My news, views and fun facts Archives - Page 35 of 56

It’s the event that changed poker’s landscape.

It intimidates.

It seduces.

It turns mild-mannered men and women into war machines.

The Super High Roller Bowl (SHRB) has taken a vacation. Destination, London, and by the time you would have read this, the action in the £250,000 buy-in event would have already begun.

With 17-hours to go before kick-off, Poker Central is keeping their powder dry on who will be in the field. We know there is a 49-player cap, with 30 seats subject to a random draw, and 19 reserved for Poker Central and Aspers figurines to handpick the final bamboozlers and manipulators.

But not a single name.

Nada.

So without a cast, I’m going to take a punt at the likely winners, should they be (a) in London, and (b) lucky enough to get a seat.

Bryn Kenney

Bryn Kenney is in London, so I am reasonably confident we will see the man who makes bathrobes look cool competing in the game. Kenney’s goal is world domination, and events like this are in the war plan. Last month, Kenney finished runner-up to Aaron Zhang in the £1m buy-in Triton Million, but he banked the lion share of the money after agreeing upon a deal that saw him net £16.9m.

Kenney deposed Justin Bonomo at the top of the All-Time Money List after that win ($55.5m). It’s worth noting that ahead of the event, Kenney was the 2019 Money Leader with more than $9m taking from felts across the globe. Wins include the Aussie Millions Main Event, and two Triton titles in Montenegro.

Justin Bonomo

Justin Bonomo held the high stakes poker scene to ransom in 2018, winning more than $25.4m (a record until Kenney’s 2019 exploits). Included in that haul were victories in the SHRB Las Vegas for $5m and the SHRB China for $4,8m. Add his win in the $1m Big One for One Drop, and we may not have a cast for this one, but we do have a man more than equipped to play the role of End Boss.

I interviewed Bonomo in London at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series, and the man glowed. I got the impression that he could make sitting cross-legged look easy, and it showed on the felt winning the £100,000 Short-Deck Main Event for £2.67m. He was never going to improve upon his 2018 haul. However, it’s worth noting that the $5m he’s already secured this year, is his second-best annual performance of his life.

Stephen Chidwick

Stephen Chidwick is the Global Poker Index (GPI) World #1, and the man his peers believe to be the best in the world. They stitched that label into his hoodie many years ago, the only difference of late, is he’s turning 2nd and 3rd place finishes into wins.

The UK-born pro is one of the most consistent performers in the world. This year alone he has won titles at the US Poker Open, the British Poker Open (BPO) and captured his first gold bracelet at the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Include his epic performance at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in London (where he finished fourth in the big one for more than £4.4m), and who would bet against him.

Rainer Kempe

Rainer Kempe has the t-shirt.

The German star conquered a field of 49-players in the 2016 SHRB, collecting a career-high $5m after beating his buddy Fedor Holz, heads-up. Until last week, Kempe had led the GPI Player of the Year (POY) for eight-weeks, until Sean Winter took his crown.

Kempe has won five tournaments this year and sharpened his toolkit by finishing runner-up to Sam Soverel, in a £25,100 No-Limit Hold’em event at the BPO.

Charlie Carrel

It was interesting to watch a recent VLOG from Charlie Carrel explaining his omission from the Triton Million London event. Carrel explained how his backer, Orpen Kisacikoglu, bypassed him, because he hadn’t played poker for six-months, and he felt the game had passed him by.

Carrel responded by winning the £50,000 No-Limit Hold’em at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in London for £1.3m. He then travelled to Rozvadov and finished 7/510 in the MILLIONS Europe Main Event for €130,000 (he went into the final table with the chip lead). Then he turned up at the European Poker Tour (EPT) in Barcelona, making the final table of two €25,000 No-Limit Hold’em events.

Steve O’Dwyer

Despite financial metrics being an unreliable indicator of form, Steve O’Dwyer’s 2019 is annus horribilis. The American star has pulled $1.5m (gross) from the live tables, but that’s his lowest haul since 2012.

Financial results aside, O’Dwyer, re-entered the GPI Top #10 after making the final table of the €50,000 and €100,000 No-Limit Hold’em events at EPT Barcelona. He also picked up two runner-up finishes in the BPO.

The Dark Horses

Luc Greenwood

Luc Greenwood competed in 12 Triton events without cashing before making money, finishing runner-up to Linus Lloeliger, in the £25,000 No-Limit Hold-em Six-Handed Turbo at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in London. He then went to EPT Barcelona and finished fourth in the €50,000 No-Limit Hold’em before winning the opening £10,500 No-Limit Hold’em at the BPO.

Danny Tang

Danny Tang has been a revelation since turning up at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Montenegro and leaving with more than $2m in prize money. Tang proceeded to win his first WSOP bracelet, winning the $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em for $1.6m, and made two high roller final tables at EPT Barcelona, including a third in the €100,000.

Sam Grafton

Like Tang, Grafton is another player who has entered the high stakes stratum in sparkling form. The Squid made money in the $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em during the WSOP, finishing 11th, and then finished 13th in the $100,000. Grafton then finished 5/510 in the MILLIONS Europe Main Event in Rozvadov for €220,000, and later earned the most significant score of his career, finishing runner-up to Sergi Reixach in the €100,000 at EPT Barcelona for €1.3m.

The SHRB London starts on Friday 13 September and ends two days later.

The inaugural British Poker Open (BPO) is nothing but a memory. The final event: the £100,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event, is no more. In some ways, it was an anti-climax, given Sam Soverel had already locked up the title with a game to spare, and the size of the event was more salamander than Komodo dragon.

The event pulled in 12-entrants, and by the end of Day 1, four people remained in contention for the £840,000 first prize. The runner-up would collect £360,000. The other two would take home the hair on a bald man’s head.

The fab four was an eclectic mix with the winner of the £50,000 No-Limit Hold’em grabbing a seat alongside the founder, a former Super High Roller Bowl (SHRB) winner, and an online legend.

An online legend?

What’s he doing here?

Winning the event, of course.

Final Table Seat Draw

Seat 1: Mikita Badziakouski – 680,000

Seat 2: Ben Tollerene – 315,000

Seat 3: Christoph Vogelsang – 655,000

Seat 4: Cary Katz – 750,000

The Action

Christoph Vogelsang began third in chips, with the width of a candle wick separating him from those standing a rung or two ahead of him. However, the German’s day was as painful as a bone marrow biopsy.

Both Vogelsang and Cary Katz were staring at the Shirley Bassey looking Td9d3d flop with smiles as satisfying as sarcasm. Vogelsang had flopped the queen-high flush, but Katz had the nut-flush. Both players checked through to the Jh turn. Katz called a 50,000 Vogelsang bet, and when the Kd arrived on the river, Vogelsang bet 115,000 and was fortunate that Katz only made it 115,000 more. The call came, and Vogelsang had lost half of his stack.

Ben Tollerence then cut Vogelsang’s stack in half again when the online ace merely called pre-flop holding AdKd. Vogelsang raised with 8c2h and had to fold when Tollerene moved all-in.

Then the death knell tolled when Vogelsang jammed with AsKd over a Tollerene raise. Tollerene called with JsTd, and turned and rivered a twopair hand to send Vogelsang back to his room to play solitaire or whatever it is that German crushers do when they’re not playing poker.

Vogelsang’s exit led to the bubble, and it was the alliterative Badzakouski who popped. Tollerene made it 60,000 to play holding Kh2h, and Badziakouski made the call with 8h6h. The dealer slapped Ks5h9d onto the felt, Tollerene bet 50,000, and Badziakouski called. The 4h on the turn, handed the Belarusian a flush draw to go with his gutshot, blissfully unaware that his opponent had a dominating flush draw and top pair. Tollerene bet 175,000, and Badziakouski moved all-in. Only a seven would save the £50,000 winner, and the last time I looked, a nine was not a seven. Badziakouski was out.

Heads-Up

Ben Tollerene – 1,750,000

Cary Katz – 650,000

Tollerene won hand #1.

Then Katz doubled up with AcKc beat Ah8c when all-in, pre.

Katz doubled for a second time when holding Qd4c, he rivered a flush to beat Tollerene’s Tc3d after moving all-in and seeing Tollerene flop top pair.

Then before you could slip on a Bryn Kenney bathrobe and slippers, Katz had moved into a 2:1 chip lead.

Tollerene doubled back into the lead when Kc9c flopped top pair when all-in, pre against pocket treys.

Then it ended.

Tollerene made up the difference holding JsTs, Katz moved all-in, holding Ac6h, and Tollerene made the call. The dealer ploughed Qh9s6c through the middle of the table to give Tollerene an open-ended straight draw. The Qd on the turn maintained Katz’s position as the leader in the hand before the 8s filled Tollerene up, and we had our final BPO champion.

The win is Tollerene’s eighth of his career and takes his lifetime earnings to the $9.5m mark. It’s also his most significant score to date, beating the $1,026,416 earned for finishing third in a $100,000 ARIA High Roller in 2017 by a cable subscription.

ITM Results

1. Ben Tollerene – £840,000

2. Cary Katz – £360,000

There seems to be a rule of thumb materialising in the high stakes scene: increase the stakes, and Mikita Badziakouski suddenly develops the senses of a Bloodhound.

The Belarusian had only cashed once in the British Poker Open (BPO) before Event #9: £50,000 No-Limit Hold’em strolled into view (fourth in a £25k), but he’s secured the most significant single payout thus far, defeating 18-entrants to win the £486,000 first prize.

For once, a Badziakouski win is not the story. With Sam Greenwood and Stephen Chidwick failing to make money in Event #9, Sam Soverel won the 2019 BPO title with the £100,000 to come (not that it will be a dead rubber).

Soverel picked the locks to five of the nine final tables securing a third, two seconds, and two wins, to utterly dominate the series. It’s also going to land him in good stead in his bid to defend his Poker Central High Roller of the Year trophy. Soverel arrived in London with the lead, and he’s done nothing but extend it.

Let’s see how Soverel and Badziakouski faired as the stakes doubled.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. David Peters – 815,000

2. Mikita Badziakouski – 525,000

3. Christoph Vogelsang – 415,000

4. Stephen Chidwick – 290,000

5. Charlie Carrel – 190,000

6. Cary Katz – 63,500

7. Sam Greenwood – 60,000

8. Ali Imsirovic – 32,000

The Action

Ali Imsirovic came into the final table on fumes, and it seems no amount of meditation was going to produce a divine intervention from the Poker Gods. The reigning Poker Master stuck it in on a flop of Tc8c2s, holding Js7h, and Stephen Chidwick, called a won with KdJd to eliminate Imsirovic, who immediately bought back in, as registration was still open.

Registration closed.

Sam Greenwood’s hopes of winning the BPO title remained intact after doubling through Badziakouski. It was a flip with Greenwood’s pocket sixes beating QsJs.

Then we lost Stephen Chidwick, and with it, the man from Deal’s chances of winning the BPO Championship.

Imsirovic opened to 12,000 from the cutoff, Chidwick three-bet to 55,000 from the small blind, the chip leader, David Peters, called in the big blind, and Imsirovic folded. The flop of Kc8h7d hit the board, Chidwick bet 30,000 and Peters called. The action checked through the 3d turn, and we had the 9c on the river. Chidwick checked, Peters moved all-in, and Chidwick called. Peters showed pocket aces for the win, with Chidwick flashing pocket tens.

Then we lost Cary Katz.

Imsirovic opened to 15,000 in early position; Charlie Carrel moved all-in for 225,000 on the button. Catz called for his last 61,000 in the big blind, and Imsirovic folded. Carrel’s pocket treys would go on to beat the QsJs of Catz in a flip.

Matthias Eibinger doubled through Peters when AcTc beat pocket kings thanks to an ace on the flop.

Then we lost Carrel in seventh place.

Peters opened to 18,000, and both Greenwood and Carrel joined him on a flop of AcJh2s. Carrel, who held AdJc for the top two-pair hand, bet 18,000. Greenwood folded, and Peters called. Peters held QsTs, and the Kc on the turn gave him a Broadway straight. Carrel bet 65,000, and Peters called. The 5h landed on the river, and Carrel moved all-in. Peters called and extended his lead.

Greenwood doubled through Vogelsang when KhQh beat pocket treys.

Imsirovic exited in the sixth place.

The Bosnian moved all-in for five big blinds holding AhJs, and Peters called and chopped him up holding Kc9c.

Then we lost Eibinger.

After losing AJdd to the AKss of Badziakouski for a chunk, Eibinger moved all-in holding KhJc, and Greenwood called and felled him with Ad9s to take us to the bubble.

Greenwood made it 40,000 to play with AsKs, and Badziakouski joined him with 9c8c. The flop was QcJc5h. Greenwood had the lead, but the Belarusian was a marginal favourite with the flush and straight draw. Greenwood moved all-in, and Badziakouski called and hit his flush on the turn sending Greenwood packing. Greenwood’s demise meant that come hell or high water; Sam Soverel would be the BPO Champion with one event remaining.

Peters was ripe for the win going into three-handed play until this happened.

Vogelsang jammed for 630,000, holding AcQs, and Peters was in there with pocket deuces. The board ran out doubled-paired, counterfeiting Peters’ pocket pair, and the hand and the chip lead went to Vogelsang. Then Peters moved all-in holding AhJh, and Vogelsang called, and eliminated him, holding two black aces.

Heads-Up

Vogelsang held the heads-up chip lead for a single hand.

Badziakouski and Vogelsang both checked on a flop of Kh9s5h with Badziakouski holding Qh9h for middle pair and the flush draw, but Vogelsang was ahead with Kd6d for top pair. The 6d on the turn extended Vogelsang’s lead, giving him a two-pair hand. Badzuakouski bet 100,000 and then called when Vogelsang raised to 310,000. Badziakouski filled-up when the 8h hit the river – Vogelsang bet 190,000, Badziakouski moved all-in, and Vogelsang called, shipping another 435,000 over to his opponent.

Vogelsang doubled when pocket aces beat QsJc, but Badziakouski still held a big lead.

Then it ended.

Badziakouski moved all-in holding Ts9h, and Vogelsang called holding Td8d. The board changed nothing, and Badziakouski was our winner.

ITM Results

1. Mikita Badziakouski – £486,000

2. Christoph Vogelsang – £270,000 3. David Peters – £144,000

As of July 2018, there were 6,339 comets playing tag in our solar system. Today, that number has increased and will continue rising as there is a trillion scooting around our outer solar system.

Despite this whopping great number of icy trailblazers, only one, a year is visible to the naked eye.

This year, Stephen Chidwick is that comet.

Poker players have been saying for years that Chidwick is a little bit special. These days, he’s proving it, racking up titles for fun, and as I type this, he sits on top of the Global Poker Index (GPI) World Rankings.

Chidwick has been the king for four-weeks after deposing Alex Foxen, and the pair have exchanged the title of ‘World’s Best Live Tournament Player’ for the better part of 17-months.

Rainer Kempe and Bryn Kenney are doing their best to close the gap, but you suspect Foxen and Chidwick will go toe-to-toe for some while yet. And Chidwick manages this while changing nappies, cleaning up puke, and pushing a stroller around the neighbourhood at ungodly hours.

Foxen hasn’t picked up any points since securing 320.18 for finishing 40th in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. He did cash three times at the European Poker Tour (EPT) in Barcelona, including a fourth in a €25,000 event, but none of the scores qualified.

Chidwick was able to eke ahead after earning 430 points during the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in London for making the final table of both £100,000 Main Events (No-Limit Hold’em & Short Deck). Chidwick also finished fourth in the Triton Million £1m buy-in event, but the score didn’t qualify. The man from Deal put in another solid performance during the British Poker Open (BPO), cashing in four events, winning one, but he picked up zero GPI points because field sizes were too small.

High Rollers Rule

Sifting through the GPI Top 20, only three people don’t compete in the high stakes live tournament scene regularly: Jeremy Ausmus (#10), Joseph Cheong (#12), and Shaun Deeb (#18).

Steve O’Dwyer re-enters the Top 10 after cashing three times at EPT Barcelona, including the final table of the €50,000 and €100,000 High Rollers, both of which earned him GPI points. O’Dwyer maintained that form in the British Poker Open (BPO) finishing runner-up in a £10,000 and a £25,000 event but didn’t pick up any points for his efforts.

Current World Rankings

1. Stephen Chidwick

2. Alex Foxen

3. Rainer Kempe

4. Bryn Kenney

5. Sean Winter

6. Sam Greenwood

7. Manig Loeser

8. Steve O’Dwyer

9. Ali Imsirovic

10. Jeremy Ausmus

2019 GPI Player of the Year

Sean Winter overtook Rainer Kempe at the head of the 2019 GPI Player of the Year rankings. Winter’s shove ends an eight-week run with Kempe at the top. In a recent interview with yours truly over at CalvinAyre.com, Kempe confirmed that winning the GPI POY would be an honour, but only believes his equity of winning the title is at 10-15%.

“It doesn’t make much sense to chase it,” Kempe told me. “There are 20 people in competition for it. Being in the first place right now doesn’t necessarily mean you have the best chance to win it because of the scoring system. If I had to guess my equity of winning this year, it would be 10-15% or less, and that’s not the kind of equity that’s going to push me to chase it.

“If the situation changes at the end of the year, and it’s only me, Manig Loeser and Bryn Kenney who can win it, and I am one big score away from taking it down – I will do whatever it takes to win it because winning it would be a great achievement.”

Winter won the $5,250 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (SHRPO) Championship in August, beating 809-entrants to rack up a $698,175 score. Winter may have the lead, but he has to be another outside bet. Winter’s partner is expecting a baby, and that means Winter is more likely to be found in Mothercare than a poker room.

Current Player of the Year Rankings

1. Sean Winter

2. Rainer Kempe

3. Stephen Chidwick

4. Sam Greenwood

5. Bryn Kenney

6. Shannon Shorr

7. Manig Loeser

8. Ali Imsirovic

9. Danny Tang

10. James Romero

Top Female Performers

World Rankings

1. Kristen Bicknell

2. Maria Ho

3. Loni Harwood

4. Jessica Dawley

5. Li Yan

6. Marua Lampropulos

7. Lauren Roberts

8. Natalie Teh

9. Wendy Freedman

10 Ana Marquez

Movers and Shakers

Chris Hunichen is the biggest mover in the high stakes scene, shifting 162 places to #61, after picking up close to 700 points for finishing 9/94 in a $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo at the SHRPO, and winning the 540-entrant €10,300 High Roller at the European Poker Tour (EPT) in Barcelona for €841,345.

Chin Wei Lim climbed 110 places to reach #184 in the rankings. Lim currently sits second behind Michael Soyza in highly competitive Malaysian rankings. Ivan Leow (#230), and Paul Phua (#284) are the two other Malaysian players occupying oxygen in the GPI 300. Lim has made four final tables in 2019, including two high rolling finishes at Triton London, and two at EPT Barcelona. Lim also played in and cashed in the £1m buy-in Triton Million, finishing tenth for £1.1m.

Another big mover is Juan Pardo. The Spaniard rose 101 places to rest in the #192 position after an incredibly consistent display in EPT Barcelona. Pardo won the €25,000 and €50,000 Single-Day High Rollers, back-to-back, and came fourth in a second €25,000 High Roller, accumulating €1.8m in gross prize money. Pardo currently sits #5 in the Spanish GPI rankings behind high rollers Sergio Aido (1), Sergi Reixach (2), and Adrian Mateos (3).

Finnish high stakes stalwart, Juha Helppi, broke back into the GPI 300 sitting in #236 place. Helppi cashed in two high rollers at EPT Barcelona, finishing runner-up to Timothy Adams in a €10,200 Six-Handed event.

James Chen had a stunning WSOP, making the final tables of the $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha, and the $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em for a combined haul of more than $1m in gross winnings. The man from Taiwan followed that up with two ITM finishes at EPT Barcelona, making the final table of €25,000 event. Chen breaks into the GPI 300, nestling in #269.

Finally, Triton regular, Peter Jetten, also made it into the GPI 300. The Canadian star currently sits in #272 place after making seven final tables in 2019 with his seventh-place finish in a £25,000 Short Deck event in London his most recent.

The World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) has always leaned more towards the elite. When the event called London ‘home’ the use of the £ versus the $ created a price hike, with a smaller curriculum geared towards to the grinders.

The location may have changed, but the modus operandi remains the same, if not even more accentuated.

From 13 October through to the 4 November, fans of the WSOPE can stakeout the King’s Resort in Rozvadov as Leon Tsoukernik continues his relationship with the most iconic brand in poker.

Last week (I know, I know, I am slow), the WSOP and King’s Resort announced plans to add another four events to the festival. What initially began as an 11-event festival is now 15, and two of the four new games hit the To-Do Lists of the types of people who park fancy sportscars in their garages.

The most violent of the announcements is the addition of a €250,000, €5m GTD Super High Roller. The original schedule had a €25,500, €1m GTD No-Limit Hold’em Platinum High Roller, and a €100,000, €5m GTD No-Limit Hold’em Diamond High Roller. It seems we’ve run out of gemstone superlatives. A €25,000, €1m GTD Mixed Game Championships will join the €25,500, €2.5m GTD Short-Deck High Roller. For the people with slightly smaller bankrolls, there will be a €2,500 Short-Deck, and a €2,500 8-Game, both with €250,000 guarantees.

Head over to the PokerNews website for the full schedule because I can’t be arsed retyping it.

https://www.pokernews.com/news/2019/09/wsop-reworks-wsope-schedule-short-deck-8game-35311.htm

Why change?

WSOP Vice President, Jack Effel, said the 50th Annual WSOP was so successful they felt they had to take another look at the WSOPE schedule. They did, and thought they could ‘enhance it.’

WSOPE High Roller History

The first time the WSOPE held an event with a buy-in greater than €10,000, was in 2012. The €51,000 No-Limit Hold’em Majestic Roller took place in Cannes. Much to the annoyance of Michael Watson, who beat 60-entrants to win the €1m first prize, the event was a non-bracelet affair.

The first WSOPE bracelet in a €10k+ event arrived the following year when Daniel Negreanu beat 80-entrants to win the €25,600 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller for €725,000. The game was significant because the win saw Kid Poker beat Matt Ashton in the race for the WSOP Player of the Year award in the very last game.

There was no WSOPE in 2014, but when it returned in 2015, the €25,600 No-Limit Hold’em came with it. Jonathan Duhamel defeated 64-entrants to win the €554,395 first prize in Berlin.

Then in Rozavadov in 2017, we had two high stakes events.

Niall Farrell joined the Triple Crown club after winning the 113-entrant €25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller for €745,287, and Dominik Nitsche defeated 132-entrants in the €111,111 High Roller for One Drop, to bank €3,487,463.

Finally, last year, Michael Addamo topped a field of 133-entrants to win the €848,702 first prize in the €25,500 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller. Martin Kabrhel vanquished 133 foes to win the €2,624,340 first prize in the €100,000 Super High Roller.

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

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

Asper Casino in Stratford is the theatre.

Sam Soverel is the leading man.

Someone has slipped something into the American’s raspberry leaf tea because he’s turned into a supercharged shark.

Soverel won the 28-entrant, Event #5: £25,000 No-Limit Hold’em, his third final table of the British Poker Open (BPO), and the gulf in luck, class, call it what you want is wider than the Cheshire cat’s grin.

The reigning and leading Poker Central High Roller of the Year came into the final table as the chip leader, and despite a few wobbles, he was also the last man seated.

Let’s see how he took this one down to Soverel town.

Day 2 Final Table Seat Draw

Seat 1: Sam Soverel – 1,005,000

Seat 2: Vincent Bosca – 220,000

Seat 3: Stephen Chidwick – 685,000

Seat 4: Rainer Kempe – 765,000

Seat 5: Ali Imsirovic – 780,000

The Action

The final day began with four of the most in-form live tournament artisans, and Vincent Bosca (sorry, Vincent). Someone was going to slip into the faultline, and it proved to be the Spaniard.

Time eroded Bosca’s stack until eventually, it looked as unimpressive as a few soggy rich tea biscuits. Sam Soverel moved all-in holding Ad2s, and Bosca made the call with pocket jacks. An ace on the flop, left Bosca hoping the deck would produce one of his three outs. It didn’t Bosca bubbled.

Stephen Chidwick moved all-in holding Tc8c, and Soverel made the call with Qd3s underneath his fingertips. Chidwick flopped a second ten to take the lead, and the turn and river were kind to the Englishman who doubled up.

Soverel reacted well to move into the chip lead before doubling Ali Imsirovic when Ad6h ran into the dominating form of AcTd. Chidwick was next to swallow some of Soverel’s chips when he doubled Qc2c>AsKd, but then Rainer Kempe doubled through Chidwick when Kh2h outdrew KdTd after rivering a second deuce. Chidwick would exit in the fourth place after his Th6h failed to beat Kempe’s Qh2c.

We had a ‘Tale of the Tape’ shortly after when Imsirovic got it in holding Qs5s versus the Ac2c of Soverel. Imsirovic did flop a five, but Soverel flopped a wheel and straight flush draw. The Jc on the turn saw Soverel make his flush to take a slight lead into heads-up action against Kempe.

Heads-Up

Sam Soverel – 1,940,000

Rainer Kempe – 1,510,000

Kempe took the chip lead when his pocket nines shutdown a raise from 6c5h, but Soverel would storm back to take the lead, and ultimately win his first event after this happened.

Kempe moved all-in holding Jd9h, and Soverel made the call holding pocket queens. The hand held to give Soverel a dominating chip lead. Then Soverel’s QdTc beat Kempe’s JcTh to tie up loose ends.

Here are the final table results:

ITM Results

1. Sam Soverel – £322,000

2. Rainer Kempe – £196,000

3. Ali Imsirovic – £112,000

4. Stephen Chidwick – £70,000

British Poker Open Championship Standings

1. Sam Soverel – £501,200 (480 Points)

2. Sam Greenwood – £147,200 (260)

3. Robert Flink – £108,800 (240)

4. Stephen Chidwick – £141,000 (220)

5. Paul Newey – £156,400 (200)

6. George Wolff – £120,000 (200)

7. Luc Greenwood – £119,600 (200)

8. Rainer Kempe – £196,600 (140)

9. Steve O’Dwyer – £72,600 (140)

10. Cary Katz – £51,600 (120)

Remaining Events

Event #6: £25,000 No-Limit Hold’em

Event #7: £25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha

Event #8: £25,000 No-Limit Hold’em

Event #9: £50,000 No-Limit Hold’em

Event #10: £100,000 No-Limit Hold’em

Sergi Reixach has binked the £253,000 bounty in Event #6: £25,000 No-Limit Hold’em at the British Poker Open (BPO), a hop, skip and a jump away from winning the €100,000 No-Limit Hold’em in Barcelona.

Reixach conquered a field of 22-entrants, and managed to hold his nerve through a spiteful bubble that lasted close to four hours, a timespan that Reixach later confirmed was the longest bubble of his career.

The win is the Spaniard’s sixth, and he now has earned more than $5m playing live tournaments since making money in the Unibet Open Barcelona back in 2011.

Let’s see how Reixach did it.

Day 2 Final Table Seat Draw

Seat 1: Timothy Adams – 323,000

Seat 2: Michael Zhang – 214,000

Seat 3: Ali Imsirovic – 771,000

Seat 4: Elio Fox – 871,000

Seat 5: Sergi Reixach – 571,000

The Action

Day 2 began like most Day 2’s have started at the British Poker Open (BPO), with five players hoping not to be the one who leaves with nothing.

Michael Zhang is beginning to call the high stakes realm his homeland with some impressive recent performances, and he was the first at risk when his AdKd went up against the inferior Ac7c of Elio Fox. The better hand held, and Zhang doubled-up.

Ali Imsirovic became the first player to break the million chip barrier and seemed to be the only one with a ship in choppy waters until Timothy Adams pulled him back by his sails.

Adams got it all-in with AsKc up against AhJc, and a clash like that rarely ends well. Adams doubled into the lead. Imsirovic’s day worsened when Fox doubled through him when Kd7d beat QsJs.

Imsirovic became the short-stack, but not for long, doubling through Sergi Reixach when his ace rag beat KhTh when ace-high held. Elio Fox then took the chip lead, before doubling up Reixach when Ah9d beat 8h6d. And Imsirovic then doubled through Reixach when KdJs beat pocket eights thanks to a jack on the flop.

Fox then doubled back through Reixach when QcJd beat Qd5d, and through Adams when Ah5h beat KsJc. And then, after close to four-hours, the bubble burst.

Imsirovic carved 200,000 from his 345,000 stack and pushed it across the line holding KhJh. Reixach moved all-in holding pocket nines, and Imsirovic made the call. The board ran out Tc6c2cAd6d, and the man who at one time looked as likely as anyone to win this thing exited in the fifth place.

Then came the pivotal moment in the tournament.

Zhang moved all-in for 500,000 holding QsTc, Fox called holding Ad7d in the small blind, and Reixach put him all-in when he jammed holding pocket nines in the big blind; Fox called. Fox flopped a flush draw, but it never materialised, and Reixach took the chip lead, eliminating both of his opponents in one fell swoop to face Timothy Adams for the title (Adams missed the hand because he had nipped away to order a bowl of rice).

Heads-Up

Sergi Reixach – 2,460,000

Timothy Adams – 290,000

One hand.

Adams moved all-in holding KdQc Reixach called and won with AdKh, and Adams returned to his rice bowl.

ITM Results

1. Sergi Reixach – £253,000

2. Timothy Adams – £154,000

3. Elio Fox – £88,000

4. Michael Zhang – £55,000

British Poker Open Championship Standings

1. Sam Soverel – £501,200 (480 Points)

2. Sam Greenwood – £147,200 (260)

3. Robert Flink – £108,800 (240)

4. Stephen Chidwick – £141,000 (220)

5. Sergi Reixach – £253,000 (200)

6. Elio Fox – £156,000 (200)

7. Paul Newey – £156,400 (200)

8. George Wolff – £120,000 (200)

9. Luc Greenwood – £119,600 (200)

10. Rainer Kempe – £196,600 (140)

Remaining Events

Event #7: £25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha

Event #8: £25,000 No-Limit Hold’em

Event #9: £50,000 No-Limit Hold’em

Event #10: £100,000 No-Limit Hold’em

The inaugural British Poker Open (BPO) is Poker Central’s first foray away from Las Vegas for an event outside of the Super High Roller Bowl (SHRB). The series consists of ten games. It began on Sep 6, and ends on Sep 11 with the £103,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event.

The BPO works the same way as the US Poker Open with points awarded for making the ITM positions.

The series has already raced through three events, here are the winners:

Event #1: £10,000 No-Limit Hold’em – Luc Greenwood
Event #2: £10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha – George Wolff
Event #3: £10,000 No-LImit Hold’em – Paul Newey

BPO event scores count towards the Poker Central High Roller of the Year, and the 2018 Champ, and 2019 leader, Sam Soverel currently leads the BPO standings after a third and second in the first three events.

Here are the current standings.

Sam Soverel – £179,200 (280 Points)*
Paul Newey – £156,400 (200)
George Wolff – £120,000 (200)
Luc Greenwood – £119,600 (200)
Steve O’Dwyer – £72,600 (140)
Stephen Chidwick – £71,000 (140)*
Elio Fox – £69,000 (100)
Robert Flink – £41,600 (100)
Mikita Badziakouski – £46,000 (80)
Gavin Cochrane – £30,000 (80)

*Cashed in two events.

And the remaining events.

Event #4: £10,000 Short-Deck (5/6 Sep)
Event #5: £25,000 No-Limit Hold’em (6/7 Sep)
Event #6: £25,000 No-Limit Hold’em (7/8 Sep)
Event #7: £25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (8/9 Sep
Event #8: £25,000 No-Limit Hold’em (9/10 Sep)
Event #9: £50,000 No-Limit Hold’em (10/11 Sep
Event #10: £100,000 No-Limit Hold’em (11/12 Sep)

The Super High Roller Bowl London

Poker Central’s flagship product, the Super High Roller Bowl (SHRB), dons a thick woolly jumper and leaves the US shores for only the second time since its creation in 2015.

The £252,500 buy-in event takes place 13-15 Sep, immediately following the BPO Main Event. As with previous SHRB’s the tournament is capped (49-entrants), and 19 of those seats belong to the Poker Central/Aspers team who will dole them out as they deem fit. A draw will determine whose buttocks will sit on the remaining 30 open seats.

It’s not the first time that Poker Central has held an SHRB outside of Las Vegas. In 2018, Justin Bonomo left 75-entrants feeling emaciated after he took down the $4.8m first prize (Bonomo would go on to win the Las Vegas event a few months later for $5m).

And the SHRB London won’t be the last the world sees of the brand outside of Las Vegas. The BPO and SHRB London sponsor, partypoker, is also sponsoring an SHRB Bahamas, due to take place during the partypoker MILLIONS World in November.

Here is the history of the SHRB:

SHRB Las Vegas

2015 – Brian Rast ($7.525m)*
2016 – Rainer Kemper ($5m)
2017 – Christoph Vogelsang ($6m)
2018 – Justin Bonomo ($5m)

*The only time the event has been a $500k buy-in, all other buy-ins have been $300k.

SHRB China

2018 – Justin Bonomo ($4.8m)

Online High Rolling News

PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker

With only London offering live tournament high stakes poker action in September, it’s allowed the online poker room giants to step into the breach to provide the high stakes players with some comfort.

The PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) takes place Sep 5 through Sep 25. It promises to be the wealthiest WCOOP in history with $75m in guaranteed prize money, but the high rolling action is down on last year.

There is only one event, and that takes place on Sep 11 – WCOOP 25 (High) is a $2m GTD, $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller. The event clashes with the BPO’s £50,000 and the £100,000. Something to look at if the BPO returns next year.

Last year, there were three $25,000 buy-in events during WCOOP. Jorryt “TheCleaner11” van Horryt took down the 54-entrant $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed event for $1.3m. Linus “LlinusLlove” Loeliger won the first No-Limit Hold’em event for $2.5m, and Wiktor “limitless” Malinowski won the second one earning $3.4m.

GGPoker’s Good Game Series 3

For once, PokerStars is not the place to be if you want to compete in $25,000 buy-in events. Between Sep 8 and 29, GGPoker is hosting a highly ambitious $50m GTD GGSeries 3. There are 482-events, and amongst them sits an incredible 14 $25,000 buy-in events.

To put that into perspective, the previous GGSeries only had one $25,000 buy-in event. Andras “PokerBluff1” Nemeth banked close to half a million bucks for winning that one.