Player Spotlight: Stephen Chidwick
Stephen Chidwick knows the grind of the U.S. Poker Open well. He is, after all, the first and reigning champion of the tournament. Chidwick won two events and made five final tables at last year’s event, totaling $1.2 million in cashes.
This year, he picked up right where he left off, winning the Event #1 of the 2019 U.S. Poker Open and putting himself in contention for back-to-back USPO titles.
Despite his unmatched success in the tournament, he doesn’t feel like there’s a bulls-eye on him.
“I wouldn’t say that. I was very excited to come play. I was looking forward to this for a while,” Chidwick said of coming into this year’s installment of the U.S. Poker Open at the PokerGO Studio inside ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas as a marked man.
His success at the felt during the grueling week of high-stakes action is no mistake. He knows what it takes to grind out twelve hour days on the felt.
Before this year’s USPO started, Chidwick told Poker Central that last year’s event was “one of the most intense weeks of poker I’ve ever played.”
“I’m not sure how much longer I could have lasted at that pace. When it was all over I slept for a really long time,” he said.
The format, Chidwick said, rewards players who can play a variety of different games and show stamina doing so.
“Anyone in the hunt for the overall title has undoubtedly played until the early hours of the morning several times, competing against some of the best players in the world for so many hours in a shorthanded, high-pressure, high-stakes arena definitely takes it out of you,” he said.
Egnland’s all-time money leader parlayed his impressive showing at the 2018 U.S. Poker Open into a year to remember. When it was all said and done Chidwick amassed over $10 million in tournament winnings last year.
Chidwick is applying the lessons he learned last year to this year’s USPO.
“It gets harder and harder as the week progresses so I’m just trying to be in the best frame of mind I can be,” he told Poker Central. “Eating well and getting rest, and doing whatever I can do to make sure I’m as focused as I can be when I’m playing.”
Along with his Event #1 win ($216,000), Chidwick has also cashed two other times (3rd place for $113,750 in Event #3, and 6th place for $25,200 in Event #4) through five events at this year’s U.S. Poker Open. As the year goes on, don’t be surprised to see Chidwick climb from his current fifth place spot among Global Poker Index’s player rankings.
Alex Foxen Takes from Jordan Cristos
Alex Foxen raised to 10,000 in middle position and Jordan Cristos re-raised to 36,000 on the button.
Foxen called, and then checked the [4cKh7c] flop to Cristos who continued for 13,000. Foxen dropped in a stack of chips amounting to roughly 140,000, and Cristos snap-folded.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Foxen | 235,000 |
235,000  |
| Jordan Cristos | 39,000 |
-111,000  |
Ben Lamb Chipping Up
Cary Katz limped in for 4,000 from middle position, as did Ben Lamb on the button. From the small blind, Matthew Wantman raised to 20,000, and both Katz and Lamb called.
The [7h7dTs] flop checked round to reveal the [Th] on the turn.
Wantman and Katz checked once more, and Lamb cut out a bet of 38,000.
Wantman and Katz folded, and Lamb scooped in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| John Riordan | 392,000 |
-558,000 |
| Ben Lamb | 390,000 |
110,000 |
| Brandon Adams | 208,000 |
-57,000 |
| Matthew Wantman | 152,000 |
-167,000 |
| Cary Katz | 136,000 |
-9,000 |
Sean Rafael Stays Alive With River Flush
Sean Rafael made it 25,000 from the cutoff and John Riordan re-popped to 85,000 from the small blind.
The flop came [Ks4h6s] and Riordan bet enough to put Rafael all-in for 121,000. Rafael obliged and turned over [AhTs9s8h].
Riordan had [AdKc5cQd].
The turn was a blank but Rafael’s flush got there with a [8s] on the river.
Riordan cursed the river as he slipped under one million chips.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| John Riordan | 950,000 |
565,000 |
| Sean Rafael | 420,000 |
122,000 |
Jared Bleznick Rivers Full House and Gets Paid
Sean Rafael opened to 10,000 from under the gun. Action folded to Jared Bleznick who three bet to 20,000.
The action folded back to Rafael who made the call.
The flop landed [Kd8sJd] and the action checked through.
The turn [5c] saw the action check through again.
The river was the [5d] and Rafael checked to Bleznick who bet 32,000.
Rafael called and Bleznick announced full house while tabling [Kc9c5s7s]. Rafael mucked without showing.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jared Bleznick | 315,000 |
85,000 |
| Sean Rafael | 298,000 |
-47,000 |
| George Wolff | 245,000 |
7,000 |
| Phil Galfond | 215,000 |
7,000 |
| Dan Shak | 132,000 |
-18,000 |
| Tom Marchese | 128,000 |
23,000 |
Alex Foxen Eliminated by Chance Kornuth in Massive Pot
We caught the action with Chance Kornuth and Alex Foxen all-in in a huge pot. The board read [5sQh9h5h4s].
Kornuth: [QxQxXxXx]
Foxen: [KsJsTh6h]
Foxen’s flush was no good against the queens-full. He went straight to the cashier for a re-buy. Kornuth, on the other hand, now has a massive stack.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Chance Kornuth | 780,000 |
290,000 |
| Alex Foxen | Busted |
-230,000 |
Martin Zamani Eliminated by Sean Winter
With the flop reading [7hQs6c] Sean Winter moved all in over the top of Martin Zamani who snap called.
Winter: [8dTc9hKc]
Zamani: [KhJsQcQh]
Winter flopped a wrap while Zamani flopped top set.
The turn was the [4s] and when the river fell the [9c] Winter completed his straight sending Zamani to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Sean Winter | 415,000 |
158,000 |
| Martin Zamani | Busted |
-185,000 |
Josha Ladines Leaves Adam Hendrix Short
Adam Hendrix raised pre-flop to 15,000 and got a call from Joshua Ladines. The flop came out [6h5d3d] and Ladines bet 30,000, essentially putting his opponent all-in.
As Hendrix was contemplating his move, Ladines said, “so, I take it you don’t have a flush draw?” but Hendrix advised his opponent that he indeed was holding a flush draw before mucking his cards.
“No pair, jack-high flush draw,” the now extremely short-stacked Hendrix announced.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Joshua Ladines | 126,000 |
23,000 |
| Adam Hendrix | 31,000 |
-47,500 |
Event #2 Champion Jordan Cristos Arrives
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Cristos | 150,000 | - |
You're all caught up!
No more pages to load
