Ali Imsirovic Defeats Bryn Kenney to Win Seminole RRPO $25K High Roller ($695,355)

Ali Imsirovic

The 2021 Rock “N” Roll Poker Open (RRPO) is nearing its end game with the $3,500 World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship reaching its final table. Meanwhile, the side events continue to chug along including two big buy-in tournaments.

Click here for a look at the early side event winners.

Ali Imsirovic Denies Bryn Kenney a Title Defense

The RRPO Event #26: $25,500 High Roller, which ran November 29-30, attracted 102 entrants and offered up a $2,519,400 prize pool. Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Giuseppe Iadisernia (10th - $68,025), Barry Hutter (11th - $65,505), Uri Reichenstein (12th - $62,985), Koray Aldemir (13th - $60,465), and Raul Martinez (14th - $57,945).

According to updates from the event, the title came down to Ali Imsirovic, who began the final table as chip leader, and defending champ Bryn Kenney, who won the same tournament back in December 2019 for $354,565.

Kenney began heads-up play holding a more than 2:1 chip lead over Imsirovic, and despite being fairly deep, it didn’t take long for the chips to go it. Imsirovic doubled with two red queens against the pocket eights of Kenney to take the chip lead. However, Kenney doubled back into the lead before Imsirovic rivered a straight to do the same.

From there, Imsirovic climbed his way to the top eventually winning it with king-six against king-deuce.

“It feels great,” Imsirovic told Seminole reporters after the win. “I was in for four bullets in this thing and it was looking grim. To come out on top feels amazing.”

It marked the 14th win of the year for Imsirovic in high roller events with a buy-in of $10,000 or higher.

“The field sizes are incredible here,” said Imsirovic. “It’s a lot of fun, the structures are really good, and I just really enjoy playing here.”

2021 RRPO $25K High Roller Final Table Results

PlacePlayerPrize
1Ali Imsirovic$695,355
2Bryn Kenney$503,880
3Anton Wigg$314,925
4Vikenty Shegal$216,670
5Martin Zamani$141,085
6Stephen Song$103,295
7Anthony Hu$85,660
8Adam Hendrix$73,065
9Gal Yifrach$70,540

Duff Charette Wins Event #30: $5,000 8-Max NLH

Duff Charette
Duff Charette

Another big buy-in tournament took place on November 30 with Event #30: $5,000 Eight-Max NLH, which attracted 167 entries who created a $793,250 prize pool.

Among those to finish in the top 21 players and cash the tournament were Chad Eveslage (17th - $12,800), Erik Seidel (15th - $15,470), Ian O’Hara (14th - $15,470), Tim Reilly (10th - $21,085), Justin Zaki (6th - $31,690), and Anthony Hu (3rd - $81,390).

In just the second hand of heads-up play, Canada’s Duff Charette won a race holding ace-ten suited against the pocket nines of Martin Stausholm to win the tournament for $206,345.

“It was a crazy final table,” Charette told tournament reporters after the win. “I made a big fold early on with nine players left with jacks against the chip leader. I was third in chips at the time, so there were things I had to consider. It all worked out in the end.”

It marked the second-largest score of Charette’s career after the $210,478 he received for winning the 2016 DeepStacks Poker Tour Championship Calgary Main Event. The latest win moved Charette over $1 million in lifetime earnings according to The Hendon Mob.

2021 RRPO Event #30 Final Table Results

PlacePlayerPrize
1Duff Charette$206,345
2Martin Stausholm$138,145
3Anthony Hu$81,390
4Richard Zipes$49,540
5Gergely Kulcsar$38,235
6Justin Zaki$31,690
7James Peters$27,450
8William Buerosse Jr$24,195

2021 RRPO Winners Thus Far

*DateTournamentEntriesPrize PoolWinnerPrize*   
November 17-21Event #1: $400 Deep Stack NLH6,196$2,044,680Michael Laufer$160,734   
17-NovEvent #2: $400 Limit Omaha 8116$53,625Jay Kerbel$11,315   
17-NovEvent #3: $200 Double Green Chip Bounty158$17,380Gabriel Ramos$3,000   
18-NovEvent #4: $400 H.O.R.S.E.115$38,525Sal Pipitone$9,068   
18-NovEvent #5: $600 Double Black Chip Bounty158$82,950Dean Salisbury$8,000   
19-NovEvent #6: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha 8125$41,875John Binns$9,000   
20-NovEvent #7: $400 Omaha 8/Stud 893$31,155Barak Zaken$9,590   
21-NovEvent #8: $400 Deep Stack NLH510$204,000Robert Brandl$23,178   
November 21-22Event #9: $1,100 Deep Stack NLH189$183,330Jesse Lott$46,020   
November 22-24Event #10: $600 Deep Stack NLH972$505,440Loni Hui$85,355   
22-NovEvent #11: $400 Six-Max PLO144$48,240Long Nguyen$12,040   
November 22-24Event #12: $150 Big Stack NLH372$44,640Scott Murawa$8,165   
23-NovEvent #13: $400 Black Chip Bounty PLO107$25,145Nancy Birnbaum$7,460   
23-NovEvent #14: $400 Six-Max NLH100$33,500Philip Whitaker$6,095   
24-NovEvent #15: $200 Double Green Chip Bounty249$27,390Andrey Kolchkov$3,104   
25-NovEvent #16: $150 Holiday Triple Stack NLH259$31,080Rosario Simone$3,221   
November 26-December 1Event #17: $3,500 WPT RRPO Championship1,566$5,011,200 $778,490   
26-NovEvent #18: $150 Big Stack NLH289$34,680Dwayne Nyholt$5,622   
27-NovEvent #19: $600 Mixed Pot-Limit Omaha85$44,625Joseph Patalano$11,443   
27-NovEvent #20: $600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo123$40,590Brandon Wilson$11,415   
28-NovEvent #21: $400 Black Chip Bounty NLH390$91,650Maikel Cruz$14,718   
November 28-29Event #22: $1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH275$275,000Luke Brereton$62,220   
28-NovEvent #23: $600 Deep Stack Turbo NLH58$30,740Mike Graffeo$8,855   
29-NovEvent #24: $1,100 Deep Stack NLH337$326,890Vinny Giuliano$68,840   
November 29-30Event #26: $25,500 High Roller102$2,519,400Ali Imsirovic$695,355   
29-NovEvent #27: $400 Black Chip Bounty NLH150$35,230Micha Hoedemaker$7,685   
November 29-30Event #28: $2,200 Deep Stack PLO123$246,000Fred Goldberg$71,075   
30-NovEvent #29: $400 Seniors 50+170$56,950Zoltan Czinkota$11,045   
30-NovEvent #30: $5,000 Eight-Max NLH167$793,250Duff Charette$206,345   

*Images courtesy of Seminole Hard Rock.

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  • Ali Imsirovic won the @SHRPO #RRPO $25K High Roller for $695,355 and 14th High Roller title of 2021.

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