Poker Pro on Heater Has Over $10 Million in Cashes in Under a Month

Connor Richards
Senior Editor U.S.
3 min read
Joao Simao

Brazilian pro Joao Simao is on a heater to remember, one that last night saw him finishing runner-up to Sean Rafael in the $103,000 buy-in Super High Roller Bowl PLO IV in Las Vegas for $775,000.

While he didn't win the tournament, Simao's run did something: it pushed him over $10 million in earnings in under a month after the Brazilian landed two seven-figure scores at September's Triton Super High Roller Series in Jeju.

Super High Roller Bowl $100K PLO Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Sean RafaelUnited States$1,150,000
2Joao SimaoBrazil$775,000
3Richard GrykoUnited Kingdom$480,000
4Talal ShakerchiUnited Kingdom$350,000
5Lautaro GuerraSpain$255,000
6Cesar GarciaSpain$190,000

Simao's Unreal Run Continues

A few weeks ago, Simao, who happens to be the winner of last year's SHRB no-limit Hold'em event, took down the $200,000 Triton Invitational in Jeju for $7.25 million, the biggest tournament score ever for a Brazilian.

Joao Simao
Joao Simao

"It's unreal, really," an emotional Simao told PokerNews at the time. "There are no words, you know? I feel so, so lucky, so blessed. It's the type of stuff that happens once in your life."

He may have spoken too soon. Simao then closed out the Triton series by chopping the $150,0000 10th Anniversary Special for $2.51 million.

And on Wednesday, over 6,000 miles from South Korea, Simao finished runner-up in the SHRB PLO IV for $775,000.

Those three major scores alone bring Simao's earnings in the past month to $10,542,090, but the rest of the year hasn't been bad for him. In June, Simao won the WSOP $50,000 High Roller PLO for $1.36 million and his fourth bracelet.

Rafael Goes Wire to Wire

The $103,000 buy-in SHRB PLO IV drew 32 entrants for a prize pool of $3.2 million. It took place as part of the Super High Roller Series inside PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino, which is running through Oct. 10.

The three-day event had no shortage of PLO crushers as the field included the likes of Ben Lamb, Jason Mercier, Ben Tollerene, Jesse Lonis, Dylan Weisman and Eelis Parssinen, who this summer won the WSOP $25,000 PLO High Roller for $2.2 million.

Sean Rafael, a Vegas-based pro with $6.6 million in Hendon Mob earnings, had a massive chip lead heading into Wednesday's six-handed final table that also included Spanish PLO crusher Lautaro Guerra (5th - $255,000), British high roller Talal Shakerchi (4th - $350,000) and British bracelet winner Richard Gryko (3rd - $480,000).

Sean Rafael
Sean Rafael

Rafael never took his foot off the gas as he reached heads-up play against Simao with a massive lead, even after Simao sent Gryko out in third with a nut flush.

Simao made a big fold with trips after a seven-minute tank, according to PokerGO updates, which was the right move as Rafael had him beat with a straight.

But trips would also be Simao's demise. In the final hand, Simao moved all in on the turn with three of a kind and Rafael called with a flush draw, which he proceeded to hit on the river to win a career-high $1,150,000.

Sean Rafael
Sean Rafael

Now that the SHRB PLO IV has wrapped, today will see the start of the Super High Roller Bowl XI $100,000 NLH, which should bring out the best no-limit Hold'em players.

*Photos courtesy of PokerGO

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Connor Richards
Senior Editor U.S.

Connor Richards is a Senior Editor U.S. for PokerNews and host of the Life Outside Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for three Global Poker Awards for his writing.

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