2019 US Poker Open

USPO #1 - $10,000 NLH
Day: 2
Event Info

2019 US Poker Open

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
75
Prize
$216,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Entries
90
Level Info
Level
25
Blinds
75,000 / 150,000
Ante
150,000

USPO #1 - $10,000 NLH

Day 2 Completed

Stephen Chidwick Captures Third US Poker Open Title; Takes Down Event #1 for $216,000

Level 25 : 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Stephen Chidwick - Champion
Stephen Chidwick - Champion

There are nine completed events in the history of the United States Poker Open and the UK’s Stephen Chidwick has won three of them. After winning back-to-back events last year on his way to becoming the 2018 USPO champion, Chidwick returned to the 2019 edition and topped a 90-entry field to win Event #1: $10,000 NLH for $216,000.

Chidwick is out to an early lead in the 2019 USPO race, which will see the series winner claim an extra $100,000 courtesy of PokerGO.

“I kept running as I did last year, this is my favorite place to play in the world by far, and I came in focused and ready to play my best,” Chidwick told USPO officials after the win. “I think the Poker Central team and ARIA are doing an amazing job and part of the increase is probably due to the $100,000 that’s been added for the series champion. I think people really like playing at the PokerGO Studio and they’re telling their friends about it. I think the fields are just going to keep getting bigger and bigger.”

Event #1: $10,000 NLH Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Stephen ChidwickUnited Kingdom$216,000
2Sean WinterUnited States$157,500
3Joseph CheongUnited States$112,500
4Joseph CappelloUnited States$90,000
5Lazaro HernandezUnited States$72,000
6Joseph OrsinoUnited States$54,000

Final Table Action

Joseph Cheong began the final table as chip leader and he scored the first knockout when he raised holding ace-ten and Joseph Orsino defended his big blind with queen-ten. Both players flopped two pair, the chips went in, and Orsino hit the rail in sixth place for $54,000.

Not long after, Chidwick and Lazaro Hernandez, who had taken over the lead, played a big pot where the former flopped the nuts with a ten-high straight and Hernandez jammed with an open-ender to chop. Chidwick made an easy call and doubled into the chip lead, which he wouldn’t relinquish.

“I could’ve gone either way with that hand between calling or raising with Sean being short in the big blind,” said Chidwick. “If he wakes up with something I would’ve had decent equity against him and I was obviously not too happy with the re-raise by Laz but I got a good price to call.”

He added: “I just smashed the flop and luckily it was one where he kinda had to get his money in too and that hand put me in a great position to win more pots after that.”

Chidwick finished off Hernandez a short time later – ace-jack holding against ace-ten all in preflop – and Joseph Cappello bowed out in fourth place losing ace-deuce to Chidwick’s ace-four.

Cheong and Sean Winter managed to each double through Chidwick to close the gap, but then the former picked a bad time to three-bet jam with ace-deuce suited. Chidwick called with Big Slick and held to send Cheong out the door in third place for $112,500.

Heads-up play didn’t last long as Chidwick turned a gutshot straight, a card that also gave Winter a set. The chips went in and Winter failed to fill up on the river. He earned $157,500 for finishing as runner-up.

Remember, you can watch all USPO final tables exclusively on PokerGO. Subscribe to PokerGO for just $10 a month or $99 a year to watch nine straight days of U.S. Poker Open final table action plus PokerGO’s full catalog of programming.

Tags: Stephen Chidwick

Sean Winter Eliminated in 2nd Place ($157,500)

Level 25 : 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Sean Winter - 2nd Place
Sean Winter - 2nd Place

Stephen Chidwick limped the {7-Diamonds}{5-Diamonds} and called when Sean Winter raised to 650,000 holding the {8-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}.

Winter continued for 375,000 on the {9-Spades}{6-Clubs}{k-Spades} flop and Chidwick called with his gutshot, which he hit after the dealer burned and turned the {8-Spades}.

Winter bet 900,000 and then called off when Chidwick shipped it. Winter was looking to pair the board on the river but that didn't happen as the {3-Hearts} bricked.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Stephen Chidwick gb
Stephen Chidwick
11,250,000
3,850,000
3,850,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Sean Winter us
Sean Winter
Busted

Tags: Sean WinterStephen Chidwick

Joseph Cheong Eliminated in 3rd Place ($112,500)

Level 25 : 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Joseph Cheong - 3rd Place
Joseph Cheong - 3rd Place

Stephen Chidwick raised the button to 350,000 and quickly called when Joseph Cheong three-bet all in for 3.25 million.

Chidwick: {a-Spades}{k-Diamonds}
Cheong: {a-Hearts}{2-Hearts}

Cheong had the inferior ace and it cost him his tournament life after the board ran out {a-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}{6-Clubs}{3-Clubs}{5-Clubs}.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Stephen Chidwick gb
Stephen Chidwick
7,400,000
3,475,000
3,475,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Sean Winter us
Sean Winter
3,725,000
-75,000
-75,000
Profile photo of Joseph Cheong us
Joseph Cheong
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Stephen ChidwickJoseph Cheong

Cheong's Turn to Double Through Chidwick

Level 25 : 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Joseph Cheong limped the small blind holding the {7-Hearts}{4-Hearts} and called when Stephen Chidwick, who looked down at the {7-Spades}{7-Clubs} in the big, raised to 375,000.

Cheong then moved all in for 1.25 million when he picked up a flush draw on the {5-Clubs}{j-Hearts}{q-Hearts} flop. Chidwick called and his sevens held when the {2-Spades} appeared on the turn, but the {10-Hearts} on the river gave Cheong the flush and new life.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Stephen Chidwick gb
Stephen Chidwick
3,925,000
-1,775,000
-1,775,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Joseph Cheong us
Joseph Cheong
3,400,000
1,705,000
1,705,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Joseph CheongStephen Chidwick

Winter Saved on the River

Level 25 : 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Stephen Chidwick moved all in from the button and Sean Winter called off from the small blind for 1.68 million.

Winter: {k-Hearts}{k-Diamonds}
Chidwick: {q-Hearts}{9-Hearts}

The {3-Diamonds}{q-Spades}{7-Diamonds} flop paired Chidwick and the {9-Clubs} turn actually gave him the lead with two pair. Fortunately for Winter, the river was the {3-Clubs} to counterfeit Chidwick. Ship the double to Winter.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Stephen Chidwick gb
Stephen Chidwick
5,700,000
-1,360,000
-1,360,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Sean Winter us
Sean Winter
3,800,000
1,140,000
1,140,000

Tags: Sean WinterStephen Chidwick

Level: 25

Blinds: 75,000/150,000

Ante: 150,000

Joseph Cappello Eliminated in 4th Place ($90,000)

Level 24 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Joseph Cappello - 4th Place
Joseph Cappello - 4th Place

Joseph Cappello moved all in for 400,000 from the button and Stephen Chidwick moved all in over the top from the small blind.

Cappello: {a-Clubs}{2-Hearts}
Chidwick: {a-Hearts}{4-Diamonds}

The {6-Hearts}{10-Clubs}{4-Clubs} flop paired Chidwick and left Cappello looking to go runner-runner. The {8-Clubs} turn gave him a club flush draw but he missed when the {K-Hearts} bricked the river.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Stephen Chidwick gb
Stephen Chidwick
7,300,000
315,000
315,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Joseph Cappello us
Joseph Cappello
Busted

Tags: Joseph CappelloStephen Chidwick