Justin Bonomo Wins 2018 Super High Roller Bowl China

Justin Bonomo has been one of the top tournament players in recent years, finishing third in the 2016 Card Player Player of the Year race and then following that up with a fifth-place showing in 2017. He is maintaining his incredible pace in 2018, having made six final tables and won three titles already this year. Most recently the 32-year-old American poker pro defeated a field of 75 entries to win the $2,000,000 HKD ($271,115 USD) buy-in 2018 Super High Roller Bowl China. For the win Bonomo earned $4,820,299 and 840 POY points.

With $7,152,722 in year-to-date earnings and 2,996 points, Bonomo now sits in second place in the 2018 Player of the Year standings behind only Toby Lewis, who won the Aussie Millions main event and finished second in the World Poker Tour L.A. Poker Classic.

With lifetime live tournament earnings of $25,189,664 Bonomo now sits in sixth place on the all-time money list, having surpassed the likes of Phil Ivey, John Juanda and Scott Seiver with this win.

This was the first ever Super High Roller Bowl event held in China. The impressive turnout built a massive prize pool of $145,500,000 HKD ($18,539,610 USD), with the top 11 players making the money. Sergio Aido was eliminated on the bubble, guaranteeing that the remaining players all would at least take home $556,407 USD. After the bubble burst play continued until Dan Smith (11th – $556,407 USD), Daniel Cates (10th – $741,875 USD), Jason Koon (9th – $741,875 USD) and Isaac Haxton (8th – $927,344 USD) were eliminated.

Bonomo was the chip leader heading into the stacked final table, with Patrik Antonius sitting in second chip position. The first elimination of the day saw 2016 Card Player Player of the Year David Peters lose a race with AQ against Rainer Kempe’s 1010. Kempe flopped a set to send Peters to the rail in seventh place ($1,112,377 USD). Stephen Chidwick was the next to go when his KQ ran into Bonomo’s AQ. Both players paired their queen on the flop, and Bonomo’s ace kicker ultimately was enough to eliminate Chidwick in sixth place ($1,297,773 USD).

Bryn Kenney found himself in the same situation as Peters before him: all-in with A-Q up against Kempe’s pocket tens. Kenney could not win the race either and was sent home with $1,483,169 USD as the fifth-place finisher. Kempe continued his run of knockouts when he limped in with the 85 and flopped a straight on the 976 board. Dominik Nitsche had flopped top pair with the Q9 and called Kempe down on each street, calling all-in on the river to hit the rail in fourth place ($1,668,565 USD).

Kempe’s string of eliminations came to an end when he got involved in a massive pot against Patrik Antonius. Kempe limped in from the button with the 44 and Antonius raised to 2.5 million from the small blind. Kempe called and the flop brought the J74. Antonius bet 3.3 million with his gutshot straight draw and Kempe called with his set of fours. The turn was the A giving Antonius a flush draw as well and he fired 9 million. Kempe called and the 3 on the river completed Antonius’ flush and he bet enough to put Kempe at risk for his last 23 million. Kempe made to call and was eliminated in third place. The 2016 Super High Roller Bowl winner took home $2,039,357 USD.

Bonomo began with the lead, and it didn’t take long for him to convert it into a win. Bonomo raised to 1.5 million with the 75 and Antonius three-bet to 5.5 million holding the K10. The flop brought the J108 giving Antonius second pair and Bonomo a flopped flush. Both players checked and the 9 hit the turn. Bonomo bet 4.5 million and Antonius called, having picked up additional outs with a gutshot straight draw. The Q on the river completed Abtonius’ straight and he bet out 17 million. Bonomo moved all-in and Antonius, who didn’t have that much behind, made the call. With that Bonomo secured the title, sending Antonius to the rail in second place with $3,151,734 USD. This was by far his largest live tournament score. The Finnish high stakes player has now made three final tables in 2018, including winning his first live tournament title since taking down the European Poker Tour Baden main event back in 2008.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded to the top nine finishers:

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