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

December 01, 2021
Chad Holloway

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

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

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

Duff CharetteDuff 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

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

2021 RRPO Winners Thus Far

*Date Tournament Entries Prize Pool Winner Prize*      
November 17-21 Event #1: $400 Deep Stack NLH 6,196 $2,044,680 Michael Laufer $160,734      
17-Nov Event #2: $400 Limit Omaha 8 116 $53,625 Jay Kerbel $11,315      
17-Nov Event #3: $200 Double Green Chip Bounty 158 $17,380 Gabriel Ramos $3,000      
18-Nov Event #4: $400 H.O.R.S.E. 115 $38,525 Sal Pipitone $9,068      
18-Nov Event #5: $600 Double Black Chip Bounty 158 $82,950 Dean Salisbury $8,000      
19-Nov Event #6: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha 8 125 $41,875 John Binns $9,000      
20-Nov Event #7: $400 Omaha 8/Stud 8 93 $31,155 Barak Zaken $9,590      
21-Nov Event #8: $400 Deep Stack NLH 510 $204,000 Robert Brandl $23,178      
November 21-22 Event #9: $1,100 Deep Stack NLH 189 $183,330 Jesse Lott $46,020      
November 22-24 Event #10: $600 Deep Stack NLH 972 $505,440 Loni Hui $85,355      
22-Nov Event #11: $400 Six-Max PLO 144 $48,240 Long Nguyen $12,040      
November 22-24 Event #12: $150 Big Stack NLH 372 $44,640 Scott Murawa $8,165      
23-Nov Event #13: $400 Black Chip Bounty PLO 107 $25,145 Nancy Birnbaum $7,460      
23-Nov Event #14: $400 Six-Max NLH 100 $33,500 Philip Whitaker $6,095      
24-Nov Event #15: $200 Double Green Chip Bounty 249 $27,390 Andrey Kolchkov $3,104      
25-Nov Event #16: $150 Holiday Triple Stack NLH 259 $31,080 Rosario Simone $3,221      
November 26-December 1 Event #17: $3,500 WPT RRPO Championship 1,566 $5,011,200   $778,490      
26-Nov Event #18: $150 Big Stack NLH 289 $34,680 Dwayne Nyholt $5,622      
27-Nov Event #19: $600 Mixed Pot-Limit Omaha 85 $44,625 Joseph Patalano $11,443      
27-Nov Event #20: $600 Double Black Chip Bounty Turbo 123 $40,590 Brandon Wilson $11,415      
28-Nov Event #21: $400 Black Chip Bounty NLH 390 $91,650 Maikel Cruz $14,718      
November 28-29 Event #22: $1,700 Purple Chip Bounty NLH 275 $275,000 Luke Brereton $62,220      
28-Nov Event #23: $600 Deep Stack Turbo NLH 58 $30,740 Mike Graffeo $8,855      
29-Nov Event #24: $1,100 Deep Stack NLH 337 $326,890 Vinny Giuliano $68,840      
November 29-30 Event #26: $25,500 High Roller 102 $2,519,400 Ali Imsirovic $695,355      
29-Nov Event #27: $400 Black Chip Bounty NLH 150 $35,230 Micha Hoedemaker $7,685      
November 29-30 Event #28: $2,200 Deep Stack PLO 123 $246,000 Fred Goldberg $71,075      
30-Nov Event #29: $400 Seniors 50+ 170 $56,950 Zoltan Czinkota $11,045      
30-Nov Event #30: $5,000 Eight-Max NLH 167 $793,250 Duff Charette $206,345      

*Images courtesy of Seminole Hard Rock.