EPT Monte Carlo Super High Roller Won by Finnish Poker Legend Patrik Antonius

Stars of the live poker circuit such as Byron Kaverman, Stephen Chidwick and Christoph Vogelsang went close, but it was Patrik Antonius who won through in Monaco. The Finnish poker legend won this week’s €100,000-entry Super High Roller event for a score of $2.1 million, bolstering his already superb reputation as one of the world’s best poker players in any era.

Monaco Brings the Money

With 72 entrants creating a prizepool of over $6 million, the final table began with the ‘home turf’ player in the lead. Finnish poker legend Patrik Antonius calls Monte Carlo home and his 65 big blinds were some way clear of his closest challenger Juan Pardo (56BB), Ben Heath (41BB), and the aforementioned Christoph Vogelsang (39BB).

Of the other players still in contention, American Byron Kaverman (34BB) was the only other one with over half of Antonius’ stack, and some had a lot less than a quarter. Bulgarian Alex Kulev was one of them, as he started the final with just seven big blinds to his name and soon even they were gone. All-in with pocket nines, Kulev lost to Pardo’s king-ten as a ten on the turn gave the Spanish player the winning hand and sent Kulev home with $233,600.

Eight players were left but not for long, as Britiain’s most successful tournament player of all time, Stephen Chidwick, departed for a score of $291,900. All-in with pocket eights, Chidwick was behind Juan Pardo’s pocket queens, but it was Byron Kaverman who won the pot and nearly tripled up, his ace-king catching a king on the flop and easing to the river still in front to send home the dangerous Englishman Chidwick.

Kaverman Clubbed Out of Contention

With seven players left, New Zealand’s David Yan was dominated to defeat as he slid out of the running for a score of $365,100. All-in with ace-nine, the Kiwi lost to Antonius’ ace-queen as a board of T-6-4-6-3 didn’t help the at-risk player one bit. It further helped Patrik Antonius as he grew his lead at the top of the leaderboard.

French player and businessman Jean-Noel Thorel left in fifth place as the high roller regular – so often the man to finish as runner-up in these type of events – came three places short of that mark to win $456,400. Committing the last of his chips with king-queen of clubs, he couldn’t overtake Pardo’s ace-ten, a nine-high board condemning Thorel to the rail and boosting the Spanish player’s chances of an assault on the summit.

British player Ben Heath was the next to go, ousted in fifth place for $574,000. All-in with pocket tens, the high roller regular couldn’t hold against the king-jack of spades that Antonius held and the vital coinflip went the Finnish player’s way when a king-high board gave him a massive pot on his way to victory.

American professional Byron Kaverman was taken out by Antonius too, this time in fourth place for $746,500. Shoving pre-flop with ace-eight, Kaverman was dominated by Antonius who held ace-jack and a jack on the turn eventually meant Kaverman was drawing dead to the river and on his way to the rail.

Vogelsang Falls Short at the ‘Finnish’

“I’m trying to keep my game as high level as possible, always evolving [and] I really enjoy playing against the toughest competition.” ~ Patrik Antonius.

Juan Pardo was all-in soon after Kaverman’s collapse, holding pocket queens after a board of 6-6-5-K-9 had landed. German poker pro Christoph Vogelsang held queen-six for trips sixes on the flop and that sent play heads-up, with Vogelsang trailing on 7.5 million chips behind Antonius on 10.4 million.

Vogelsang into won big with pocket sevens to move into an early lead but ace-nine couldn’t hit against Antonius’ pocket queens and the ladies had switched the momentum in the event. Antonius soon had the win, ace-nine doing the business for the Finn against the German’s ace-five, a board clear of fives and even including a nine finished off the German.

After booking the latest seven-figure top prize in his glittering career, the Monte Carlo resident Antonius was keen to celebrate, staying humble as he paid tribute to the standard of his opponents.

“It always feels good to win a tournament in general, but especially to win a Super High Roller here in Monaco, my home turf. This feels extra special. I’m trying to keep my game as high level as possible, always evolving [and] I really enjoy playing against the toughest competition and all kind of big games, whether cash games or tournaments. The goal is to keep playing and, I would like to be here giving interviews in the next ten, 20 years or so. Let’s see if I can keep up.”