The PokerGO Poker Masters is nearing its conclusion and, as we move closer to the Purple Jacket presentation ceremony, more of the game’s greatest have picked up six-figure wins.
Topping the latest list of Poker Masters winners and putting in one of the most dominant performances in PokerGO Tour history was Stephen Chidwick. The Englishman is a regular in high stakes tournaments and, September 23, he showed why.
Chidwick blasted through Event 8’s final table, eliminating four of his five opponents, to add another $400,000 to his $52 million in career earnings.
Stephen Chidwick dominates poker masters in Event #8
The eighth event of this year’s Poker Masters attracted 50 entrants and, with each one putting up $25,000, the prizepool tipped over the $1.2 million mark. That was enough of an incentive for the star-studded field to zone in and play their best poker over the weekend.
However, despite the best efforts of seasoned pros such as Jason Koon and Isaac Haxton, Chidwick was too strong. He dominated the early offing and that helped him start Saturday’s finale with 60% of the chips in play.
With small stacks and big pay jumps at the final table, Chidwick knew aggression was the best way to secure a win. As such, he began raising virtually every pot from the first hand of play. Those around him were forced to respond but none could match Chidwick’s timing or run of cards.
Chino Rheem was first to fall at the hands of Chidwick, closely followed by Darren Elias. Alex Foxen nipped in and eliminated Chris Brewer in fourth place before Chidwick retook control by taking out Foxen.
Chidwick climbs leaderboard but Tamasauskas remains on top
From that point on it was almost a foregone conclusion. Sam Soverel faced an 8-to-1 deficit heads-up and, even though he clawed a few chips back, it wasn’t enough.
Chidwick eventually turned a flush with 6♠ 2♠ on a Q♠ 9♠ 9♦ 3♠ board and got Soverel to put in the remainder of his chips with Q♣ J♥. The K♠ on the river brought the hand, and Event #8, to an end.
PokerGO Poker Masters Event #8 Result
- Stephen Chidwick – $400,000
- Sam Soverel – $262,500
- Alex Foxen – $175,000
- Chris Brewer – $125,000
- Darren Elias – $100,000
- Chino Rheem – $75,000
With that, Chidwick picked up the $400,000 top prize and moved to fifth place on the Poker Masters Player of the Series leaderboard. Also winning up PokerGO Poker Masters titles in recent days were Andrew Lichtenberger (Event #5: $204,000), Orpen Kisacikoglu (Event #6: $218,500), and Nick Schulman (Event #7: $374,000).
All of those winners picked up six-figure prizes but none earned enough leaderboard points to dethrone the current Player of the Series, Vladas Tamasauskas. The Lithuanian stormed to the top of the leaderboard last week with three final table appearances that included two wins.
2023 Poker Masters Player of the Series Leaderboard
- Vladas Tamasauskas – 506 points
- Chino Rheem – 358 points
- Ren Lin – 325 points
- Darren Elias – 319 points
- Stephen Chidwick – 297 points
With two more events left in the 2023 Poker Masters, Tamasauskas is now the betting favorite to win PokerGO’s coveted purple jacket and a $50,000 bonus.
