Hollywood Poker Open Season 4 Championship Event

$2,500 Championship Event
Day: 3
Event Info

Hollywood Poker Open Season 4 Championship Event

Final Results
Winner
Prize
$297,644
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,500
Prize Pool
$1,477,025
Entries
655
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000

Dejuante Alexander Wins the Hollywood Poker Open Season 4 Championship

Level 31 : 80,000/160,000, 20,000 ante
Dejuante Alexander
Dejuante Alexander

After four days of poker, Dejuante Alexander came out on top of a 655-entry field to capture the Hollywood Poker Open Season 4 Championship Event title and a $297,644 top prize.

The Houston, Texas resident had $299,904 in career tournament earnings coming into the event, and almost matched that with the win on Sunday.

The event's final day started with 21 players, and quickly moved to a final table of 10 with Calvin Anderson in the lead.

Qualifier Jim Kasputis, who won his seat for the tournament at the Hollywood property in Aurora, Illinios, was the shortest stack and first to go, before Michael Aron ran a small pair into Aaron Mermelstein's bigger one to bust ninth.

Alexander then took the lead making trips with a redraw, and fooling Anderson into shoving top two with a massive check-raise on the turn. Anderson was left short and took eighth soon after.

Bryan Piccioli ran a weak king into Brady Bullard's eights to say goodbye next, and Julian Parmann lost a race with eights to take sixth, handing Mermelstein his stack.

After winning a big hand against Michael Tureniec, Mermelstein took the lead into a 75-minute dinner break.

Tureniec returned from the dinner break and ran Broadway cards into Mermelstein's kings to go broke fifth. Thomas Muehloecker returned short, and although he doubled once, he ran Broadway cards into Alexander's queens to exit fourth.

Brady Bullard was the short stack three handed, and Mermelstein cracked his aces to dispatch him third.

Heads-up play started with Mermelstein in front and the lead changed hands several times before Alexander pulled way out in front. The two players then struck a deal, giving the title, the trophy, the tax implications of signing for first place money, and a $297,644 top prize to Alexander.

Mermelstein, a two-time World Poker Tour title holder, accepted $240,000 for second.

That ended the Hollywood Poker Open Championship Event with Dejuante Alexander becoming the tour's fourth champion after another fabulous tournament at the opulent M Luxury Resort Hotel Casino. From the PokerNews reporting team, to everyone at the M, and those following along at home, we wish you good night, and good luck.

Tags: Aaron MermelsteinBrady BullardBryan PiccioliCalvin AndersonDejuante AlexanderJim KasputisJulian ParmannMichael AronMichael TureniecThomas Muehloecker

Brady Bullard Eliminated in 3rd Place ($134,557)

Level 29 : 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Brady Bullard
Brady Bullard

Aaron Mermelstein made it 200,000 and Brady Bullard came over the top all in.

Dejuante Alexander folded the big blind and Mermelstein called. Bullard has the {a-Hearts}{a-Diamonds} and Mermelstein had stepped in it with the {q-Spades}{10-Spades}.

However, the {j-Diamonds}{j-Spades}{8-Diamonds} gave Mermelstein a gutshot straight draw, and the {9-Diamonds} turn completed it. Bullard still had outs to survive, but the {q-Hearts} river wasn't one of them and he was sent home third.

Mermelstein will take a slight lead into heads-up play with Alexander, but the two are taking a break to talk right now.

Player Chips Progress
Aaron Mermelstein us
Aaron Mermelstein
WPT 2X Winner
8,700,000 600,000
Dejuante Alexander us
Dejuante Alexander
WSOP 1X Winner
7,600,000
Brady Bullard us
Brady Bullard
Busted

Tags: Aaron MermelsteinBrady BullardDejuante Alexander

Thomas Muehloecker Eliminated in 4th Place ($93,496)

Level 29 : 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Thomas Muehloecker
Thomas Muehloecker

Aaron Mermelstein made it 185,000 and Thomas Muehloecker shipped in his 1.1 million-chip stack.

Dejuante Alexander pushed all in over the top and Mermelstein folded.

Muehloecker was in big trouble with the {q-Clubs}{j-Spades} versus Alexander's {q-Hearts}{q-Spades}. The {j-Hearts}{a-Hearts}{7-Clubs} flop gave Muehloecker an underpair, but the {9-Hearts} turn and {7-Diamonds} river did not improve him further.

Muehloecker busted fourth, leaving Mermelstein and Alexander as the bigger stacks three handed with Brady Bullard trailing.

Player Chips Progress
Dejuante Alexander us
Dejuante Alexander
WSOP 1X Winner
5,900,000 750,000
Thomas Muehloecker at
Thomas Muehloecker
Busted

Tags: Aaron MermelsteinBrady BullardDejuante AlexanderThomas Muehloecker

Michael Tureniec Eliminated in 5th Place ($67,943)

Level 29 : 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Michael Tureniec
Michael Tureniec

Michael Tureniec moved all in for 1,150,000 from the cutoff and Aaron Mermelstein moved all in over the top from his direct left.

"How much you have?" Brady Bullard joked from the small blind, before folding with a wry smile on his face.

Tureniec: {Q-Hearts}{J-Spades}
Mermelstein: {K-Diamonds}{K-Hearts}

"I folded tens," Bullard said, as the flop brought out {8-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}{K-Clubs}.

The {10-Hearts} hit on the turn, and Bullard yelled, "That's such a sick card!"

The {5-Spades} completed the board on the river and Tureniec was eliminated from the tournament.

Player Chips Progress
Aaron Mermelstein us
Aaron Mermelstein
WPT 2X Winner
8,100,000 1,880,000
Michael Tureniec se
Michael Tureniec
WSOP 1X Winner
EPT 1X Winner
Busted

Tags: Aaron MermelsteinBrady BullardMichael Tureniec

Julian Parmann Eliminated in 6th Place ($52,730)

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 5,000 ante
Julian Parmann
Julian Parmann

Julian Parmann moved all in for 755,000 under the gun and Aaron Mermelstein called from the cutoff after which the other players folded.

Parmann: {8-Spades}{8-Clubs}
Mermelstein: {A-Spades}{J-Spades}

The board ran out {K-Clubs}{Q-Clubs}{10-Spades}{10-Hearts}{5-Hearts} and Parmann was sent home in sixth place.

Player Chips Progress
Aaron Mermelstein us
Aaron Mermelstein
WPT 2X Winner
4,080,000 605,000
Julian Parmann us
Julian Parmann
Busted

Tags: Aaron MermelsteinJulian Parmann

Bryan Piccioli Eliminated in 7th Place ($44,311)

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 5,000 ante
Bryan Piccioli
Bryan Piccioli

A relatively short stacked Bryan Piccioli open-shoved the button with the {k-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds} and Brady Bullard woke up with the {8-Hearts}{8-Spades} in the big blind, making the call.

The board ran out {4-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}{9-Spades}{j-Hearts}{j-Clubs}, and despite flopping a flush draw, Piccioli bricked out seventh.

Player Chips Progress
Brady Bullard us
Brady Bullard
2,400,000 -25,000
Bryan Piccioli us
Bryan Piccioli
WSOP 2X Winner
Busted

Tags: Brady BullardBryan Piccioli

Calvin Anderson Eliminated in 8th Place ($36,926)

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 5,000 ante
Calvin Anderson
Calvin Anderson

On the very next hand after doubling up DeJuante Alexander, Calvin Anderson moved all in for 590,000. Michael Tureniec moved all in over the top, and the other players folded.

Anderson: {A-Diamonds}{Q-Spades}
Tureniec: {Q-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts}

The board ran out {10-Spades}{6-Spades}{2-Diamonds}{K-Clubs}{4-Hearts} and Anderson was knocked out after starting the final table with a sizeable chip lead.

Player Chips Progress
Michael Tureniec se
Michael Tureniec
WSOP 1X Winner
EPT 1X Winner
2,500,000 350,000
Calvin Anderson us
Calvin Anderson
WSOP 4X Winner
Busted

Tags: Calvin AndersonDejuante Alexander

Michael Aron Eliminated in 9th Place ($29,541)

Level 27 : 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Michael Aron
Michael Aron

Aaron Mermelstein raised to 110,000 under the gun plus two and Michael Aron moved all in from the button for 1,095,000. The action folded back to Mermelstein, who took a few seconds before sliding forward the call.

Aron: {7-Clubs}{7-Diamonds}
Mermelstein: {9-Diamonds}{9-Clubs}

The board ran out {K-Spades}{9-Spades}{10-Clubs}{9-Hearts}{6-Hearts} and Mermelstein hit quads to send Aron to the rail in ninth place.

Player Chips Progress
Aaron Mermelstein us
Aaron Mermelstein
WPT 2X Winner
3,475,000 765,000
Michael Aron us
Michael Aron
Busted

Tags: Aaron MermelsteinMichael Aron

Jim Kasputis Eliminated in 10th Place ($22,746)

Level 27 : 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Jim Kasputis
Jim Kasputis

The last remaining Hollywood Poker Open qualifier has fallen.

Jim Kasputis, who won his seat at the Hollywood property in Aurora, Illinios, open-shoved under the gun with the {q-Hearts}{q-Spades}, and Michael Turenic moved all in to isolate from the cutoff. The button and blinds folded and Tureniec turned over the {k-Spades}{k-Clubs}.

The dream died for Kasputis after an {a-Diamonds}{a-Clubs}{j-Hearts}{7-Clubs}{7-Diamonds} run out, but a $22,746 score awaits him at the payout cage to soften the blow.

Player Chips Progress
Michael Tureniec se
Michael Tureniec
WSOP 1X Winner
EPT 1X Winner
2,150,000 690,000
Jim Kasputis us
Jim Kasputis
Busted

Tags: Jim KasputisMichael Tureniec

Anthony Vaughn Eliminated in 11th Place ($22,746)

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Anthony Vaughn
Anthony Vaughn

Anthony Vaughn laddered up with his short stack as long as he could, but finally picked up a pair in the cutoff and shoved.

Thomas Muehloecker found the {q-Diamonds}{q-Hearts} in the big blind and made the obvious call, well in front of Vaughn's {6-Diamonds}{6-Clubs}.

The board ran out {k-Spades}{2-Diamonds}{10-Hearts}{q-Spades}{2-Hearts} leaving Vaughn drawing dead on the turn and out 11th. With his elimination they have moved to a single table of ten.

Player Chips Progress
Thomas Muehloecker at
Thomas Muehloecker
1,550,000 305,000
Anthony Vaughn us
Anthony Vaughn
Busted

Tags: Anthony VaughnThomas Muehloecker