Mehdi Chaoui Wins BSOP $20K Super High Roller for $315K in First Trip to Brazil
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When the Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) announced the Super High Roller Series, Mehdi Chaoui decided it was as good a time as any to finally make his first trip down to the Southern Hemisphere.
The Moroccan high roller has had success around the globe in his career, including winning an EPT trophy in Monte Carlo, finishing second in a Triton Series event in September for his biggest career score of $473,000, and winning two high rollers in Jeju, South Korea last month. But he had never been to Brazil before this week, and his first experience turned out to be a good one as Chaoui took down the BSOP R$100,000 ($20,000 US) Super High Roller for R$1,575,000 ($315,000 US).
“It feels great, for sure. The trophy is amazing. So happy. Good sensations,” Chaoui told PokerNews after defeating Portugal’s Ruben Lopes heads-up. “A few friends and stuff told me that the organization is amazing. I just wanted to see Brazil. It’s a good choice I made, I think.”
BSOP $20,000 Super High Roller Final Table results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (R$) | Prize ($US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mehdi Chaoui | Morocco | R$1,575,000 | $315,000 |
| 2 | Ruben Lopes | Portugal | R$1,140,000 | $228,000 |
| 3 | Rafael Moraes | Brazil | R$736,000 | $147,000 |
| 4 | Ivan Luca | Argentina | R$557,000 | $111,400 |
| 5 | Hugo Machado | Portugal | R$431,000 | $86,200 |
| 6 | Gabriel Tavares | Brazil | R$336,500 | $67,300 |
| 7 | Zdenek Zizka | Czechia | R$269,300 | $53,860 |
| 8 | Masato Yokosawa | Japan | R$210,000 | $42,000 |
An elite field of 56 players gathered inside Sao Paulo’s WTC Sheraton throughout the event, but competing against the best in the world is nothing new to Chaoui. He had already compiled a resume that included more than $3 million in live tournament earnings, according to The Hendon Mob. It’s these small, star-studded fields that Chaoui says bring out the best in him.
“I really specifically like the small fields with super high-stakes players, who are very well studied. In terms of motivation, it just gets something going inside me, and I want to prove myself against them. I try to do my best,” he said.
"Super Tough Lineup"
The final table included Japanese poker sensation Masato Yokosawa and Brazilian native Rafael Moraes, a Team PokerStars Pro. Chaoui led Lopes 12,700,000 to 1,300,000 at the start of heads-up play, but Lopes won nearly every pot to climb back up to over 5,000,000.
Chaoui finally showed down two pair to end Lopes’ winning streak, and Lopes was knocked down to 2,300,000 when he and Chaoui went to the flop in a limped pot. Chaoui bet 420,000 on the flop and Lopes called with a pair of sixes. Chaoui bet another 400,000 on the turn and Lopes again called. Chaoui then moved all in on the river, and Lopes called off his last 1,300,000 with third pair. Chaoui, though, had turned a straight to win the pot and secure the title.
While it was his first time playing here in Brazil, Chaoui was already well familiar with his opponents by the time the final table began. “Super tough table, obviously. I know for some time the two Portuguese youngsters. I know Rafael. Gabriel Tavares, I played a lot with him online. Ivan Luca, obviously,” he said. “Super tough lineup. Everyone was very, like, solid, playing good. So, yeah, I’m happy to win.”
Chaoui also had effusive praise for the BSOP, and says this won’t be the only Super High Roller he plays over the coming week. “Amazing. The place where we’re all playing is like super nice. The dealers are going a great job. Everyone around it, like the TV crew, everything is super well done,” he said.
“I already made up my mind before coming here that I’m going to be playing everything they can offer me to play. So that doesn’t change the plan, obviously.”
Head to the PokerNews live reporting portal for full coverage of the BSOP $20,000 Super High Roller.
