Dan Smith Does One Better

Last night, Dan Smith entered the first ARIA $25K High Roller final table of 2017 with a sizable chip lead. While he wasn’t able to parlay that advantage into a victory, he did take home a sizable $295,000 score thanks to a heads up deal with Cary Katz. Tonight, Smith returned to another $25K High Roller final table but he was in a much different position. This time, he was hovering near the chip average nine-handed but that didn’t matter by the end of the night, as Smith slowly but surely worked his way up and then finished on top.

Smith is no stranger to the High Roller arena or the winner’s circle, as he has victories from across the globe. He also notched a career best score this summer, winning just over $3,000,000 for a runner-up finish in the $111,111 Big One for One Drop at the WSOP. Smith recorded one other podium finish this summer, in the $25,000 Pot Limit Omaha High Roller, and through the first domestic High Roller series of 2017, Smith has matched that podium number.

The high stakes professional made waves at the end of last year, raising over $1,700,000 for charities through the month of December. When Poker Central caught up with Smith to discuss that initiative earlier this year, Smith said, “I wanted to go big.”

With two big scores in the opening ARIA High Roller series already under his belt, Smith is clearly carrying that mantra into 2017. Smith will go for a High Roller trifecta tomorrow, when the $50,000 Super High Roller ends the weekend slate.

Poker Central will be there to bring you all the ARIA action, starting at 2 PM. Until then, relive today’s final table with the updates below. Thanks for following and we’ll see you tomorrow. 

1:35am: Heads up deal reached, Dan Smith takes ARIA $25K High Roller title
Level 19 Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 5,000)

After the elimination of Jason Koon, there wasn’t another hand of poker played. Dan Smith and Scott Seiver, pictured, immediately began discussing a potential deal and after running some numbers, the two high stakes professionals came to a decision. In total, there was $570,240 up for grabs and after some deliberation, they agreed to a chop of the prize pool that earned both players sizable scores for their one-day ARIA High Roller efforts.

Since he held the chip lead, Dan Smith will take the title and $337,608. Scott Seiver will take home $232,632 and the silver medal.

A full tournament recap and winner’s story will be posted shortly.

1:24am: Jason Koon eliminated in 3rd place ($120,960)
Level 19 Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 5,000)

While Jason Koon got one double, he couldn’t get a second to get himself back into contention. He shoved his short stack, weighing in at 390,000, from the small blind and Dan Smith called with a monster. He tabled Q♦Q♠ and Koon was in trouble with J♥10♣.

The board ran out clean for the pocket pair and when the dust settled, Koon was heading to the rail in 3rd place. He’ll make $120,960 for his ARIA High Roller run and Dan Smith will now take 3,000,000 of 3,600,000 total chips into heads up play with Scott Seiver.

Dan Smith – 3,000,000
Jason Koon – Eliminated in 3rd place ($120,960)

1:07am: Jason Koon goes down, then up
Level 19 Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 5,000)

Jason Koon went on a rollercoaster ride through the last few minutes of Level 18. A few hands after David Peters was eliminated, Scott Seiver and Jason Koon got all-in pre flop, with Seiver holding 8♥8♣ on the button and Koon holding 3♠3♥ in the small blind. Seiver was the effective stack, with 470,000 and after the J♥J♠5♥5♣6♣ runout, he was doubling up to just shy of seven-figures.

Koon was left with 300,000, which equated to just ten big blinds once the level jumped. A few minutes later, Koon scored a much needed double, calling from the big blind when Scott Seiver shoved from the small. Koon held Q♣10♥ to 10♠9♦ and doubled his 215,000 chip stack on the 10♣6♣2♣5♦8♦ runout. That hand moved both Seiver and Koon near the 15 big blind mark, while Dan Smith continues to boss the final table with a massive chip lead.

Jason Koon – 480,000
Scott Seiver – 630,000

12:40am: David Peters eliminated in 4th place ($77,760)
Level 18 Blinds 10,000/25,000 (ante 5,000)

After getting cut down by Dan Smith, David Peters lost a few other pots to drop down near the 350,000 chip mark. Peters hovered near that threshold for the better part of Level 18 but midway through the period, Smith finished what he started. The table folded to Peters, who was in the small blind, and he moved all-in for 355,000. Smith checked his cards and then called, leaving Peters drawing to just three outs with K♥4♠ to the big stack’s K♣9♣.

While Peters flopped a pair, Smith slammed the door shut on the turn, riding the 10♥4♦3♦9♠6♣ runout to score another knockout. Peters will make just shy of $78,000 for his 4th place finish and we are now three-handed at the ARIA $25K High Roller final table. Dan Smith holds a sizable chip lead, with over 1,800,000 and Jason Koon is second in chips, with 900,000. Scott Seiver is the low man, with 600,000.

Dan Smith – 1,850,000
David Peters – Eliminated in 4th place ($77,760)

12:21am: Timothy Adams eliminated in 5th place ($51,840)
Level 17 Blinds 10,000/25,000 (ante 3,000)

David Peters just had a chance to score a double knockout and take a massive chip lead but instead, Dan Smith hit a three-outer to not only move to the top of the leaderboard but also send Timothy Adams out in 5th place. Action was picked up with Smith moving all-in from under the gun for 507,000 and after some thought, Adams called all-in for less as the next player to act.

Jason Koon asked for a count of both player’s stacks and Adams had just over 340,000 in front of him. Eventually, Koon folded and then David Peters, who was in the big blind, snap called. Koon let out a sigh of relief and Timothy Adams did the same, as he saw that Peters and he had the same hand. Peters tabled Q♦Q♣, Adams did the same with Q♠Q♥ and Smith needed his A♣J♠ to hit.

It did, as the board ran out A♠7♠3♣K♥7♣ to win him a massive pot. He’s now playing the better part of 1,400,000, which is good for the chip lead four-handed. Adams will make just under $52,000 for his ARIA High Roller run.

Dan Smith – 1,380,000
David Peters – 610,000
Timothy Adams – Eliminated in 5th place ($51,840)

12:09am: Peters picks off Adams
Level 17 Blinds 10,000/25,000 (ante 3,000)

 After another period of relatively slow play, a massive hand played out between Timothy Adams and David Peters that has sent Peters back to the top of the leaderboard. The hand was picked up on a board of K♥J♠6♣2♣, with David Peters check-calling 140,000 from the blinds. The A♦ completed the board and Peters immediately checked to his in-position opponent. After a few moments, Adams pushed five stacks of blue 5,000 value chips across the line, for a total of 500,000. It was more than enough to put Peters all-in, as he just had 330,000 in front of him.

Facing a decision for his tournament life, Peters took close to two minutes to come to a decision but when he did, it was the right one. Peters flicked a chip across the line for a call and he saw Adams table 10♦9♣ for a busted straight draw. Peters then turned over K♣7♥ and his pair was good enough to win the pot.

When the dust settled, Peters was behind close to 1,100,000, while Adams was cut below the chip average for the first time in recent memory.

David Peters – 1,080,000
Timothy Adams – 410,000

11:56pm: Sean Winter eliminated in 6th place ($43,200)
Level 16 Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000)

The last few updates make it seem like Sean Winter is the only player involved in any of the action and, quiet frankly, he has been. Unfortunately for the Florida native, Winter’s run just came to a brutal end in 6th place, as his pocket kings were cracked by David Peters.

That hand was picked up with Peters opening in late position and after some folds, Winter three-bet shoved for 145,000 from the big blind. Peters quickly called and tabled A♠J♠ but he needed to hit to score the knockout, as Winter woke up with a monster. The short stack turned over K♦K♣ but after the A♦Q♣7♦ flop, he picked up his pocket pair in disgust. The 8♣ fell on the turn and the board paired on the river with the 8♠, leaving Winter to play a little game of “What If…”, as he talked about what he would have done if he had 600,000 to start the hand.

Alas, he didn’t and he hit the rail as the first player eliminated in the money. Sean Winter will make $43,000 for his final table run and David Peters is now playing close to 700,000.

David Peters – 680,000
Sean Winter – Eliminated in 6th place ($43,200)

11:40pm: Winter warms up, Koon cools him off
Level 16 Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000)

Sean Winter came back from break in the danger zone and after doubling, he finds himself back down below ten big blinds after playing a pot against Jason Koon. Winter’s double was picked up pre flop, with the short stack moving all-in for 128,000 from early position. The table folded to Dan Smith, who was in the big blind and after a few moments of thought, Smith called.

His 9♦8♣ was behind Winter’s A♣7♣ and he couldn’t connect on the K♦Q♣4♦J♠J♦ flop. Winter doubled, to close to 280,000 but then a few hands later, he was cut down again. That hand was picked up pre flop, with Jason Koon opening to 50,000 from the hijack. Timothy Adams called in the small blind and Winter defended his big to see the 10♥7♦4♥ flop. All three players checked and Adams checked for a second time after the 8♥ fell on the turn.

Winter then took the betting lead, pushing out 55,000 and after Koon called, Adams folded to allow the river to be contested heads up. The J♥ completed the board and Winter checked, with Koon quickly announcing himself “all-in”. Winter seemed to know that move was coming and he clapped his hands together before cutting down his 165,000 chip stack.

He then made a motion at his Time Extension plaques, signaling that he was probably going to use one. He did but after 90 seconds, he eventually folded and conceded the pot to Koon. Winter asked to see what Koon had but he couldn’t convince his opponent to show, instead being forced to watch Jason Koon stack up close to 900,000.

Jason Koon – 890,000
Sean Winter – 165,000
Dan Smith – 440,000

11:25pm: Adams nears 1,000,000, leads after break
Level 16 Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000)

After a quick break, the remaining six players have returned and are ready to resume play with Level 16. The blinds have made another jump, to 10,000/20,000 and that is bad news for new short stack Sean Winter. After eliminating Daniel Colman on the bubble, Winter has lost back-to-back all-ins to leave him with under ten big blinds. The players who he doubled, are now sitting, comfortably, in the top two spots.

Timothy Adams is just under seven-figures and Jason Koon is working close to 800,000. There rest of the field is hovering near the 25 big blind mark. A complete update of the counts is provided below:

1. Timothy Adams – 935,000
2. Sean Winter – 130,000
3. Scott Seiver – 640,000
4. Jason Koon – 785,000
5. David Peters – 490,000
6. Dan Smith – 540,000

11:10pm: Winter ships another, Adams leaves him short
Level 15 Blinds 7,000/15,000 (ante 2,000)

The action hasn’t slowed heading towards the end of Level 15. Another pre flop all-in encounter played out between Timothy Adams and Sean Winter, with Winter on the wrong side of the deck for the second time in quick succession. Exact action was missed but it appeared that Adams opened the small blind, Winter three-bet and then Adams four-bet shoved for 466,000.

Winter called and was behind by one again, holding A♥J♣ to Adams’ A♦Q♦. After the K♣8♦6♦K♦6♠ runout, Adams scored the double with his turned flush and when the dust settled, Winter was left with just a handful of big blinds. Adams on the other hand is now flying high, as he’s over 900,000, which looks to be good for the chip lead heading into the next 10-minute break.

A complete list of chip counts will be posted shortly.

10:53pm: Koon doubles through Winter
Level 15 Blinds 7,000/15,000 (ante 2,000)

On the very next hand, after Dan Smith and Scott Seiver collided, Sean Winter tried to score another knockout. This time, he was up against Jason Koon, who moved all-in from early position for 231,000. The table folded to Winter, who got a count and then called from the blinds.

Winter held A♠10♠ and he needed to hit one of three immediate outs to send Koon and his A♣J♠ to the rail. The K♥Q♠Q♣ flop gave both players broadway draws and after the 6♠ fell on the turn, Winter picked up additional outs to a flush. They didn’t come in though, as the 8♥ completed the board and confirmed Koon’s double.

After bubbling yesterday’s $25K High Roller, Jason Koon is now in the money and back up near the half-million, with Winter sitting near that threshold as well.

Jason Koon – 490,000
Sean Winter – 530,000

10:53pm: Colman bubbles, Smith/Seiver clash
Level 15 Blinds 7,000/15,000 (ante 2,000)

When there are slow periods of tournament play, they are often followed by fast periods and that is exactly what just played out through the first few minutes of Level 15. The first hand of that fast portion of play, saw the ARIA $25K High Roller bubble burst, with Daniel Colman falling victim in 7th place. Action was picked up pre flop, with Sean Winter opening in late position and after a fold, Colman shoved from the small blind for 340,000.

Winter had a similar stack but he didn’t need to think, as he quickly called with A♠A♣. Colman held K♥Q♥ and he couldn’t connect on the flop, turn or river, meaning he was eliminated on the bubble. Just because the remaining field was in the money, didn’t mean that they were going to slow down though. Almost immediately after Colman bubbled, Dan Smith and chip leader Scott Seiver got involved in a sizable pot that brought Seiver back near the rest of the pack.

That hand was picked up on the turn of Q♦8♥3♣Q♣, with Smith betting from the blinds and Seiver calling from late position. The A♠ completed the board and after some thought, Smith pushed out 225,000. He had just 115,000 behind, so he was more or less committing himself to the hand and after a quick trip to the tank, Seiver threw a chip across the line for a call.

He was then showed the bad news, as Smith tabled K♥Q♠, which was good to win the pot. When the dust settled, Seiver was back down near 700,000 and Smith was suddenly contending for the chip lead with a similarly sized stack.

Dan Smith – 660,000
Scott Seiver – 695,000
Sean Winter – 645,000
Daniel Colman – Eliminated

10:41pm: Slow going on bubble, Seiver trending towards seven-figures
Level 14 Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 2,000)

It’s been a relatively slow last half hour, with the majority of hands failing to make it past the flop. Those that do, are relatively small but in a few minutes, the blinds and antes will increase, to 7,000/15,000, which could drive some more action. As it stands, Scott Seiver still holds the chip lead and he’s now trending towards 1,000,000.

On the other end of the spectrum, Jason Koon is the short stack and he’ll have just under 20 big blinds when the blinds jump. A complete list of the remaining player’s chip counts and their final table seating assignments are listed below:

1. Timothy Adams – 435,000
2. Sean Winter – 410,000
3. Scott Seiver – 935,000
4. Daniel Colman – 330,000
5. Jason Koon – 2470,000
6. David Peters – 680,000
7. Dan Smith – 390,000

10:20pm: Seiver sends Shak out, final table on the bubble
Level 13 Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

After almost a full level of non-reportable hands, another flip played out at the final table to send Dan Shak to the rail in 8th place. Pre flop action was missed but Shak and Seiver got into a raising war that eventually got Shak’s final 300,000 in the middle. Shak held A♦K♣ and Seiver held 10♥10♠, meaning he had to hold to score the knockout. He did, as the board ran out clean for the pocket pair, J♠J♦6♠9♠5♥.

When the dust settled, Seiver stacked up the better part of 800,000, which is good for the ARIA $25K High Roller final table chip lead on the immediate bubble. Six of the remaining seven players will cash and while there are a few players under the chip average, no one is anywhere near the danger zone. That should create an interesting dynamic on the bubble, as the remaining seven players are all competing for at least a $43,000 min-cash.

Scott Seiver – 830,000
Dan Shak – Eliminated 

10:06pm: Peters takes battle of the blinds
Level 13 Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

The majority of hands through the first half of Level 13 have been small and contested pre flop. Midway through the level though, Jason Koon and David Peters, in a battle of the blinds, took it to the river in a sizable pot. Action was picked up with Koon calling from the small blind and Peters checking his option in the big.

Koon led the Q♥8♥5♦ flop, with Peters quickly calling to see the 7♥ complete a potential flush draw on the turn. Koon checked and after taking his full 30-second time allotment, Peters bet 45,000. It was then Koon’s turn to go into the tank and he eventually called to see the 4♦ put four-to-a-straight on board.

He checked for a second time and Peters let the clock run down again, before betting 75,000. Koon re-checked his cards and in the dying seconds of his 30-second allotment, he cut out chips for a call, only to be shown 6♠5♠.

Peters had rivered a straight and judging by Koon’s quick reaction after the hand, he was good until the river. The loss dropped Koon below the chip average and also restored Peters to an over 700,000 chip stack.

David Peters – 745,000
Jason Koon – 330,000

9:45pm: Back from break, same as we left them
Level 13 Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

 Save for Timothy Adams’ movement up the leaderboard, the rest of the players at the final table entered the post-Level 12 break with similar stacks to what we reported twenty minutes ago. As it stands, we are still two players from the money heading into the next period and even though the big blind will now

cost 10,000, everyone at the final table is very well stacked.

That means that today’s final table should look play very differently from last night’s as the bubble was filled with tactical short stack play. With the chip average currently playing 45 big blinds, this final table is much deeper and that should create for some interesting action over the next few levels.

9:33pm: Negreanu busts, Adams ascends
Level 12 Blinds 4,000/8,000 (ante 1,000)

Almost immediately after play restarted, short stack Daniel Negreanu, pictured, was eliminated in 9th place, with Timothy Adams sending the short stack to the rail. A few hands later, Adams shot near the top of the leaderboard, thanks to a double up through chip leader David Peters.

Action was picked up with Daniel Colman opening to 17,000 from early position and after a fold, Peters three-bet to 51,000. Adams then inspected the action in front of him and then four-bet shoved from the cutoff. The table folded back around to Colman, who asked for a count. Adams had 246,000 and while Colman had close to double that amount, he eventually passed on the opportunity to score another, quick final table knockout.

David Peters tried though, as he took a quick inventory of his stack and then called, before tabling A♦K♣. Adams turned over Q♥Q♠, meaning the race was on. The board ran out jack-high, 6♥5♥4♦J♣4♠ and as Peters was cutting out the necessary chips to pay off the double, Colman admitted he folded “ace-queen”.

When the dust settled, Timothy Adams was stacking up over a half-million for the first time tonight and despite the hit, David Peters is still over the chip average.

Timothy Adams – 530,000
David Peters – 560,000

9:21pm: David Peters leads ARIA $25K High Roller final table
Level 12 Blinds 4,000/8,000 (ante 1,000)

 Just like yesterday, Poker Central’s coverage of the ARIA $25K High Roller is going to pick up at the final table. Similar to yesterday’s session, just because players have navigated their way to the final table, doesn’t mean they’ve hit pay dirt just yet. Today, 36 players came together to form another sizable High Roller field but only six of those players will get a piece of a nearly $900,000 prize pool.

While Dan Smith, who chopped yesterday’s $25K High Roller with Cary Katz, returns to the final table but he’s not pacing the field tonight. That honor sits with reigning GPI Player of the Year, David Peters. He will enter nine-handed play with 735,000, which is close to double the chip average. While Smith held a sizable advantage last night, Scott Seiver is within touching distance of Peters.

Seiver is playing 625,000 and Daniel Colman is the only other player over the chip average, with just shy of a half-million. Jason Koon is also making his second trip to a ARIA High Roller final table but he was unable to cash last night.

A complete list of the remaining player’s chip counts and their final table seating assignments are listed below:

1. Timothy Adams – 195,000
2. Sean Winter – 325,000
3. Scott Seiver – 625,000
4. Daniel Negreanu – 120,000
5. Dan Shak – 310,000
6. Daniel Colman – 490,000
7. Jason Koon – 240,000
8. David Peters – 735,000
9. Dan Smith – 380,000

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

1. $362,880
2. $207,360
3. $120,960
4. $77,760
5. $51,840
6. $43,200

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