Short-Stacked to Start the Day, David Peters Comes Back to Win the $50,000 Super High Roller

2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 30
$50,000 Super High Roller (Single Re-Entry)
Entries:  25
Prize Pool:  $1,212,500
August 4-5, 2022

David Peters
David Peters

David Peters started the day as the clear short stack in the $50,000 Super High Roller, with only 12 big blinds. But he pulled in a few small pots early and some key pots later to take the chip lead and win the title and the trophy in a heads-up deal with runner-up Byron Kaverman.

“It feels great, especially coming in short,” said Peters. “I was able to chip up early, and a lot of things went well today.”

The first elimination came about 90 minutes into the day, when Krishna Lawrence got it all in preflop with 10d9d against the Ac9c of Peters. Lawrence paired his ten on the flop, but Peters turned a club flush to knock out Lawrence. Lawrence earned $97,000 for his fifth-place finish.

Four-handed play would last for the next three hours.

“We were super deep four-handed,” said Peters, “so we were playing a lot of small pots. I was just able to pick my spots well and chip up.”

Byron Kaverman was chipleader for most of that stretch, and there was one key pot during that Peters considered a turning point.

“I got a nice big river check-raise in with the queen-high flush versus Byron,” said Peters. “We checked all the way down, and then he bet big on the river. He bet 70K, I raised to 330K, and he called. That was the big turning point, especially taking chips away from him and adding them to my stack.” (Click here for the full write-up of that hand.)

But they couldn’t play four-handed forever, and eventually, Sergio Aido shoved Ad10h from the button, and Peters woke up in the big blind with KhKd. Aido never caught up, and finished fourth to earn $133,375.

The next hand, Elio Fox shoved QcJc from the button, and this time it was Kaverman who called from the big blind with As6c. The board came nine high with no clubs, and Fox was sent home in third place with $194,000.

At that point, Peters had a small 1.3-to-1 lead over Kaverman, and the average stack was worth a whopping 98 big blinds. They agreed to an ICM deal to end the tournament right there, splitting the prizepool. Kaverman earned $380,580 for his runner-up finish, and Peters added $407,545 to his more than $40 million in career tournament earnings.

“It was a battle,” said Peters. “With this very deep structure, it could have gone all night if things went a little differently. But it was fun.”

As chipleader, Peters was awarded the title and the trophy, which is his third trophy from Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, which Peters praised in his interview.

“It’s a great environment,” said Peters, “and a lot of friends always come to this stop. There’s great weather, great food and restaurants. This is one of my favorite stops.”


Final Results:

PlaceFirst NameLast NamePrize Amount
1DavidPeters$407,545*
2ByronKaverman$380,580*
3ElioFox$194,000
4SergioAido$133,375
5KrishnaLawrence$97,000

*denotes heads-up deal

Super High Roller: David Peters Wins ($407,545) in a Heads-Up Deal with Runner-Up Byron Kaverman ($380,580)

$50,000 Super High Roller (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 25

David Peters
Super High Roller champion David Peters was joined by some friends for his victory photo.

After the elimination of Elio Fox in third place, the final two players agreed to an ICM deal to split up the remaining prizepool. These were their official chip counts:

David Peters  –  1,793,000  (112 bb)
Byron Kaverman  –  1,330,000  (83 bb)

And these were the adjusted payouts that they agreed to:

David Peters  –  $407,545
Byron Kaverman  –  $380,580

As chipleader, Peters was awarded the title and the trophy, becoming our Super High Roller champion.

Congratulations to David Peters!

1st:  David Peters  –  $407,545 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  Byron Kaverman  –  $380,580
3rd:  Elio Fox  –  $194,000
4th:  Sergio Aido  –  $133,375
5th:  Krishna Lawrence  –  $97,000

Stay tuned for a recap from this event, which will be posted later tonight.

Super High Roller: Elio Fox – 3rd Place ($194,000)

$50,000 Super High Roller (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 25

Elio Fox
Elio Fox

Now that one of the two short stacks had busted (Sergio Aido in third place), Elio Fox moved all in on the next hand from the button for 138,000.

Byron Kaverman called from the big blind with As6c, and Fox turned over QcJc. Fox needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came 9h8s5d7s5h, and Fox turned a gutshot straight draw, but improved no further. Kaverman won the pot with his ace to eliminate Fox in third place.

Byron Kaverman  –  1,330,000  (83 bb)
Elio Fox  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($194,000)

With two players remaining from a field of 25, the average chip stack is about 1,562,000 (98 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $303,125.

Super High Roller: Sergio Aido – 4th Place ($133,375)

$50,000 Super High Roller (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 25

Sergio Aido
Sergio Aido

Byron Kaverman raised from UTG/cutoff to 37,000, and Sergio Aido moved all in from the button for 342,000. David Peters thought for a while before he called from the big blind, and Kaverman quickly folded.

Aido turned over Ad10h, but he needed to improve to stay alive against Peters’ KhKd.

The board came 9h8s5d7s5h, and Aido turned an open-ended straight draw, but improved no further. Peters won the pot with his pocket kings to eliminate Aido in fourth place.

David Peters  –  1,810,000  (113 bb)
Sergio Aido  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($133,375)

With three players remaining from a field of 25, the average chip stack is about 1,041,000 (65 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $194,000.

Super High Roller: Sergio Aido Doubles Thru Elio Fox

$50,000 Super High Roller (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 25

Sergio Aido
Sergio Aido

Sergio Aido got it all in from the small blind for 231,000 with Kc6d, and he needed to improve to stay alive against Elio Fox’s Ad7c in the big blind.

The board came Qh4c3hKh7s, and Aido paired his king on the turn to win the pot and double up in chips.

Sergio Aido  –  478,000  (30 bb)
Elio Fox  –  298,000  (19 bb)

With four players remaining from a field of 25, the average chip stack is about 781,000 (49 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $133,375.

Super High Roller: Elio Fox vs. Byron Kaverman

$50,000 Super High Roller (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 25

Elio Fox
Elio Fox

Byron Kaverman raised from the button to 35,000, and Elio Fox called from the big blind.

Both players checked to the turn on a board of 8h6s3h8d, Fox bet 80,000, and Kaverman called.

The river card was the 9c, Fox bet 175,000 (leaving himself about 130K behind), and Kaverman tanked for a long time before he folded. Fox took the pot.

Elio Fox  –  560,000  (35 bb)
Byron Kaverman  –  1,270,000  (79 bb)

Sergio Aido is still the short stack, down to just 14 big blinds.

Sergio Aido  –  220,000  (14 bb)

With four players remaining from a field of 25, the average chip stack is about 781,000 (49 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $133,375.

Super High Roller: Sergio Aido Drops Below 20 Big Blinds

$50,000 Super High Roller (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 25

Sergio Aido
Sergio Aido

Sergio Aido raised from UTG/cutoff to 32,000, David Peters reraised from the small blind to 88,000, and Aido thought for a while before he called.

Both players checked to the turn on a board of Kd7h5sKh, Peters bet 50,000, and Aido called.

The river card was the 2d, and both players checked. Peters showed Ac2c to win the pot with two pair, kings and deuces, and Aido mucked.

David Peters  –  1,112,000  (70 bb)
Sergio Aido  –  270,000  (17 bb)

With four players remaining from a field of 25, the average chip stack is about 781,000 (49 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $133,375.

Super High Roller: Byron Kaverman Leads the Final Four Players at the Break

$50,000 Super High Roller (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 15:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 25

Byron Kaverman
Byron Kaverman

Level 14 came to an end, and the players took a 15-minute break. When they return, they’ll begin Level 15, with increased blinds of 8,000-16,000 with a 16,000 ante.

Here are the official chip counts from the break, followed by the payouts:

Seat 1.  Byron Kaverman  –  1,275,000  (80 bb)
Seat 2.  Sergio Aido  –  496,000  (31 bb)
Seat 3.  Elio Fox  –  622,000  (39 bb)
Seat 4.  David Peters  –  730,000  (46 bb)

1st:  $485,000 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  $303,125
3rd:  $194,000
4th:  $133,375

5th:  Krishna Lawrence  –  $97,000

Super High Roller: David Peters Check-Raises the River Against Byron Kaverman

$50,000 Super High Roller (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 14:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 25

David Peters
David Peters

David Peters completed the small blind to 12,000, Byron Kaverman raised from the big blind to about 38,000, and Peters called.

Both players checked to the river on a board of Kh9h8c2s2h, Peters checked, Kaverman bet 70,000, and Peters check-raised to 330,000.

Kaverman tanked for a long time before he called, and Peters showed Qh7h for a queen-high flush. Kaverman mucked, and Peters won the pot.

David Peters  –  836,000  (70 bb)
Byron Kaverman  –  1,250,000  (104 bb)

With four players remaining from a field of 25, the average chip stack is about 781,000 (65 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $133,375.

Super High Roller: Elio Fox vs. Sergio Aido

$50,000 Super High Roller (Single Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 14:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 25

Elio Fox
Elio Fox

With the board showing Qs10d3dKh on the turn, Sergio Aido bet 45,000 from the small blind, and Elio Fox called from the big blind.

The river card was the 7c, Aido bet 150,000, and Fox quickly called. Aido flashed Jx2x for jack high, and Fox turned over Kc8s to win the pot with a pair of kings.

Elio Fox  –  575,000  (48 bb)
Sergio Aido  –  525,000  (44 bb)

With four players remaining from a field of 25, the average chip stack is about 781,000 (65 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $133,375.