Eight months in the past, Landon Tice and Dylan Smith stood smiling amongst a gaggle of six gamers posing for a championship occasion closing desk picture behind the Seminole Onerous Rock Hollywood ballroom. Final night time, they did the very same factor.
Tice and Smith each final-tabled April’s World Poker Tour Seminole Onerous Rock Poker Showdown Championship, which performed out the next month on the HyperX ESports Area in Las Vegas. Smith was the chip chief however bowed out in a disappointing fifth-place end, whereas Tice completed runner-up to return simply in need of his first WPT title.
Wednesday’s 2024 WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship closing desk, which is at the moment underway and accessible to look at on stream, is a shot at redemption for each Florida grinders.
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One other Championship Run in South Florida
In an interview on the conclusion of Day 3, Tice mirrored on his “actually nice consequence” within the SHRPH Championship that earned him $550,000 and mentioned he’s “by some means having nice fortune once more” in his residence state.
“The playing cards are what they’re,” Tice instructed PokerNews. “I’m clearly very lucky to get thus far within the event. (I’ve) gained on numerous all-ins, I’ve been an ideal all-in participant after the summer season.”
“(I am) simply making an attempt to make good choices and see what occurs. But when I can enhance on the final WPT rating, there’s just one strategy to do it. So I’m positively hopeful however sensible.”
Doing higher this time round was additionally on Smith’s thoughts, who instructed PokerNews on the finish of Day 4 that “it was disappointing coming in with the key chip lead after which going out fifth.”
“I really feel very fortunate to have the ability to probably get redemption this shortly. So hopefully first this time.”
Private Progress & Friendships
Whereas his early 20s have been spent virtually completely within the lab, Tice is spending his mid-20s rising as an individual. He co-hosts the award-winning Solely Mates podcast, is a creator for Remedy For Why and dedicates himself to health. He additionally has a girlfriend, Mallory Folsom, who was on the rail with Tice’s siblings, mother and father and fluffy white cat throughout Wednesday’s closing desk.
“The stability is basically robust,” Tice mentioned. “I’ve been form of out of enjoying some stuff I want to play on-line simply due to good life issues occurring. Looking for a stability between having relationships exterior of poker … in addition to placing in time for MTTs, in addition to discovering time for health. It’s exhausting as a result of not every thing goes to have the ability to fall into place. However on the similar time, it looks like every thing’s falling into place simply by doing what I’m doing.”
If he cannot win the RRPO Championship, he hopes his fellow back-to-back closing tablist can take it down. “Dylan desires some redemption from the ultimate desk in April. So I hope he will get it. Higher than fifth, however not first. So we will each perform a little higher.”
The sensation was mutual. “Landon’s only a chill man,” Smith mentioned. “We’re very pleasant. We’re about to seize some meals now to rejoice. Other than wanting myself to win, I’d root for Landon.”
The 2 clashed early in a devastating cooler that noticed Tice working ace-king into aces to be left with crumbs. Regardless of the cooler, Tice needed to respect the chips going to Smith, who now finds himself in a very good place to win the title and $662,200 first-place prize.
Comply with the ultimate desk motion by watching the WPT YouTube stream.
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*Photographs courtesy WPT
Editor & Stay Reporter U.S.
