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Jake Bazeley wins Hard Rock Rock 'n' Roll Poker Open Championship4 December 2015(PRESS RELEASE) -- Jake Bazeley of Cincinnati walked away with $568,687 after winning first place in the $3,500 buy-in Seminole Hard Rock "Rock 'n' Roll" Poker Open (RRPO) $2 Million Guaranteed Championship held Nov. 27 to Dec. 2 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Hollywood (Florida). Offering two starting flights, the Championship produced a total of 766 entries, with a total prize pool of $2,451,200 -- a 25% increase from the 2014 RRPO. Bazeley outlasted a tough final table to win the top prize. The 14-event series, held in the resort ballrooms, significantly surpassed every major guarantee. Opening day kicked off Thursday, Nov. 19 with Event #1, a $350 buy-in Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em $500,000 guarantee with six starting flights. The event drew 3,022 entries resulting in a prize pool of $906,600, nearly doubling the guarantee. The next big tournament was Event #5, which guaranteed a $250,000 prize pool. The $570 buy-in No Limit Hold'em started Monday, Nov. 23 with four starting flights. A total of 830 entries generated a prize pool of $415,000, once again crushing the guarantee. "The amazing success of the Rock 'n' Roll Poker Open is a direct testament to the overall resort and tournament experience Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino provides its players when they visit," said Tony Burns, tournament director for Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. "Our team listens to player feedback and we do everything we can to continue to improve the tournaments each series. This is one for the Rock 'n' Roll Poker Open books." The Rock 'n' Roll Poker Open Championship drew some of the top professionals in poker including Harrison Gimbel, John Racener, Noah Schwartz, John Dolan, Matt Waxman, Johnathan Duhamel, Phil Laak and poker legend Jason Mercier. Other notable players in the field were Vanessa Rousso, from reality TV show, Big Brother, Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Tilly and Weeds writer/producer Matt Salsberg. The six finalists were Jake Bazeley, David Prociak, Joshua Gibson, Martin Carnero, Marvin Rettenmaier and Jessica Dawley. Dawley was the first eliminated at the final table, followed by Rettenmaier. Bazeley was the short stack at that point, but doubled through Carnero and knocked him out on the next hand. It was also Bazeley who set up the final heads-up battle when he sent Joshua Gibson out in third. Heads-up play lasted 68 hands with big chip lead swings throughout. Bazeley finally overcame runner-up Prociak, winning the 2015 Seminole Hard Rock "Rock 'n' Roll" Poker Open Championship, earning the coveted trophy and the $568,687 top prize. Prociak received $330,912 for second place. "Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is the best venue to play poker," said Bazeley. "It has the most pros and amateurs, it's just a great mix." Bazeley said of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, "you just can't beat it – restaurants, good atmosphere and great poker." Poker Night in America, a nationally-televised poker show filmed high-stakes poker action during the final weekend of the series. Three cash games, featuring some of the highest limit players in poker and a "Ladies Night," will be aired on CBS Sports in spring 2016. The RRPO $2 Million Guaranteed Championship final table will also air on the network's new show, "Poker Night: The Tour." |