Lauren Roberts Wins Event #3 and Become First Female USPO Champion

Congratulations to Lauren Roberts, who became the first woman to win a U.S. Poker Open title when she defeated Koray Aldemir heads up in Event #3 – $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em to win $218,400 and earn 200 USPO player of the series points.

This win marks the first live tournament career win for Roberts, and she was ecstatic to take it down.

“It’s huge for me. I mean I’ve never won anything before. And so especially for women or old people and for amateurs. I love this game, I played with some phenomenal players and I learn every time I play a tournament. I happened to run good in some of these coin flips and they can make or break a tournament.”

The day started with eight players and it was Jerry Robinson who grabbed his second cash of the 2019 USPO, busting in eighth place after which Rodger Johnson hit the rail in seventh shortly after play began. Johnson got all in against Stephen Chidwick preflop with against the of Chidwick. Johnson couldn’t catch up and busted seventh for $45,500.

Ralph Wong was next to go when he three-bet shoved with pocket threes over a rather large open from Aldemir. Aldemir had two overs and flopped a better pair to eliminate Wong in sixth. Wong won $54,600.

In possibly the most interesting hand of the tournament, Sean Winter sat in the small blind with Brandon Adams behind him. Adams had 60,000 chips and less than an ante, but Winter picked up and Aldemir shoved from the small blind. Winter couldn’t help but call and was well ahead of the of Aldemir. Winter earned 60 USPO player of the series points and is currently settled into third place in the standings.

Aldemir flopped a pair and managed to stay ahead to eliminate Winter in fifth place ($72,800). Adams hung around a little longer, actually getting his ante back when the other players folded and doubling up before finally busting in fourth place. Chidwick called Adams’ button shove with and was ahead of the held by Adams. Adams couldn’t find any help from the board and was out, taking $91,000 home with him.

Chidwick fell in third after a huge pot with Aldemir but managed to extend his overall championship lead over Jordan Cristos and Sean Winter. On the Brit’s final hand, Aldemir shoved two fours and Chidwick called with a couple overs. Aldemir came into heads up play with the lead, but Roberts earned a huge double with two pair when she led into Aldemir on the river. Aldemir shoved all in with queen-high and Roberts quickly called. The tournament only lasted only a few hands more and Roberts ended it when she made a flush on the river after flopping a pair and a flush draw.

Aldemir would eventually fall to Roberts in second place, giving her her first live tournament win and putting her in fourth place in the USPO overall standings.

About her play and ambitions this week, Roberts said, “I probably will play the $25k higher rollers, and I’ll play tomorrow depending on how I feel. There are some amazing players in here and I have no clue how to play the short deck I don’t have any illusions that I could win the overall championship. I feel like I have the capability to play well against these guys. I don’t always live up to it but I always believe that I can do it and sometimes it actually works out.”

The U.S. Poker Open Championship Standings are now as follows.

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