You get the impression that Stephen Chidwick rocks up to these things, pulls out a thermos full of Bovril, takes his beef paste sandwiches from his Spongebob Squarepants lunchbox, loosens his slippers, and then chills for the next few days {I didn’t include a pipe in that scene as that would be morally reprehensible}.
The British-pro took down Event #7: £25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) at the British Poker Open (BPO), his fourth ITM finish in seven events. Chidwick beat a small field of 15-entrants and now sits second in the overall leaderboard behind Sam Soverel, who finished third.
The Hendon Mob would have you believe that Chidwick has spent the past 12-months in a PLO clan running four-card combo hands through some magical piece of software. After all, in the summer he won the $25,000 PLO event at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), and a $25,000 PLO at the US Poker Open.
The truth is far simpler.
“I’d like to say that I’ve figured out how to play tournament PLO,” he said, “But honestly, I’ve been running very good. These last three 25k PLOs, I’ve registered at the last minute and run well. That’s kind of what it takes.”
Let’s check out that run good.
Day 2 Final Table Seat Draw
Seat 1: Stephen Chidwick – 618,000
Seat 2: Sam Soverel – 849,000
Seat 3: George Wolff – 650,000
Seat 4: Ben Tollerene – 133,000
The Action
Four of the remaining five players were in line to earn enough money to open up a mushroom farm, and one would see nothing but a mushroom cloud. It turned out to be Ben Tollerene.
The man who climbed to the zenith of online poker, lost successive hands to Stephen Chidwick to fall into the red zone. Then he quadrupled up after his AcKd7d2s found an ace on the river to beat the Tc9c8h6h of Sam Soverel after the BPO leader had bet both Stephen Chidwick and George Wolff out of the pot on the flop.
Tollerene doubled again, this time through George Wolff, turning a 23% shot into a 100% sure thing flopping trip jacks when all-in pre-flop against the AsAdKsKc of the Event #2 winner.
Then Tollerene’s Fortune Ferrari ran out of gas.
Wolff opened to 48,000 holding QsQcTh4d, and Tollerene made the call with KsQd5s3c. The dealer placed the Qh7h6c onto the flop, and Tollerene moved all-in with top pair and a gutshot; Wolff called with top set. The fours remained hidden in the deck like eunuchs at naked saunas, and the dealer stepped up to christen Tollerene “Bubble Boy.”
Then we lost the runaway leader.
Wolff opened to 48,000, holding AdQhTd8h, and Soverel made the call with QcTc9c7c. The dealer flung the Jc4c2s out of the deck to hand Soverel a flush draw. Wolff bet 30,000 with his ace-high and Soverel called. The turn was the 3h, Wolff checked, Soverel bet 80,000, and Wolff called with only ace-high and scooped after the Jh hit the river.
Then Soverel moved all-in holding AcQh5d3c, and Wolff called with AsQx8s6h and a hatchet to cut the Poker Central darling from the lineup.
Heads-Up
George Wolff – 1,601,000
Stephen Chidwick – 649,000
Wolff had all of the chips.
In the time it takes to make a cup of tea, and lose two digestives, Chidwick had the chip lead.
Wolff opened the action for 60,000, Chidwick three-bet to 180,000 holding AsAd5c3d, and Wolff made the call with AcQc6c5d. The dealer placed 8c8s6d onto the flop, Wolff bet 325,000 with his two pair hand, and Chidwick moved all-in with his better two-pair hand; Wolff called. The Ts and 2d completed the action, and Chidwick was in charge, for a bit.
Wolff retook the chip lead after winning a succession of fair to middling pots.
Then Chidwick used all of his spidey senses to hammer several nails into Wolff’s coffin when the latter had moved all-in holding AdKc6c5d on a board of Qs9s3dJs8d for a bag of melted ice. Chidwick held Ks8s6h5c for the king-high flush.
Then it was all-over.
After falling as low as three bigs, Wolff moved all-in holding Qh9c5c3c, and Chidwick called and won with Ac8d7h4c, for the 19th live tournament victory of his career.
ITM Results
1. Stephen Chidwick – £202,500
2. George Wolff – £112,500
3. Sam Soverel – £60,000
British Poker Open Championship Standings
1. Sam Soverel – £561,200 (580 Points)
2. Stephen Chidwick – £343,500 (420)
3. George Wolff – £232,500 (340)
4. Sam Greenwood – £147,200 (260)
5. Robert Flink – £108,800 (240)
6. Sergi Reixach – £253,000 (200)
7. Elio Fox – £156,000 (200)
8. Paul Newey – £156,400 (200)
9. Luc Greenwood – £119,600 (200)
10. Rainer Kempe – £196,600 (140)
Remaining Events
Event #8: £25,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #9: £50,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #10: £100,000 No-Limit Hold’em