Listed here are the general six avid gamers left to fight for the WPT Seminole Onerous Rock Poker Open name and the $839,300 first-place prize.
The TV Ultimate Desk of WPT Seminole Onerous Rock Poker Showdown (from left to proper): Aaron Kupin. Jesse Lonis, Dylan Smith, Joshua Reichard, Alex Queen, and Landon Tice.
Since 2012, the WPT Seminole Onerous Rock Poker Showdown has been a pillar of the Global Poker Excursion agenda. It’s a well-liked forestall with the promise of giant names on the planet of poker enjoying for even larger paydays and a name worthy of placing on the best in their resume. This yr used to be no other, with 1,869 entries making their strategy to Hollywood, Florida to take their shot, pushing the prize pool to only a coloration beneath $6 million with a first-place prize of $839,300.
SHRPS could also be the primary televised ultimate desk of Season XXII, because the match’s paused with those ultimate six avid gamers closing set to reconvene in Las Vegas on Would possibly 29 to resolve who could have their title engraved at the iconic Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup. Along with the cash and their Championship run being televised for all to peer, the winner may also select up a seat to the WPT Global Championship at Wynn Las Vegas in December and straight away be thrust into the WPT Participant of the Yr dialog.
Thankfully for audience, this ultimate desk in reality delivers. It’s an electrical mixture of poker superstars, longtime crushers and native heroes – all of whom will definitely supply a number of motion. So let’s dive in and take a better have a look at the general desk of WPT Seminole Onerous Rock Poker Showdown.
Dylan Smith
Dylan Smith – 28,400,000
House Nation: United States
Is living: Toes. Lauderdale, FL
Lifetime Reside Match Income: $1,816,225
Largest Lifetime Money: $364,440 – 1st, 2023 PokerStars PCA $25,000 PLO Top Curler
Different Outstanding Ratings: $167,700 – seventh, 2023 PokerStars PCA $25,000 Top Curler, $166,800 – second, 2023 WPT SHRPS PLO Top Curler, $160,700 – second, 2023 WPT SHRPS $10K Deep Stack
A famous Pot-Restrict Omaha money sport crusher, Dylan Smith certain has been discovering good fortune on the match tables over the last yr and a part. He took house the primary two six-figure rankings of his profession in the beginning of 2023 after taking down a PokerStars PCA PLO Top Curler after which, days later, making the general desk of any other $25K excessive curler. That looked as if it would wreck the floodgates open because the Florida resident scored a victory and two runner-up finishes on the 2023 SHRPS – and he’s reputedly having his manner once more right here in 2024.
“This particular similar match closing yr, I were given twelfth. In order that used to be roughly heartbreaking,” Smith stated. “I’ve been seeking to get myself onto a WPT ultimate desk for some time now. So yeah, I’m excited.”
Previous within the pageant, Smith scored a third-place end in any other SHRPS $25K PLO Top Curler to push his profession reside match profits to greater than $1.8 million, and all he must do is end fifth of upper at this yr’s ultimate desk to surpass two million – one thing he’ll do with a third-place or upper end, which might eclipse his present non-public poker excessive ranking.
“I feel I’ve a fairly large chip lead, like a 3rd of the chips and play. The Ultimate Desk is among the harder ones that I’ve noticed within the WPT – usually there’s an novice at those ultimate tables. Each unmarried individual here’s a skilled, some lovely cast avid gamers. So yeah, the rest may occur. However I love my spot going into it.”
Finish of Day 1 chips – 208,500
Finish of Day 2 chips – 635,000
Finish of Day 3 chips – 4,950,000
Joshua Reichard
Joshua Reichard – 20,575,000
House Nation: United States
Is living: Janesville, WI
Lifetime Reside Match Income: $3,183,799
Largest Lifetime Money: $339,646 – second, 2023 WSOP $1K Mini Primary Tournament
Different Outstanding Ratings: $253,073 – $1st, 2023 WSOP Circuit Chicago $1,700 Primary Tournament, $221,293 – 1st, 2018 Heartland Poker Excursion Chicago $2,500 Primary Tournament
If you’re searching for who has essentially the most ultimate desk enjoy, it’s going to be difficult to overcome Wisconsin’s Joshua Reichard. With 15 Global Sequence of Poker Circuit rings, tied for second all-time, Reichard completely is aware of what it takes to near out a last desk. So far as a big name is going, Reichard’s knocked at the door prior to, maximum significantly within the WSOP $1,000 Mini Primary Tournament in 2023 when he were given heads-up for a gold bracelet.
A Global Poker Excursion name and a first-place ranking of greater than $839,000 would in an instant be the brand new career-defining best line of his poker résumé, in a profession that’s already noticed him win over $3.1 million.
Reichard has had his justifiable share of good fortune at the WPT up to now, with greater than $121,000 in profits over 8 cashes, however sitting 2d in chips is via a long way the most productive spot he’s ever been in to punch his price ticket to the Champions Membership.
Finish of Day 1 chips – 210,000
Finish of Day 2 chips – 3,100,000 (chip chief)
Finish of Day 3 chips – 22,200,000 (chip chief)
Landon Tice
Landon Tice – 13,700,000
House Nation: United States
Is living: Las Vegas, NV
Lifetime Reside Match Income: $860,527
Largest Lifetime Money: $201,529 – 1st, 2020 MSPT $1,000 NLHE
Different Outstanding Ratings: $90,020 – tenth WPT SHRPS $25K Top Curler, $74,648 – fifth 2023 WSOP $25K Heads-Up Championship
For as well known as Landon Tice has transform in poker, he’s recently in considered one of – if now not the – greatest spots in his profession. The Best Pals podcast co-host, nicknamed “Kid of the Sim” for his determination to learning solvers and GTO taste of play, is at his first WPT ultimate desk and in putting distance of now not only a career-high money (achieved with a fifth or higher end) however a validating name to place atop his nonetheless younger poker résumé.
“It’s now not one thing that I will be able to essentially say I anticipated in anyway,” Tice stated of creating the general desk. “I simply roughly took each and every spot for what it used to be and were given fortunate. Were given some items alongside the way in which. And it’s great so that you can money in numerous the find out about that I’ve been doing. So more than pleased, very drained.”
“I’ve simply been placing numerous paintings at ultimate tables and two tables left, the sport could be very other than enjoying for chips or early within the match. So I’m very excited so that you can now not similar to find out about some stuff to study after the truth, however be capable of suppose thru spots myself. And I’ve a in reality just right workforce in the back of me to lend a hand me for the following month or so. So we’re ecstatic. We’re cooking.”
Even out of doors of his podcast appearances and this deep run, Tice has been sitting within the poker highlight because of a high-profile prop guess that pits him in opposition to fellow younger gun Jeremy Becker in a doubtlessly expensive WSOP crossbook. Surely, it doesn’t matter what occurs on the SHRPS ultimate desk, Tice goes to be headed into the crossbook guess with a spice up now not simply to his bankroll, however his self belief as nicely.
Finish of Day 1 chips – 182,500
Finish of Day 2 chips – 1,590,000
Finish of Day 3 chips – 5,250,000 (fifth in chips)
Alex Queen
Alex Queen – 13,450,000
House Nation: United States
Is living: Bethlehem, PA
Lifetime Reside Match Income: $2,541,170
Largest Lifetime Money: $613,063 – 1st, 2024 Borgata Wintry weather Poker Open Championship
Different Outstanding Ratings: $355,535 – 1st, 2010 Borgata Spring Poker Open Championship, $111,774 – 1st, 2011 Borgata Deep Stack Double Play Open
East Coast poker professional Alex Queen would possibly not but be as widely recognized in poker as a few of his fellow ultimate desk friends, however he’s greater than made a name for himself as a crusher. With greater than $2.5 million in profits, Queen has greater than 15 years of enjoy and a résumé affected by Borgata titles and big-time cashes.
He says that despite the fact that he’d transitioned extra to money in recent times, after a career-high $600K ranking to kick off the yr, he used to be in a position to place the time again into tournaments.
“I haven’t been to Florida tournaments since prior to COVID,” he stated. “I roughly wasn’t in reality enjoying tournaments a lot anymore. But if the heater calls, you solution the telephone, proper? And simply yeah, really feel like I will be able to see the matrix. It’s all locked in and in a position to head.“
Queen simply is also following within the footsteps of a fellow Borgata Wintry weather Poker Open champion. In 2023, reigning WPT Participant of the Yr Bin Weng took down a big match at Borgata in January, after which went directly to win this very match. Now, Queen recognizes he is also on a an identical trail.
“Neatly, maximum of my days is getting ready to be like Bin Weng. So this might in truth fall proper in line of doing that particular factor.”
Finish of Day 1 chips – 231,500
Finish of Day 2 chips – 330,000
Finish of Day 3 chips – 2,475,000
Jesse Lonis
Jesse Lonis – 12,350,000
House Nation: United States
Is living: Las Vegas, NV
Lifetime Reside Match Income: $8,237,765
Largest Lifetime Money: $2,303,017 – 1st, 2023 WSOP $50,000 PLO Top Curler
Different Outstanding Ratings: $404,267 – third, 2024 Fortunate Middle Poker Open Championship, $367,400 – 1st, PokerStars PCA $10K Heat-Up, $270,000 – 1st WPT Global Championship $10,500 PLO
In case you have but to listen to about Jesse Lonis – the place have you ever been? Over the last two years, Lonis’ speedy upward thrust within the international match scene has been not anything in need of unbelievable. Because the get started of 2023, Lonis has been at the grind enjoying the whole lot all over – and successful. We known as him “The Busiest Guy in Poker” in 2022, we chronicled his persevered solar run in 2023, or even talked to him simply closing month about what units him except for everybody else in poker.
It’s now not hyperbole to name Lonis a contemporary poker celebrity and more than likely now not a stretch to name him essentially the most bad participant on the desk. In the end, he wasn’t given the nickname “American Gangster” at Triton Jeju for not anything. He has two WSOP bracelets, two WSOP Circuit rings, a PCA Top Curler name, a PokerGO USPO name, and now he’s in line so as to add to his resume together with his first shot at a WPT name.
Within the period in-between, Lonis has one thing else enormous happening as in between now and the time he’ll play on the SHRPS ultimate desk, the 28-year-old is about to be married.
“I’ve so much to look ahead to this month you understand, like, I believe like I reside in a dream every now and then. I’m very blessed clearly as a result of the whole lot, and I are aware of it’s now not simple doing this, and it simply turns out like I’m very lucky in each and every facet of lifestyles at this time.”
Finish of Day 1 chips – 143,500
Finish of Day 2 chips – 685,000
Finish of Day 3 chips – 2,475,000
Aaron Kupin
Aaron Kupin – 4,925,000
House Nation: United States
Is living: Miami, FL
Lifetime Reside Match Income: $628,922
Largest Lifetime Money: $60,040 – seventh, 2021 Global Sequence of Poker $10K PLO8
Different Outstanding Ratings: $50,057 – eleventh, 2022 Global Sequence of Poker $10K NLHE 6-Passed Championship
It doesn’t matter what occurs on the ultimate desk, it’s going to be a step forward ranking for the short-stacked Aaron Kupin. Kupin has in reality been turning up the warmth on his poker profession over the last 18 months together with a prolific 2023 Global Sequence of Poker that incorporated 16 cashes. Previous this yr, he hopped into the PokerGO Studio for the primary time and added a few effects throughout the 2024 PGT Combined Video games Pageant.
With more or less 25 large blinds in his stack and more or less 7 years of reside enjoy at age 28, you merely can’t depend the well-rounded Kupin out from discovering a strategy to climb again up the chip counts. Simply have a look at his escalating day-over-day chip depend, completing Day 1 with nicely not up to a beginning stack after which occurring a tear to bounce up the chip counts.
He’ll have his paintings minimize out for him, taking into account his chip place and festival, however Kupin felt just like the playdown to the general desk went in addition to it will have.
“From 9 to 6, I in reality don’t even suppose I performed one hand,” Kupin stated. “I do know I attempted to three-bet Landon a little bit gentle, and he shoved it in my face. And that used to be in reality the one motion I were given. However once more, you’ll’t in reality bitch when it is going as easily because it did. , whilst you’re a medium stack, all you in reality need is for the fast stacks to bust out and also you get the ones web page jumps. And that’s precisely what came about. And it came about in reality briefly. So I will be able to’t bitch. And you understand, even if I’ll be like a large drawback in comparison to the 5 a lot larger stacks, you understand, the rest can occur.”
At worst, if Kupin busts out in sixth, the $176,000 payday will just about triple his earlier excessive ranking. He has a shot at hiking over $1 million in profession reside profits (third or higher) and, in the end, it’s a brand new benchmark for the most recent bankruptcy in his profession.
Finish of Day 1 chips – 17,500
Finish of Day 2 chips – 420,000
Finish of Day 3 chips – 5,250,000 (sixth in chips)
