The World Poker Tour recently kicked off the second half of Season XIV in Florida, with the 2016 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open at the Seminole
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, and in Oklahoma, with the
WPT Choctaw.
Preliminary events have begun at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open, now in its fourth year. The series of 28 tournaments will reach a peak on August 16 when the final tables from four big tournaments conclude at the same time at Hard Rock Live. The first tournament began July 28.
All eyes are on the SHRPO Main Event, which will feature the same format as last year–a $5 million guarantee and a traditional freeze out rather than a reentry free-for-all. Last year 907 players entered, and Seminole Hard Rock officials hope more than that number will show up this year.
In 2015, the casino had to pay nearly $500,000 to cover losses incurred in 2014, when the Seminoles set the guaranteed prize pool at $10 million, the same as in the inaugural year of 2013 and the largest guarantee in history at the time. But in 21014 only 1,499 entries were received by the registration deadline, leaving the Seminoles with the $2.5 million shortfall, which the tribe paid, along with the $10 million guaranteed prize pool. Dan Colman defeated Mike Leah to take the championship and its $1,466,710 to prize.
In 2015, officials reduced the guaranteed prize pool to $5 million. Colman returned to defend his title, but wound up in third place. Brian Phillis played against Omar Zazay but after grinding more than 100 hands, Zazay emerged as the champion and took home $1 million.
Officials hope to recapture the success of the inaugural year, 2013, which featured a $5,000 buy-in plus unlimited re-buys for the three Day Ones that made up the opening action. That tournament created a prize pool of $11,920,000, and Blair Hinkle claimed the championship and the $1,745,245 top prize.
New this year, a $1,100 Shoot-Out on August 9 will feature 10 tables with the survivor of each table making up the final table. Buy-in is $1,100. Also, a 64-player Heads Up tournament on August 14 will have players go one-on-one. The entry fee is $1,650.
On August 16, final tables from the main event, a $25,500 high roller tournament and two other events will be filmed by Poker Night in America and air later on CBS Sports Network. The events also will be live-streamed on PokerNight.com.
Also, on August 12, the Charity Series of Poker will host a tournament to benefit the Maximum Hope Foundation. Buy-in is $300.
For those on smaller budgets, players can enter a $150 buy-in tournament on August 15 or 16. Satellite events also will give players a chance to win a seat into the more lucrative events.
In Oklahoma, the WPT Choctaw has begun its Day 1B action in its $3,500 Main Event. With 989 entries, the $3 million guaranteed prize pool has been surpassed; unlimited re-entries are allowed in the tournament and registration did not close until the start of Day 2 yesterday, Sunday, August 7. If 2015 numbers are reached, the result will be a prize pool of more than $4.1 million. Recognized pros including Phil Hellmuth, Darren Elias, Tom Marchese, Cate Hall, Ari Engel and Faraz Jaka have been spotted among the players.
The European Poker Tour is will launch its Season 13 schedule at the Casino Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain on August 16. The tournament will feature a High Roller event at $11,220 and a Super High Roller challenge at $56,115, with the Main Event at $5,611.
