Maria Ho caught up with high stakes legend Stephen Chidwick fresh off a plane from South Korea to find out what he likes about Seminole Hard Rock events and how he stays sharp while playing some of the biggest games in the world.

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 5: 600/1,200 with a 1,200 ante
Total Entries: 16

After being eliminated by Taylor Black, David Peters took a short break, hit the registration desk, and returned for another shot. He is at the same table but now has position on Black.

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 5: 600/1,200 with a 1,200 ante
Total Entries: 15

The board was out and complete and reading . David Peters had his last 34,000 in the middle and he was at risk.

Unfortunately for the former GPI Player of the Year, his top pair was second best to the flopped set of Taylor Black with . That result made Peters the second player eliminated and Black moved into the lead.

Taylor Black – 179,000
David Peters – Eliminated

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 4: 500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante
Total Entries: 15

In a battle of the blinds, Stephen Chidwick checked from the small blind after the flop and Sam Soverel bet 6,500. Chidwick called, the turn came , and Chidwick checked again.

Soverel bet another 17,500 and another call from Chidwick before the river completed the board. One last check from Chidwick and Soverel moved all in for 34,000.

After a few minutes to think it out, Chidwick surrendered the pot.

“I would have busted you Sam!” Sean Winter said from the other end of the table.

Soverel just shook his head in disagreement.

While that hand was going down, we picked up two new entrants. Dan Shak took a seat at Table 1 and Elio Fox is seated at Table 2.

Sam Soverel – 99,500
Stephen Chidwick – 111,000

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 4: 500/1,000 with a 1,000 ante
Total Entries: 13

The Super High Roller moved through Level 3 and the players took a 15-minute break. During that time, Sean Winter entered to make it a baker’s dozen in the game.

Break time counts:

Table 1
Seat 1: David Peters – 86,000
Seat 2: Ian O’Hara – 130,000
Seat 3: Joe McKeehen – 95,000
Seat 4: Ali Imsirovic – 96,000
Seat 5: Tom Marchese – 88,000
Seat 6: Taylor Black – 125,000
Seat 7: — Empty —
Seat 8: — Empty —

Table 2
Seat 1: Erik Seidel – 71,800
Seat 2: Stephen Chidwick – 142,000
Seat 3: Sam Soverel – 75,000
Seat 4: Chris Hunichen – 146,000
Seat 5: Jake Schindler – 150,000
Seat 6: Sean Winter – 100,000
Seat 7: — Empty —
Seat 8: — Empty —

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3: 400/800 with a 800 ante
Total Entries: 12

With the board reading , Alex Foxen had his 31,000 remaining stack in the middle and Stephen Chidwick had him at risk.

Chidwick:
Foxen:

Chidwick was ahead with the over pair but Foxen took the lead on the turn. Chidwick had a flush draw with his spade and hit the river to set Foxen as the first out.

Stephen Chidwick – 140,500
Alex Foxen – Eliminated

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3: 400/800 with a 800 ante
Total Entries: 12

Of the 12 players in the Super High Roller, some readers may be unfamiliar with Taylor Black. That should change as he continues to build his reputation along with his bankroll.

Black had some nice scores and then hit a big one last summer during the World Series of Poker. He finished second out of 18,054 entries in The Colossus III event for $545,000 and his career trajectory was set.

Black didn’t stop there.

He continued to make deep runs then picked up his first major tournament victory in April when won the partypoker Millions Main Event for C$1,400,000 ($1,093,425) and the biggest cash of his career. Black followed that up with 11 cashes this summer including two WSOP final tables and a runner-up at the $25K WPT Gardens Poker Festival High Roller.

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 3: 400/800 with a 800 ante
Total Entries: 12

The Super High Roller hit an even dozen entries as it moved into the third level of the day. High Roller legend Erik Seidel was the latest to join and he sits third on the all-time money list (formally second place before Justin Bonomo went on a 2018 tear).

Table 1
Seat 1: David Peters
Seat 2: Ian O’Hara
Seat 3: Joe McKeehen
Seat 4: Ali Imsirovic
Seat 5: Tom Marchese
Seat 6: Taylor Black
Seat 7: — Empty —
Seat 8: — Empty —

Table 2
Seat 1: Erik Seidel
Seat 2: Stephen Chidwick
Seat 3: Sam Soverel
Seat 4: Chris Hunichen
Seat 5: Jake Schindler
Seat 6: Alex Foxen
Seat 7: — Empty —
Seat 8: — Empty —

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2: 300/600 with a 600 ante
Total Entries: 11

David Peters was the latest player to get in and he’s riding a heater. The high roller regular recently returned from a trip to Asia where he won the Triton Poker HK$500,000 Six-Max event for HK$8,775,000 ($1,118,484).

Table 1
Seat 1: David Peters
Seat 2: Ian O’Hara
Seat 3: Joe McKeehen
Seat 4: Ali Imsirovic
Seat 5: Tom Marchese
Seat 6: Taylor Black
Seat 7: — Empty —
Seat 8: — Empty —

Table 2
Seat 1: — Empty —
Seat 2: Stephen Chidwick
Seat 3: Sam Soverel
Seat 4: Chris Hunichen
Seat 5: Jake Schindler
Seat 6: Alex Foxen
Seat 7: — Empty —
Seat 8: — Empty —

$50,000 Super High Roller
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 2: 300/600 with a 600 ante
Total Entries: 10

The first hour is in the books and we have a little movement in the stacks. Joe McKeehen and Ian O’Hara lead their tables while Jake Schindler seems to be enjoying his table and leads early.

Seat 1: — Empty —
Seat 2: Ian O’Hara – 120,000
Seat 3: Joe McKeehen – 121,000
Seat 4: Ali Imsirovic – 115,000
Seat 5: Tom Marchese – 86,000
Seat 6: Taylor Black – 84,700
Seat 7: — Empty —
Seat 8: — Empty —

Table 2
Seat 1: — Empty —
Seat 2: Stephen Chidwick – 102,000
Seat 3: Sam Soverel – 90,400
Seat 4: Chris Hunichen – 71,000
Seat 5: Jake Schindler – 128,000
Seat 6: Alex Foxen – 82,700
Seat 7: — Empty —
Seat 8: — Empty —