2015 Super High Roller Series

$500,000 Super High Roller Bowl
Day: 1
Event Info

2015 Super High Roller Series

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a9
Prize
$7,525,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$500,000
Entries
43
Level Info
Level
23
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000

Caviar for Baldwin; Beans for Schemion

Level 4 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Players playing the $500,000 Super High Roller Bowl at the ARIA Resort & Casino don't just play a rake-free event, but they also get food and drinks for free. Almost every player is making use of this, as plenty of little side tables have been rolled into the room with food on them.

The strategy with picking what food to order seems to vary, but Mexican is definitely the most popular option. Numerous players chow down on steak and chicken fajitas, while Tobias Reinkemeier opted to go for the super-high-roller burrito bowl, with steak.

Two of the highest of rollers in this event, Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu, had their own prepared food brought in and they were spotted scarfing down meals from plastic containers.

Lastly, the two most interesting food choices belonged to Bobby Baldwin and Ole Schemion, two players that could not be more different.

Baldwin, former World Series of Poker Main Event champion and Chief Design & Construction Officer and Director, MGM Resorts International, opted for some caviar and salmon sashimi, while Schemion, the laid back German poker phenom, scooped white beans out of a soup bowl.

Tags: Bobby BaldwinDaniel NegreanuOle SchemionPhil IveyTobias Reinkemeier

Lamb Sets Up Koon

Level 4 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Ben Lamb
Ben Lamb

Picking up the action after the turn of a {7-Diamonds}{6-Spades}{J-Clubs}{K-Clubs} board, Ben Lamb checked from the big blind and and Jason Koon bet 40,000 from the hijack. Lamb check-raised to 110,000, Koon called and the {2-Clubs} river completed the board. Lamb checked after a few moments and Koon quickly checked behind.

Lamb tabled {J-Diamonds}{J-Spades} for a set of jacks, Koon flashed {A-}{K-} as he mucked and Lamb collected the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Ben Lamb us
Ben Lamb
755,000
175,000
175,000
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 2X Winner
Jason Koon us
Jason Koon
555,000
-207,000
-207,000

Tags: Ben LambJason Koon

Seidel Doubles Through MacDonald

Level 4 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

With about 80,000 in the pot and the flop reading {3-Spades}{J-Clubs}{9-Spades}, Erik Seidel and Tom MacDonald went back and forth before Seidel was all in for 282,000 with {A-Clubs}{A-Hearts} against MacDonald's {J-Spades}{10-Spades}.

The {3-Hearts} turn gave Seidel aces and threes and they held up through the {10-Clubs} river to give him the double up.

Player Chips Progress
Erik Seidel us
Erik Seidel
645,000
465,000
465,000
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 10X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
WPT 1X Winner
Tom MacDonald gb
Tom MacDonald
380,000
-230,000
-230,000

Tags: Erik SeidelTom MacDonald

Kurganov Fires Three Barrels

Level 4 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Igor Kurganov limped from the small blind and Ben Lamb checked his option in the big blind. The flop came down {4-Spades}{5-Hearts}{J-Clubs} and Kurganov bet 6,500, Lamb called.

The turn was the {9-Hearts} and Kurganov bet another 16,000, Lamb called once more.

On the river the {2-Hearts} and Kurganov bet 36,500 after which Lamb quickly folded.

Player Chips Progress
Ben Lamb us
Ben Lamb
690,000
60,000
60,000
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 2X Winner
Igor Kurganov ru
Igor Kurganov
310,000
-75,000
-75,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Ben LambIgor Kurganov

Bellande Calls Kaverman Out for Playing Slow

Level 4 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Byron Kaverman
Byron Kaverman

"Hey Doc," Jean-Robert Bellande yelled to the table next to him at David "Doc" Sands. "I'll trade you for Isaac."

"What did I do?" Isaac Baron said quickly, before Bellande apologized.

"Oh sorry, I meant...?" Bellande said, but sort of asked because he blanked on the name.

"Byron," chimed in Sands.

"Yeah, Byron," said Bellande. "This guy makes me wish I hadn't bought into this event, it's just not fun. I'm serious!"

"I'll play faster, just for you," Byron Kaverman said with a smile.

Kaverman has a reputation for playing rather slow in hands he's involved in, but so does Sands, which is why Bellande was calling out Kaverman for playing slower than Sands.

"You're a speedy player compared to Byron," Bellande said to Sands, who received this compliment with a smile. The rest of the room began to laugh as well.

"I feel like the time clock is an encouragement for him to take forever," Bellande said to Cary Katz at another table, all while looking a bit annoyed at Kaverman. "It's like he lets it run down to 30 seconds because he knows he has another 30 seconds left!"

Bellande then turned his attention back to Sands.

"You know what, I apologize for every time I gave you a hard time about it," Bellande said to Sands.

"Well thank you!" Sands yelled back.

"At least he said he would play a bit faster for me," Bellande said.

"Take all the time you want!" yelled a loud voice from the opposite corner of the room.

When Bellande turned, he saw it was Bobby Baldwin yelling. The entire room started laughing, as Baldwin had been quiet for most of the day, but as Bellande was picking on Kaverman he decided to speak up.

Tags: Bobby BaldwinByron KavermanCary KatzDavid SandsIsaac BaronJean-Robert Bellande

Level: 4

Blinds: 2,500/5,000

Ante: 500