The eight-event US Poker Open hit the halfway mark yesterday when Stephen Chidwick bested a field of 45 entries to win USPO #04: $25,000 Mixed Game Championship for $382,500. It also gave him back-to-back US Poker Open titles after he took down Event #3: $25,000 NLHE for $374,000 the day before.
Back-to-Back for Chidwick
Chidwick’s latest win came at a stacked final table that included newly-appointed Partypoker ambassador Isaac Haxton, 2017 World Series of Poker third-place finisher Ben Pollak, and 14-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth.
The title eventually came down to Chidwick and two-time bracelet winner Chris Vitch in a hand of 2-7 Triple Draw. Vitch raised holding Q-5-4-2-2 and Chidwick called with Q-9-7-5-5. They then drew two and three cards, respectively.
Chidwick check-called a bet and once again drew three. Vitch took one. Vitch then bet all in and Chidwick called before taking just one card on his final draw. Vitch also drew one and paired his jack. Chidwick pulled a king for a king-high hand to win the title.
“Winning two $25ks in two days, I can’t think of anything that would top that,” Chidwick said after the win.
Chidwick has pulled out to a commanding lead on the US Poker Open leaderboard with $810,900 in winnings. In fact, Vitch is his next closest competition with $247,500 while Keith Tilston sits with $242,000. The player that has the most winnings at the end of the series will be crowned the inaugural US Poker Open champion.
“The trophy will be a very nice cherry on top if I can close this out.,” Chidwick added. “I think I have a pretty good shot right now. I’m excited to push hard through the last five days of poker and then take a few weeks off and go skiing.”
U.S. Poker Open Event #4 $25,000 Mixed Game Results
1 Stephen Chidwick (United Kingdom) $382,500
2 Chris Vitch (United States) $247,500
3 Isaac Haxton (United States) $168,750
4 Benjamin Pollak (France) $112,500
5 Dan Shak (United States) $90,000
6 Phil Hellmuth (United States) $67,500
7 Daniel Negreanu (Canada) $56,250
Bonomo Booming
In other US Poker Open News, Justin Bonomo continued his hot start to 2018 by winning Event #1: $10,000 NLHE for $190,400. That tournament drew 68 players and saw Bonomo defeat Lebanon’s Boutros Nadim in heads-up play. In just the first five weeks of the new year, Bonomo has won a staggering $2,338.513.
It began in January when he finished runner-up to Cary Katz in the PCA $100,000 Super High Roller for $1,077,800 and placed fourth in the $50,000 High Roller for $310,150. Five days later, he took third in the Lucky Hearts Poker Open $50,000 Super High Roller for $197,200, and then won the $25,500 High Roller at the same stop for $556,873.
In Event #2: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha, a tournament that saw 64 entries take to the felt, Mike Gorodinsky bested Richard Kirsch to win the title and $179,200 first-place prize.
“You feel pretty good about having a mountain of chips,” Gorodinsky told USPO officials after the win. “I was prepared but also feeling pretty good.”
The US Poker Open runs through the weekend with two more $25K NLHE tournaments and the series-ending $50,000 Main Event.
US Poker Open Standings
(through five events)1 Stephen Chidwick (UK) $810,000
2 Chris Vitch (US) $247,500
3 Keith Tilston (US) $242,000
4 Daniel Negreanu (Canada) $221,250
5 Justin Bonomo (US) $190,400
