A cagey start

  • Level: 18
  • Small Blind: 3K
  • Big Blind: 6K
  • Ante: 1K
  • Chip Average: 186.7K
  • Remaining: 9
  • Entries: 56


  • The High Roller has been going for half of a level already and so far most of the hands have been “raise and take it” affairs with a couple of “raise-three bet-take it” hands and just two flops in the first 15 or so hands. C-bets won both of those.

    High Roller Final Table

  • Level: 18
  • Small Blind: 3K
  • Big Blind: 6K
  • Ante: 1K
  • Chip Average: 186.7K
  • Remaining: 9
  • Entries: 56


  • Cards are in the air on the final table of the High Roller event!. It’s a pretty stacked final table with Canadian, US and global stars still competing for a share of the $543,200 prize pool.

    Unfortunately for a few of the players, three of the 9 who will start today will not get paid – the prize pool is only to be divided among the top 6 players.

    Here’s a look at the players still in the field:

    Govert Metaal (NL), Seat 1, 214,000

    • GPI 153
    • $1.4M lifetime live earnings
    • 11th on Netherlands all time money list
    • Now based in the US

    Matt Marafioti (CA), Seat 2, 125,000

    • GPI 196
    • $2M lifetime live earnings
    • 23rd on Canada’s all time money list

    Connor Drinan (US), Seat 3, 217,000

    • GPI 135
    • $1M lifetime live earnings

    Pratyush Buddiga (US), Seat 4, 232,000

    • GPI 158
    • $1.1M lifetime live earnings

    Timothy Reilly (US), Seat 5, 130,000

    • GPI 131
    • $500K lifetime live earnings

    Martin Jacobson (SE), Seat 6, 351,500

    • GPI 86
    • $4M lifetime earnings
    • 2nd on Sweden’s all-time money list

    Mark Radoja (CA), Seat 7, 63,000

    • GPI 92
    • $1.7 lifetime earnings
    • 34th on Canada’s all time money list

    Michael Watson (CA), Seat 8, 106,000

    • GPI 7
    • $6.7M lifetime earnings
    • 4th on Canada’s all time money list

    Gregory Marcus (US), Seat 9 236,500

    • $100K in lifetime earnings
    • Many tournament results in poker rooms in Florida

    Event 11: Seating Draw and Chip Counts

    Event 11 – the $10,000 + $400 No Limit Hold’em High Roller event in the Playground Poker Fall Classic wrapped up last night after 8 gruelling levels of poker with just 9 players remaining who will come together today for the final table at 1pm.

    Here’s how the remaining players will be seated to start this afternoon.

    First Name Last Name Seat Chip Count
    Connor Drinan Table 53 – Seat 3 217,000
    Govert Metaal Table 53 – Seat 1 214,000
    Gregory Marcus Table 53 – Seat 9 236,500
    Mark Radoja Table 53 – Seat 7 63,000
    Matt Marafioti Table 53 – Seat 2 125,000
    Michael Watson Table 53 – Seat 8 106,000
    Martin Jacobson Table 53 – Seat 6 351,500
    Pratyush Buddiga Table 53 – Seat 4 232,000
    Timothy Reilly Table 53 – Seat 5 130,000

    Another high roller update

    The High Roller tournament has been progressing slowly – as you’d expect from a high-buy-in tournament with an all-star field – but they’re down to 10 players and we have some chip counts. Note that as this is an 8-handed tournament, the final table will start at 9 (not at 10, which is the rule for 9-handed tournaments). In other words, the tournament is on the final table bubble at the moment. The final table bubble is NOT the pay bubble – only 6 players will be paid in this event, so THAT bubble is still a ways off.

    First Name Last Name Seat Chip Count
    Patrick Timothy Table 50 – Seat 1 105,000
    Per Martin Jacobson Table 50 – Seat 2 235,000
    Michael Watson Table 50 – Seat 3 120,000
    Govert Jan Antonius Table 50 – Seat 4 185,000
    Pratyush Buddiga Table 50 – Seat 8 264,000
    Amer Sulaiman Table 53 – Seat 1 70,000
    Connor Joseph Drinan Table 53 – Seat 3 205,000
    Gregory Marcus Table 53 – Seat 4 115,000
    Mark Radoja Table 53 – Seat 6 97,000
    Matt Marafioti Table 53 – Seat 8 120,000

    Counts at the Break

  • Level: 11
  • Small Blind: 600
  • Big Blind: 1.2K
  • Ante: 200
  • Chip Average: 70K
  • Remaining: 24
  • Entries: 56


  • The High Roller event is on a break and we found the top few stacks while the players were away from the tables.

    1. Govert Jan Antonius – 192K
    2. Amer Sulaiman – 160K
    3. Christian Harder – 130K
    4. Gregory Marcus – 120K

    In addition there are several players hovering around the 100K mark.

    High Roller Photos

    Here are some photos from some of the players in Day 2 of the Fall Classic High Roller Event:

    High Roller Update

  • Level: 10
  • Small Blind: 500
  • Big Blind: 1K
  • Ante: 100
  • Chip Average: 67.2K
  • Remaining: 25
  • Entries: 56


  • The High Rollers are rolling right along – in the action so far 5 players have been eliminated and there will be a full redraw after the next player is eliminated.

    The players who are out so far today:

    • Alexander Wong
    • Jesse Yaginuma
    • Michael Jones
    • James Calderaro
    • John Gordon

    High Rollers start Day 2

  • Level: 9
  • Small Blind: 400
  • Big Blind: 800
  • Ante: 100
  • Chip Average: 56K
  • Remaining: 30
  • Entries: 56


  • The remaining 30 players in the High Roller event have taken their seats and the clock has started in level 9. This is an 8-handed tournament so the 30 players are distributed among 4 tables but there will be full redraws at 24 players, 16 players, and 9 players. The schedule today is to play at least 8 levels.

    High Roller Prize Pool

    Finish Prize
    1 $184,688 and the championship belt
    2 $124,936
    3 $81,480
    4 $65,184
    5 $48,888
    6 $38,024

    Event 11: Day 2 Seating Assignments and Counts

    There were 56 total entries in Event 11 – $10,000 + $400 No Limit Hold’em High Roller, and of those initial 56 players, 30 remain. Play will resume at 3pm today. Note: there is a small change to the schedule. Instead of the scheduled 10 levels, play on Day 2 will continue for 8 levels.

    There will be full seating redraws at 24 players, 16 players, and 9 players (final table).

    First Name Last Name Seat Chip Count
    Alexander Wong Table 50 – Seat 4 32,375
    Amer Sulaiman Table 50 – Seat 5 193,425
    Chanracy Khun Table 52 – Seat 1 48,825
    Christian Harder Table 52 – Seat 6 71,450
    Connor Joseph Drinan Table 50 – Seat 2 10,400
    Derek Bessette Table 49 – Seat 4 29,300
    Eugene Katchelov Table 49 – Seat 1 45,075
    Govert Jan Antonius Table 53 – Seat 4 136,725
    Grayson Ramage Table 52 – Seat 3 44,975
    Gregory Marcus Table 50 – Seat 6 91,900
    James Calderaro Table 52 – Seat 5 73,800
    Jesse Yaginuma Table 53 – Seat 5 64,700
    John Gordon Table 52 – Seat 7 22,300
    John Krpan Table 52 – Seat 2 25,000
    Jonathan Driscoll Table 49 – Seat 6 45,675
    Jonathan Roy Table 50 – Seat 7 46,525
    Mark Radoja Table 49 – Seat 5 53,000
    Martin Rauss Table 53 – Seat 2 74,825
    Matt Marafioti Table 53 – Seat 1 41,950
    Michael Watson Table 50 – Seat 3 39,050
    Micheal Jones Table 53 – Seat 7 33,150
    N/A Table 49 – Seat 7 27,600
    Patrick Timothy Table 49 – Seat 2 16,000
    Per Martin Jacobson Table 50 – Seat 8 26,500
    Pratyush Buddiga Table 49 – Seat 3 46,175
    Samuel Greenwood Table 53 – Seat 3 76,500
    Scott Jeremy Clements Table 52 – Seat 4 31,225
    Shannon Shorr Table 53 – Seat 6 39,900
    Shayam Srinivasan Table 49 – Seat 8 137,250
    Yann Dion Table 50 – Seat 1 55,375