This Week's Big Winner: Cary Katz Wins $100,000 Super High Roller at 2018 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure

The $100,000 buy-in super high roller event at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure routinely produces some of the most stacked final tables on the tournament calendar, and the 2018 edition was no exception, featuring top pros such as Justin Bonomo, Daniel Negreanu, Ivan Luca, Isaac Haxton, Sam Greenwood, and Bryn Kenney. Kenney has dominated the event over the last seven years with five final-table appearances and a win back in 2016 for a total of more than $4.1 million.

In the end, however, it was the 47-year-old Cary Katz who came away with the title, and the $1,492,340 first-place prize. The Las Vegas-resident and founder of the College Loan Corporation now has an astounding $13.7 million in lifetime earnings, almost entirely won on the high roller circuit.

“I won some high rollers before but this is definitely the most prestigious one. So I’m very proud of it,” Katz told reporters after emerging victorious.

Here are the five biggest hands that propelled Katz to the win.

Tournament: PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Super High Roller
Buy-In: $100,000
No. of Entries: 48
Prize Pool: $4,737,600
1st Place Prize: $1,492,340

The Action

With just ten players remaining, and only seven making the money, Chidwick raised to 40,000 from under-the-gun. Katz called from the blinds and the two players saw a flop of 7 4 3. Katz checked and Chidwick checked behind. The turn was the 4 and Katz bet 44,000. Chidwick called and the river was the 10. This time, Katz bet 47,000. Chidwick tanked for about 30 seconds before moving all-in, and Katz made the call with J 4 for trip fours. Chidwick only had A 5 for a busted straight draw, and he was left crippled with less than two big blinds.

The Action

Katz found himself as the severe short stack with six players remaining, down to just eight big blinds. He then found a blind vs. blind double against Kenney, and on the very next hand, Kenney shoved from the button. Katz instantly called with A 10 and was happy to see that he had Kenney’s 10 7 dominated. The flop of 7 5 2, however, left Katz drawing thin. The turn was the 3, giving Katz more outs for the win, and the river was the A, giving him top pair and a double up to more than 20 big blinds.

The Action

With four left, Negreanu raised to 175,000 from under-the-gun and Kenney moved all-in from the small blind. Katz woke up in the big blind with A K and called off his last 1,510,000, forcing a fold from Negreanu. Kenney showed a dominated K J, making him a 28 percent underdog to win the hand. The flop of 7 5 4, however, made the rest of the hand a virtual coinflip. The 3 on the turn gave Kenney even more outs to chop, but the A on the river sent the pot and the double up to Katz.

The Action

Katz raised to 260,000 from the button and Bonomo made the call from the big blind. The flop came down A 7 7 and Bonomo checked. Katz checked behind and the turn was the 5. This time Bonomo bet 275,000 and Katz called. The river was the 7 and Bonomo bet 400,000. Katz went into the tank and eventually raised to 2,000,000. Bonomo called with A 9 for a full house, but Katz had 7 4 for quads to take the pot and a big lead in their heads-up match.

The Action

Facing a nearly 3:1 chip disadvantage, Bonomo was looking to even out the stacks when he moved all-in on the button with A K. Katz quickly called with pocket eights, putting him in a classic race situation for the tournament title. The board ran out 9 3 2 Q J and Bonomo was eliminated in second place, earning the third seven-figure score of his career. Katz pocketed nearly $1.5 million, also his third seven-figure score, bringing his lifetime winnings to nearly $13.7 million.

Final Table Results

1. Cary Katz — $1,492,340
2. Justin Bonomo — $1,077,800
3. Bryn Kenney — $686,960
4. Daniel Negreanu — $521,140
5. Ivan Luca — $402,700
6. Isaac Haxton — $307,940
7. Sam Greenwood — $248,720