ARIA $25K High Roller Final Table Updates

Updates from the ARIA $25K High Roller final table can be bound below and a complete winner’s story can be found here.

11:08pm: Three-way deal, Brian Rast takes the title and $237,555
Level 15 – Blinds 7,000/15,000 (2,000 ante)

After the elimination of Stephen Chidwick, the remaining three players counted their stacks and took a look at the prize pool. After a few moments of negotiations and a run of the numbers, Brian Rast, Bryn Kenney, pictured above, and Scott Seiver, pictured below, agreed to a three-way deal. Their chip counts at the time of the deal are listed below:

Brian Rast – 1,415,000
Bryn Kenney – 1,037,000
Scott Seiver – 548,000

The negotiated payouts are provided below:

Brian Rast – $237,555
Bryn Kenney – $211,000
Scott Seiver – $163,445

This is the second straight cash for both Seiver and Kenney, after they finished 1st and 2nd in yesterday’s $25K High Roller. This is also the second victory for Brian Rast in 2017, after he won the opening $50K Super High Roller earlier this year. A complete winner’s story will be posted shortly. 

10:48pm: Stephen Chidwick eliminated in 4th place ($64,800)
Level 15 – Blinds 7,000/15,000 (2,000 ante)

Stephen Chidwick was pretty active after the elimination of Zach Hyman. After getting one shove through against Scott Seiver, he tried to shove overtop of a Bryn Kenney open but was quickly called, only to see he was drawing to just two immediate outs. 

Action was picked up with Kenney opening to 41,000 from the button and after some thought, Chidwick, who was behind close to 450,000 in the small blind, three-bet shoved. Kenney immediately called and tabled Q♥Q♦. Chidwick held 8♥8♠ and after the Q♣J♥5♦ flop, he was drawing very thin. 

The 9♦ on the turn gave him some hope heading to the river but after the 9♠ completed the board, Chidwick was bounced in 4th place. He’ll earn just under $65,000 for his first ARIA High Roller score of 2017 and we are now three-handed, with Bryn Kenney and Brian Rast both over 1,000,000. 

Stephen Chidwick – Eliminated in 4th place ($64,800)
Bryn Kenney – 1,040,000

10:35pm: Zach Hyman eliminated in 5th place ($43,200)
Level 14 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (2,000 ante)

After the elimination of Cary Katz on the bubble, Zach Hyman was left as the short stack and the lone businessman left at this final table. He was short was Katz was knocked out and then went card dead before he shoved just under 30,000 from the small blind. Scott Seiver, who looks like his heater isn’t going to stop any time soon, snap called in the big blind and turned over A♥A♦. 

Hyman held K♠2♦ and even though he paired his low card on the flop, Hyman couldn’t connect on the turn or river and was eliminated in 5th place. This is Zach Hyman’s second straight ARIA $25K High Roller cash and he’ll make just over $43,000 for his efforts. 

Zach Hyman – Eliminated in 5th place ($43,200)
Scott Seiver – 575,000

10:20pm: Big stacks clash, Rast moves back over seven-figures
Level 14 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (2,000 ante)

While everyone at the final table is keeping their eye on Zach Hyman, who is under ten big blinds, two of the bigger stacks just clashed in a sizable pot that increased Brian Rast’s chip lead. Action was picked up on a board of J♠10♥9♦8♠, with Stephen Chidwick check-calling a bet of 80,000.

The 3♦ completed the board and Chidwick checked again, only to see Rast bet 180,000. After a few moments of thought, he threw a chip across the line for a call and Rast quickly tabled K♣Q♠, for the nut straight.

Chidwick mucked and while he dropped to 550,000 after the loss, Rast is now playing 1,400,000, which is nearly half the chips in play.  

Brian Rast – 1,400,000
Stephen Chidwick – 560,000

10:06pm: Seiver catches, Katz bubbles (again)
Level 14 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (2,000 ante)

After Cary Katz tripled up, it looked like he had faded bubbling for a second night in a row. 45 minutes later, Scott Seiver flopped a set to crack Katz’s pocket queens and Katz was hitting the rail.  

Action was picked up pre flop, with Seiver opening to 20,000 from under the gun. Katz, who was in the middle position, then shoved for just shy of 100,000 and after the table folded, Seiver called and tabled 10♥10♦. The big stack was well behind, as Katz held Q♣Q♥ but that all changed after the flop.

The K♣J♣10♠ flop shot Seiver in the lead and left Katz looking for help on the turn and river. He needed to hit to save his tournament life and while he picked up additional outs after the 7♣ fell on the turn, he couldn’t connect on the river. The 2♥ completed the board and confirmed his 6th place elimination, for his second $25K High Roller bubble in as many days.  

Meanwhile, Scott Seiver, who won last night’s $25K event, looks like he’s catching heat at the right time again and is now up near 650,000. The rest of this field is now in the money and while everyone is guaranteed at least a $43,200 min-cash, the entire final table will be looking to the top of the pay scale, where $331,200 awaits the eventual winner. 

Scott Seiver – 640,000
Cary Katz – Eliminated in 6th place

9:45pm: On the bubble, updated counts
Level 13 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

Instead of taking a break at the end of Level 12, the final table elected to postpone the break but then took one a few minutes into the next period. We’re now back from break and while there are a few players working nearly seven-figure stacks, since we are on the bubble the focus heading into the next few orbits will be on the short stacks. 

They belong to the lone amateurs left in this field, as Zach Hyman and Cary Katz are both below 20 big blinds. On the other end of the spectrum, Brian Rast and Stephen Chidwick are both over 80 bigs, meaning they could use their current advantage to put serious pressure on the rest of the table on the bubble. 

The Poker Central blog will track this field into the money and an update list of the stacks is provided below:

1. Zach Hyman – 175,000
2. Scott Seiver – 635,000
3. Bryn Kenney – 235,000
4. Cary Katz -130,000
5. Stephen Chidwick – 830,000
6. Brian Rast – 940,000

The ARIA $25K High Roller final table payouts are also listed below, for your convenience:

1. $331,200
2. $180,000
3. $100,800
4. $64,800
5. $43,200

9:33pm: Hyman calls and cripples “Chewy”, Katz finishes him off
Level 13 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

After Cary Katz tripled, Andrew Lichenberger was left as one of the shorter stacks at the final table and a few hands into Level 13, “Chewy” shoved and was called by Zach Hyman. Lichenberger’s shove was for 88,000 and Hyman, who was in the big blind, called all-in for less.

Hyman had 85,000 in front of him and A♥10♦, which dominated Lichenberger’s A♣5♥. The board ran out Q♣9♣6♦8♦4♠ and Hyman’s kicker played to score him the double. 

Lichenberger was left with 3,000 chips after the loss and on the very next hand, Cary Katz eliminated “Chewy” to bring on the $25K High Roller bubble. A complete list of the bubble chip counts will be posted shortly. 

9:15pm: Katz back in business after tripling
Level 12 – Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

Cary Katz bubbled yesterday’s $25K High Roller and after being card dead at the beginning of the final table, it looked like he was heading towards a similar fate tonight. That was, until Katz scored a triple up that now has him sitting behind a very workable 15 big blind stack.

Action was picked up with Brian Rast opening to 18,000 from under the gun and after some folds, Katz shoved for 40,000 from the small blind. Stephen Chidwick quickly called in the big blind and Rast did the same to send all three players to the flop.

Before the first three community cards were dealt, Bryn Kenney asked for a “sweat” and Katz flashed him his cards. Chidwick and Rast then checked down the Q♦8♦5♠2♣3♠ board and Kenney said, “Give Cary the pot.” 

Katz tabled A♦Q♣ and his top pair was best. Chidwick flashed A♥K♥ before sending his hand into the muck and just a few minutes before the end of Level 12, Cary Katz is now back in business with seven players remaining. 

Cary Katz – 130,000
Stephen Chidwick – 515,000
Brian Rast – 980,000

9:02pm: Bryn’s blades crippled “Chewy”
Level 12 – Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

Coming into this final table, both Bryn Kenney and Andrew Lichenberger were both short and those two short stacks just clashed with big hands. Pre flop action was missed but the cards were picked up on their back, with Kenney holding A♥A♣ to Lichenberger’s A♦K♥. 

The board ran out clean for the pocket aces and Kenney scored the double, to get up and over the 225,000 chip mark. Lichenberger, on the other hand, was left with 75,000 and is now below ten big blinds. 

Bryn Kenney – 230,000
Andrew Lichenberger – 75,000

8:48pm: Rast skyrockets over 1,000,000 at Bowman’s expense 
Level 11 – Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

The players were only in their seats for a few minutes before the biggest pot of the tournament played out between Lawrence Bowman, pictured above, and Brian Rast. When the dust settled, Rast was sitting with the chip lead and Bowman was sent to the rail in 8th place. 

Pre flop action was missed but on a board of K♦7♥4♥, Bowman announced “all-in” after he checked from the big blind and Rast put out a continuation bet. Rast took a moment to examine the board before he verbalized “call” and tabled A♣K♥. Bowman shook his head and motioned that Rast was good, before turning over A♦Q♦. He was drawing to running diamonds and after the 9♥ fell on the turn, his elimination was confirmed. 

A shocked final table watched Rast stack up over seven-figures, while Bowman exit the tournament area. We are just a few minutes from the start of Level 12 and very quickly, we are just on elimination away from the money bubble. 

Brian Rast – 1,140,000
Lawrence Bowman – Eliminated in 8th place

8:40pm: Scott Seiver leads $25K High Roller final table, going for back-to-back titles
Level 11 – Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

March Madness continues and so do the ARIA High Rollers, as another sizable field came together for today’s $25K High Roller. Throughout the day, 30 players competed, one shy of yesterday’s total, and there was enough interest for some of the players to schedule another $25K event for tomorrow. Poker Central will be there to cover that final table but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, as today’s final table is about to come together to play down to a winner. 

Just like 24 hours ago, today’s $25K High Roller featured a diverse group and plenty of different players are represented at the final table. Some of the world’s best high stakes players, including Brian Rast and Bryn Kenney, who have made the final table. All eyes have to be on another High Roller crusher though, as Scott Seiver holds the current chip lead and is going for back-to-back ARIA High Roller wins.

A few amateurs, Cary Katz, Zach Hyman and Lawrence Bowman, are also still alive, although the former two players are below the chip average. Bowman, on the other hand, is a relative unknown in the High Roller arena but that hasn’t stopped him from building up one of the bigger stacks heading into the final table. 

Britain’s Stephen Chidwick, who is also behind a decent stack, was the lone non-American in today’s field and will be carrying the international flag as he tries to record his first ARIA score of 2017. Only five players will make their way into the money, meaning that we should see some tactical play over the next few levels. 

A complete list of the final table seating assignments and chip counts is provided below:

1. Zach Hyman – 135,000
2. Scott Seiver – 710,000
3. Bryn Kenney – 130,000
4. Andrew Lichenberger – 195,000
5. Lawrence Bowman – 530,000
6. Cary Katz – 95,000
7. Stephen Chidwick – 555,000
8. Brian Rast – 495,000

The ARIA $25K High Roller final table payouts are also listed below, for your convenience:

1. $331,200
2. $180,000
3. $100,800
4. $64,800
5. $43,200

ARIA $25K High Roller final table updates are provided by Poker Central and Will O’Connor.