Championship: Ari Engel – 5th Place ($93,560) 5k171g

$3,500 RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)Championship Structure | Payouts Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante Players Remaining: 4 of 585 595w5o

Ari Engel

After the shocking start of the final table, Ari Engel went from chip leader to short stack in a few minutes. He made a move against Sheddy Siddiqui but he ran his 8x8x into the SHRP team member’s JxJx.

The dealer could not save his tournament and Engel’s final table ended much earlier than expected.

Sheddy Siddiqui – 3,600,000 (45 bb)
Ari Engel – Eliminated in 5th place ($93,560)

Championship: Tom Marchese – 6th Place ($75,380) 4g5f2v

$3,500 RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Championship Structure | Payouts
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 of 585

Tom Marchese

Two hands after Michael Newman doubled, Tom Marchese tried his hand at it as well. Darryll Fish opened to 170,000 from the cutoff and Marchese moved all in for 900,000. Matas Cimbolas surrendered his big blind and Fish quickly called.

Marchese: KdQs
Fish: AcAd

Marchese’s move ran into Fish’s monster and the high roller regular could not find any held as the dealer spread the 8d2d2cJsTs board.

Darryll Fish – 3,600,000 (45 bb)
Tom Marchese – Eliminated in 6th place ($75,380)

Championship: Michael Newman Doubles on First Hand 1s2v2t

$3,500 RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Championship Structure | Payouts
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 585

Michael Newman

On the first hand of the day, Ari Engel opened the action and Michael Newman defended in the big blind to the AcTd8h flop. Newman called a flop bet, then led out for 600,000 after the 3d turn.

Engel moved all in and Newman had to make a decision for his tournament on the first hand of the final table. He thought for a few minutes and called for 2,900,000.

Newman: Ad7d
Engel: 6d4d

Newman was best with the ace and better flush draw, Engel was drawing dead to the river and Newman doubled into the lead.

Michael Newman – 6,780,000 (85 bb)
Ari Engel – 1,100,000 (14 bb)

Championship: Shuffle Up and Deal; Updates Begin at ~12:40pm 1o5u4j

$3,500 RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Championship Structure | Payouts
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 585

Cards are in the air for the fifth and final day of play in the Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship. Tournament updates will be done off the live stream and will start at about 12:40pm. Relevant links are available above.

Good luck, players!

Seat 1: Darryll Fish – 2,385,000 (30 bb)
Seat 2: Michael Newman – 3,360,000 (42 bb)
Seat 3: Tom Marchese – 1,050,000 (13 bb)
Seat 4: Matas Cimbolas – 3,680,000 (46 bb)
Seat 5: Ari Engel – 4,495,000 (56 bb)
Seat 6: Sheddy Siddiqui – 2,580,000 (32 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st – $374,240 + Trophy
2nd – $262,440
3rd – $168,920
4th – $121,920
5th – $93,560
6th – $75,380

Championship: Final Table Under the Lights 6o4m5d

$3,500 RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Championship Structure | Payouts
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 585

Ari Engel

After two starting flights and three days of play, the Championship is down to the final table six and they will play for the title in front of the Poker Night in America live stream cameras for later broadcast.

It is a tough group of players with eight-time WSOP Circuit winner Ari Engel holding the chip lead followed by WPT Champions Club member Matas Cimbolas, high roller Tom Marchese, former SHRP champion Michael Newman, and Seminole Hard Rock Poker team Sheddy Siddiqui and Darryll Fish.

They will take their seats at noon to kick off the action. They are all guaranteed to walk away with $75,380 but they are all aiming for the $374,240 top prize.

Seat 1: Darryll Fish – 2,385,000 (30 bb)
Seat 2: Michael Newman – 3,360,000 (42 bb)
Seat 3: Tom Marchese – 1,050,000 (13 bb)
Seat 4: Matas Cimbolas – 3,680,000 (46 bb)
Seat 5: Ari Engel – 4,495,000 (56 bb)
Seat 6: Sheddy Siddiqui – 2,580,000 (32 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st – $374,240 + Trophy
2nd – $262,440
3rd – $168,920
4th – $121,920
5th – $93,560
6th – $75,380

Championship: Meet Your Final Table r2n2a

Among all the big final tables in Seminole Hard Rock Poker history, the final table of the 2017 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood might be one of toughest of them all. The six players who will play it out for the RRPO Championship represent nearly $28 million in career live tournament earnings and they are all worthy of the title.

The six players have combined for nine WSOP Circuit rings, an Aussie Million Tournament of Champions title, an Aussie Million Main Event win, a half-dozen SHRP titles, a WPT Champions Club member, and a half dozen SHRP trophies.

One of the best final tables you will find in recent memory, all trying to win the RRPO Championship.


Seat 1
Name: Darryll Fish
Chip Count: 2,385,000
Hometown: Cape Coral, FL
This former Dunkin’ Donuts employee has been a poker professional for quite a while, and a successful one at that. Fish has won over $3 million in live tournaments alone and countless more online. The 31- year-old is looking for his second biggest score of his career. The biggest score of his career happened here at the Hard Rock earlier this year when he finished second in the $3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown for $455,185.


Seat 2
Name: Michael Newman
Chip Count: 3,360,000
Hometown: New York, NY
Michael Newman is a regular at the Hard Rock and if there is a tournament series running in Hollywood,
he can usually be found in whatever is running. The 48-year- old used to work on Wall Street and is still in the banking industry now that he lives in Florida. He is looking for his second Hard Rock title after winning the $570 no limit hold’em at last year’s Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open.


Seat 3
Name: Thomas Marchese
Chip Count: 1,050,000
Hometown: Parsippany, NJ
Thomas Marchese is easily the most accomplished player at the final table. He comes in as the shortstack, but is still dangerous. He’s a regular in the highest stakes tournaments on the planet and a win in this event would push him over the $17 million mark in career earnings.

Seat 4
Name: Matas Cimbolas
Chip Count: 3,680,000
Hometown: Lithuania
Matas Cimbolas brings an international flare to the RRPO Championship event final table. The Lithuanian
poker pro is the only non-American at the table and is no stranger to success on the felt. The 24-year- old has seven figures in career earnings, while still being able to play on some of the major online sites outside of the U.S.



Seat 5
Name: Ari Engel
Chip Count: 4,495,000
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Ari Engel comes into the final table as the chip leader and is the only player with more than 4 million in chips. Engel originally made his name in the poker world as an online phenom under the name “BodogAri.” After Black Friday, he made his transition to the live arena and continued to crush. This cash will put him over the $5 million mark in career earnings and his most notable live cash came down in Australia when he won the Aussie Millions main event for $1,120,110.


Seat 6
Name: “Sheddy” Siddiqui
Chip Count: 2,580,000
Hometown: Miami, FL
Sheddy Siddiqui is the local favorite coming into the final table. The 39-year-old father of two s Darryll Fish as the other SHRP Team Member at the final table. Like every other player at this stacked final table, Siddiqui has seven figures in earnings. With his family responsibilities, he doesn’t leave South Florida too often, which makes his career earnings even more impressive. A win in this event would top his fifth-place finish in the 2015 WSOP Millionaire Maker for his biggest career cash.

RRPO Day 15 Schedule 6f2b28

Primary Event Schedule

12PM: Final Table – $3,500 RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)

12PM: Event 16 – $250 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

  • $30,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 10,000 in chips and 30-minute levels
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
  • Event 16 Structure Sheet

1PM: Event 12 Day 2 – $150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

6PM: Event 17 – $100 Big Stack No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)

  • $20,000 Guaranteed Prize Pool
  • Players begin with 15,000 in chips and 20-minute levels
  • Late registration/re-entry available until start of Level 9
  • This is a one-day tournament and plays until completion
  • Event 17 Structure Sheet

Players are encouraged to park in Seminole Way Garage for easy, covered access to the tournament area and poker room
TheNewHardRock.com

Championship: Final Six Lineup 1f1c4i

$3,500 RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Championship Structure | Payouts
Returning to Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 585

Ari Engel will return for the final day with the chip lead

Six players remain with a chance to win the RRPO Championship along with $374,240 for the title. Eight-time WSOP Circuit champ Ari Engel made a late move and will return tomorrow as the chip leader with Matas Cimbolas in second place.

Tom Marchese, Michael Newman, and SHRP team Darryll Fish and Sheddy round out the tough final table to be played out in front of the Poker Night in America camera.

Seat 1: Darryll Fish – 2,385,000 (30 bb)
Seat 2: Michael Newman – 3,360,000 (42 bb)
Seat 3: Tom Marchese – 1,050,000 (13 bb)
Seat 4: Matas Cimbolas – 3,680,000 (46 bb)
Seat 5: Ari Engel – 4,495,000 (56 bb)
Seat 6: Sheddy Siddiqui – 2,580,000 (32 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st – $374,240 + Trophy
2nd – $262,440
3rd – $168,920
4th – $121,920
5th – $93,560
6th – $75,380

Championship: Denis Cyr – 7th Place ($62,600) 4m4v17

$3,500 RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Championship Structure | Payouts
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 585

Denis Cyr

Michael Newman limped from under the gun with Denis Cyr having a lot of his stack already in the big blind. Ari Engel raised to 375,000 from the cutoff and Cyr called all in for his last 125,000.

Newman called then checked the Th7h2d flop and Engel bet 400,000. Newman mucked and the cards were flipped up.

Cyr: 9h4d
Engel: Ah3c

Engel was ahead with ace-high but Cyr added an open-ended straight draw on the 8d turn. No save on the 8s river and Cyr was eliminated in seventh place.

The clock was paused with 46 minutes and 14 seconds remaining in Level 29. The final six players will return tomorrow at noon to play for the Championship in front of the Poker Night in America cameras.

Ari Engel – 4,495,000 (56 bb)
Denis Cyr – Eliminated in 7th place ($62,200)

Championship: Michael Newman Talks Matas Cimbolas Off Hand 5g4y73

$3,500 RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Championship Structure | Payouts
Level 29: 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 585

Michael Newman used his verbal skills to win a hand against Matas Cimbolas. He opened to 180,000 and called a three-bet from Cimbolas to 550,000. They checked the 6s5d5c flop and Newman bet 200,000 after the 3h turn. Newman began talking while Cimbolas thought about it.

He eventually called and Newman quickly bet 400,000 after the 3d river.

“Ace high is no good,” Newman said. “I’m telling you.”

Cimbolas waited a few minutes, smiled, and mucked his hand.

Newman flipped over king-high KhJh to get a round of applause from everyone, including Cimbolas.

Michael Newman – 3,500,000 (44 bb)
Matas Cimbolas – 3,850,000 (48 bb)