
Day 1 Of The $25,000 Super High Roller Ends With Ivan Zhang Leading The Field

The Lord Poker Tournament $25,000 Super High Roller has currently 6 out of 14 entries remaining with the prize pool sitting at $350,000, but late registration will still be open until the start of Day 2 tomorrow at 13:00 local.
Ivan Zhang - back to back high roller runner-up at the KPC Jeju last November - started level 9 with 271,000 in chips and spun it up to 1,066,000 (133 BB) in the last 90 minutes with his usual aggressive play, adding 21BBs last minute by pressuring two opponents out of a multi raised pot on the turn.

Quan Zhou - fresh from a $1,193,000 cash for 2nd place at the $25,000 Triton Super High Roller Event #3 here in Jeju just over two months ago - already had a big stack when we started live coverage, chipping up slightly in the last level to finish the day in second with 743,000 (93 BB).

Dominik Nitsche - four-time bracelet winner with over $20M in live earnings to his name - came in third with 526,000 (66 BB) after a roller coaster finish to the day.
The game will resume tomorrow at 13:00 with late registration still open until the cards start flying. SMP Live Updates will cover the action until a champion is crowned.
Seat Draw
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
LY Lei Yu | 159,000(20 BB) | 2 | 2 |
QZ Quan Zhou | 743,000(93 BB) | 2 | 3 |
AB Amichai Barer | 79,000(10 BB) | 2 | 4 |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 1,066,000(133 BB) | 2 | 5 |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 526,000(66 BB) | 2 | 6 |
GT Gary Thompson | 227,000(28 BB) | 2 | 8 |
Chip Count
Player | Chips |
---|---|
IZ Ivan Zhang | 1,066,000(133 BB) |
QZ Quan Zhou | 743,000(93 BB) |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 526,000(66 BB) |
GT Gary Thompson | 227,000(28 BB) |
LY Lei Yu | 159,000(20 BB) |
AB Amichai Barer | 79,000(10 BB) |
Ivan Zhang Gets To Seven-Figures On The Buzzer

Gary Thompson opens 16,000 and takes both blinds to the flop 2♥ J♣ K♦ where he continues for 18,000, small blind Ivan Zhang check-raises to 56,000, Ami Barer gets out of the way and Thompson pays up. On the turn T♦ Zhang is back to a check, Thompson slides 70,000 over the line, but lets it go after Zhang jammed his humongous stack.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
IZ Ivan Zhang | 1,066,000(133 BB) |
GT Gary Thompson | 227,000(28 BB) |
AB Amichai Barer | 83,000(10 BB) |
New Entry Yisha Chen Knocked Out In The First Hand

Under the gun Dominik Nitsche leads 16,000 and snaps after hijack Yisha Chen put her pristine 200,000 starting stack in the middle.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
DN Dominik Nitsche | A♠A♣ UTG | 619,000(77 BB) |
YC Yisha Chen | T♥T♣ HJ | busted |
Ivan Zhang's Heater Continues

With a min-raise and a flat in front, small blind Ivan Zhang squeezes 64,000 and takes both opponents to the flop J♥ J♠ 5♣ where Zhang fires a 130,000 c-bet. Under the gun Nitsche is the only taker, but folds after Zhang jammed the T♠ turn.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
IZ Ivan Zhang | 719,000(90 BB) |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 493,000(62 BB) |
116,000(15 BB) |
Level 10: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000
45 minutesChip Counts Going Into Level 10
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
QZ Quan Zhou | 588,000(98 BB) | 4 | 1 |
184,000(31 BB) | 4 | 2 | |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 473,000(79 BB) | 4 | 3 |
AB Amichai Barer | 185,000(31 BB) | 4 | 4 |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 760,000(127 BB) | 4 | 5 |
GT Gary Thompson | 316,000(53 BB) | 4 | 6 |
LY Lei Yu | 151,000(25 BB) | 4 | 8 |
Ivan Zhang Bounces Back
Ivan Zhang opens 12,000 from the hijack and takes two customers to the flop K♠ K♣ 6♦ where Zhang's 18,000 c-bet gets called by big blind Lei Yu alone. Zhang fires another 65,000 on the turn 9♠ with Yu calling again before the river 8♦ gets checked down and Zhang tables the winner K♦ 7♦ against Yu's A♠ 6♣ .
Player | Chips |
---|---|
IZ Ivan Zhang | 473,000(79 BB) |
LY Lei Yu | 222,000(37 BB) |
Ami Barer Doubles Up

With a min-raise from Ivan Zhang in front, button Ami Barer declares all-in for 87,000 and Zhang fills up.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
IZ Ivan Zhang | A♦Q♦ CO | 357,000(60 BB) |
AB Amichai Barer | K♠Q♠ D | 189,000(32 BB) |
Everything is looking peachy for Zhang on 5♥ T♠ 6♠ 9♣ before turning pear shaped on the river J♦ , giving Barer a straight to double up.
Charles Chao Eliminated

First to act Dominik Nitsche makes it 12,000 and calls after hijack Charles Chao wagered his last 61,000.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
DN Dominik Nitsche | A♥8♥ UTG | 633,000(106 BB) |
8♠9♥ HJ | busted |
Nitsche Adds Some More
Dominik Nitsche is back with an 18,000 raise from +1, cutoff Charles Chao increases to 40,000 and calls after Nitsche four-bet to 100,000. Nitsche continues for 85,000 on the 4♠ 8♥ Q♦ flop which is enough to make Chao fold.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
DN Dominik Nitsche | 557,000(93 BB) |
67,000(11 BB) |
Dominik Nitsche Versus Two

Hijack Dominik Nitsche opens 13,000 and finds to takers to share the 5♦ Q♠ 9♣ flop with which gets checked to the 9♠ turn. Big blind Quan Zhou leads 28,000, Nitsche calls and button Charles Chao - who just entered the field - pumps it to 75,000 with the aid of a time bank. Zhou folds and Nitsche fills up again for the board to complete 6♠ . Both players check and Chao throws it in the muck after watching Nitsche table A♦ Q♦ top pair.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
QZ Quan Zhou | 606,000(101 BB) |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 442,000(74 BB) |
167,000(28 BB) |
Ivan Zhang Scoops Again
After limping from the button, Ivan Zhang calls small blind Ami Barer's 28,000 raise to lay eyes on the J♦ A♠ Q♠ flop. Ami continues for 11,000 and fills up when Ivan made it 33,000. The turn K♥ gets checked to the river J♠ where Ami folds to Ivan's jam.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
IZ Ivan Zhang | 469,000(78 BB) |
AB Amichai Barer | 103,000(17 BB) |
Ivan Zhang Hits 400K

With a limp and an 8,500 raise in front, cutoff Dominik Nitsche squeezes 30,000 and only Zhang in +1 sticks around for the flop Q♣ 6♥ 8♣ . Both players check to reveal the 3♠ turn where Zhang lays out 55,000 and shows A♦ A♣ after Nitsche threw it in the muck.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
QZ Quan Zhou | 664,000(111 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 413,000(69 BB) |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 277,000(46 BB) |
Lei Yu Chips Up

Cutoff Ami Barer leads 13,000 and big blind Lei Yu defends to see the flop K♣ J♠ K♠ where Barer's 11,000 c-bet finds a call before the A♦ turn and T♠ river are checked down with Yu's J♣ 9♣ coming out on top.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
LY Lei Yu | 374,000(62 BB) |
AB Amichai Barer | 184,000(31 BB) |
Level 9: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000
45 minutesChip Counts Going Into Level 9 With Six Players Remaining
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
QZ Quan Zhou | 644,000(129 BB) | 4 | 1 |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 271,000(54 BB) | 4 | 3 |
AB Amichai Barer | 208,000(42 BB) | 4 | 4 |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 371,000(74 BB) | 4 | 5 |
GT Gary Thompson | 315,000(63 BB) | 4 | 6 |
LY Lei Yu | 347,000(69 BB) | 4 | 8 |
SHR Main Event 3rd Place Marius Gierse Is Out


With a limp and a 38,000 raise in front, big blind Marius Gierse declares all-in for 146,500 and small blind Quan Zhou snaps.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
DN Dominik Nitsche | HJ | 366,000(73 BB) |
QZ Quan Zhou | A♠K♥ SB | 644,500(129 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | Q♠J♠ BB | busted |
Dominik Nitsche Takes On The Chip Leader

Cutoff Dominik Nitsche wants 10,000 and big blind Quan Zhou obliges before the A♣ T♦ 4♥ flop gets checked to the Q♥ turn. Nitsche's delayed c-bet of 40,000 is met and the board completes 2♠ . Facing another 100,000 from Nitsche, Zhou needs a time bank before letting it go.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
QZ Quan Zhou | 488,000(98 BB) |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 371,000(74 BB) |
Ami Barer Recovers

Marius Gierse opens 11,000 from +1 and takes three interested parties to the 8♣ Q♥ 3♣ flop where he continues for 11,000, Ivan Zhang ups it to 30,000 from the hijack, but cutoff Ami Barer has the last word with a 150,000 jam.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
LY Lei Yu | 312,000(62 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 286,000(57 BB) |
AB Amichai Barer | 241,500(48 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 151,500(30 BB) |
February's Triton $25k Runner-Up Quan Zhou Still In The Lead
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
QZ Quan Zhou | 573,000(115 BB) | 4 | 1 |
MG Marius Gierse | 173,000(35 BB) | 4 | 2 |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 346,000(69 BB) | 4 | 3 |
AB Amichai Barer | 126,000(25 BB) | 4 | 4 |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 292,000(58 BB) | 4 | 5 |
GT Gary Thompson | 348,000(70 BB) | 4 | 6 |
LY Lei Yu | 335,000(67 BB) | 4 | 8 |
Ivan Zhang Gets Value From A Set

First to act Ami Barer raises to 11,000 and big blind Ivan Zhang defends for the Q♥ A♠ 9♥ flop to drop. Barer continues for 12,500, Zhang pays up and the 3♥ turn gets checked to the T♦ river. Taking over the reins with a 37,000 lead holding 9♠ 9♦ , Zhang scoops the pot after Barer calls and mucks.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
IZ Ivan Zhang | 346,000(69 BB) |
AB Amichai Barer | 126,000(25 BB) |
Marius Gierse Versus Two

Yu Lei's 10,000 raise from the cutoff takes both blinds to the river 4♥ T♣ 6♣ 3♠ A♣ before small blind Marius Gierse is the first to bet again for 35,000 and scoops his second pot in a row.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
LY Lei Yu | 371,000(74 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 272,000(54 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 175,000(35 BB) |
Level 8: 2,500 / 5,000 ante: 5,000
45 minutesGary Thompson Adds Some

Under the gun Lei Yu rets the ball rolling for 8,000 and big blind Gary Thomson defends to see the flop Q♠ 4♠ 3♥ . Yu continues for 8,000 and pays up after Thompson check-raised to 25,000. Thompson fires another 37,000 on the 6♣ turn that gets met before his 129,000 on the river T♥ goes unanswered. Both players needed a time bank before making their decisions on the river.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
LY Lei Yu | 381,000(95 BB) |
GT Gary Thompson | 313,000(78 BB) |
2017 One Drop Champ Dominik Nitsche Bounces Back

First to act Dominik Nitsche makes it 8,000 and takes two customers to the flop 4♥ 6♦ K♠ where his 10,000 c-bet gets called by both opponents before the A♥ turn hits the felt. Another 30,000 gets the job done for him.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
QZ Quan Zhou | 603,500(151 BB) |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 280,000(70 BB) |
AB Amichai Barer | 171,000(43 BB) |
May's RDPT Prestige High Roller Champ Lei Yu Chips Up

Dominik Nitsche opens 8,000 from +1 and fills up after cutoff Lei Yu pumped it to 23,000. Nitsche check-calls a 17,000 c-bet on the flop J♣ 7♠ 4♠ before both players decide to check it down to the river A♣ and Q♣ where Yu's A♥ K♥ prevails over Nitsche's 9♥ 9♠ .
Player | Chips |
---|---|
LY Lei Yu | 283,000(71 BB) |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 237,000(59 BB) |
AAPoker Ambassador Quan Zhou Leads The Field

Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
QZ Quan Zhou | 652,000(163 BB) | 4 | 1 |
MG Marius Gierse | 202,000(51 BB) | 4 | 2 |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 203,000(51 BB) | 4 | 3 |
AB Amichai Barer | 211,000(53 BB) | 4 | 4 |
DN Dominik Nitsche | 168,000(42 BB) | 4 | 5 |
GT Gary Thompson | 298,000(75 BB) | 4 | 6 |
LY Lei Yu | 324,000(81 BB) | 4 | 8 |