Seat 2: Keith Tilston (1,300,000 in chips)
Keith Tilston wasn’t a household name around the poker world until he won the 2018 U.S. Poker Open Main Event. Now he’s a familiar face at the high-stakes tables.
Although he doesn’t grind tournaments as often as, say, Stephen Chidwick, he’s put together quite an impressive poker resume. Tilston has a full-time job as an equities trader, so he can’t commit to a regular poker schedule, especially considering most major events last two to four days in length.
If he ever decided to join the poker circuit on a full-time basis, he’d certainly have great success. In December 2017, he won a $25,000 high roller event during the WPT Five Diamond Classic at Bellagio. To prove that was no fluke, as if anyone thought it was, he came to the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas two months later for the inaugural U.S. Poker Open in hopes of winning big.
Not only did he prove he can compete at the highest level, he put on a clinic all week. Tilston finished second in Event #3 – $25,000 No Limit Hold’em for $242,000. He earned a ninth and fourth place finish before registering for the $50,000 Main Event.
Some of the best players in the world such as Daniel Negreanu, Dan Smith, and Jake Schindler cashed in that event. But it was Keith Tilston who was the last person standing. He earned $660,000 for his brilliant performance.
The four cashes and a title last year weren’t quite enough to win the U.S. Poker Open championship, however. He finished second in the standings to Stephen Chidwick, who won two events and cashed five times. In most years, Tilston’s performance likely would have been enough.
U.S. Poker Open Championship Update: Keith Tilston cannot win the U.S. Poker Open Championship.
