Stephen Chidwick Event 8
Stephen Chidwick dominated Event 8 of the 2023 Poker Masters from halfway through the penultimate day, winning $400,000.

The latest Poker Masters final table was the eight of ten in this year’s festival in Las Vegas. With 80% of the events completed, it is still wide open in the race for this year’s Purple Jacket and $50,000 Championship Bonus that is on offer to the overall leaderboard winner. Stephen Chidwick starred in Event #8, winning it for a cool $400,000 as the British Las Vegas resident beat PokerGO live event favorite Sam Soverel heads-up.

Bumper Field Sees Negreanu and Ausmus Fall to Winner

The final six gathered with Stephen Chidwick holding 57% of the chips in play as easily the most dominant performance of this year’s Poker Masters took place. Before that domination on the final day, Chidwick had gunned down plenty of foes on Day 1, including two illustrious players in one hand.

After Daniel Negreanu moved all-in pre-flop with KcQc, Chidwick rejammed with AsKd and Jeremy Ausmus was short enough to call it off – after using two time extensions – with AhQs. The board of Th8c3c5c9d never got close to helping either Negreanu or Ausmus and both North Americans left before the money places.

After play was reduced to just nine players, one remained who would not cash. That turned out to be Brandon Wittmeyer, who lost after getting it in well ahead. On a flop of Td9h5c, Wittmeyer committed his stack with TsTc. That was some way clear of Chidwick’s JdTh, but in an incredible runout, the Qh on the turn was followed by a 8h river that gave the Brit an improbable straight.

Koon and Haxton Miss Finals Day

Down to eight players, two more would have to go before the overnight chipcounts revealed the extent of Chidwick’s domination. First to do so was Jason Koon, whose AdTh was no match for Chidwick’s AcKs, especially after a king came on the turn. Koon cashed for $50,000 in eighth and Isaac Haxton soon followed him, crashing out in seventh for $62,500.

Haxton had lost a near-coinflip to Darren Elias before moving all-in with AsQc. That was once again dominated by Chidwick’s AhKh and the board of Ks9c4h8h2d had Haxton dead by the turn. That meant that overnight, Chidwick had 4.34 million chips, with Alex Foxen (920,000) his nearest challenger.

The final day kicked off as Day 1 of the event had ended. The prizepool of $1.25 million was starting to look effectively like it was Chidwick’s to lose the bulk of, and the first elimination did nothing to derail his hopes. Chino Rheem – already an event winner in this series – moved all-in for scraps with KcJc and Chidwick called with Td8s. Chidwick even managed to see a king in the window off, as the board of KdTc8c6dAd had Rheem behind from the flop after the United Kingdom’s most successful tournament player in history hit bottom two pair and held. Rheem was edged out in sixth place for $75,000.

American All-Stars Fall to British Bully

Five players remaining, one very dominant chip leader. Chidwick was cutting a path through all that challenged him and Darren Elias was next to feel the sword on his neck. Elias, a four-time WPT winner and already a Poker Masters event winner this series, racked up more PGT points as he celebrated a six-figure score of $100,000 for coming fifth when his KhJd couldn’t catch As9s for Chidwick with all the chips in the middle pre-flop.

Next to go was Chris Brewer, whose fourth-place finish was worth $125,000 when his KhQh ran into Alex Foxen’s AhJh. All heart he may have been but Brewer didn’t even have the flush and the board of Ts9s6c3dAd saw him off on the river. It was a couple of doubles through Chidwick later that Alex Foxen bowed out, his AhKh crushed pre-flop by Chidwick’s AcAd. No help came for Fozen and he cashed for $175,000.

Heads-up, Chidwick’s monster stack of 6,675,000 looked huge against Soverel’s 825,000 and the British player was the champion a short time later. On a board showing Qs9s9d3s, Soverel bet, Chidwick raised all-in and Soverel called it off with QcJh. You’ve probably already guessed that Chidwick had turned a flush – with 6s2s – and that survived the river of a Ks to pronounce the British player the winner for a top prize of $400,000 after a thoroughly dominant performance. Soverel, who’d climbed the ladder after that cooler for Foxen, was content with $262,500.

Poker Masters $25,000 Event #8 Final Table Results:

Place Player Country Prize
1st Stephen Chidwick United Kingdom $400,000
2nd Sam Soverel United States $262,500
3rd Alex Foxen United States $175,000
4th Chris Brewer United States $125,000
5th Darren Elias United States $100,000
6th Chino Rheem United States $75,000

Find out which three players are selling action in this week’s Super High Roller Bowl in Las Vegas already here!