Australian Poker Open Event #5 Won by Stephen Chidwick for A$399,500

Stephen Chidwick didn’t just win his latest High Roller when he took down the 5th event of the Australian Poker Open series for A$399,500. In doing so, he took himself to 6th place on the all-time money list, overtaking the American David Peters. He also took the lead in the overall Australian Poker Open Championship – worth an extra $50,000 at the end of the series.

With the final table six-handed as ever, Colombian player Farid Jattin – who had already won an event in this series at the Star Gold Coast, was the first player out and it was a coinflip that he lost. All-in with ace-ten, Michael Addamo made the call with pocket sixes and held to eliminate the Colombian Jattin.

It would be Jorryt van Hoof who busted next in 5th place. It was a monster hand, too. Van Hoof moved all-in with pocket jacks, but was called by Seth Davies’ pocket queens. They held up and play moved four-handed, but the next player to bust would not last long. Michael Addamo, who made the shortlist at the Global Poker Awards for the final four players who could be declared to be the best in the world according to their peers – alongside Stephen Chidwick – would be busted next. He moved all-in with king-eight, but Davies called with ace-king and when Chidwick called too, Addamo was in danger.

Davies would hold to win the hand, and looked a real threat to the title, but Chidwick doubled back through him almost immediately. Chidwick then got the rest of Davies’ chips when he called Davies all-in move. Davies’ ace-five started ahead of Chidwick’s king-nine, and remained in that positive position on the ace-high flop. But the diamond flush draw was there, and on the river a diamond arrived to send play heads-up.

Chidwick didn’t take long to finish Erik Seidel off, entering heads-up with an 8:1 chip lead and ending it quickly with a bit of luck. Seidel must have thought that he had found a hand to get back into the battle when he looked down at pocket queens, and once all the chips were committed, he was well ahead of Chidwick’s king-six. The flop had other ideas, however, as a king on the flop put Chidwick ahead and kept him there through turn and river.

After the victory, Stephen Chidwick spoke to Poker Central about his latest outright win on the series of Open events that have risen Poker Central’s profile even higher over the last few years.

“I really like this format of playing a week of tournaments,” said Chidwick, “Every day, battling against some of the best players to see who can run the best. It feels nice to be in contention for the Australian Poker Open title, it seems like I’m in contention in most of these series that I play.”

Chidwick isn’t wrong. Of the 33 Open events to date put on by Poker Central, Chidwick has final tabled almost half of them, with 15 final table appearances and 6 outright wins. It’s an incredible record. Both in Australia at this APO series and in general back home in Las Vegas, Chidwick’s results are only getting bigger and better.

Australian Poker Open Event #5 Final Table Results:

There are just two events to go in the Australian Poker Open, including, of course the Main Event. Can Stephen Chidwick hold onto his lead? There are multiple superstars chasing him down.

Australian Poker Open Championship Leaderboard Standings: