ARIA $50K Super High Roller Final Table Updates

Updates from the ARIA $50K Super High Roller can be found below and a complete winner’s story can be found here.

1:15am: Rainer Kempe wins ARIA $50K Super High Roller, Jan Schwippert eliminated in 2nd place ($311,040)
Level 19 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 5,000)

With the stacks relatively deep at the start of tonight’s heads up match, now one would have been surprised if Rainer Kempe, pictured above, and Jan Schwippert battled for a few more levels. Instead, midway through Level 19, the chips got in the middle with Schwippert at risk for his tournament life. 

Action was picked up on a board of 7♥6♥2♦, with Schwippert checking from the big blind and Kempe beting 90,000. Schwippert check-raised to 265,000 and after some thought, Kempe called to see the 4♣ fall on the turn. 

Schwippert slowed down, checking for a second time and after Kempe announced “280,000”, Schwippert check-raised again. This time, he shoved, for just over 1,000,000, and Kempe snap called, tabling 5♥3♥. His opponent turned over 8♥2♥ and Kempe said, “Wow.” before the dealer readied himself for the river. 

Kempe had turned a straight but both players held flush draws, with Schwippert also holding a gut-shot to a better straight than Kempe’s. The 4♠ missed all of those draws and the brick meant that Rainer Kempe was back in the ARIA winner’s circle, as the $50K Super High Roller champion.

Jan Schwippert will make just over $311,000 for his runner-up finish and Kempe takes home $576,000 for his victory. A complete winner’s story will be posted shortly. 

1:05am: Sean Winter eliminated in 3rd place ($172,800)
Level 19 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 5,000)

With the blinds increasing, Sean Winter returned from break even shorter than Jan Schwippert left him at the end of Level 18 and just a few hands into the new period, his 150,000 chip stack found the middle. Winter shoved the big blind after Rainer Kempe opened the button and Kempe snap called, tabling A♠A♥. 

Winter held K♣J♦ and after the 9♠6♥4♣ flop, he was drawing slim. The 10♥ and 2♠ completed the board and Winter’s 3rd place elimination was confirmed. He will make just under $173,000 for his podium finish and we are now heads up for the $50K Super High Roller title, with Rainer Kempe holding just shy of a 2:1 chip lead. 

Rainer Kempe – 1,900,000
Sean Winter – Eliminated in 3rd place ($172,800)
Jan Schwippert – 1,100,000

12:48am: Schwippert’s double-double leaves Winter short into break
Level 18 – Blinds 10,000/25,000 (ante 5,000)

The last few minutes of Level 18 brought on tons of action and the majority of that action centered around Jan Schwippert and Sean Winter. The German got the better of Winter twice in quick succession, doubling through him in more or less back-to-back hands. 

The first hand was picked up with Schwippert open shoving the small blind for 265,000 and after Winter called, the short stack saw he needed to hit to stay alive. He held 10♦9♦ to Winter’s A♥J♣ and while he had to wait until the river, he eventually paired up on the K♠6♣5♥5♠9♥ runout. The double dropped Winter down near 750,000 and shot Schwippert north of a half-million and in one of the very next hands, they were battling again. 

Winter opened the button to 60,000 and after a fold, Schwippert announced himself “all-in”. Winter snap called and he was in trouble, holding A♦Q♥ to his opponent’s A♣K. 

The board ran out 10♦10♣2♥A♥K♥ and after sending more than half his stack to his right, Winter joked, “Germany is too good.”

Tonight, they are, as Schwippert is playing the better part of 1,100,000 and Rainer Kempe holds close to 1,800,000. Winter is playing the rest of the chips in play, which add up to just over 150,000. 

Jan Schwippert – 1,110,000
Rainer Kempe – 1,740,000
Sean Winter – 150,000

12:30am: Cary Katz eliminated in 4th place ($92,160)
Level 18 – Blinds 10,000/25,000 (ante 5,000)

After Jan Schwippert doubled up, he and Cary Katz were relatively evenly stacked with close to twenty big blinds. Schwippert was able to survive an all-in encounter with Rainer Kempe but early in Level 18, Katz could not, as he was coolered to the rail in 4th place. 

Action was picked up on a 10♥8♦7♠ flop, with Kempe checking to Katz, who bet 60,000. Kempe raised and after some thought, Katz announced himself “all-in”, for just over 460,000. Kempe snap called and Katz saw he needed to hit to stay alive, despite holding 10♦7♦ for two pair. 

That is because Kempe had flopped a straight with 9♠6♣ and Katz politely asked the dealer for a diamond on the turn for a “sweat”. 

The 2♠ did not meet his request, so Katz was drawing to just a handful of outs heading to the river. The Q♦ wasn’t one of those and his elimination was confirmed. 

Cary Katz will make just over $92,000 for his efforts and with his 21st ARIA cash, Katz moves into a tie at the top of ARIA’s Career Cash list with Tom Marchese. 

Rainer Kempe – 1,600,000
Cary Katz – Eliminated in 4th place ($91,160)

12:14am: German on German crime doubles Schwippert
Level 17 – Blinds 10,000/25,000 (ante 3,000)

In the final hand of period, short stack Jan Schwippert doubled through countryman Rainer Kempe. Action was picked up with Kempe opening the button and Schwippert, who was in the big blind, three-bet shoving for 223,000. 

Kempe, who was playing just under half the total chips in play, called and needed his 4♥4♣ to hold against Schwippert’s A♠7♦. 

The big stack faded the 10♦9♦5♠ flop and the Q♥ on the turn but the A♣ on the river paired Schwippert and confirmed his double. While the doubling German is now playing close to a half-million, Rainer Kempe is still over seven-figures and leading the ARIA $50K Super High Roller. 

Jan Schwippert – 465,000
Rainer Kempe – 1,100,000

12:08am: Winter rivers Bonomo, bubbles shortly after
Level 17 – Blinds 10,000/25,000 (ante 3,000)

Since the last break, Justin Bonomo and Sean Winter have engaged in a few small encounters and while Bonomo may have won the first few battles, Sean Winter just won the war in a massive pot. Action was picked up with Winter opening the button to 50,000 and after Bonomo called in the big blind, he check-called a 33,000 chip down-bet on the K♥7♥3♠ flop. 

The A♣ fell on the turn and Bonomo checked for a second time, only to see Winter bet again, this time sizing his wager at 75,000. Bonomo had just over 400,000 behind and after a few moments of thought, he announced himself “all-in”. Winter didn’t look like he liked his opponent’s move but after a few seconds, he put his final 315,000 in the middle. 

Winter tabled A♥6♥, for top pair and a flush draw and he needed to hit, as Bonomo had flopped two pair with K♣7♣. Winter did hit, as the 8♥ completed the board and his flush draw, leaving Bonomo crippled with less than one big blind. 

Bonomo was visibly disappointed with the river card but he picked up some hope after scoring a triple up on the very next hand. The hand after that though, he was not as lucky, as he ran into Rainer Kempe’s flopped quads, confirming Bonomo as the $50K Super High Roller bubble. 

The remaining four players are now in the money and guaranteed at least a $92,000 score, with the newly flush Sean Winter and Rainer Kempe controlling over half the chips in play. 

Sean Winter – 980,000
Justin Bonomo – Eliminated in 5th place 

11:42pm: Kempe puts Bonomo to the test on bubble
Level 16 – Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 2,000)

In the final hand of Level 16, Rainer Kempe and Justin Bonomo clashed in a sizable pot, one that ended with Kempe shoving the river. Action was picked up with Bonomo opening to 45,000 from under the gun and after some folds, Kempe defended his big blind to see the J♥9♠3♥ flop. 

Kempe check-called a bet of 40,000 and after the 7♣ fell on the turn, Kempe led for 82,000. Bonomo quickly called to see the 6♣ complete the board and after a few moments of thought, Kempe verbalized “415,000”. That was more or less what Bonomo had in front of him and after a quick check of his cards, he sent his hand into the muck, conceding the pot to Kempe. 

When the dust settled, the reigning Super High Roller Bowl champion was behind close to seven-figures. Bonomo, who elected not to play for his tournament life on the bubble, is now down near the twenty big blind mark. 

Rainer Kempe – 955,000
Justin Bonomo – 425,000

11:10pm: Everyone within touching distance, Kempe out in front
Level 16 – Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 2,000)

The remaining five players are back from their ten minute break and while we are on the immediate $50K Super High Roller bubble, this field may not make their way into the money any time soon. Across the board, the stacks are very close and everyone is within touching distance.

Rainer Kempe has quietly moved himself to the top of the leaderboard, playing 710,000, but he is just ten big blinds better than the shortest stack, countryman Jan Schwippert. Bookended between the German’s are three players all near the chip average, meaning we should see some tactical play over the next few levels and orbits.

1. Rainer Kempe – 710,000
2. Justin Bonomo – 650,000
3. Cary Katz – 550,000
4. Jan Schwippert – 510,000
5. Sean Winter – 580,000

10:41pm: Another blind versus blind KO for Winter, Schindler the victim this time
Level 15 – Blinds 7,000/15,000 (ante 2,000)

The blinds went up and even more pressure was put on the short stack of Jake Schindler, as he entered the midway point of Level 15 with just over ten big blinds. Eventually, that 150,000 chip stack got in the middle, in a blind versus blind encounter with Sean Winter. 

Action was picked up with Winter open shoving the small blind and Schindler quickly called to put himself at risk. The short stack was in good shape, holding K♥10♠ to Winter’s 10♣8♥ but after the J♥8♦5♣ flop, Schindler was looking for help on the turn and river. 

It never came though, as the 6♥ and 2♠ completed the board and confirmed his 6th place elimination. That means that we are officially on the $50K Super High Roller bubble and across the board, the remaining five players are all hovering near the chip average. 

Sean Winter – 670,000
Jake Schindler – Eliminated in 6th place 

10:26pm: Katz calls correct with king-high
Level 14 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 2,000)

In a battle of the only two players remaining at this final table that have already claimed an ARIA High Roller title in 2017, Jason Schindler and Cary Katz got to the river with the board reading A♥A♦J♥10♠10♣. 

Action was missed but Schindler, who was out of position, bet the river for an indiscernible amount and after some thought, Katz called. Schindler, who flashed 8♠8♣, was playing the board by the river and Katz’s K♥9♦ was good to win the pot. It was not a big pot by any means but it was one that moved Katz over the 600,000 mark and dropped Schindler down below 20 big blinds. 

Cary Katz – 620,000
Jake Schindler – 195,000

10:03pm: Koon busts in blind versus blind encounter
Level 13 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

A few hands after Tom Marchese was eliminated, Jason Koon joined him on the rail after Sean Winter sent him out in 7th place. As mentioned earlier, Winter has been extremely active over the last few orbits and when it folded to him, he again moved all-in, this time from the small blind. 

Koon had 180,000 in front of him and instead of peeling his cards on the table, he picked them up and brought them to eye level. He didn’t look interested in the first one but said, “If the next one is an ace or three, I’m probably calling.” 

He then looked at the second card and peered around at the rest of the stacks at the final table, asking aloud, “No one else is close to me right?”

Koon was right, he was the shortest stack at the final table and after a moment of thought, he called, showing A♥3♠. Winter tabled A♠10♦ and Koon was dominated. 

The 9♥6♠4♣ flop didn’t help the short stack and after the J♥ fell on the turn, Koon was drawing to just three outs. The K♦ wasn’t one of them and Winter scored the knockout to drop this $50K Super High Roller field down to the final six and move himself up near 350,000. 

Sean Winter – 340,000
Jason Koon – Eliminated in 7th place 

9:50pm: Schwippert gets involved to bust Marchese
Level 13 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

Since the final table came together, Jan Schwippert has quietly built his stack but he just announced himself to the rest of the field by eliminating Tom Marchese. Action was picked up with Cary Katz opening the cutoff to 22,000 and after Marchese three-bet shoved the button for just over ten big blinds, Schwippert called in the small blind. 

Katz folded to let Schwippert try to eliminate the short stack and he was in a great position to do so, holding Q♦Q♣ to Marchese’s A♥6♥. The board ran out J♥9♦3♠Q♥8♠ and Marchese couldn’t find any help on the river, meaning he was eliminated in 8th place. 

Jan Schwippert – 620,000
Tom Marchese – Eliminated in 8th place

9:40pm: Winter increasing his short stack, Marchese near ten bigs
Level 13 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

Through the first half of Level 13, we’ve heard “all-in” a few times from the final table and each time, it has been because of a Sean Winter shove. The Florida native came back from break with one of the shortest stacks and while he’s still below the chip average, he’s increased his stack nicely over the last orbit. 

Winter is now playing the better part of 250,000 and while he has been able to see his stock rise, the other player that returned from break under 200,000, Tom Marchese, has yet to find a spot to make a move. He looks to be hovering near the 100,000 chip mark, meaning he’s working ten big blinds. 

Sean Winter – 245,000
Tom Marchese – 95,000

9:02pm: Bryn busts before break, updated counts
Level 12 – Blinds 4,000/8,000 (ante 1,000)

On one of the last hands of the level, short stack Bryn Kenney moved all-in from the small blind for just over 65,000 and was quickly called by Rainer Kempe. The short stack held K♥Q♦ and was flipping against the reigning Super High Roller Bowl champion, who tabled 7♦7♠. 

The A♦5♦4♠ flop kept Kempe out in front and while he didn’t pair up on the turn, Kenney picked up additional outs to a flush thanks to the 2♦. The 10♣ missed that draw on the river though, confirming Kenney’s 9th place elimination and denying him a third straight ARIA High Roller cash. 

Rainer Kempe – 275,000
Bryn Kenney – Eliminated in 9th place

A complete list of the remaining counts is provided below:

1. Jason Koon – 230,000
2. Jake Schindler – 310,000
3. Rainer Kempe – 275,000
4. Justin Bonomo – 720,000
5. Cary Katz – 580,000
6. Tom Marchese – 150,000
7. Jan Schwippert – 540,000
8. Sean Winter – 185,000

9:02pm: Winter doubles through chip leader, Katz keeps himself top though
Level 12 – Blinds 4,000/8,000 (ante 1,000)

Cary Katz still looks like he’s holding the final table chip lead but he just took a small hit against Sean Winter. Pre flop action was missed but Winter’s final 101,000 got in the middle with the short stack holding 9♦9♣ to Katz’s 8♦8♥. The board ran out clean for the superior pocket pair and Winter was shipped the double, one that moved him over 200,000 for the first time since the final table came together.

Katz is still well over the chip average, with just over 550,000 heading towards the final few minutes of Level 12. The first final table break of the night is scheduled at the completion of the level and we will update the chip counts during that recess. 

Sean Winter – 210,000
Cary Katz – 560,000

8:47pm: Short stacks double, Kenney left short
Level 11 – Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 1,000)

Over the rest of the period, two short stacks doubled up. Jason Koon was the first to increase his stack and while his double through Tom Marchese was missed, Jake Schindler’s double was not. That hand was picked up on a board of K♦10♠10♥5♠7♦, with Schindler locked in a blind versus blind battle with Bryn Kenney.

Schindler checked and Kenney bet what looked to be 77,000, before Schindler announced himself “all-in”. The short stack had just 35,000 more to go on top of Kenney’s bet and even though it was just a few big blinds more to call, Kenney went into the tank, as he had just over 125,000 behind.

Eventually, he did call, only to see Schindler table Q♥10♦. Kenney shook his head and threw 10♣2♦ into the muck, with the cooler dropping him to the bottom of the leader board.

He’s now playing just under 100,000, while Schindler is up and over 250,000.

Jake Schindler – 265,000
Bryn Kenney – 90,000
Jason Koon – 280,000
Tom Marchese – 160,000

8:30pm: Katz clips Bonomo, takes chip lead 
Level 11 – Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 1,000)

A few minutes after Level 11 began, the two top stacks got involved in a blind versus blind encounter that saw Cary Katz take the chip lead from Justin Bonomo. Action was picked up pre flop and while Bonomo’s initial action in the small blind was missed, Katz’s big blind raise to 66,000 was not.

Bonomo called to see a Q♥6♣2♦ flop and both players quickly checked. The 7♠ fell on the turn and both checked for a second time, before Bonomo bet 125,000 after the 10♣ completed the board. Katz snap called the river bet and while Bonomo could only muster ace-high, with A♦9♦, Katz had flopped top pair with K♣Q♦. 

When the dust settled, Katz was behind just under 700,000, good for the chip lead and while Bonomo takes a decent hit, he’s still over the chip average. 

Cary Katz – 695,000
Justin Bonomo – 455,000

8:15pm: Justin Bonomo leads ARIA $50K Super High Roller final table 
Level 10 – Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 500)

With an increase in buy-in compared to the last two days of ARIA High Rollers, it was expected that a smaller field would come together for today’s $50K Super High Roller. In total, 24 players entered today’s event and just over six hours after play began, we are now down to the final table.

The lone non-professional in today’s field, Cary Katz, comes into the final table second in chips but it is Justin Bonomo who will be pacing the field. Bonomo recorded two scores in the opening ARIA High Roller series of 2017 and will look to parlay his chip lead into his first of this series.

Bryn Kenney will be looking to record his third straight ARIA cash, after finishing 4th and 3rd in the last two $25K events. Kenney will enter the final table just below the chip average and even though there are a few players below the threshold, even the shortest stack, that belongs to Jake Schindler, is playing over 20 big blinds.

Europe is well represented at the final table, with Germany’s Rainer Kempe sitting near the chip average and Jan Schwippert playing just over 400,000. Britain and Spain, who were the other foreign countries represented in today’s event, were unable to make the final table. 

Just making the final table doesn’t mean these players are guaranteed a cash though, as just four players will record ARIA scores tonight. Over $1,150,000 is up for grabs and the eventual champion will claim just over $575,000. Poker Central will provide updates from the final table until then, when an ARIA $50K Super High Roller champion is crowned. 

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

1. Jason Koon – 155,000
2. Jake Schindler – 135,000
3. Bryn Kenney – 295,000
4. Rainer Kempe – 310,000
5. Justin Bonomo – 585,000
6. Cary Katz – 485,000
7. Tom Marchese – 315,000
8. Jan Schwippert – 410,000
9. Sean Winter – 185,000

The ARIA $50K Super High Roller payouts are listed below for your convenience:

1. $576,000
2. $311,040
3. $172,800
4. $92,160

ARIA High Roller updates are provided by Poker Central and Will O’Connor.