Sergio Aido Wins the Full Tilt Poker UKIPT Galway High Roller
The Full Tilt Poker UKIPT Galway Festival €2,200 High Roller continued on Thursday and saw Sergio Aido top a field of 36 entries to take home €24,450 and the prestigious FTP High Roller trophy. Aido notably won the World Poker Tour National Series Barcelona in October for $115,240 and the UKIPT London £700 No-Limit Hold'em Event in March for $217,530.
FTP UKIPT Galway High Roller Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Sergio Aido | €24,450 |
| 2nd | Kyle Maguire | €17,460 |
| 3rd | Dermot Blain | €11,870 |
| 4th | Chris Day | €6,980 |
| 5th | Jan Przysucha | €4,890 |
| 6th | Niall Farrell | €4,190 |
The day began with six surviving players, all of who were in the money after Team PokerStars Pro and Tripe Crown winner Jake Cody bubbled on the last hand of Day 1a, which is also when players like Jamie Burland, Kevin Williams and Trevor Dinneen fell. Dinneen exited it 10th place after barely playing in the event. That's because he was busy defeating well-know pro Steve O’Dwyer to win the Irish Poker Championship.
Action recommenced at 2 p.m. to fight for the trophy and the first-place prize of €24,450. The man best positioned to capture the title was the UK's Chris Day with 250,200 in chips. His fellow countryman Kyle Maguire was not far behind with 197,000.
It didn't take long for the first elimination to occur, and it happened when Niall Farrell, who began the day as the short stack, ran pocket tens into Maguire’s queens. Farrell exited in sixth place and took home €4,190 for his performance.
Next to fall was Jan Przysucha, who had been nursing a short stack for some time. His elimination came in Level 12 (1,200/2,400/300) when he shoved all in from the big blind after Aido had opened for 5,000 from the small. Aido snap-called with the Q♠Q♥ and was well out in front of Przysucha's K♥10♣. The 10♥3♣4♠ flop gave Przysucha a little help, but he needed more to stay alive. The 5♠ turn wasn't what he was looking for, and neither was the 7♣ on the river. With that, Przysucha hit the rail in fifth place for €4,890.
Two levels later, it was the start-of-the-day chip leader's turn to go. Day was unable to maintain the momentum he had built on Day 1 and eventually fell to Maguire. It happened when Day opened for 8,000 and Maguire made it 21,000 from the button. Day moved in and Maguire made a quick call.
Day: 9♦9♠
Maguire: 10♦10♠
The flop came 4♦7♦6♦, which wasn't looking good for Day, but the 5♠ turn gave him some extra outs and a few chop outs. Unfortunately for him, the 4♠ river changed nothing, and he had to settle for fourth place worth €6,980.
Three-handed play lasted a few hours before Full Tilt Poker Ambassador Dermot Blain lost a race with the A♦K♠ against Maguire’s 2♠2♣. The useless 4♥9♠6♣8♦9♣ board sent Blain packing in third place for €11,870 and advanced the Scot to heads-up play against Aido holding the chip lead.
It could have been a long battle, but as it turned out a great call by Aido helped things finish quick. In perhaps the most interesting and unbelievable hand of the day, Maguire opened to 12,000 from the button and Aido three-bet to 27,000 from the big blind. Maguire made the call to see a 2♠4♥7♦ flop. Aido continued his aggression with a continuation bet of 18,000 before Maguire raised to 38,000. Aido called to see the 8♥ on the turn and then check-called Maguire's 47,000 bet. The 2♣ river didn't seem to change much and Aido checked again before Maguire announced he was all in. Aido tanked for a couple of minutes before calling off for 215,000 and the Scot sighed, "Queen-high," flipping the Q♣10♥. Aido then showed A♦K♥ having made a big hero call with just ace-king high.
That hand gave Aido a massive chip lead and he finished off Maguire the very next hand. It happened when Aido moved all in from the button and Maguire called off. The former was ahead with the 2♠2♣ but was flipping against the latter's K♥6♥. The board ran out 8♣J♠Q♥3♠A♦ and that was all she wrote for Maguire, who took home €17,460 for second place. Aido earned the top prize of €24,450 and the trophy for his victory.
PokerNews' coverage of the High Roller may be over, but that doesn't mean the poker action stops there. You can follow our updates from the UKIPT Galway Main Event, and later this week in the FTP UKIPT Galway Super High Roller.
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