Tony Sinishtaj beat out a talented final table to win the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown. (WPT photo / Joe Giron)

Over 3.5 years ago, Tony Sinishtaj found himself as a part of one of the most popular moments in Seminole Hard Rock poker history as the player Mimi Luu was up against in the “I Can’t Fold This” hand a the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open. Wednesday night he overcame a final table that included Dan Colman, Darryll Fish, Simeon Naydenov and Robert Mizrachi to win the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown title, $661,283 and a seat in the WPT Tournament of Champions event later this week.

“It feels great. It’s really hard to put into words. It’s just a long time coming. I’ve been playing a long time and it feels great to finally, you know, put your name on the trophy,” said Sinishtaj.

Colman began the final table with the chip lead and quickly went to work in applying pressure. Just 20 minutes after play began, Colman opened to 225,000 from the button and Naydenov moved all in from the big blind for 1,915,000. Colman called and tables Ah7h while Naydenov showed Kh8h. The board ran out AsQh4cAc6s to give Colman the win and eliminate Naydenov in sixth place.

Just half an hour later, Eric Beller moved all in for 2,090,000 and found a caller in Robert Mizrachi. Beller showed Ah7s while Mizrachi showed ]kc]Ks. The KdQd9d flop all but ended things for Beller and the 5c turn and 6c river sealed the deal.

Four-handed play lasted three hours before Colman went from chip leader to fourth place finisher in just three hands. Colman raised to 425,000 from the button and Sinishtaj defended his big blind. The flop came 8s6d2h and Sinishtaj fired out a bet of 550,000. Colman raised to 1,500,000 before Sinishtaj moved all in. Colman went into the tank for several minutes before finally calling and tabling AhAs. Sinishtaj turned over Kd8d for top pair. The Td turn gave Sinishtaj a flush draw and the Ad river completed the flush to leave Colman with just 2.5 big blinds.

Colman was eliminated in fourth place on the next hand by Darryll Fish when his pocket twos weren’t able to hold up.

It took just 20 hands to get to heads-up. After Fish button-raised to 600,000, Mizrachi moved all in from the small blind for 3,500,000. Fish called and found himself racing with AhQd against Mizrachi’s 4c4d. The flop came Qh3h2s to put Fish ahead with top pair and the 8h turn or 9h river completed runner-runner flush to eliminate Mizrachi in third.

Sinishtaj began heads-up play with a nearly 2-1 lead over Fish and needed just under an hour and 39 hands to wrap up the win. On the final hand Sinishtaj raised from the button to 1,250,000 and Fish called and then checked after the 8d3s2d flop. Sinishtaj bet 1,500,000 and Fish moved all in for 10,950,000 and Sinishtaj called and showed KdQd for a flush draw while Fish had As3d for middle pair. The 6d turn completed Sinishtaj’s flush to eliminate Fish and wrap up his first major title.

Final Table Payouts

  1. Tony Sinishtaj – $661,283
  2. Darryll Fish – $453,185
  3. Robert Mizrachi – $293,864
  4. Dan Colman – $217,686
  5. Eric Beller – $164,438
  6. Simeon Naydenov – $132,889