2023 World Series of Poker

Event #40: $250,000 Super High Roller
Day: 1
Event Info

2023 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a7
Prize
$5,293,556
Event Info
Buy-in
$250,000
Prize Pool
$17,181,000
Entries
69
Level Info
Level
25
Blinds
600,000 / 1,200,000
Ante
1,200,000
Players Info - Day 1
Entries
56
Players Left
37

It's Time for the Biggest Buy-In Event of the Summer, Event #40: $250,000 Super High Roller No-Limit Hold'Em

Alex Foxen
Alex Foxen

Rejoice, high-roller fans! Some of the best high-stakes tournament players in the world are getting set to take the stage for the highest buy-in event of the summer at the 2023 World Series of Poker, Event #40: $250,000 Super High Roller No-Limit Hold’Em, inside the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas Ballroom at 2 p.m. local time.

With multiple events already smashing records at this year’s WSOP, the expectation here is no different. The field size nearly doubled from 2021 to 2022, with Adrian Mateos besting a field of 33 hopefuls in 2021, including U.K. pro Ben Heath heads-up, to capture his fourth gold bracelet.

Last years field of 56 runners created a total prize pool of $13,944,000, with the largest piece going to eventual winner, Alex Foxen. Foxen entered heads-up play against American businessman and high-stakes recreational player Brandon Steven with a 9:1 chip lead and it wouldn't take long for Foxen to finish Steven off after a come-from-behind last hand that saw Foxen river two higher pair to the flopped two-pair of Steven. Foxen took home $4,563,700 and his first gold bracelet for the effort.

2022 saw a stacked final table including ten-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey finishing in seventh place, four-time bracelet winner and former champion of this event, Spanish poker pro Adrian Mateos bowing out in fourth, and bracelet winners, Daniel Zack , Sam Soverel and Martin Kabrhel rounding out the final nine. The expectation will be similar this year.

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Alex FoxenUSA$4,563,700
2Brandon StevenUSA$2,820,581
3Chris HunichenUSA$1,931,718
4Adrian MateosSpain$1,367,206
5Sam SoverelUSA$1,001,142
6Martin KabrhelCzech Republic$759,362
7Phil IveyUSA$597,381
8Dan ZackUSA$488,095
9Henrik HecklenDenmark$414,815

Each player will begin the day with 1,500,000 in starting chips and blinds will start at 3,000/5,000 with a 5,000 big blind ante. Each level will be 60 minutes in length and the schedule calls for eight total levels of play on Day 1, with a 15-minute break after every two levels.

Late registration will be open throughout the day and will stay open until the start of Day 2, with the rules allowing for each player to re-enter one time, if they happen to need it. There will be a 30-second shot clock in play and each player will receive six 30-second time banks at the start of each day. For all of those that bag up chips at the end of the night, they will return at 1 p.m. tomorrow with the champion being crowned on Day 3.

As always, keep it tuned right here for up-to-the-minute live coverage from PokerNews of this championship event.

Tags: Adrian MateosAlex FoxenBrandon StevenChris HunichenDan ZackHenrik HecklenMartin KabrhelPhil IveySam Soverel

Smith, Hunichen and Kulev Involved in Multi-Way Pot Early

Level 1 : Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Alex Kulev
Alex Kulev

Alex Kulev opened the action in late position with a raise to 12,000 and was called by Dan Smith in the small blind and Chris Hunichen in the big blind.

Both players check-called a bet by Kulev on the 49K flop, which lead to Smith leading out for 45,000 on the J turn. Things get interesting as Hunichen raised Smith's lead bet to 110,000 and Kulev re-raised both players to 450,000.

After some deliberation and one of Hunichen's time banks, both players decided to fold, sending the pot over to Kulev.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Alex Kulev bg
Alex Kulev
1,700,000
200,000
200,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Dan Smith us
Dan Smith
1,400,000
-100,000
-100,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Run It Once
Profile photo of Chris Hunichen us
Chris Hunichen
1,350,000
-150,000
-150,000
WSOP 1X Winner
StakeKings

Tags: Alex KulevChris HunichenDan Smith

Chen Clashes with Hunichen in Three-Bet Pot

Level 1 : Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
James Chen - Chris Hunichen
James Chen - Chris Hunichen

James Chen opened the action to 12,000 from early position and was three-bet by his neighbor, Chris Hunichen to 42,000.

Chen called and the two players saw a flop of 992, to which Chen check-called a bet of 30,000 from Hunichen. The dealer turned the A and again, Chen check-called a bet from Hunichen, this time for 120,000.

The 2 on the river double-paired the board and after Chen checked to Hunichen a third time, Hunichen sized up to a bet of 400,000. After some deliberation in the form of a single time-bank, Chen's hand hit the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Chris Hunichen us
Chris Hunichen
1,700,000
350,000
350,000
WSOP 1X Winner
StakeKings
Profile photo of James Chen tw
James Chen
1,200,000
-455,000
-455,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Chen ClashesChris HunichenJames Chen

Ivey Sits Down and Wins

Level 1 : Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey

Phil Ivey just took his seat and was faced with a raise to 13,000 from Zachary Schwartz on the button. Ivey called from the big blind and the dealer fanned the flop of KQ3. Both players checked and the 9 landed on the turn.

Ivey led out with a bet of 20,000 on the turn and Schwartz stuck around for the A on the river. Ivey checked this time and Schwartz fired out a bet of 30,000. Ivey looked puzzled but still called. Schwartz turned over 1010 but Ivey flopped pair of kings with K8.

Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Phil Ivey us
Phil Ivey
1,565,000
65,000
65,000
WSOP 11X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
Profile photo of Zachary Schwartz us
Zachary Schwartz
1,420,000
-80,000
-80,000

Tags: Phil IveyZachary Schwartz

Kulev Bluffs It All Off

Level 2 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Alex Kulev
Alex Kulev

Chris Brewer opened to 13,000 and was called by Alex Kulev and Mikita Badziakouski. Steven Veneziano three-bet to 58,000 from the blinds and only Kulev called.

The flop came 9x7x5x and Veneziano led out with a bet of 83,000. Kulev called and the 2 landed on the turn, putting two clubs on the board. Veneziano tossed in another bet of 126,000 and Kulev raised to 440,000 this time which Veneziano called.

The river was the Q and Veneziano led out with another bet of 325,000. Kulev shipped all in for just over 900,000 and Veneziano snap-called. Kulev tabled 6x6x but Veneziano flopped a straight with 86.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Steven Veneziano us
Steven Veneziano
4,305,000
2,055,000
2,055,000
Profile photo of Alex Kulev bg
Alex Kulev
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Steven VenezianoMikita BadziakouskiChris BrewerAlex Kulev

Quads for Steven

Level 2 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Brandon Steven
Brandon Steven

The action picked up on the 10 turn card for a board reading 5Q410 in a hand between Brandon Steven and Talal Shakerchi.

Steven had put out a bet of 27,000 and was raised by Shakerchi to 105,000. Steven thought for a moment before re-raising to 237,000. Shakerchi would make the call and the dealer delivered the 10 on the river.

Steven bet 375,000 and Shakerchi quickly folded, prompting Steven to table his hand and announce, "just got four of these," while showing the other two tens.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Brandon Steven us
Brandon Steven
1,550,000
100,000
100,000
Profile photo of Talal Shakerchi gb
Talal Shakerchi
925,000
-575,000
-575,000

Tags: Brandon StevenTalal Shakerchi

Badziakouski Can't Shake Jaffe

Level 3 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Jonathan Jaffe - Mikita Badziakouski
Jonathan Jaffe - Mikita Badziakouski

Chance Kornuth raised it up from the cutoff and was called by Jonathan Jaffe and Mikita Badziakouski in the blinds. The flop fell KQ5 and the blinds checked to Kornuth who bet 22,000. Jaffe called and Badziakouski check-raised to 80,000. Kornuth folded but Jaffe still called.

The 3 landed on the turn and both players checked to the K on the river. Jaffe led out with a bet of 160,000 and Badziakouski used all 30 seconds before dumping his cards into the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jonathan Jaffe us
Jonathan Jaffe
1,810,000
545,000
545,000
Profile photo of Mikita Badziakouski by
Mikita Badziakouski
1,260,000
-190,000
-190,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Chance KornuthJonathan JaffeMikita Badziakouski

Kornuth Puts Koon in the Tank

Level 3 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Chance Kornuth - Jason Koon
Chance Kornuth - Jason Koon

Chance Kornuth and Jason Koon were heads-up in a pot with around 500,000 in the middle already. The action was picked up on the turn with the board reading A53A and Kornuth led out with a bet of 190,000 which Koon called.

The river brought the 8 and Kornuth used a time bank before announcing a bet of 600,000. Koon went deeper into the tank, using four time banks and over two minutes before finally sliding his cards to the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Chance Kornuth us
Chance Kornuth
2,010,000
810,000
810,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
WSOP 4X Winner
Chip Leader Coaching
Profile photo of John Hennigan us
John Hennigan
1,500,000
1,500,000
1,500,000
WSOP 7X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
Profile photo of Jason Koon us
Jason Koon
1,145,000
-360,000
-360,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Run It Once

Tags: Chance KornuthJason Koon

Hunichen Gets the Best of Ivey

Level 4 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Chris Hunichen - Phil Ivey
Chris Hunichen - Phil Ivey

Chris Hunichen raised to 18,000 in the hijack and Phil Ivey called from the cutoff. They went heads-up to a flop of 652 and Hunichen started with a check. Ivey tossed in a bet of 30,000 and Hunichen check-raised to 90,000 which Ivey called.

The 6 paired the board on the turn and Hunichen fired out a bet of 150,000. Ivey still called and the 8 completed the board. Hunichen announced a bet of 500,000 which forced Ivey to use three time banks before laying his hand down.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Chris Hunichen us
Chris Hunichen
2,260,000
305,000
305,000
WSOP 1X Winner
StakeKings
Profile photo of Dustin Bailey us
Dustin Bailey
1,500,000
1,500,000
1,500,000
Day 1 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Phil Ivey us
Phil Ivey
1,500,000
50,000
50,000
WSOP 11X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer

Tags: Chris HunichenPhil Ivey

Decarolis Doubles Through Davies

Level 4 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Alfred Decarolis
Alfred Decarolis

PokerNews picked up the action on the turn where Alfred Decarolis check-raised a bet from Seth Davies to 325,000 and Davies called, on a board that read 9105Q.

Decarolis snap moved all in on the 9 river for 355,000, sending Davies deep into the tank. Davies would use three time banks before ultimately deciding to call and showing down JJ for two pair, but it would not be good enough, as Decarolis tabled KJ for a king-high straight.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Seth Davies us
Seth Davies
1,550,000
50,000
50,000
Profile photo of Alfred Decarolis us
Alfred Decarolis
1,500,000
750,000
750,000

Tags: Alfred DecarolisSeth Davies