The Humorless Champ. The Unsmiling Winner. Call Daniel Colman what you want – he is close to unstoppable right now. The 2014 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Big One for One Drop winner, European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo Super High Roller winner, EPT Barcelona High Roller Event runner-up captured another big prize today, winning the 2014 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship Event title and nearly $1.5 million.
Colman went into the six-handed final table of the $10 million guaranteed event as one of only two players with eight-figure chip stacks. His 10.23 million chips were second only to Mike Leah, who had 15.455 million. Here is what the entire chip rundown looked like at the start of play Wednesday:
Mike Leah – 15,455,000
Dan Colman – 10,230,000
Joe Kuether – 7,090,000
Martin Hanowski – 5,210,000
Shawn Cunix – 4,870,000
John Dolan – 2,045,000
After the two short stacks, Dolan and Cunix, managed to double-up, the first player to go was Martin Hanowski. Down to 2.45 million, he moved all-in pre-flop with K-Q suited and was unable to improve against Dolan’s pocket Jacks.
For the next elimination, Jon Kuether limp-called Colman’s 525,000 chip pre-flop raise to bring on a flop of J-5-3. Colman then bet 500,000 and Kuether shoved with J-9, good for top pair. Colman insta-called with pocket Aces, though, and after two low cards on the turn and river, Kuether was out of the game in fifth place.
A few hands later, it was Dolan’s time to hit the rail. Dolan limped and Colman checked pre-flop. They both checked the 9-8-4 flop and Dolan checked another time when a 2 was dealt on the turn. Colman used this opportunity to bet 700,000 and Dolan made the call. The river was a 3 and Dolan checked one more time. Colman decided to put him all-in and after a great deal of thought, Dolan called, turning over J-8 for one pair. Colman revealed 6-5, which gave him a rivered straight and all of Dolan’s chips.
Colman continued his destruction, eliminating Cunix in third place to set up the heads-up match with Mike Leah. Going into heads-up, Colman was leading, 25.45 million to 19.55 million.
It was pretty much all Colman, as he quickly took a huge lead, increasing the gap to nearly 25 million chips. On the final hand, Leah bet 600,000 pre-flop, Colman raised him to 1.5 million, and Leah decided to go all-in. Colman quickly called with A-K, up against Leah’s Q-J. The dealer laid out the community cards of 4-3-2-T-K, giving the hand and all the chips to Dan Colman.
Colman has now won about $21 million this year, accounting for all but around half a million of lifetime live tournament earnings.
2014 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Championship Event – Final Table Results
1. Daniel Colman – $1,446,710
2. Mike Leah – $1,047,638
3. Shawn Cunix – $748,313
4. John Dolan – $548,763
5. Joe Kuether – $424,044
6. Martin Hanowski – $324,269
* Tournament info and winner photo courtesy seminolehardrockpokeropen.com
