Michael Addamo Wins $100k Main Event – Stephen Chidwick Wins Australian Poker Open
The Australian Poker Open is a wrap and Stephen Chidwick is its inaugural champion while Michael Addamo took down the $100,000 Main Event to close out the series. Addamo collected $1,288,000 for this win today while Chidwick, who finished fourth for $280,000, brought his total for the series to $949,000 on top of which he’ll receive the $50,000 Championship prize.
The 2020 Australian Poker Open Champion
“It feels great,” Chidwick said with a big smile after securing the Australian Poker Open Championship.
“I would love to complete the collection, get the whole set,” Chidwick joked, referring to his U.S. Poker Open title and setting his sights on the British Poker Open where he finished second in 2019.
Watch the final table of the $100,000 Australian Poker Open Main Event right here with commentary provided by Jeff Platt and Brent Hanks.
Australian Poker Open Event #7 Results | ||||
1 | Michael Addamo | Australia | $1,288,000 | 350 |
2 | Aaron Van Blarcum | United States | $784,000 | 245 |
3 | Alex Foxen | United States | $448,000 | 175 |
4 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | $280,000 | 140 |
The Australian Poker Open Main Event
The final day of the Australian Poker Open started with the tensest money bubble in recent history as the Championship was on the line for Stephen Chidwick. More than an hour went by, despite the shallow stacks, before it was Kahle Burns who busted in fifth place to give Chidwick the championship and the $50,000 top prize.
Burns got very unlucky to hit the rail as – at the moment of his elimination – he wasn’t the shortest stack, it was Chidwick. Burns, however, found two kings and moved all in after chip leader Michael Addamo had raised. Addamo made the quick call with queen-eight of spade and the flop immediately brought two eight to give him trips. Burns shook his head and sighed as this marked the end of his run in this event.
With the Championship locked up, Chidwick had a big comeback to mount for a chance to win this event as well. That, however, did not work out as Aaron Van Blarcum sent him to the rail with queen-jack of clubs versus the Brit’s ace-king.
Alex Foxen, the current No.1 on the Global Poker Index just one spot ahead of Chidwick, was next to bust out at the hands of Van Blarcum. Van Blarcum called Foxen’s shove with ace-four of spades and was up against king-queen of clubs. Van Blarcums’s hand held up and he found himself heads up against Addamo.
Addamo, holding a big chip lead throughout the final table, was never in trouble one bit. On the final hand, Addamo flopped a flush draw against Van Blarcum’s middle pair, and the turn immediately brought what the Aussie was looking for.
“It was a pretty smooth ride, I was pretty fortunate,” Addamo said after securing yet another big win as his meteoric rise in poker continues.
Looking back on his entire week at Star Gold Coast, Addamo has nothing but positive thoughts on both his performance and the venue. Addamo became the first Australian to win an Australian Poker Open event, finishing with the highest total cash earnings in this series and the third-highest points total.
“This week was fantastic. I am very impressive and it was my first time in the poker room here. The staff is fantastic and I had a great time.”
2020 Australian Poker Open Championship Standings (final) | ||||
Name | Country | Payout | Points | |
1 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | $949,000 | 650 |
2 | Andras Nemeth | Hungary | $534,100 | 630 |
3 | Michael Addamo | Australia | $1,685,500 | 560 |
4 | Mike Watson | Canada | $241,500 | 450 |
5 | Luc Greenwood | Canada | $717,700 | 360 |
6 | Farid Jattin | Colombia | $360,500 | 360 |
7 | Joni Jouhkimainen | Finland | $231,500 | 330 |
8 | Aaron Van Blarcum | United States | $857,500 | 305 |
9 | Timothy Adams | Canada | $416,500 | 300 |
10 | Erik Seidel | United States | $284,300 | 270 |
11 | David ‘Chino’ Rheem | United States | $257,250 | 240 |
12 | Orpen Kisacikoglu | Turkey | $157,000 | 210 |
13 | Michael O’Grady | Australia | $118,000 | 210 |
14 | Najeem Ajez | Australia | $93,600 | 210 |
15 | Alex Foxen | United States | $506,000 | 165 |
16 | Andy Lee | Australia | $183,750 | 150 |
17 | Seth Davies | United States | $176,250 | 150 |
18 | George Wolff | United States | $116,000 | 150 |
19 | Benjamin Shannon | Australia | $82,600 | 150 |
20 | Steve O’Dwyer | Ireland | $122,500 | 120 |
21 | Jorryt van Hoof | Netherlands | $94,000 | 90 |
22 | Jamie Lee | United States | $47,200 | 90 |
23 | Sean Winter | United States | $34,400 | 90 |
24 | Matthias Eibinger | Austria | $58,750 | 60 |
25 | Elio Fox | United States | $29,500 | 60 |
26 | Ben Lamb | United States | $23,600 | 60 |
High stakes live poker coverage continues on Poker Central on Saturday with Day 1 of Super High Roller Bowl Australia. PokerGO coverage of this event is also available starting at midnight ET/9:00 pm PT.
Player | Chips | Change |
---|---|---|
Michael Addamo | 4,480,000 | 1,773,000 |
Alex Foxen | Busted | -1,235,000 |
Stephen Chidwick | Busted | -631,000 |
Kahle Burns | Busted | -451,000 |
Aaron Van Blarcum | Busted | -602,000 |
WATCH – Addamo Leads $100k Final Table as Chidwick Eyes Australian Poker Open Championship
The stage is set for the epic finale of the Australian Poker Open as Stephen Chidwick is just one elimination removed from becoming the first-ever winner of this series after he also became the inaugural U.S. Poker Open champ back in 2017. At today’s final table is Michael Addamo who leads the way with a massive chip lead over Alex Foxen and three short stacks, Chidwick, Aaron Van Blarcum, and Kahle Burns.
When the action gets underway tonight at 10pm ET/the 7pm PT or 1pm local time, the remaining five players are on the money bubble with a A$280,000 min-cash for the fourth-place finisher. The top prize tonight is A$1,288,000 and the only player remaining that can catch overall leader Andras Nemeth is Chidwick. All Chidwick needs is a min-cash, making the money bubble that much more interesting with an extra A$50,000 on the line.
Seat | Name | Country | Chip Count |
1 | Kahle Burns | Australia | 451,000 |
2 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | 631,000 |
3 | Aaron Van Blarcum | United States | 602,000 |
4 | Michael Addamo | Australia | 2,707,000 |
5 | Alex Foxen | United States | 1,235,000 |
Watch the final table stream in the player below. New to PokerGO? Subscribe right now.
Michael Addamo Leads Australian Poker Open Main Event Final Table; AU$1,288,000 to the Winner!
The concluding event of the 2020 Australian Poker Open was the Event #7: AU$100,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event from inside the The Star Gold Coast. Following 15 levels of play, just five players would remain with Australian Michael Addamo holding the chip lead with 2,707,000 heading into Saturday’s PokerGO streamed Event #7 final table.
With the Australian Poker Open coming to a conclusion, the biggest buy-in of the series would be on the cards as players handed over AU$100,000 to be part of the inaugural Australian Poker Open Main Event. A total of 28 entrants would find themselves in the final event of the series as a prize pool of AU$2,800,000 was created that would pay the final four players with the top prize reserved at $1,288,000. There would be a total of 19 unique entrants, and once play was down to the final table of nine players, Orpen Kisacikoglu (9th) and Seth Davies (8th) found themselves on the rail before play concluded with seven players remaining.
Leading those players is Australian Michael Addamo who is at his third consecutive Australian Poker Open final table following a fourth-place in Event #5, and a fifth-place in Event #6. Addamo has amassed over $7.1 million in lifetime tournament earnings that sees him sit third on Australia’s All Time Money List behind Kahle Burns and Joe Hachem. In his hometown series of the Aussie Millions, Addamo won the AU$50k Challenge for AU$1,073,790 in prize money – his second biggest score behind his 2018 WSOP Europe €25,000 High Roller victory. Holding a mammoth chip lead of 2,707,000, Addamo will be focused on not only collecting the Event #7 title and AU$1,288,000 in first-place prize money, but also becoming the first Australian to win an Australian Poker Open event.
Second overall is two-time GPI Player of the Year Alex Foxen who finished with 1,235,000 in chips. Foxen has amassed over $16.1 million in lifetime tournament earnings to see him sit 40th on the All Time Money List – and with a win in Event #17 – he will move to 37th on the All Time Money List. Foxen finished fifth in Event #4, and he is currently out-of-contention for the Australian Poker Open Championship.
Event #5 champion Stephen Chidwick sits third overall with 631,000 in chips. Chidwick has amassed over $33.8 million in lifetime tournament earnings to sit sixth on the All Time Money List. Chidwick is also the only player remaining that is in striking distance of catching Andras Nemeth in the Australian Poker Open Championship. Nemeth sits on 630 points and Chidwick trails on 510 points, and with 140 points available for a min-cash in fourth-place, if Chidwick reaches the money, he will be crowned the Australian Poker Open Championship winner.
Fourth overall is GPI-nominated Breakout Player of the Year Aaron Van Blarcum with 602,000. in chips. Van Blarcum has one cash at the Australian Poker Open with a sixth-place finish in Event #3, but his last six months have seen him win over $2.7 million which includes a Season XVIII WPT Legends of Poker title, a second-place finish in the partypoker MILLIONS World Bahamas, a first-place in the $25,000 Bellagio High Roller, a second-place in the $50,000 Bellagio High Roller, and then just last week Van Blarcum finished second in the Aussie Millions AU$100k Challenge.
Rounding out the final table is Australian Kahle Burns with 451,000 in chips. Burns has yet to register a cash at the Australian Poker Open, and although he is the shortest stack, he will be looking to turn things round in the final event of the series and before the Super High Roller Bowl Australia begins. The past 13 months has seen Burns win over $6 million in tournaments around the world and currently sits in second place on the Australian All Time Money List, and 97th on the All Time Money List. Just last week Burns won the Aussie Millions AU$100k Challenge for AU$1,746,360 to kickstart his year the right way.
Seat | Name | Country | Chip Count |
1 | Kahle Burns | Australia | 451,000 |
2 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | 631,000 |
3 | Aaron Van Blarcum | United States | 602,000 |
4 | Michael Addamo | Australia | 2,707,000 |
5 | Alex Foxen | United States | 1,235,000 |
(The button is on Michael Addamo and there is 11:38 remaining in Level 15 with blinds at 10,000-15,000 and a 15,000-big blind ante. There is a dead small blind.)
The Event #7: AU$100,000 No-Limit Hold’em final table begins at 12 p.m. (AEST) on Saturday, February 1, with action continuing until the Event #7 champion is crowned. Follow every hand when the PokerGO coverage begins at 7 p.m. (PT) / 10 p.m. (ET) on Friday, January 31.
Watch PokerGO coverage of the Australian Poker Open live. Subscribe right now and never miss another final table stream with some of the best of the best.
Event #7 Final Table Chip Counts
Seat | Name | Country | Chip Count |
1 | Kahle Burns | Australia | 451,000 |
2 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | 631,000 |
3 | Aaron Van Blarcum | United States | 602,000 |
4 | Michael Addamo | Australia | 2,707,000 |
5 | Alex Foxen | United States | 1,235,000 |
The button is on Michael Addamo and there is 11:38 remaining in Level 15 with blinds at 10,000-15,000 and a 15,000-big blind ante. There is a dead small blind.
Player | Chips | Change |
---|---|---|
Michael Addamo | 2,707,000 | 62,000 |
Alex Foxen | 1,235,000 | 75,000 |
Stephen Chidwick | 631,000 | -20,000 |
Aaron Van Blarcum | 602,000 | - |
Kahle Burns | 451,000 | -37,000 |
Mike Watson Eliminated in 6th Place
Aaron Van Blarcum raised to 37,000 from the button and Mike Watson defended his big blind.
The flop landed [8h8cAc] and both players checked to reveal the [5c] on the turn. Watson checked, and Van Blarcum bet 64,000. Watson moved all in for 137,000 and Van Blarcum called.
Van Blarcum: [AsKc]
Watson: [Qc6c]
Watson had to fade any club, ace, or eight, and when the [Ah] completed the board on the river, he was eliminated in sixth place.
Player | Chips | Change |
---|---|---|
Aaron Van Blarcum | 602,000 | 192,000 |
Mike Watson | Busted | -230,000 |
Michael Addamo Trips Up Aaron Van Blarcum
Michael Addamo raised to 30,000 under the gun and Aaron Van Blarcum called in the big blind.
The [2h8s6h7h6d] board checked through to the river where Addamo bet 102,000 and Van Blarcum check-called.
Addamo tabled his [9c6c] for trips, and Van Blarcum mucked.
Player | Chips | Change |
---|---|---|
Michael Addamo | 2,645,000 | 50,000 |
Aaron Van Blarcum | 410,000 | -175,000 |
Cary Katz Eliminated in 7th Place
Michael Addamo raised to 30,000 from the hijack. Cary Katz moved all in for 372,000 from the button. Alex Foxen moved all in over the top for around 720,000 from the small blind. Addamo folded.
Foxen: [qd][qc]
Katz: [8c][8d]
Katz was unable to improve against Foxen’s overpair, after the board ran out [4c][9s][kh][6s][th], ending his tournament in 7th place.
Player | Chips | Change |
---|---|---|
Alex Foxen | 1,160,000 | 475,000 |
Cary Katz | Busted | -412,000 |
Michael Addamo vs. Aaron Van Blarcum
Aaron Van Blarcum raised to 35,000 from the cutoff and was called by Michael Addamo on the button.
The flop came [qd][3h][2s] and Van Blarcum checked. Addamo bet 36,000. Van Blarcum called.
The [4d] dropped on the turn and Van Blarcum checked. Addamo fired 180,000. Van Blarcum snap-called.
Both players then opted to check after the [th] completed the board.
Van Blarcum tabled [ah][4c] for a pair of fours. Addamo tabled [5c][5s] and took down the pot with the higher pair.
Player | Chips | Change |
---|---|---|
Michael Addamo | 2,595,000 | 241,000 |
Aaron Van Blarcum | 585,000 | -240,000 |
Alex Foxen vs. Stephen Chidwick
Alex Foxen raised to 30,000 from middle position and was called by Stephen Chidwick in the cutoff and Aaron Van Blarcum on the button.
The flop came [4s][9h][4c] and Foxen continued for 35,000. Chidwick raised to 90,000. Van Blarcum folded. Foxen called.
Both players then checked the [jh] on the turn as well as the [kd] on the river.
Foxen tabled [qs][9s] for two pair, and took down the pot, after Chidwick mucked his hand.
Player | Chips | Change |
---|---|---|
Alex Foxen | 685,000 | 198,000 |
Stephen Chidwick | 651,000 | -129,000 |
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