When the British Poker Open (BPO) began, a stampede of stallions entered the coliseum that is Aspers Casino. Manes shook, hankering hooves scraped the ground at the back while the front reared up in preparation for battle.
Eight events in, and it’s not like that no more.
There’s only one stallion left; the rest have become gelded, making them much easier to control – that stallion is Sam Soverel.
The reigning Poker Central High Roller of the Year and BPO leader took down Event #8: £25,000 No-Limit Hold’em. The 13-entrant field dimmed the glow of the BPO slightly. Not that it bothered Soverel.
The whole thing began and ended in a day.
Final Table Chip Counts
Steve O’Dwyer – 525,000
Christop Vogelsang – 215,000
Ben Tollerene – 146,000
Sam Soverel – 120,000
Sam Greenwood – 110,000
Stephen Chidwick – 107,000
Cary Katz – 95,000
Ali Imsirovic – 51,500
The Action
Stephen Chidwick came into this one in second place on the overall leaderboard. His chances of catching Soverel improved when his pocket kings beat the AsKh of Christoph Vogelsang to double up.
Another double up, this time for Ali Imsirovic. The reigning Poker Master limped into the pot from position, Vogelsang called in the small blind, and Tollerene checked in the big blind. The dealer placed the AsTh4c onto the flop, Imsirovic bet 4,000, and only Tollerene called. The Tc arrived on the turn, and the same action ensued, this time for 12,000. The final card was the 2d, Tollerene checked for the third time, and called when Imsirovic moved everything into the middle bar one 500 chip. Tollerene called after using a time extension chip and mucked when Imsirovic showed JsTd for trips.
Tollerene clambered back into the thick of things after bringing down the impressive Greenwood. The Canadian opened to 8,000 from the first position, after Tollerene had checked, and Vogelsang called on the button, as did Tollerene in the small blind. The flop placed the Jc8s5h onto the felt, Greenwood c-bet to 8,000, Vogelsang folded, and Tollerene called. The turn was the 4s, Tollerene checked, Greenwood bet 25,000, and Tollerene called. The final card was the 6s, and Tollerene bet 50,000, and Greenwood called all-in, showed pocket kings, but had to leave his seat when Tollerene showed 6d5d for the two-pair hand.
Then we lost Vogelsang.
The former Super High Roller Bowl winner moved all-in for 68,000, and Tollerene made the call and won when AJ flopped Broadway against pocket fives.
The Poker Master followed soon after.
Imsirovic opened to 10,000, Soverel three-bet jammed with a covering stack, and the Bosnian called. It was a flip with Soverel’s nines beating the AK of Imsirovic to send the Poker Master to the rail.
Then we lost Stephen Chidwick.
Tollerene opened to 11,000 on the button, and Chidwick moved all-in for 75,500 from the blinds; Tollerene called. It was another flip, and Tollerene won it when KsQs beat pocket deuces after flopping trips.
Both Chidwick and Imsirovic bought straight back in.
With the registration period over, Imsirovic was the first player at risk of elimination when he moved all-in holding AdKc, but managed to double up through Soverel’s QsJh.
Imsirovic doubled again, this time through Steve O’Dwyer when pocket queens beat AQ, all-in pre.
Then we lost Cary Katz.
Tollerene opened to 13,000 in the cutoff and called when Katz moved all-in for 73,000 from the button. Tollerene’s KhQh dominated the QsJs of Katz, and the BPO founder was the first to leave without the option to return.
Soverel doubled through Imsirovic when pocket fives dodged five bullets against Kh8h, and Imsirovic reacted by doubling through Tollerene when pocket sevens beat KdTd. Then Soverel made it double #2 when Ad9d beat the KhQs of O’Dwyer, only for O’Dwyer to double back through Soverel after turning and rivering quad nines when all-in pre against pocket eights.
Soverel doubled up instantly when pocket sevens beat the 3s2c of Imsirovic, and the comeback was assured when Soverel doubled through Tollerene AK>A5. We lost Chidwick after Tollerene’s pocket kings were too strong for pocket eights. Then Soverel continued his doubling ways when Td6d beat the AhTh of Tollerene.
Imsirovic was next to double-up when A4cc beat the queen trash of O’Dwyer, and Soverel sent him to the rail when KJo beat 76dd when all-in pre.
Imsirovic’s elimination led to the stone-cold bubble. O’Dwyer doubled through Tollerene when AK beat AT, and Soverel took his remaining chips when KQ beat pocket eights to send the event into the money, and unusually, heads-up.
Heads-Up
Steve O’Dwyer – 985,000
Sam Soverel – 640,000
Soverel moved into the chip lead after rivering two-pairs and gaining a river value bet from O’Dwyer. Then O’Dwyer came back into it when he doubled K6o>QJo.
Then it was over.
The pair stared at the KcQd2d flop in an unraised pot. Soverel bet 40,000, and O’Dwyer made it 95,000. Soverel called, and the 7c fell on the turn. O’Dwyer bet 200,000, Soverel moved all-in, and O’Dwyer made the call. O’Dwyer showed Kd9s for top pair, but Soverel had flopped a two-pair hand with Kh2s. The 3d changed nothing, and Soverel had a lock on the BPO.
ITM Results
1. Sam Soverel – £227,500
2. Steve O’Dwyer – £97,500
Remaining Events
Event #9: £50,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #10: £100,000 No-Limit Hold’em