Steve O’Dwyer is almost $2 million richer today, after taking the top prize of $1,872,580 in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) $100,000 Super High Roller event.
The three-day tournament saw O’Dwyer beat out a record-setting 66 entrants, and it’s not his first rodeo, either: the poker pro also snapped first in November’s Hong Kong Super High Roller APPT event for $1,811,638, and has over $9 million in total live earnings, according to his Hendon Mob profile.
O’Dwyer snapped the top prize from the jaws of previous chip leader Roger Sippl, who took second for a nice consolation prize of $1,344,420. Rounding out the final table were several top-name pros, with Bryn Kenney taking home $873,880 for third; Sorel Mizzi sweeping fourth for $659,400; Christoph Vogelsang in fifth for $512,160; and Sam Greenwood sixth for $396,920.
Finishing up the Final Table were Andrew Robl in seventh for $313,700, and Scott Seiver in eighth for $243,820.
PCA Main Event Begins at Atlantis
The 12th annual PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) Main Event kicked off on Thursday, as the $10,300 No Limit Hold’em tournament began at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.
The PCA commences a new year of poker, often attracting the biggest names from around the world. The nine-day festival consists of 28 events, and while it officially started with the thrilling $100,000 Super High Roller on Tuesday, it’s the marque attraction, the Main Event, when things get properly under way.
Through satellite tournaments, PokerStars qualifiers, and of course, cash entries, all participants began with 30,000 chips. Typically the slower of the two first days as far as entries are concerned, Day 1A drew 220 players to the tournament room, with 139 surviving. Although today (Day 1B) will see more competitors take their seats, yesterday’s action was fast-paced, intense, and overflowing with household names.
Pros Eager for 2015
Many of the game’s most experienced and well-known professionals wasted no time in beginning their 2015 season, opting to start the Main Event on 1A.
Thursday pros included:
Daniel Colman: Last year’s most dominating figure who hauled in more than $22 million and swept three Player of the Year awards, Colman was seated at the same table as someone who also found success in 2014, PCA Main Event defending champ Dominik Panka.
The duo seemed friendly during early hands as both built up chips. Colman finished the session with 40,500, while Panka ended with 42,200.
Chris Moneymaker: The legend, who finished 11th at the PCA Main Event in 2011, is off to another great start. In the 6th level, the former WSOP champ won a 20,300 pot on a pair of sixes. He finished with 97,200, good for 8th place.
Vanessa Selbst: The world’s most successful female player of all time is no stranger to Paradise Island.
In 2013, she won the $25,000 NLHE High Roller event, and backed it up with a 3rd place finish in 2014 at the $100,000 Super High Roller. Selbst began the 2015 Main Event with a successful run, taking 22,900 chips on three queens, although a late fold after getting in over her head cost her 29,000. She finished with 38,300 chips.
Ole Schemion: Currently ranked first on the Global Poker Index, the German superstar got off to a slow start before gaining momentum, finishing a strong day with 74,300.
Surprises of 1A
As always, plenty of excitement took place during the opening session of the PokerStars Caribbean Main Event. The most shocking headline came from Keven “Stammdogg” Stammen. A pro many are keeping an eye on in 2015, Keven was the second player in the entire tournament to bust. As he exited the table Stammen joked, “Can we reenter?”
Another shocking development came from Argentinian player Juan Etcheverry, whose day was largely a one and done.
Etcheverry put 15,000 chips on the board following a suited 9-A-K of hearts flop and J of clubs turn. His opponent called, and Etcheverry’s A-Q off-suit won the pot when the river revealed a Q of spades.
With 61,500 chips, Juan basically called it a day. Vanessa Selbst, who was seated at the table, told reporters, “I think he just played one hand. I don’t even think he folded a hand. I think he just came in and played one hand.”
Later in the day, Juan did return for a few additional hands, increasing his stack to 65,100.
Day 1A Top Finishers by Player Chips
Alex Millar 169,100
Dani Stern 145,200
Jason Helder 124,800
Owen Crowe 121,000
Andrew Whitaker 108,700
Naoya Kihara 108,100
Laszlo Bujtas 99,600
Chris Moneymaker 97,200
Tyler Cornell 96,300
Oleg Perepletchikov 92,100
We’ll continue to follow the action and will bring you more updates on the PCA Main Event.
