Sean Winter, Keith Brennan, Jessica Dawley, and Shaun Deeb
Sean Winter, Keith Brennan, Jessica Dawley, and Shaun Deeb were the winner's of Seminole's 'Big 4' tournaments in 2019 (photos: SHRPO)

The Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open ‘Big 4’ crowned its winners on Tuesday. Sean Winter won the SHRPO $5,250 Championship, Keith Brennan won the $1,100 No Limit Hold’em, Jessica Dawley won the $2,650 No Limit Hold’em, and Shaun Deeb won the $25,500 High Roller.

Together, the four events awarded more than $8.3 million in prize money.

Sean Winter Wins $5,250 Championship for $698,175

Sean Winter
Sean Winter captures first place in the SHRPO $5,250 Championship for $698,175 (photo: SHRPO)

Buy-In: $5,250
Entries: 809
Prize Pool: $3,923,650

Sean Winter topped the 809-entry field in the SHRPO $5,250 Championship, scoring a first-place prize of $698,175. The score was the fourth largest of Winter’s career and pushed him to more than $13.6 million in live tournament earnings.

1st: Sean Winter – $698,175
2nd: Shalom Elharrar – $487,695
3rd: Jerry Robinson – $314,230
4th: Jordan Fisch  –  $232,065
5th: Giuliano Lentini – $176,350
6th: Ben Farrell – $139,705
7th: Joseph Cheong – $115,300
8th: Brandon Carl – $91,365
9th: Nick Schwarmann – $69,800

Winter entered the final table in the $5,250 Championship with a chip-leading stack of 9.49 million. At the time, Joseph Cheong’s stack of 6.595 million was the next largest, but even he was 48 big blinds behind.

Cheong lost a big pot early when Jordan Fisch doubled through him, and then Nick Schwarmann also doubled through Cheong shortly thereafter. Despite that double by Schwarmann, he was the first player eliminated at the final table, and it was Winter who sent him packing.

Winter then knocked out Brandon Carl in eighth place before Cheong’s run came to an end in seventh. On Cheong’s elimination, Fisch had raised from the under-the-gun position to 275,000 with the blinds at 75,000-125,000 with a 125,000 big blind ante. Cheong, who had just lost the majority of his chips when Giuliano Lentini doubled through him, called all in for 150,000 from the next seat. Shalom Elharrar then called from the cutoff seat. Fisch and Elharrar checked down the AcJh7d2s4d board before all three players revealed their holdings. Fisch had the TdTc, Elharrar showed the JsTh, and Cheong turned up the Ts9s. With his pair of jacks, Elharrar scooped the pot and Cheong was eliminated.

After Ben Farrell went out sixth and Lentini busted fifth, Winter took out Fisch in fourth place with pocket tens holding up against the Ks8c.

Three-handed play only saw the continuation of the Sean Winter show. He continued to increase his lead and then busted Jerry Robinson in third place, again holding pocket tens. Robinson had the AhKc and couldn’t win the flip.

Heads-up play lasted nearly 50 hands as Elharrar battled hard. Ultimately, Winter and his enormous stack of chips were too much to overcome. On the final hand, Winter’s AcTd dominated Elharrar’s KsTh and that was all she wrote.

For the win, Winter took home $698,175. Elharrar scored $487,695 for his second-place result.

Keith Brennan Wins $1,100 No Limit Hold’em for $104,035

Keith Brennan
Ireland’s Keith Brennan won the $1,100 No Limit Hold’em for $104,035 (photo: SHRPO)

Buy-In: $1,100
Entries: 537
Prize Pool: $537,000

Keith Brennan from Ashbourne, Ireland, served up a victory in the $1,100 No Limit Hold’em event to the tune of $104,035. He topped a field of 537 entries to get the win and secured the largest payday of his live tournament career.

1st: Keith Brennan – $104,035
2nd: Cangir Elcin – $72,285
3rd: John Michalak – $46,400
4th: Gary Leibovitz – $32,550
5th: Jack Duong – $24,935
6th: Mario De La Puente – $20,540
7th: Brock Wilson – $17,030
8th: Corey Hochman – $13,545
9th: David Castranovas – $10,350

This tournament looked as though it was going to end up with Cangir Elcin in the winner’s circle. He was the big chip leader with five players left after knocking out Mario De La Puente in sixth place. Brennan was able to get a boost to his stack by busting Jack Duong in fifth place, but he still had less than half the chips that Elcin did.

Elcin continued to dominate by busting Gary Leibovitz in fourth place, then he won a big one off of John Michalak to gather even more chips. But then, Brennan doubled through him to take a chunk of chips back. Eventually, Brennan moved into the lead and began to pull away.

Although Elcin knocked out Michalak in third place, he was still down more than 4-1 in chips to Brennan entering heads-up play. Brennan made quick work of his opponent, Elcin, but it wasn’t without a dramatic final hand.

The money went in with Brennan holding the AsJd to Elcin’s 9c9d. The flop was Jc9s3c to give Elcin a set of nines, but the Ac on the turn gave Brennan some outs going to the river. The river was the Ad, just what Brennan needed, and his full house topped Elcin’s to give him the victory.

Jessica Dawley Wins $2,650 No Limit Hold’em for $204,610

Jessica Dawley
Jessica Dawley took first place in the $2,650 No Limit Hold’em, defeating Faraz Jaka in heads-up play to win $204,610 (photo: SHRPO)

Buy-In: $2,650
Entries: 385
Prize Pool: $1,000,000

Jessica Dawley earned the largest score of her live tournament career when she topped the 385-entry field in the SHRPO $2,650 No Limit Hold’em event. Dawley defeated Faraz Jaka in heads-up play and took home $204,610.

1st: Jessica Dawley – $204,610
2nd: Faraz Jaka – $142,880
3rd: Nicholas Zautra – $91,690
4th: Philip Rigby – $61,090
5th: Raj Vohra – $46,890
6th: Justin Zaki – $38,790
7th: Jordan Cristos – $32,490
8th: Jake Daniels – $26,240
9th: Thai Ha – $20,460

En route to victory, Dawley knocked out Jake Daniels in eighth place and Raj Vohra in fifth place, but it was the elimination of Vohra that could’ve changed a lot had Dawley not come from behind in miraculous fashion.

Vohra was all in with the AsAh to Dawley’s AdJh. Vohra was in a dominating position to double and he looked pretty good on the 9c7h2h flop and Th turn. But, the 8s on the river gave Dawley a straight to the jack and sent Vohra to the rail.

Dawley was ever so slightly behind Jaka entering heads-up play, and Jaka even extended his lead to start the duel. Dawley fought back and eventually doubled into the lead. That’s where she stayed for the remainder of the match.

On the final hand, Dawley’s Ac2h beat Jaka’s 8h8c to win it all. Dawley flopped an ace after the money went in preflop and held up from there.

Shaun Deeb Wins $25,500 High Roller for $778,300

Shaun Deeb
Shaun Deeb earned $778,300 for winning the $25,500 High Roller (photo: SHRPO)

Buy-In: $25,500
Entries: 115
Prize Pool: $2,840,500

Shaun Deeb proved once again he is one of the greatest tournament players we’ve ever seen, winning the SHRPO $25,500 High Roller for $778,300. Deeb topped a field of 115 entries to take top honors and improve to more than $7.5 million in career live tournament winnings.

1st: Shaun Deeb – $778,300
2nd: Albert Daher – $545,375
3rd: Olivier Busquet – $340,860
4th: Andy Andrejevic – $235,760
5th: TK Miles – $150,545
6th: Josh Ray – $110,780
7th: Jake Schwartz – $90,895
8th: Matthew Wantman – $76,695

Deeb came into the final day second in chips behind Andy Andrejevic, but he quickly moved his way into the top spot bu busting Matthew Wantman in eighth place. Deeb would then bust Josh Ray in sixth place and TK Miles in fifth place.

Andrejevic went out in fourth, falling to the hands of Olivier Busquet when his dominated Ac4d couldn’t come from behind against the AdQh.

Although Busquet and Albert Daher both doubled through Deeb during three-handed play, Deeb kept pushing forward and eventually knocked out Busquet in third place to set up the heads-up match with Daher.

In blind-versus-blind action, Deeb limped in from the small blind and Busquet checked from the big blind. The dealer revealed the 8c4c2s flop and Deeb check-raised Busquet’s bet of 125,000 to 400,000. Busquet called, the dealer placed the Jd on the board on the turn, and Deeb moved all in. Busquet made a big call for his tournament life and he had the 8s6d. Deeb had the Qs8d. The river was the 2c and Busquet was eliminated.

Deeb entered heads-up play against Daher with 7.39 million in chips to Daher’s 4.12 million. He increased his lead to start and then finished Daher off with the AcQh to Daher’s pocket sevens.