2023 Tampa Signature Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 9
$200 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 973
Prize Pool: $164,437
September 11-13, 2023

Jimmy Tomblin was the clear chip leader throughout the final table tonight, and he played his advantage well to take home the top prize of $28,850 along with the SPS guitar pick trophy. The Fort Lauderdale resident took his career earnings up above $400,000 thanks to what was the most dominant final-table performance we’ve seen during this tournament series.

We caught up with Tomblin shortly after the win, and here were his thoughts about winning his first trophy here at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa. “It feels amazing, it feels great. I’m going to put the trophy right in my kitchen [laughs],” said Tomblin.

“I mean I was just picking spots, a lot of three-betting, so I got a lot of folds because the ICM was so crucial. There’s guys with 10 to 15 bigs, and two other guys had 30 bigs, and I had 80. So it was pretty easy cruising. I had one big hand with a guy over here, and after that … I four-bet jammed him on the turn, and he found a fold. It was a pretty sick spot, and that got me to like 7 million,” said Tomblin when he was asked about his dominant journey at the final table.

“I opened under the gun, I was pretty active obviously, and a player jammed for 2.4 [million]. There was a re-jam, and I almost folded, but I couldn’t fold with queens. and aces, and I make the queen on the flop. I was just thinking about the numbers, and of course I have to call,” was Tomblin’s insight when asked about the hand that saw him take out two players in third and fourth place before the start of heads-up play.

“It’s ran great, everybody from the floor, to the dealers, the friendly players, media, everyone has been great, everyone has been awesome. Here and Hollywood are the best two stops that I go to,” said Tomblin when he was asked about what he’s enjoyed for far during the SPS tournament series that has seen him make a couple other of deep runs as well. Tomblin will also be playing in the championship event, maybe tomorrow of Friday depending on how tired he is after tonight.

Final Table Results:

1st: Jimmy Tomblin – $28,850 + SPS Trophy
2nd: Ray Lambert – $17,830
3rd: Tommy Hwang – $13,160
4th: Travis Hall – $9,830
5th: Eric Buek – $7,430
6th: Josh Snodgrass  – $5,680
7th: Moytk Scott – $4,400
8th: Jose Passatino – $3,450
9th: Andrew Brannon – $2,740

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  30,000/60,000 Limits
Remaining Players: 1 of 93

A back-and-forth final battle between John Binns and James Hagan came to a close after about two hours in Event 13, and here is a look at the final hand.

Hagan was all in with , and Binns had him covered holding on a final board reading .

Hagan was eliminated in second place, good for $5,920 in prize money, and Binns took home the top prize of $9,885 along with the SPS guitar pick trophy. His career earnings are now above $200,000 with tonight’s victory.

Binns declined to give an interview after the win, so this concludes the reporting for Event 13.

Final Results:

1st: John Binns – $9,885 + SPS Trophy
2nd: James Hagan – $5,920
3rd: Stephen Allen – $3,740
4th: Ryan Wuebbels – $2,410
5th: Lewis Gallo – $1,870
6th: Amie Martini – $1,480
7th: AJ Kelsall – $1,250
8th: Michael Morgan – $1,090
9th: Duff Charette – $990
10th: Terry Short – $900
11th: Randolph Crowther – $840
12th: Paul Edwards – $780

2023 Tampa Poker Classic
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 12
$2,200 Deep Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$75,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 46
Prize Pool: $92,000
September 13, 2023

Frank Brannan topped the field at a talented final table that included runner-up Paul Snead, AJ Kelsall (who was multi-tabling two final tables along with Event 13), and Joe Serock to take home the tournament title in Event 12 at the SPS tournament series. Brannan was awarded the top prize worth $32,710 along with the SPS guitar pick trophy. He now holds more than $460,000 in career tournament earnings.

Here is what Brannan had to say after the win, “It feels good, I haven’t won a tournament since a deuce-to-seven triple draw. I haven’t won a hold’em tournament since like 2020 or something.”

He continued, “I’ll play anyone, I don’t really care. I just tried to play as optimally as possible short-handed. I’m pretty well studied sub-15 big blind poker, it’s not that difficult. Everyone was pretty even, so there weren’t really many strong ICM spots because we were all equal in chips.”

When he was asked about the heads-up final, here were Brannan’s thoughts “Nothing crazy, and I think heads-up I was just more prepared. He had more chips, but he was doing weird things, he kept four x-ing . I had the more solid strategy, I’ve played a lot of heads-up, I used to play heads-up sit-and-go’s.”

Eight-handed play uncannily lasted for more than three hours, and Brannan took a bad beat during the slow period of play. He offered some interesting thoughts on keeping his composure during that stretch of play.

“I was actually so tilted because I lost a chip lead pot there with jacks versus A-9 there. We were eight-handed for like three hours. I went from being the chip leader to almost the soft bubble, I honestly normally don’t get titled, but I hadn’t eaten yet today because I fasted. I was a little hangry plus tilted. I try not to get emotional. I mean I will get mad, but I don’t let it affect the way I play my hands. It will never change how I play. I’m going to play exactly the way I’m going to play. I’m a big tilter, but if I’m tilted I will just go home, I’ve always good been with that,” said Brannan.

Final Results:

1st: Frank Brannan – $32,710 + SPS Trophy
2nd: Paul Snead – $21,810
3rd: AJ Kelsall – $14,540
4th: Mostafa Aboalmajed – $10,090
5th: Elliot Smith – $7,310
6th: Tim Mina –  $5,540

$200 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  100,000/150,000 with a 150,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 973

Ray Lambert got all in with in the hole from the button, and Jimmy Tomblin had him covered holding .

The final board read , and Lambert was eliminated in second place, good for $17,830. That gave Tomblin the tournament title, SPS guitar pick trophy, and top prize of $28,850 in prize money.

$200 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  100,000/150,000 with a 150,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 973

James Tomblin took out two players when his pocket queens held up against pocket aces and on a board that delivered a third queen.

That hand kocked out Travis Hall in fourth place and Tommy Hwang in third place to set up a heads-up final with Tomblin holding 14.7 million against the 4.76 million of Ray Lambert.

James Tomblin – 14,700,000 (98 bb)
Ray Lambert – 4,760,000 (31 bb)
3rd: Tommy Hwang – $13,160
4th: Travis Hall – $9,830

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  20,000/40,000 Limits
Remaining Players: 2 of 93

Here is a look at the results that have taken things down to the heads-up final between John Benge (510,000) and James Hagen (1,350,000).

3rd: Stephen Allen – $3,740
4th: Ryan Wuebbels – $2,410
5th: Lewis Gallo – $1,870

$200 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1 of 973

Frank Brannan had gained the upper hand in the heads-up final when all the chips went into the middle and he held against the of Paul Snead on a final board reading . Snead was eliminated in second place, good for $21,810, and Brannan was awarded $32,710 for the win along with the SPS guitar pick trophy.

Stay tuned for a winner’s photo and interview later tonight.

$400 Limit Omaha 8 (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  20,000/40,000 Limits
Remaining Players: 5 of 93

Here is a look at the recent cashes in Event 13.

6th: Amie Martini – $1,480
7th: AJ Kelsall – $1,250
8th: Michael Morgan – $1,090
9th: Duff Charette – $990
10th: Terry Short – $900
11th: Randolph Crowther – $840
12th: Paul Edwards – $780

$200 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 of 973

The final match has been set between Paul Snead (925,000) and Frank Brannan (455,000). Here is a look at the results that took things down to heads-up play while action was flying at the two other final tables as well.

3rd: AJ Kelsall – $14,540
4th: Mostafa Aboalmajed – $10,090
5th: Elliot Smith – $7,310
6th: Tim Mina –  $5,540

$200 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 26:  40,000/80,000 with a 80,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6 of 973

Josh Snodgrass and Jimmy Tomblin were in for 225,000 each before a flop fell 7-3-2, and the money eventually got all in with Snodgrass holding pocket fives against the 8-7 of Tomblin that held up to win the hand with the turn and river both bricks. Snodgrass was eliminated in seventh place, god for $4,400. Tomblin is now the far and away chip leader with a stack worth 10.8 million.

Jimmy Tomblin – 10,800,000 (135 bb)
Josh Snodgrass – Eliminated in Seventh Place ($4,400)