2014 Hollywood Poker Open Championship Event

HPO Championship Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2014 Hollywood Poker Open Championship Event

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a3
Prize
$351,097
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,255
Entries
692
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
30,000

HPO Championship Main Event

Day 3 Completed

Simon Deadman Second Best No Longer - Wins 2014 HPO Championship Main Event

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Simon Deadman - 1st place
Simon Deadman - 1st place

The 2014 Hollywood Poker Open attracted a record setting field of 692 entries which created an astonishing prize pool of $1,560,460. After three long days of play it would be Simon Deadman who would emerge victorious after his {A-Clubs}{3-Diamonds} would best the {5-Clubs}{5-Hearts} of Michaeal Wang in heads up play. In addition to the $351,097 first place money, Deadman will take home the HPO Championship Trophy and the honor of being the second ever HPO Championship Event winner joining inaugural winner Ana Marquez in the record books.

Deadman had finished runner up an astonishing six times since the beginning of 2014. Impressive, but disappointing in it's own right. "It was painful not getting the trophy," a relieved Deadman said after the tournament. "I always joke around about finishing second but I wanted to win this real bad." Deadman had the support of a large rail that cheered him on to victory. "It felt great that they would drive all the way down from the Strip to watch. I really appreciated it." As for future plans, Deadman will take part in the Main Event at the World Series of Poker but for now he is going to "take a day off but knowing me I'll jump right into the mix-max tomorrow."

The final day of play started with 23 players returning and it wouldn't take long to whittle the field down to the final table. Eliminated early on were the likes of Andy Spears (21st - $10,299) who would lose with two pair against a set. Later on, Kitty Kuo would take out two in one blow to get the tournament down to the final 13.

Brian Hastings (11th - $24,031) would lose a race to Michael Wang to fall just short of the final table and Chris DeMaci (10th - $24,031) would fall to Kitty Kuo in a cooler of a hand that would leave the pro stunned. Another pro, Mike Sowers (9th - $31,209), would also be eliminated in shocking fashion when Elliott Zaydman would hit a flush on the river to crack Sowers's kings.

HPO Regional Championship Winner Bradley Yazici (7th - $46,814) would survive countless double ups but his dream of taking home the title would fall short when his jacks ran into the aces of Robbie Bakker. Bakker (6th - $55,708) would learn himself what it was like to run into aces when he took queens up against Martin Godsk's pocket rockets to be eliminated.

After Zaydman (5th - $71,781), and Godsk (4th - $98,777) were eliminated, the tournament turned into the Deadman show as he took control of the tournament with a huge double up against Kitty Kuo that would move Kuo from the chip lead to the short stack when her trip kings fell to his full house. She would go the very next hand at the hands of Deadman to finish in 3rd place for $142,158.

FINAL TABLE RESULTS

PlaceNamePayout
1Simon Deadman$351,097
2Michael Wang$216,904
3Kitty Kuo$141,158
4Martin Godsk$98,777
5Elliott Zaydman$71,781
6Robbie Bakker$55,708
7Bradley Yazici$46,814
8Damian Salas$39,012
9Mike Sowers$31,209

There were plenty of notables among the 63 that would make the money including Rens Feenstra (58th - $5,618), Michael Katz (55th - $5,618), Bruno Lopes (51st - $6,086), Greg Ostrander (50th - $6,086), Chris Hunichen (41st - $7,178), and Andrew Lichtenberger (32nd - $8,583). Just as many would come out and find themselves leaving empty handed including HPO ambassador Chris Moneymaker, Lauren Kling, Jacob Bazeley, David Tuthill, Amit Makhija, Jared Jaffee, Aaron Massey, Guillaume Darcourt, and 2013 November Niner Michiel Brummelhuis.

On behalf of PokerNews, we would like to thank everyone for following along with our coverage of the 2014 season of the Hollywood Poker Open and the crowning of the season ending champion, Simon Deadman, at the Championship Main Event today.

Tags: Andrew LichtenbergerAndy SpearsBradley YaziciBrian HastingsChris DeMaciChris MoneymakerDamian SalasElliott ZaydmanGreg OstranderKitty KuoMartin GodskMichael KatzMichael WangMike SowersRobbie BakkerSimon Deadman

Michael Wang Eliminated in 2nd Place ($216,904)

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante
Michael Wang
Michael Wang

Michael Wang opened to 450,000 and Simon Deadman moved all in. Wang made the call and the cards were turned over:

Wang: {5-Clubs}{5-Hearts}
Deadman: {A-Clubs}{3-Diamonds}

The flop came {K-Clubs}{10-Spades}{7-Spades} and a member of Deadman's rail yelled "ten or a seven" - rooting for the board to pair to give Deadman more outs. The turn was not a ten or a seven but it was the {K-Diamonds} meaning any ten, seven, or ace on the river would give Deadman the title. The river would be one of those cards... the {7-Hearts}... and Deadman sprang out of his chair and rushed to hug his girlfriend, tears in his eyes.

"I can't believe it," Deadman said. "I don't know where to go."

Deadman went over to Wang and shook his hand. Wang was eliminated in 2nd place taking home $216,904 for his excellent finish.

Player Chips Progress
Simon Deadman gb
Simon Deadman
17,300,000 3,300,000
Michael Wang us
Michael Wang
WSOP 2X Winner
Busted

Tags: Michael WangSimon Deadman

Commanding Lead for Deadman

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante

We had a preflop raise to 450,000 and a three-bet to 1.15 million that saw both players head to the {4-Clubs}{2-Diamonds}{K-Hearts} flop. Deadman continued for 775,000 and Wang called. After the {7-Diamonds} turn. Wang carefully cut out 1.7 million and Deadman check-called. The {6-Clubs} on the river was checked through and Deadman won the massive pot with {7-Spades}{5-Clubs}.

Player Chips Progress
Simon Deadman gb
Simon Deadman
14,000,000 4,390,000
Michael Wang us
Michael Wang
WSOP 2X Winner
3,300,000 -4,390,000

Tags: Michael WangSimon Deadman

First Post-Flop Win for Deadman

Level 33 : 100,000/200,000, 30,000 ante

Heads-Up play was dominated by Michael Wang so far, at least when we consider the post-flop play. Simon Deadman has now finally taken down a pot as well when they both saw the flop. The {9-Clubs}{4-Diamonds}{A-Diamonds} flop saw him betting 350,000 and he took down the pot.

Deadman also three-bet the next hand from 410,000 to 1.15 million and enforced a fold.

Player Chips Progress
Simon Deadman gb
Simon Deadman
9,610,000 960,000
Michael Wang us
Michael Wang
WSOP 2X Winner
7,690,000 -960,000

Tags: Michael WangSimon Deadman

Level: 33

Blinds: 100,000/200,000

Ante: 30,000

Wang gets closer, short Break

Level 32 : 80,000/160,000, 20,000 ante

The two last hands of level 32 both went to Michael Wang. In the first one he bet 440,000 on the {9-Clubs}{6-Spades}{K-Diamonds}{8-Hearts} turn to scoop the pot.

Shortly after, he raised to 360,000 and got called by Simon Deadman to bet the {K-Hearts}{Q-Spades}{2-Hearts} flop and take down another post-flop pot. The very last hand got him a walk in the big blind and the players went for a quick toilet break.

Player Chips Progress
Simon Deadman gb
Simon Deadman
9,240,000 -1,595,000
Michael Wang us
Michael Wang
WSOP 2X Winner
8,060,000 1,595,000

Tags: Michael WangSimon Deadman

Kitty Kuo Eliminated in 3rd Place ($142,158)

Level 32 : 80,000/160,000, 20,000 ante
Kitty Kuo
Kitty Kuo

The action folded to Simon Deadman in the small blind and he put Kitty Kuo all in. Kuo made the call and it was off to the races.

Kuo: {3-Spades}{3-Hearts}
Deadman: {A-Diamonds}{6-Clubs}

The {K-Spades}{5-Spades}{2-Clubs}{3-Diamonds}{4-Spades} gave Kuo a set on the turn but Deadman scooped the pot with a straight on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Simon Deadman gb
Simon Deadman
10,835,000 1,285,000
Michael Wang us
Michael Wang
WSOP 2X Winner
6,465,000 -435,000
Kitty Kuo tw
Kitty Kuo
Busted

Tags: Kitty KuoSimon Deadman