Stephen Chidwick Comes Close in EPT Monte Carlo High Roller

A field of poker superstars was reduced to eight players in Monte Carlo last night as the final table of the €100,000 ($117,000) High Roller for One Drop. In the end, Albert Daher outlasted legends like Stephen Chidwick, Teun Mulder, Bryn Kenney and Wiktor Malinowski as he won the $2.4 million top prize and the EPT ‘Spadie’ trophy in Monaco.

Kaverman Among Early Winners

There were 76 total entries in the event, which built a prize pot of over $8.5 million. With only 11 of those entries making profit on their buy-ins, the first to sneak into the money places was American professional Byron Kaverman. His exit was worth $213,150, as was that of Turkish player Orpen Kisacikoglu in 10^th.

With only eight reaching the final table, one more player needed to bust and that turned out to be Tom Fuchs. The German high roller regular departed for $266,500 in ninth place and with Albert Daher leading the way from Leonardo Drago and Artsiom Lasouski, the race was on to become the latest European Poker Tour champion.

When the final began, it didn’t take long for the Dutchman Teun Mulder to leave the action. His shove with ace-jack when he was down to ten big blinds almost played itself but he ran into the biggest monster possible as the eventual champion Daher called with pocket aces. The Lebanese chip leader had no problem holding through the queen-high board, fading only outs to a chop on the river to eliminate an opponent early on his march to glory, Mulder cashing for $333,000 in eighth place.

Kenney Won’t be King

Seven remained, but not for long. The Italian player Enrico Camosci has become something of a staple in the late stages of EPT high rollers and again in Monaco, he made a deep run. The final seven was where it ended for the emotive Camosci, however, after his unlucky bust-out. Holding pocket kings, he was a favorite to seal an important double-up against the ace-jack of Daher but an ace on the flop changed all that. With the king of diamonds already in the muck via another player, the Italian (below) was drawing to just one out on the river and it never came, a five ending his run for a score of $417,000.

Bryn Kenney looked to be toast when he was committed with pocket tens against the aces of Artsiom Lasouski but a two-outer saved the Long Island poker legend and he soon made another pay. Kenney got the better of online wizard and Polish pro Wiktor Malinowski to send the latter home with a score of $521,000 in sixth place, ace-four no good against Kenney’s king-queen as the American once more got some good luck.

Lasouski’s stack had been mortally damaged, and he fell next, cashing for $655,500 in fifth place. All-in with king-jack of diamonds, he was behind Daher’s ace-six in the same suit and two diamonds on the flop were not what the Belarussian wanted to see. No king or jack on turn and river meant the luckless Lasouski was out before the final four.

Bryn Kenney had ridden his luck on two occasions, but The Hendon Mob’s All-Time Money List leader was soon out in fourth for $852,000. Down to 975,000 chips, Kenney was all-in with the best of it this time, but his ace-king was outdrawn by his rival at the top of the All-Time Money List, Stephen Chidwick. The British player had queen-jack and a queen-high flop left Kenney drawing to two overcards. A seven on the turn meant the American was chasing six outs but a river of a six sent him home outside the podium places.

Daher Beats Chidwick to Latest High Roller Title

“Once you start a poker career, it’s pretty hard to predict where you’re gonna go.”

With three men left, each of the remaining players were guaranteed a seven-figure score. Everyone wanted the $2.4m up top, however, but Leonardo Drago was unable to find a miracle to survive against Chidwick’s eights. The Italian’s pocket deuces over ever had two outs to win the hand and missed those and chop draws on the river to leave with $1,108,000 as Chidwick moved heads-up.

The final battle saw Daher move all-in with pocket fours and Chidwick call it off short with king-eight. A classic flip ended in favor of the Lebanese player as a flop of Q-9-4 almost ended matters immediately. A three on the turn left the British player drawing dead to the river, confirmed as runner-up for $1,551,000.

After previously winning a €25,000-entry EPT High Roller title in Monte Carlo in 2018 and just three years ago in Cyprus, Daher’s win in Monte Carlo this time was worth a whopping $2,404,000, the biggest single result of his career and one that made his Lebanon’s most successful tournament poker player to date.

“It always feels great to just run super-hot and hit every flop,” Daher told outgoing EPT commentator Joe ‘Stapes’ Stapleton afterwards. “I’ve never been this lucky in my life, so it was a really good time. Once you start a poker career, it’s pretty hard to predict where you’re gonna go. I’m happy to have reached that level.”

After a dream run, Albert Daher put together the perfect combination of skill and timing at a thrilling final table in Monte Carlo.

Photography by award-winning photographer Danny Maxwell for EPT Monte Carlo/PokerStars.