Pavel Plesuv Goes Wire-to-Wire to win Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open

Another chapter in the World Poker Tour history at Seminole Hard Rock was written today with Pavel Plesuv winning the first-ever WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open. Plesuv defeated a field of 898 entries to win his first WPT title and a seat into the season-ending Baccarat Crystal WPT Tournament of Champions.

The final table started with Plesuv the chip leader and he held his lead for most of the entire live stream to put his name on the Champions Cup.

WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Final Table Results

1st:  Pavel Plesuv  –  $504,820*
2nd:  Jim Gilbert  –  $326,565
3rd:  Jeremy Joseph  –  $240,945
4th:  Marius Gierse  –  $179,710
5th:  Chris Kennedy  –  $135,505
6th:  Ravi Raghavan  –  $103,310

* First-prize amount includes the winner’s $15,000 entry into the season-ending Baccarat Crystal WPT Tournament of Champions.

Only two hands into the final table, WPT Champions Club member Ravi Raghavan hit the rail in sixth place. Plesuv raised to 175,000, with the blinds at 40,000/80,000, in the cutoff and Raghavan shoved for 1.16 million out of the small blind with . Marius Gierse woke up with  in the big blind and reshoved which led Plesuv to fold his pocket nines. The  flop gave Raghavan outs to a chop but the turn and river bricked to send him out in sixth place at his third career WPT final table.

In Hand #15, Chris Kennedy was felted by Jeremy Joseph. Joseph raised under the gun and Kennedy called on the button. Plesuv came in from the big blind and Joseph bet 225,000 on the  flop. Kennedy shoved for 2.625 million and Joseph called with . Kennedy needed to improve his pair and straight draw combo  but failed to do so and exited in fifth.

Plesuv built his chip lead toward an overwhelming amount in four-handed play starting with a huge pot against Joseph.

Plesuv raised to 400,000 from the small blind with  and Joseph defended with . The  flop brought a check from Plesuv and Joseph bet 600,000. Plesuv check-raised to 1.7 million and Joseph called to the  turn. That street checked and Plesuv bet 3 million on the  river. Joseph burned through four Time Chips and called to see Plesuv’s straight.

From there, Plesuv cruised to the title with little resistance.

The very next hand, Gilbert raised the cutoff to 250,000 and Plesuv flatted the button with . Gierse shoved for 4.95 million out of the big blind with  and Plesuv called. The board ran out with no sweat for Gierse and the Austrian departed just off the podium.

Plesuv controlled two-thirds of the total chips in play at this stage and built his lead up more when he busted Joseph in third.

On Hand #68, Plesuv raised the small blind to 400,000 with  and Joseph came in with . Plesuv bet 550,000 on the  flop and Joseph called to the  turn. Plesuv bet 1.3 million and Joseph raised to 3.5 million. The rest of Joseph’s stack went into the middle after a Plesuv shove for 2.4 million more and he needed an eight or heart to stay alive. The  completed the board and Joseph earned a payout of $240,945.

Plesuv opened heads up play with an 8-1 chip lead over Gilbert and despite Gilbert’s best efforts, he would have to settle for second-place once again.

In the 68th hand of heads up play, Gilbert raised to 750,000 and Plesuv shoved for 9 million effective with . Gilbert called off with  and was in a flip for his tournament life. The  appeared in the window and four cards later, Plesuv earned his place in the WPT Champions Club.

Plesuv picks up 1,200 points in the WPT Hublot Player of the Year race and he’s among the chase group behind current leader Tony Ruberto.

Five Diamond Next Up

The next Season XVII stop for the World Poker Tour is Bellagio for the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic. The $10,400 buy-in event starts on December 11 and runs through December 15 with a live stream final table at the PokerGO Studio at ARIA.

Photography by Joe Giron / PokerPhotoArchive

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