James Chen Wins World Series of Poker Europe €250,000 Super High Roller

James Chen has won the first-ever World Series of Poker Europe €250,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em super high roller event. The 35-year-old Taiwanese poker pro outlasted a field of 30 entries in the ultra-high-stakes event to secure his first WSOP gold bracelet and the top prize of €2,844,215 ($3,157,079 USD). Chen is the first player from Taiwan to ever win a WSOP bracelet event. With more than $6.8 million in career live tournament scores, Chen is the runaway leader on Taiwan’s all-time money list.

Chen entered the final day of this event as the shortest stack with seven players remaining and only the top five set to make the money. FOur-time WSOP bracelet winner Dominik Nitsche was the chip leader to start the day, but he lost two huge all-ins with A-Q up against pocket kings in both hands. He doubled up Christoph Vogelsang and Chen and fell towards the bottom of the counts as a result. He then AK into the QQ of Chin Wei Lim and failed to improve. Nitsche hit the rail in seventh place.

2013 WSOP main event champion Ryan Riess was ultimately eliminated on the six-figure money bubble, getting the last of his stack in with AJ against the AQ of Antanas ‘Tony G’ Guoga. Riess was unable to come from behind and was sent home empty-handed, while the remaining five players locked up at least $597,981 USD.

High roller regular Cary Katz was the first to fall after the bubble burst. He flopped middle pair after defending his blind with J6 and moved all-in, only for Guoga to call with KQ for top pair. Katz never caught up and was sent home in fifth place.

Chin Wei Lim won a coin flip against Guoga shortly afterward to leave ‘Tony G’ as the short stack. He got the last of his chips in with an open-ended straight draw up against the top two pair of Chen. Guoga did not improve on the turn or river and was eliminated in fourth place, earning $886,940 USD for the largest cash of his tournament career.

2017 Super High Roller Bowl champion Christoph Vogelsang was the next to go. He got all-in with 55 up against the A10 of Chin Wei Lim. The board came down 109788 and Vogelsang was knocked out in third place ($1,315,529 USD).

Heads-up play began with Chen leading with 94,200,000 to Lim’s 55,800,000. The two battled it out over the course of two hours. Lim was able to close the gap somewhat initially, but late in the game Chen surged out to a sizable lead. In the final hand Chen moved all-in from the button with A4. Lim called for his last eight big blind with A5. The board ran out AJ934 and Chen made aces and fours to secure the pot and the title. Lim earned $1,951,221 USD as the runner-up finisher.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded in this event

Winner photo provided by WSOP.

Related Articles

One Drop Charity Event Runs Friday At Resorts World

PGT Texas PLO Roundup Main Event Starts Thursday

Charity Series Of Poker Hosts Betting On Miracles On Dec. 4

Most Viewed Articles