SHRB PLO IV: Rafael Tops Simao for $1.15M; PokerNews and CardPlayer Give Different Buy-Ins
PokerNews and CardPlayer reported on October 8, 2026, that Sean Rafael beat Joao Simao heads-up in SHRB PLO IV for $1,150,000; Simao received $775,000. Both confirmed a $3.2M prize pool but gave different buy-ins: $103,000 from PokerNews and $100,000 from CardPlayer. CardPlayer reported 32 entries, not 32 unique players; PokerNews also said Simao's past-month tournament winnings exceeded $10M.
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PokerNews and CardPlayer reported on October 8, 2026 that Sean Rafael defeated Joao Simao heads-up in SHRB PLO IV. Rafael received $1,150,000 for the win, while Simao earned $775,000 as runner-up. Both reports confirmed a $3.2M total prize pool, but they gave different buy-in figures: PokerNews used $103,000, and CardPlayer used $100,000. PokerNews also reported that Rafael had a chip advantage entering the final table, and CardPlayer reported six players shared the $3.2M prize pool with Youness Barakat finishing seventh.
Because the event is pot-limit Omaha, a player's four hole cards cannot all be used directly; the final hand must use exactly two hole cards and three community cards. CardPlayer reported 27 first-day entries plus five added entries before day two began, with re-entry allowed, so 32 entries cannot be assumed to mean 32 unique players. It also reported second-day-ending stacks of about 4,900,000 chips for Rafael, about 1,415,000 for Simao, and about 1,125,000 for Guerra.
The key heads-up sequence described in the reports included Simao tanking for about seven minutes and folding to a straight; CardPlayer said he used 14 time banks during that spot. In the final hand, Simao moved all-in on the turn with trips, Rafael held a flush draw, and the river completed the flush to clinch Rafael's title. CardPlayer said the win pushed Rafael's live tournament career earnings above $7,890,000 and was his first seven-figure live tournament result, and that he wants more Omaha poker events in the United States. PokerNews separately attributed Simao's recent run, saying his cumulative tournament winnings over the past month exceeded $10M, including results from Triton Jeju; that cumulative figure is not the same statistic as the event's $3.2M prize pool.
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Sean Rafael Wins SHRB PLO IV; Joao Simao Takes US$775,000 Runner-Up Prize
PokerNews and CardPlayer reported on Oct. 8, 2026 that Sean Rafael beat Joao Simao heads-up in SHRB PLO IV for US$1.15 million, leaving Simao with a US$775,000 runner-up result; PokerNews noted Simao's past-month tournament cashes totaled more than US$10 million.
Read story ↗- PokerNews ↗ — (PokerNews, verified 2026-10-10): PokerNews reported on October 8, 2026 that Sean Rafael won SHRB PLO IV for $1,150,000 and Joao Simao was runner-up for $775,000; six players in the money; total prize pool $3.2M; buy-in $103,000; Rafael entered the final table with a chip advantage; Simao tanked for about seven minutes in heads-up before folding to a straight; Simao's trips ran into Rafael's river flush on the final hand; PokerNews said Simao's cumulative tournament winnings over the past month exceeded $10M, including Triton Jeju results.
- CardPlayer ↗ — (CardPlayer, verified 2026-10-10): CardPlayer reported on October 8, 2026 that Rafael won $1,150,000, his first seven-figure live tournament cash, lifting live career earnings above $7,890,000; buy-in $100,000 with 27 first-day entries and five added entries the next day, re-entry allowed, and 32 entries did not mean 32 unique players; six players shared the $3.2M prize pool and Youness Barakat finished seventh; Rafael ended day two with about 4,900,000 chips, Simao about 1,415,000 and Guerra about 1,125,000; Simao used 14 time banks in a key long tank and folded to a straight; in the final hand Simao moved all-in on the turn with trips, Rafael had a flush draw, and the river completed a flush; Rafael wants more Omaha poker events in the United States.
Local reading context
SHRB PLO IV is a pot-limit Omaha event: each player gets four hole cards, and the best hand uses exactly two of them with three community cards. A single prize pool, a single prize payout, lifetime live earnings, and a recent cumulative cash total are different statistics. Entry counts can include re-entries, so they are not automatically unique-player counts.
Source report dates: 2026-10-08