This Week's Big Winner: Roger Teska Wins 2018 Caribbean Poker Party MILLIONS World $25,000 Buy-In High Roller

The 2018 Caribbean Poker Party, put on by partypoker LIVE, drew headlines for its two marquee events: a pair of massive $10,000,000 guaranteed no-limit hold’em tournaments in the $25,500 MILLIONS World no-limit hold’em high roller and the $5,300 CPP main event. The MILLIONS World drew a field of 394 entries, a gigantic turnout for a $25,000 buy-in event.

After four days of action American high-stakes cash game player Roger Teska emerged victorious as the champion, capturing his first major live tournament title and the top prize of $2 million.

Here are five key hands that propelled Teska to victory.

Tournament – Caribbean Poker Party MILLIONS World
Buy-In: $25,000
No. of Entries: 394
Prize Pool: $10,000,000
1st Place Prize: $2,000,000

The Action

O’Dwyer raised to 2.6 million on the button and Farrell shoved from the small blind for 10.5 million. Teska then looked down at his cards in the big blind and moved all in, forcing a fold from O’Dwyer. Farrell showed pocket deuces, which were well behind Teska’s pocket eights. The board ran out A 10 4 10 Q, and Farrell was eliminated in eighth place, banking $300,000.

The Action

Tollerene raised to 3.5 million from the hijack and was called by La Boissonniere and Tedeschi. Teska then moved all-in for 29,300,000, and Tollerene re-shoved for slightly more behind him. La Boissonniere and Tedeschi folded, and Teska revealed K Q. Tollerene had pocket sevens, and they held as the dealer produced a flop of 9 8 5. The turn was the 6, improving Tollerene to a straight, but the river 4 gave Teska a backdoor flush, and a double up. Tollerene was left with just a few big blinds, and was eliminated a short while later, earning $450,000.

The Action

After losing most of his stack to O’Dwyer, La Boissonniere found himself short stacked three-handed. Teska wanted to apply maximum pressure, and moved all in from the small blind with Q 7, only to see La Boissonniere wake up with pocket nines. The flop brought Teska a queen, however, and La Boissonniere was eliminated in third place, earning $1 million. Teska faced a 3:1 chip deficit entering heads-up play, but his pocket queens cracked O’Dwyer’s pocket kings to double him back into contention.

The Action

O’Dwyer raised to 8 million on the button and Teska called. The flop fell K 6 2 and Teska checked. O’Dwyer bet 5.5 million, and Teska check-raised to 18 million. O’Dwyer called, and the turn was the A. Teska checked, and O’Dwyer bet 15 million. Teska called, and the river was the A. Teska checked once again, and O’Dwyer moved all-in. Teska thought it over, using time extension chip, and eventually made the call for his tournament life with K 8. O’Dwyer could only show down 6 5, and Teska doubled up.

The Action

Facing a 2:1 chip deficit, O’Dwyer raised to 9 million on the button and Teska moved all-in from the big blind. O’Dwyer thought it over briefly before calling off his stack with pocket fives, looking to double into the chip lead. Teska was caught making a move with 10 8, but was fortunate to have two overcards. The board ran out 8 4 2 Q 3, and Teska paired his eight to win the coinflip and drag the final pot of the tournament. O’Dwyer earned $1.3 million for his runner-up finish, the sixth seven-figure cash of his career. Teska earned the title, the trophy, and the $2 million first-place prize.