$25,500 Single-Day High Roller
Day 1 Completed
2017 PokerStars Championship Panama
$25,500 Single-Day High Roller
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2017 PokerStars Championship Panama
Buy-in
$25,750
Prize Pool
$1,078,000
Entries
44
Level
19
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
10,000
Level 19
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
The PokerStars Championship Panama $25,500 Single-Day High Roller, which featured a 30-second shot clock, attracted 33 unique players to Sortis Hotel, Spa & Casino. Of those, 11 exercised their single re-entry option to bring the field up to 44 entries, which created a $1,078,000 prize pool.
After 12 hours of play, the United Kingdom's Stephen Chidwick emerged victorious to capture a $366,500 first-place prize. Chidwick, who currently sits second on England’s all-time money list just ahead of the late David “Devilfish” Ulliott but far behind Sam Trickett who leads, is no stranger to the high roller scene. In fact, back in January, he cashed in both the $25,000 and $50,000 High Roller events at the PokerStars Championship Bahamas, finishing seventh and fifth for $154,260 and $265,040 respectively.
However, until today, a high-roller title had eluded him. Now he’s got it along with another silver Spade trophy and the fourth-largest cash of his career.
| Position | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stephen Chidwick | UK | $366,500 |
| 2 | Koray Aldemir | Germany | $253,340 |
| 3 | Mustapha Kanit | Italy | $161,700 |
| 4 | Oliver Weis | Germany | $123,980 |
| 5 | Dario Sammartino | Italy | $97,020 |
| 6 | Timothy Adams | Canada | $75,460 |
Among those to take a shot or two in the tournament were Spanish pros Adrian Mateos, Sergio Aido, and Sergi Reixach; former High Roller champs Steve O'Dwyer, Isaac Haxton, and Jason Koon; and Ben Tollerene, who was just a couple days removed from winning the $50,000 Super High Roller for $538,715.
Once Erik Seidel exited as the bubble boy in seventh place, the result of losing a flip with ace-ten to Oliver Weis’ pocket eights, the final six players were guaranteed a minimum $75,460 payday.
Sixth place was a familiar spot for Timothy Adams, who two days back finished there in the aforementioned Super High Roller, good for $110,920. Adams shoved with ace-jack only to run into both the pocket eights of Weis and kings of Koray Aldemir, the latter more than doubling into the chip lead.
Not long after, there was a clash of Italian titans when Dario Sammartino got it in holding kings only to run into the aces of countryman Mustapha Kanit. No king came and Sammartino had to settle for fifth place and $97,020.
From there, Oliver Weis was crippled after his pocket nines were cracked by Chidwick’s ace-seven, and despite a couple doubles, he bowed out shortly thereafter when he jammed three-five suited from the small blind and Aldemir called with six-seven to run out a straight.
Aldimir went on to win a flip against Chidwick, one that left the latter extremely short. Still, he managed to rebuild, once due to a fortuitous four on the river to give him a wheel. Chidwick then got it in with tens against Kanit’s ace-queen, and while a queen flopped, another river would save Chidwick.
Amazingly, Chidwick hit yet another river a short time later to finish off Mustapha Kanit. The Italian jammed with ace-nine suited and improved against Chidwick’s pocket eights. It didn’t matter though as the two outer came through on the river.
In the final hand of the tournament, Chidwick picked up kings and held against the ace-five of Koray Aldemir, who is no slouch himself in high rollers having notched two seven-figure scores in such events.
There are still plenty of events left on the 2017 PokerStars Championship Panama schedule including a $10,300 PLO High Roller tomorrow, an equally priced High Roller on March 18th, and of course, the Main Event will run the duration. PokerNews will be here every step of the way to capture the action in all those events, so be sure to join us tomorrow and through the weekend.
Courtesy of René Velli of PokerStars.
Level 19
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Koray Aldemir was down to 520,000 in chips and moved all in from the button. Stephen Chidwick needed just a millisecond in the big blind to call, as he had found a monster.
Chidwick instantly showed his 
. Aldemir revealed the 
first, followed by the 
.
The flop of 
, the 
turn and the 
river did nothing for Aldemir and he had to settle for second place, good for $253,340.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
4,400,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 19
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Mustapha Kanit open-jammed the button for 980,000 and Stephen Chidwick called from the big blind to put the Italian at risk.
Kanit: 
Chidwick: 
Kanit was looking to improve, and he did on the 
flop. The 
turn meant all Kanit needed to do as dodge an eight on the river to double, but this is an elimination post so you can probably guess what came... the 
!
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,700,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 19
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Mustapha Kanit was extremely short, but a series of all ins without showdowns got him back up to a somewhat decent stack.
He pushed from the small blind for 480,000 and big blind Koray Aldemir called. Aldemir showed 
and was trailing the 
of Kanit. The board ran out 
and Kanit doubled.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
990,000
715,000
|
715,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
635,000
-850,000
|
-850,000 |
|
|
||
Level 19
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Stephen Chidwick limped the small blind and Mustapha Kanit exercised his option from the big with a raise to 155,000. Chidwick responded by moving all in for 1.435 million and Kanit called.
Kanit: 
Chidwick: 
It was a big flip, and Kanit pulled out in front when he paired his queen on the 
flop.
The 
turn was a good card for Chidwick, who picked up an open-ended straight draw, but it would be the 
river that would give him new life and cripple Kanit.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,000,000
1,570,000
|
1,570,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
275,000
-1,425,000
|
-1,425,000 |
|
|
||
Level 19
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Mustapha Kanit folded his button and small blind Koray Aldemir shoved to put the pressure on Chidwick. Big blind Stephen Chidwick had exactly 700,000 total and snap-called all in.
Stephen Chidwick: 
Koray Aldemir: 
The flop just about settled it: 
. The on the turn and did nothing and Chidwick doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,485,000
-765,000
|
-765,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,430,000
785,000
|
785,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 19
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Ante: 10,000
Level 18
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Stephen Chidwick moved all in for 297,000 from the button and found himself in dire straits after Koray Aldemir called.
Aldemir: 
Chidwick: 
The flop was pretty dry, though the 
turn gave Chidwick a little something.
"Nice hand," Chidwick said after the 
peeled off on the river. He then began to get out of his chair.
"You won dude," someone informed him.
"Oh yeah," Chidwick upon noticing his winning Wheel. "I play poker for a living, no big deal?"
"When did you learn to play?" his girlfriend quipped from the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,250,000
-300,000
|
-300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
645,000
348,000
|
348,000 |
|
|
||