WPT on FSN Seminole Hard Rock Showdown Part II: Madsen Falls, NFL Charity Event & More

August 19, 2013

Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager

On Sunday, the World Poker Tour Season XI on Fox Sports Network continued with Part II of the Seminole Hard Rock Showdown, a $5,000 buy-in event that originally took place from April 11-16 and attracted 542 entries. In last week’s recap, I took a look at the double bubble for the TV final table, offered my trendy Final Table Fashion Report and told you about Barry Greenstein’s doppelganger, Zo Karim.

Karim, who had begun the final table as the short stack, actually saw my recap last week and had some fun with me on Twitter.

@ChadAHolloway you know @barrygreenstein is my dad right? #thatswhyilooklikehim
— Zo Karim (@PakmanMMA)

Here’s a look at how things stacked up at the top of this week’s broadcast, which began in Level 27 with the blinds at 25,000/50,000/5,000:

WPT Season XI Seminole Hard Rock Showdown Final Table

Seat	Player	Chips
1	Daniel Letts	1,580,000
2	Paul Dlugozima	2,575,000
3	Kevin “-1SickDisease-“ Eyster	4,115,000
4	Jeff Madsen	1,070,000
5	Ben Tarzia	4,560,000
6	Zo Karim	2,365,000

Madsen the First to Go: On Hand #58 of the final table, Kevin “-1SickDisease-“ Eyster opened for 110,000 from the cutoff only to have Jeff Madsen shove all in for 825,000 from the button. The blinds folded and Eyster made a relatively quick call.

Eyster: A♥10♥
Madsen: 2♠2♣

According to the PokerNews Odds Calculator, Madsen was actually a little bit behind with his pocket deuces and had a 48.66% chance of winning the hand while Eyster sat at 50.74%. The 9♠4♦4♥ flop was decent for Madsen and made him the 57.68% favorite, but Eyster was still drawing to two overs and counterfeit outs. The 3♦ turn failed to help Eyster, dropping him to 27.27%, but the 10♠ river did. The one-in-four shot on the river came through and Madsen was eliminated in sixth place for a smooth $100,000.

Rebel Yell: “Poker to me, it gives you some freedom,” said Jamaica’s Daniel Letts in a side interview. “It’s like being a rebel. It’s different from the legal work environment world. You set your own hours … you make your own rules, because I like dealing with everybody on the same level, I see everybody as the same. In a 9-5 there’s a chain of command and sometimes you have to bite your tongue, but in poker you don’t bite your tongue, you say what you want and express yourself on the table. If the person is actually too arrogant or obnoxious, I’ll let them know that.”

Blind Versus Blind: After Eyster opened for 140,000 from the small blind with the J♦10♦, Ben Tarzia defended from the big with the A♦J♠ and the flop came down 2♥5♠4♣. Both players checked, the dealer burned and turned the 8♣ and the action repeated itself. When the 3♦ completed the board on the river, Eyster bet 125,000 representing a straight but was called by the man with the real hand.

WPT on FSN Seminole Hard Rock Showdown Part II: Madsen Falls, NFL Charity Event & More 101 — Daniel Letts

Let’s Do It: Tarzia opened the button for 125,000 holding the Q♣J♣ and was soon met by an all-in three-bet to 795,000 by Letts in the big blind. Tarzia asked for a count before sliding in a call. Letts immediately stood from his chair as he and his wife watched the flop come out 5♣J♥8♥. Letts flopped a pair of eights but it was no good as Tarzia had flopped a pair of jacks.

The 7♥ turn was no help to Letts, and neither was the 5♠ river. Letts, who got into the tournament through a $500 satellite, shook hands with the remaining four players before taking his leave in fifth place for $122,275.

“In the end I got it in good, that’s what counts,” Letts told WPT sideline reported Matt Savage after the hand. “It’s poker. These things happen.”

The “Catch On” Charity Poker Classic: As part of the WPT Foundation initiative to help local charities, the WPT family held the “Catch On” Charity Poker Classic to help benefit the O.J. McDuffie Catch81 Foundation, which was founded by former Miami Dolphins wide receiver O.J. McDuffie. He was in attendance as were former NFL players Brian O’Neal, Dwayne Starks, Shawn Wooden, Ki-Jana Carter and Daunte Culpepper. Check out the clip here:

So Long, Dlugozima: Over the course of the episode, Paul Dlugozima’s stack had done nothing but dwindle. In the last hand of the broadcast, he opted to commit his last 465,000 from the small blind with the J♥9♦ and received a call from Eyster, who held the A♦3♣ in the big blind.

WPT on FSN Seminole Hard Rock Showdown Part II: Madsen Falls, NFL Charity Event & More 102 — Paul Dlugozima

“That’s not a very good flop,” Dlugozima said upon seeing the A♣8♣2♣ flop, which paired Eyster’s ace and also gave him a flush draw. The 10♣ turn left Dlugozima drawing dead and he was up out of his seat even before the 6♠ was put out on the river.

Dlugozima, who fell in fourth place for $171,950, made his way over to talk to Matt Savage while his good friend, Elio Fox, looked on. “He’s trying to help me a little bit,” Dlugozima said of Fox. “I need some help in some spots so he gives me the support where I need it and helps me when I’m not sure about things.”

Tune in Next Week: The third and final part of the Seminole Hard Rock Showdown is set to air on Sunday, Aug. 25 on FSN, so be sure to check your local listings. If by chance you miss it, check back next week for the latest recap of all the action here on PokerNews.

Who will be the next player to add his name to this prestigious list of champions?