Kessler, Kelsall & Bronshtein Snag Trophies at Seminole Hard Rock 'n' Roll Open
The $3,500 Main Event of the Seminole Hard Rock 'n' Roll Poker Open (RRPO) kicks off on Friday with Day 1a, but the festival is in full swing with a series of side events at Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida.
The World Poker Tour (WPT) festival runs from November 15-28 and the schedule features dozens of events and a wide array of variants.
Notable winners include David Shmuel, Matt Bretzfield, Yuval Bronshtein, AJ Kelsall, and Allen Kessler.
Shmuel picked up his ninth SHRP title along with Bronshtein, while Bretzfield scored his seventh and Kelsall won his fourth.
Shmuel Picks Up Ninth SHRP Title
Several players added to their trophy case in the early part of the festival, including Shmuel, who won the $400 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw event for $7,165. The tournament drew 61 entries for a total prize pool of $20,435.
It's Shmuel's ninth SHRP major title dating back to his first win at the 2017 Rock 'n' Roll Poker Open in the $360 8 or Better event. That was one of two wins during the 2017 series, the other coming in the $150 NLH event that drew 1,027 entries.
The second win in 2017 is the only no-limit title for Shmuel, who has multiple wins in PLO, H.O.R.S.E., and Omaha.
David Shmuel SHRP Titles
| Series | Event | Entries | Prize Pool | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 RRPO | $360 PLO 8 or Better | 94 | $28,200 | $7,152 |
| 2017 RRPO | $150 NLH | 1,027 | $123,240 | $16,573 |
| 2018 SHRPO | $360 PLO | 152 | $45,600 | $12,589 |
| 2020 LHPO | $400 Omaha 8 or Better | 88 | $29,920 | $7,742 |
| 2022 SHRPS | $600 H.O.R.S.E. | 84 | $44,100 | $13,890 |
| 2022 RRPO | $400 H.O.R.S.E. | 91 | $30,485 | $7,471 |
| 2023 LHPO | $400 Omaha Hi/Low 8 or Better | 129 | $43,215 | $12,025 |
| 2023 SHRPO | $600 Big O | 145 | $76,125 | $18,903 |
| 2023 RRPO | $400 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw | 61 | $20,435 | $7,165 |
Bretzfield Goes Back-to-Back
Bretzfield picked up his seventh major SHRP title with a win in the $500 Double Black Chip PLO Bounty tournament — his second series victory after a win in the $1,100 5 Card PLO tournament. The bounty tournament drew 164 entries and Bretzfield won $21,583 from a total prize pool of $83,420.
The $500 PLO Bounty win came after a three-way deal with Dmitry Savelyev and Brandon Duvdivani. Bretzfield chopped with the chip lead and took the title.
All but one of Bretzfield's titles have come in the pot-limit Omaha variety, save for a win in the $600 NLH tournament at the 2022 Rock 'n' Roll Poker Open.
Matt Bretzfield SHRP Titles
| Series | Event | Entries | Prize Pool | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 LHPO | $1,100 PLO | 84 | $82,480 | $15,323 |
| 2022 SHRPS | $400 Mixed PLO | 126 | $42,210 | $11,475 |
| 2022 SHRPO | $1,100 Mixed PLO | 78 | $75,660 | $20,165 |
| 2022 RRPO | $600 NLH | 37 | $19,610 | $5,828 |
| 2023 LHPO | $600 PLO | 134 | $70,350 | $14,963 |
| 2023 RRPO | $1,100 5 Card PLO | 86 | $83,420 | $21,583 |
| 2023 RRPO | $500 5 Card PLO Bounty | 164 | $35,540 | $8,073 |
Check out an interview with WPT President Adam Pliska for more on next year's WPT Voyage
Bronshtein, Kessler, and Kelsall Glow in the Sunshine State
Kessler, Kelsall, and Bronshtein all added SHRP titles, with Bronshtein winning his ninth after he outlasted 98 entries in the $600 H.O.R.S.E. event to take $14,405 from a prize pool of $51,450. It was the second win of the year at SHRP for Bronshtein, who won the $600 Big O at the Lucky Hearts Poker Open earlier in 2023.
Kelsall won the $600 8 Game Mix in the early part of the series — his fourth at SHRP. He defeated a field of 76 players to take the top prize of $13,380 from a prize pool of $39,900.
Not to be outdone, Kessler won the $400 Triple Stud tournament, where he outlasted 77 entries to take $6,796 from a prize pool of $25,795.
Yuval Bronshtein SHRP Titles
| Series | Event | Entries | Prize Pool | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 LHPO | $400 Omaha 8 or Better | 123 | $41,205 | $7,535 |
| 2021 SHRPO | $500 Omaha Hi/Lo | 100 | $34,000 | $6,673 |
| 2021 SHRPO | $400 PLO | 133 | $45,220 | $10,423 |
| 2022 LHPO | $400 Omaha 8/Stud 8 | 114 | $38,190 | $9,020 |
| 2022 LHPO | $600 H.O.R.S.E. | 65 | $34,125 | $11,760 |
| 2022 SHRPS | $600 PLO | 126 | $42,210 | $20,630 |
| 2022 SHRPS | $1,100 H.O.R.S.E. | 62 | $60,140 | $21,645 |
| 2023 LHPO | $600 Big O | 101 | $53,025 | $13,405 |
| 2023 RRPO | $600 H.O.R.S.E. | 98 | $51,450 | $14,405 |
Who Will Win the 2023 RRPO Main Event?
The first of two flights in the $3,500 Main Event starts on Friday with surviving players to return on Sunday for Day 2. The opening flight had 389 runners in Level 4, and a large field is expected for Andy Wilson's defense of his 2022 title.
Be sure to keep it with PokerNews all week long for coverage from the Seminole Hard Rock 'n' Roll Open in Hollywood, Florida.
Full WPT RRPO Results
| Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $400 Deep Stack NLH $2M GTD | 7,532 | $2,485,560 | Richard Saunders | $192,398 |
| Event #2: $600 Seniors 50+ NLH | 202 | $106,050 | Amir Baron | $26,035 |
| Event #3: $600 Deep Stack Big O | 111 | $58,275 | Fred Stones | $17,475 |
| Event #4: $200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty | 175 | $19,250 | Scott Sommer | $4,925 |
| Event #5: $600 Eight-Game Mix | 76 | $39,900 | AJ Kelsall | $13,380 |
| Event #6: $1,100 Five-Card PLO | 86 | $83,420 | Matt Bretzfield | $21,583 |
| Event #7: $200 Big Stack NLH | 244 | $39,040 | Yang Lu | $8,890 |
| Event #8: $400 Deep Stack Turbo PLO | 101 | $34,340 | Shawn Haynes | $9,275 |
| Event #9: $600 PLO 8 | 81 | $42,525 | Jose Paz | $11,131 |
| Event #10: $600 Double Black Chip Bounty NLH | 152 | $49,400 | Andre Bryan | $12,066 |
| Event #11: $600 Black Chip Bounty 5-Card PLO | 110 | $46,750 | Andrea Mastrogiovanni | $11,452 |
| Event #12: $600 PLO 8 | 102 | $53,550 | David Brookshire | $8,602 |
| Event #13: $600 Deep Stack Turbo NLH | 54 | $28,620 | Zachary Fischer | $10,560 |
| Event #14: $400 Deep Stack NLH | 731 | $244,885 | Austin Thieleman | $44,440 |
| Event #15: $600 Six-Max PLO | 144 | $75,600 | Steven Langert | $17,495 |
| Event #16: $1,100 Triple Stack NLH | 478 | $463,660 | Armando Romero | $78,000 |
| Event #17: $400 Deep Stack Turbo NLH | 100 | $34,000 | Omer Rotman | $10,355 |
| Event #18: $400 Triple Stud | 77 | $25,795 | Allen Kessler | $6,796 |
| Event #19: $200 Big Stack NLH | 1,631 | $260,960 | Jen-Yue Chiang | $34,911 |
| Event #20: $400 Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH | 115 | $27,600 | Martynas Brazdzionis | $8,035 |
| Event #21: $400 Deep Stack Six-Max | 162 | $54,270 | Michael Wetcher | $10,128 |
| Event #22: $400 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw | 61 | $20,435 | David Shmuel | $20,435 |
| Event #23: $1,700 Deep Stack Purple Chip Bounty PLO | 107 | $107,000 | Ferenc Deak | $31,705 |
| Event #24: $400 Triple Stack Turbo NLH | 78 | $26,520 | David Sathue | $8,810 |
| Event #25: $600 H.O.R.S.E. | 98 | $51,450 | Yuval Bronshtein | $14,405 |
| Event #26: $400 Deep Stack Black Chip Bounty 5 Card PLO | 164 | $35,540 | Matt Bretzfield | $8,073 |
| Event #27: $200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty NLH | 321 | $35,310 | Peter Shapiro | $6,810 |
| Event #28: $200 Holiday Deep Stack NLH | 334 | $53,440 | Jason Rocha | $11,476 |
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*Images courtesy of SHRP.
Las Vegas-based PokerNews Live Reporting Executive, originally from Chicago, IL
