Four Different Winners: But Who Leads the 2024 PGT Super High Roller Series?

The stunning backdrop of sandy beaches and glittering waves set the scene this week for the first four PokerGO Tour Super High Roller Series events in Northern Cyprus. Only one player has run deep on two occasions, so do they lead the way or is one of the trophy takers top of the pile at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel & Spa?

Quan Zhou Wins Event #2 for $316,000

Chinese player Quan Zhou banked $316,000 after defeating British pro Lewis Spencer heads up for the title in the second event of the series. The final day began with seven but only paid six of the 39 player field. British player Ben Heath started as chip leader but that soon changed, although Aram Zobian was the ‘Bubble Boy’, falling when his queen-ten lost to Felipe Ketzer’s jack-eight.

Next to go was Jeremy Ausmus, who min-cashed for $62,000 when his ace-queen couldn’t hit against the pocket tens of Ren Lin. The Chinese player was rising, but Brazilian Ketzer went in the opposite direction. Losing to Quan Zhou after doubling up Lewis Spencer, Ketzer cashed for $83,000 as four players, two each from China and the United Kingdom, remained.

Lewis Spencer was behind with queens to Lin’s kings but flopped a queen to survive, and it was Spencer’s fellow British player Ben Heath who busted, going from chip leader to the rail inside four places at the final table. All-in with queen-jack, Heath lost to Quan Zhou’s ace-three when both an ace and a three came on the flop, sending Heath home with $116,500.

Quan Zhou knocked out his compatriot Lin when top pair was too good for a busted Broadway draw. Lin’s exit in third for $158,000 sent play to the final battle where Zhou had a marginal lead. All-in with pocket sixes, Spencer couldn’t hold against Zhou’s ace-deuce as an ace on the flop saw Spencer take home the $220,000 runner-up and Zhou claim the $316,000 top prize.

Maher Nouia wins Event #3 for $333,000

The third event ended with victory for Tunisian player Maher Nouira, who beat Spanish professional Adrian Mateos heads-up for the title. With 41 entries, the final seven players assembled to play down to a winner in the 6-Max No Limit Hold’em Event #3, with Ren Lin the player to bubble on this occasion.

German player Samuel Ju busted inside the money places, min-cashing for $65,000 when eight-five suited fell to Jamil Wakil’s king-jack and he was followed from the felt by Canadian player Daniel Dvoress. He shoved with queen-jack and lost to Maher Nouira, as the eventual winner began his ascent to the summit. Bulgarian player Yulian Bogdanov moved all-in soon afterwards with ace-five but ran into Nouira’s pocket queens and busted for $122,000.

Canadian player Wakil busted in third place for $166,000 when king-eight lost to Nouira’s jack-four and that meant Nouira began the heads-up duel with a strong 6:1 chip lead. Spanish player Mateos hasn’t become one of the best players in the world without coming back from behind and initially, the ‘Matador’ looked to have skewered another victory, almost levelling up right away.

Nouira was undaunted, though, and showed his own nous to call off Mateos’ bluff with a straight, claiming the win and top prize of $333,000 as Mateos banked $231,000 in second place.

Masashi Oya wins Event #4 for $535,000

Masashi Oya claimed victory in Event #4 for $535,000 after defeating Jeremy Ausmus heads-up after a thrilling final table. Just five were paid in the $50,000 buy-in event with 30 total entries at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel & Spa. Six players took three hours to reduce to five as Masashi Oya bullied his way to a monstrous chip lead, eventually seeing Danilo Velasevic depart as Bubble Boy.

After both Jeremy Ausmus and Matthias Eibinger both doubled back into contention, Canadian player Sorel Mizzi cashed in his first PGT event of 2024, losing with queen-ten to Oya’s queen-jack to cash for $87,500. Austrian player Eibinger won $122,000 in fourth place when he too was dominated to defeat by Oya’s king-queen when queen-jack couldn’t improve its lot.

Three-handed, Adrian Mateos lost out for $166,000, leading to Oya starting the heads-up battle with a huge 5:1 chip lead over Jeremy Ausmus. The American doubled up from 12 big blinds to 24 quickly ad took the lead momentarily. Sadly for him, he hero-called with bottom pair but was incorrect, Oya’s top pair shining through to switch momentum again.

When Ausmus’ pocket kings los to Oya’s flopped two pair a short while later, Ausmus banked $231,000 as runner-up, while Oya took the $535,000 top prize and the trophy. Adrian Mateos currently has the overall PGT Super High Roller Series lead after two big results… but it’s anyone’s game with six events to come.