This Week's Big Winner: Koray Aldemir Wins U.S. Poker Open $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em Event

The 2019 U.S. Poker Open $50,000 no-limit hold’em super high roller event attracted a field of 41 total entries, creating a prize pool of $2,050,000. After two days of nosebleed tournament action, German poker pro Koray Aldemir emerged victorious with the title and the top prize of $738,000. This was the third largest score of his tournament career, and it brought his lifetime live tournament earnings to $11,256,055.

“This feels great, honestly. I had a lot of second and third finishes in the last year and winning one feels great,” said Aldemir after coming out on top. “Playing these high rollers is the best thing in poker for me. I have a lot of fun playing these things. Sometimes I take a break from poker, but when I do play I just love competing with the best.”

Aldemir has indeed notched nine second and third-place finishes since the start of 2018, including finishing as the runner-up to Lauren Roberts in the third event of this series. This is his second title in that time span, having also won a $25,000 event at the WPT Tournament of Champions Festival.

Here are the five hands that propelled Aldemir to the title.

Tournament: U.S. Poker Open Event No. 9
Buy-In: $50,000
No. of Entries: 41
Prize Pool: $2,050,000
1st Place Prize: $738,000

The Action

With nine players left and only six making the money, Petrangelo moved all in for 315,000 and Aldemir shoved behind him to isolate. Petrangelo showed down A 4, but was in bad shape against Aldemir’s pocket kings. The flop of K J 4 gave Aldemir top set, but the A on the turn gave Petrangelo some hope. The river 10 was a brick, however, and Petrangelo exited the tournament empty handed.

The Action

Aldemir raised to 100,000 from under-the-gun and was called by Foxen in the big blind. The flop was K 10 5 and Foxen check-called a bet of 80,000. The turn was the J and he led out for 235,000. Aldemir called, and the river was the 8. Foxen then moved all-in, and Aldemir folded, saving his last 970,000. Aldemir had been dealt A 10, having flopped middle pair and the nut flush draw. Foxen, who held 9 7 for an inferior flush draw, was a 97 percent underdog in the hand before going runner, runner for the straight. Had the chips gone in on the flop or the turn, Aldemir would have been eliminated.

The Action

Aldemir was getting short stacked four-handed and moved all-in from the small blind for his last 865,000. Riess looked down at A 6 in the big blind and made the call, which was ahead of Aldemir’s Q 10. The flop of 10 4 3 gave Aldemir the lead, and he improved his hand as the turn and river fell 9 Q to double up.

The Action

Winter raised to 120,000 from under-the-gun and Foxen three-bet shoved for 1,420,000 on the button. Aldemir then called all-in for a little less in the small blind, forcing Winter out of the pot. Foxen turned over pocket treys, but he was in terrible shape against Aldemir’s pocket queens. The board ran out ten high, hitting neither player, and Aldemir’s hand held up to double into the chip lead. Foxen was left with just five big blinds, and was eliminated in fourth place a short while later. He took home $205,000 for his finish.

The Action

On the 100th hand of the final table and only second heads-up, Riess shoved for his last nine big blinds with K 7 and was called by Aldemir in the big blind holding a dominating K Q. The flop of 10 10 6 gave Riess some chop outs, but he failed to hit as the dealer completed the board with the J and Q. Riess was eliminated as the runner-up, earning $492,000. Aldemir scored the win, the trophy, and the $738,000 first-place prize.

Final Table Results

1. Koray Aldemir — $738,000
2. Ryan Riess — $492,000
3. Sean Winter — $328,000
4. Alex Foxen — $204,000
5. David Peters — $164,000
6. Seth Davies — $123,000