit stop in Black Hawk, Colorado, Eyster finished runner-up in the Main Event for $85,852.
As if those performances aren't stellar enough, there's more.
Eyster made more noise in FTOPS XXII this month when he won Event #34: No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max Re-Entry for a whopping $333,680. From all of these big recent results, Eyster has earned a combined total over $1.2 million.
Data, video and photo courtesy of WorldPokerTour.com.
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