This Week's Big Winner: Erik Seidel Wins 2015 EPT Grand Final Super High Roller Event

Erik Seidel is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having won 28 tournaments over his stellar career as a poker professional. The man immortalized in the movie Rounders for his runner-up finish in the 1988 World Series of Poker main event, has since gone on to record 20 scores with better paydays.

In total, Seidel has amassed more than $24 million in live tournament earnings and now sits in third place on the all-time money list, behind just Antonio Esfandiari and Daniel Negreanu.

Seidels’ most recent poker accomplishment took place at the EPT Grand Final in Monaco at the €100,000 buy-in Super High Roller event. The 55-year-old topped a field of 71 players for a massive €2,015,000 payday, the second largest of his career.

Here’s a look at the five biggest hands that propelled Seidel to victory.

The Tournament: EPT Grand Final Super High Roller
Buy-In: €100,000 • No. of Entries: 71 • Prize Pool: €6,888,420 • 1st Place Prize: €2,015,000

Seidel Rivers Straight To Send Haxton To The Rail In Monster Pot

The Action

Isaac Haxton raised to 31,000 from the button, and Erik Seidel three-bet from the small blind to 75,000. Haxton called, and the two players saw a flop of J 10 5. Seidel made a 113,000-chip continuation bet, and Haxton called. The turn was the 7, and both players checked. The river was the Q, and Seidel bet 115,000. Haxton raised to 515,000, leaving himself with only 275,000 behind. Seidel though it over for 30 seconds, then moved all in, having Haxton just barely covered. Haxton went into the tank for several minutes, clearly agonizing over his decision, and then called with Q J for top two pair. Seidel then tabled A K for the nut straight and Haxton was eliminated from the tournament.

Seidel Picks Off A Big Bluff

The Action

With 19 players remaining and the tournament getting closer to the money bubble, Erik Seidel raised to 37,000 on the button, and was called by Igor Kurganov in the big blind. The flop came down J 10 4, and both players checked. The J came on the turn, and Kurganov bet 56,000. Seidel called, and the river was the 6. Kurganov then overbet the pot, firing in 200,000. Seidel tanked for nearly two minutes before calling with 10 9 for second pair. Kurganov jokingly said he had a straight but revealed Q 8 for a busted draw. The pot vaulted Seidel to over 2 million in chips.

Seidel Goes Runner Runner To Bust Quan Zhou Near The Money Bubble

The Action

With 11 players left in the tournament and only nine making the money, the tension was high on the money bubble. Sitting with just nine big blinds, Quan Zhou open-shoved from the small blind for 282,000 more, and Erik Seidel, who was one of the tournament’s biggest stacks at the time, called from the big blind. Seidel was ahead with K 10 against Zhou’s 6 5, but that all changed on a flop of A 6 5. Seidel needed runner runner to come from behind, and the poker gods were kind as the turn and river fell K 10 to stun Zhou and send him to the rail just out of the money.

Seidel Gets Lucky To Eliminate Altergott In Third Place

The Action

With Dzmitry Urbanovich way out in front with more than 13 million chips, it became a battle of the short stacks between Erik Seidel and Max Altergott to move up the ladder during three-handed play. Urbanovich folded his button, and Seidel shoved from the small blind. Altergott immediately called off his last 12 big blinds with 8 8, and Seidel was in a bit of trouble with Q 5. According to the Card Player Poker Odds Calculator, Seidel was just 29 percent to win the pot, but that number skyrocketed to almost 90 percent after a flop of Q 9 6. The turn and river fell K 5, and Seidel went into heads-up play with nearly 4.5 million in chips. Altergott received €940,300 for his efforts.

Seidel Gets A Big Hand To Hold For The Title

The Action

Despite starting heads-up play with a 3-1 chip lead, Dzmitry Urbanovich was down to just 17 big blinds when he limped in on the button, which had become a habit of his during the match. Erik Seidel then raised to 900,000 from the big blind, and Urbanovich responded by shoving all in for his last 5,060,000. Seidel instantly called with 10 10 and saw that he was way out in front of his opponent’s K 9. According to the Card Player Poker Odds Calculator, Urbanovich was just under 28 percent to double up. The board ran out Q 8 2 3 7, and Urbanovich was eliminated, taking home €1,446,600 as a consolation prize. Seidel took the pot and the title, along with the €2,015,000 first-place prize.

Final Table Tournament Results

1. Erik Seidel €2,015,000
2. Dzmitry Urbanovich €1,446,600
3. Max Altergott €940,300
4. Dario Sammartino €709,500
5. Igor Kurganov €551,000
6. Thomas Muehloecker €427,100
7. Fedor Holz €337,500
8. Scott Seiver €261,800
9. Vladimir Troyanovskiy €199,620