Keven Stammen Wins the Hollywood Poker Open Season 3 Championship Event ($347,052)
After beating a field of 684 entries, Keven Stammen has been crowned the winner of the Hollywood Poker Open Season 3 Championship Event at the M Resort. Stammen beat Joe Serock heads up to take home the $347,052 first-place prize after a tough final table that also included Alex Keating, Esther Taylor-Brady and Joe Kuether.
Day 3 began with 16 players remaining from the starting field 684 entries, but reaching the final table proved to be a tough task as there were 16 double-ups before the field got down to the final table of 10. The ones not fortunate to get there were Tom Dobrolovic (16th - $13,573), Pedro Oliveira (15th - $17,738), Paul Vas Nunes (14th - $17,738), Garrett Greer (13th - $17,738), Kyle Frey (12th - $23,753) and Steve Warburton ($23,753).
The final table of 10 started with Rudy Lucas in the lead, followed by Serock and Jiachen Gong. At that time Stammen was in fifth place, while Kuether came in as the short stack. Kuether, one of the most accomplished players at the final table, was the first to go as he exited in 10th cashing for $23,753.
Andrew Fisher busted in ninth for $30,848 when he ran jacks into Diogo Cardoso's queens, and it took more than two hours before we lost another player. Michael Laake got five-bet shoved on by Serock, and the former called with pocket queens. Serock tabled kings and while the board gave Laake a set, his kings rivered a flush to capture the pot.
Just a few hands later Lucas' dream ended in seventh place when he cashed for $46,273. Lucas had been knocked down short earlier, and lost holding jack-nine to Stammen's king-three.
Canadian Gong ran pocket fives into Stammen's sixes, and he exited in sixth for $55,064. At this point Stammen had already grabbed the lead, and he would not relinquish it.
The last women standing, Taylor-Brady, came back from dinner as the short stack alongside Keating, and she busted in fifth place. First, Taylor-Brady doubled up with a bit of luck, but then her queens got cracked by Stammen's ace-six, which sent her to the rail taking home $70,951.
Portuguese pro Cardoso ultimately busted in fourth place for $97,635, and it was once again Stammen who did the deed. Cardoso called all in holding ace-deuce, and Stammen's ace-five came out on top. Just a few hands later it was Keating who exited in third for $140,514. Keating was racing with ten-six versus Serock's fours, but the board brought no salvation.
On the final hand of the tournament Serock shoved holding six-deuce and Stammen woke up with pocket kings. The board brought no help, and Serock busted in second place for $214,396. Stammen collected the top prize of $347,052 and the title of Hollywood Poker Open Season 3 Championship Event winner.
Here is the full final table payout.
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keven Stammen | Coldwater, OH | $347,052 |
| 2 | Joe Serock | Albuquerque, NM | $214,396 |
| 3 | Alex Keating | San Jose, CA | $140,514 |
| 4 | Diogo Cardoso | Porto, Portugal | $97,635 |
| 5 | Esther Taylor-Brady | Havertown, PA | $70,951 |
| 6 | Jiachen Gong | Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Canada | $55,064 |
| 7 | Rudy Lucas | Mountain City, TN | $46,273 |
| 8 | Michael Laake | Sarasota, FL | $38,561 |
| 9 | Andrew Fisher | Harrisburg, PA | $30,848 |
| 10 | Joe Kuether | Elm Grove, WI | $23,753 |
Thanks for following the live coverage on PokerNews.com, and make sure to stay tuned for more coverage of the upcoming fourth season of the HPO.
, sealing the deal for Stammen.
and Cardoso was knocked out in fourth place.
. On the turn the 
hit and Stammen picked up a straight draw. Unfortunately for Taylor-Brady the river brought the 
and Stammen filled up his straight.
and Stammen knocked Lucas out in seventh place.
and Laake flopped top set while Serock had both a flush and straight draw. On the turn the 
and Fisher was knocked out in ninth place.
and Laake moved all in for 205,000, Gong called.
