The World Poker Tour (WPT) is currently at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida for the 2022 WPT Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open (RRPO). The $3,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event is in full swing, but leading up to the premier tournament was a series of side events.
Among those to capture titles at the 2022 RRPO are AJ Kelsall (Event #5: $600 HORSE for $13,625), Salvatore Pipitone (Event #9: $600 Limit Omaha 8 for $16,900), Michael Newman (Event #18: $400 Deep Stack Turbo NLH for $7,136), David Goodis (Event #23: $400 Black Chip Bounty 5-Card PLO for $9,450), and Daniyal Gheba (Event #27: $400 Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH for $9,550).
Here’s a look at some of the most notable storylines from the stop’s early side events.
Hsu Tops Third Largest Field in Florida History
The 2022 RRPO kicked off in a big way with Event #1: $400 Deep Stack NLH, a tournament that attracted 6,134 entries and more than doubled its $1M GTD with a prize pool of $2,024,200. The tournament, which ran from November 16-21, wound up being the third-largest field in Florida history.
The tournament ended in a five-way deal that saw chi pleader Peter Hsu, who only fired a single $400 bullet, claim the trophy and $191,223 in prize money.
“I try to play as much as I can when they have these big tournaments,” Hsu told RRPO reporters. “This is right before Thanksgiving, so it’s a great time to play.”
RRPO Event #1 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peter Hsu | $191,223* + RRPO Trophy |
| 2 | Justin Datloff | $162,511* |
| 3 | Zak VanKeuren | $160,000* |
| 4 | Fabian Foster | $152,669* |
| 5 | Phu Vo | $136,174* |
| 6 | Nigel Murray | $66,800 |
| 7 | Richard Baker | $46,560 |
| 8 | Earl Gallegos | $33,400 |
| 9 | Willy Stadele | $22,265 |
*Indicates a five-way deal.
Scott Baumstein Captures 6th SHRP Title
On November 20, Event #12: $400 Deep Stack NLH attracted 515 runners and offered up a $172,525 prize pool. Coming out on top was none other than Scott Baumstein, who captured his sixth SHRP major trophy, which put him in a tie with Michael Newman and behind only five other players.
Baumstein’s victory came after a heads-up deal with Hagai Stein that saw both players receive $27,965 in prize money.
Speaking of Newman, a day later he topped a 107-entry field to win Event #18: $400 Deep Stack Turbo NLH for $17,589 and his seventh SHRP title to move into a five-way tie with Brian Altman, Yuval Bronshtein, Gabe Ramos, and David Prociak.
Baumstein’s SHRP Titles
| Series | Event | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 LHPO | $1,100 WPT DeepStacks Championship | $220,238 |
| 2021 LHPO | $600 Double Black Chip Bounty | $28,040 |
| 2021 SHRPO | $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em | $81,220 |
| 2022 LHPO | $1,100 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em | $60,006 |
| 2022 LHPO | $1,100 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em | $96,795 |
| 2022 RRPO | $400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em | $27,965 |
Raminder Singh Extends Record w/ 9th SHRP Title
Speaking of all-time SHRP titles, no one has more than Raminder Singh, who captured his ninth by besting a 74-entry field to win Event #15: $600 Deep Stack Turbo NLH for $7,897 after a four-way deal.
Singh’s SHRP Titles
| Series | Event | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 SHRPO | $250 No-Limit Hold’em Deep Stack Turbo | $6,716 |
| 2015 RRPO | $350 No-Limit Hold’em Black Chip Bounty | $11,400 |
| 2015 RRPO | $350 No-Limit Hold’em Big Stack | $15,298 |
| 2018 RRPO | $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em | $37,706 |
| 2019 SHRPO | $600 No-Limit Hold’em Deep Stack | $200,000 |
| 2020 LHPO | $600 No-Limit Hold’em Six Max | $22,520 |
| 2021 SHRPO | $200 Double Green Chip Bounty NLH | $6,256 |
| 2022 Showdown | $150 Big Stack No-Limit Hold’em | $5,008 |
| 2022 RRPO | $600 Deep Stack Turbo NLH | $7,897 |
Check out the WPT Hub on PokerNews here!
Back-to-Back Holley
On Sunday, John Holley bagged in Event #14: $600 Deep Stack Pot-Limit Omaha and had a day off before Day 2. On that day off, he topped an 83-entry field to win Event #16: $400 Omaha 8/Stud for $8,950 and his fifth SHRP title.
He then returned on Tuesday and promptly shipped the aforementioned Event #14 for $30,191 after a four-way deal at the final table.
It was actually the second time in his career that Holley won back-to-back titles at Seminole Hard Rock. He also won trophies on back-to-back days back in August of 2013 at the SHRPO.
Holley’s SHRP Titles
| Series | Event | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 SHRPO | $240 PLO8 | $5,919 |
| 2013 SHRPO | $240 Seniors No-Limit Hold’em | $9,207 |
| 2015 RRPO | $350 Six-Max No-Limit Hold’em | $5,304 |
| 2018 SHRPO | $300 Seniors No-Limit Hold’em | $6,924 |
| 2022 RRPO | $400 Omaha 8/Stud 8 | $8,950 |
| 2022 RRPO | $600 Deep Stack PLO | $30,191 |
2022 RRPO Winners Thus Far…
| Date | Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 16-21 | Event #1: $400 Deep Stack NLH | 6,134 | $2,024,200 | Peter Hsu | $191,223 |
| Nov. 16 | Event #2: $600 Seniors 50+ NLH | 176 | $92,400 | Wilmer Chavira | $16,031 |
| Nov. 16 | Event #3: $600 Deep Stack Big O | 80 | $42,000 | Chris Kostoulas | $7,418 |
| Nov. 16 | Event #4: $200 Quad Stack Double Green Chip Bounty | 177 | $19,470 | Jesus Figueroa | $4,313 |
| Nov. 17 | Event #5: $600 HORSE | 78 | $40,950 | AJ Kelsall | $13,625 |
| Nov. 17-18 | Event #6: $1,100 Five-Card PLO | 102 | $98,940 | Robert Lupo | $24,148 |
| Nov. 17 | Event #7: $150 Big Stack NLH | 239 | $30,000 | Joseph Diaz | $6,935 |
| Nov. 17 | Event #8: $600 Deep Stack Turbo NLH | 37 | $19,610 | Matty Bretzfield | $5,828 |
| Nov. 18 | Event #9: $600 Limit Omaha 8 | 108 | $56,700 | Salvatore Pipitone | $16,900 |
| Nov. 18 | Event #10: $600 Double Black Chip Bounty | 188 | $61,100 | Daniel Chlimper | $15,425 |
| Nov. 19 | Event #11: $600 PLO 8 | 122 | $64,050 | Long Nguyen | $18,065 |
| Nov. 20 | Event #12: $400 Deep Stack NLH | 515 | $172,525 | Scott Baumstein | $27,965 |
| Nov. 20-21 | Event #13: $1,100 Six-Max NLH | 193 | $187,210 | Glen Cressman | $46,170 |
| Nov. 20-22 | Event #14: $600 Deep Stack PLO | 405 | $210,600 | John Holley | $30,191 |
| Nov. 20 | Event #15: $600 Deep Stack Turbo NLH | 74 | $39,220 | Raminder Singh | $7,897 |
| Nov. 21 | Event #16: $400 Omaha 8/Stud 8 | 83 | $27,805 | John Holley | $8,950 |
| Nov. 21-23 | Event #17: $200 Big Stack NLH | 1,894 | $303,040 | Christopher Lewis | $32,400 |
| Nov. 21 | Event #18: $400 Deep Stack Turbo NLH | 107 | $36,380 | Michael Newman | $7,136 |
| Nov. 22 | Event #19: $400 Big Stack Six-Max NLH | 115 | $38,525 | Larry Elliott | $7,965 |
| Nov. 22 | Event #20: $1,100 Deep Stack NLH Freezeout | 68 | $65,960 | Colin Robinson | $22,135 |
| Nov. 22-23 | Event #21: $1,700 Purple Chip Bounty PLO | 77 | $77,000 | David Moreno | $26,020 |
| Nov. 22 | Event #22: $400 Deep Stack NLH Turbo | 58 | $19,720 | Matt Vinke | $7,095 |
| Nov. 23 | Event #23: $400 Black Chip Bounty 5-Card PLO | 154 | $36,190 | David Goodis | $9,450 |
| Nov. 23 | Event #24: $200 Double Green Chip Bounty NLH | 254 | $27,940 | Christopher Corrales | $5,695 |
| Nov. 24 | Event #25: $250 Holiday Deep Stack NLH | 312 | $36,816 | Igor Tolstov | $7,816 |
| Nov. 25 | Event #27: $400 Black Chip Bounty Turbo NLH | 151 | $35,485 | Daniyal Gheba | $9,550 |
Did You Know the World Poker Tour is Online?
The launch of WPT Global means that poker players around the world now have the chance to win their way to WPT events, win prizes and enjoy exciting games such as Poker Flips. As one of the world’s largest cash game poker networks, WPT Global is available in over 50 countries and territories around the world.
WPT Global offers a large deposit match bonus: 100% on deposits up to $1,200 (using any payment method). New players depositing a minimum of $20 automatically receive this match bonus which is unlocked in $5 increments (credited straight to the cashier) for every $20 of rake contribution.
Both tournaments and cash games count towards bonus unlocking; new players have 90 days from the date of first deposit to unlock and claim their full bonus amount.
Listen to more about the WPT World Championship on the new PokerNews Podcast!
*Images courtesy of SHRPO.
Executive Editor U.S.
Executive Editor US, PokerNews Podcast co-host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.