Elio Fox Wins $50k SHRPO Super High Roller for $500k

The 2018 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open took place in Florida from August 2-14, and featured 26 events with a combined guaranteed prize pool of $11 million. Commanding the biggest buy-in was its $50k Super High Roller No-Limit Hold’em event, which following two days of action was eventually won by Elio Fox, who triumphed over its small but tough field of 25 players to capture a first place prize of $500,000.

Golden Year

New York City native Elio Fox is enjoying a golden year even by his high standards, and has now won five tournament titles in 2018 so far. In 2011, the accomplished pro won the WSOP Europe Main Event for €1.4 million ($1,927,660), and this May doubled down on his bracelet tally after doing likewise in Las Vegas at the $10k No Limit Hold’em Super Turbo Bounty event for $393,693.

The following month, he also made a deep run at the WSOP $100k No Limit Hold’em High Roller event, eventually losing out to Nick Petrangelo to claim a runner-up prize worth $1,798,658. Fox subsequently captured three tournament titles in July, including taking down the Aria 10K-01 for $136,800; the Aria $26k High Roller for $361,000; and the $25k WPT Gardens Poker Festival for $225,000.

Following his latest victory, Fox now boasts $7,174,017 in lifetime earnings, of which $3,825,919 has been won in 2018 alone, making it by far his best year to date.

$50k Super High Roller

The $50k Super High Roller event featured a $1 million guaranteed prize pool, which was ultimately surpassed by almost a quarter of a million dollars after 25 players entered the competition. Just five players would see a return on their buy-ins, though, with Bryn Kenney becoming the unfortunate bubble boy after three-bet shoving his 14bb stack holding pocket nines into the pocket queens of Giuseppe Iadisernia.

He was followed out the door by Chris Hunichen (5th), who Dan Shak had reduced to a short stack before taking his remaining chips holding pocket jacks to his opponent’s fives. Next, Shak (Q-8) eliminated Ali Imsirovic (A-J) in 4th after the latter shoved all-in on an A-Q-Q flop, at which point the final three took an overnight break with Shak and Fox roughly on 64bbs each, and Iadisernia a way behind on 37bbs.

When play resumed, Iadisernia then saw his stack dwindle to under 20bbss, and eventually was compelled to move all-in preflop holding K-10, inducing a call from Shak with A-7. The board subsequently rolled out 6-4-2-3-8 to send the Venezuelan player to the rail in 3rd, leaving Fox and Shak to duke it out for the title.

Elio Fox vs Dan Shak

Fox started heads-up at a slight 1.15m to 1.35m chip disadvantage, but soon managed to pull ahead by the time the deciding hand was played. Shak (Jh-3s) check-raised all-in on a Kc-Kd-Js-10h board, but unfortunately for him Fox (Ah-Qh) had already made a straight, leaving no way back for the semi-professional player and hedge fund manager.
Shak collected $305k for his runner-up finish, though, in the process boosting his tournament winnings to $9,837,128, and placing him at number 3 on Pennsylvania’s ‘All Time Money List’, behind Jake Schindler ($20,080,498), and Joe McKeehen ($15,505,287).

Meanwhile, Elio Fox was crowned the champion, and in addition to the money also received 306 POY points. As a result, he now sits at number 19 on the 2018 POY Leader Boards on 3,296 points, having won five of the eight final tables he has reached this year. Currently leading the way is UK player Stephen Chidwick (7,258) followed by Justin Bonomo, with both players having made 19 final tables each this year, although Chidwick has claimed 4 titles to Bonomo’s 10.

Final Table Results

1: Elio Fox $500,000
2: Dan Shak $305,000
3: Giuseppe Iadisernia $190,000
4: Ali Imsirovic $130,000
5: Chris Hunichen $100,000