Antony Vidmer Wins Card Player Poker Tour bestbet Jacksonville Main Event

In his own words, Antony Vidmer went on a heater at the right time. He began the final table of the Card Player Poker Tour bestbet Jacksonville $1,500 no-limit hold’em $300,000 guarantee main event as the second shortest stack in play.

Six and a half hours later, Vidmer, who wrote and directed High Roller: the Stu Ungar Story, ended the night as the latest edition to the CPPT list of champions and an $83,838 pay-day. He also earned 600 Card Player Player of the Year points.

“This isn’t my biggest payday, but it is the biggest tournament I’ve won,” Vidmer said. “I’ve won a few other tournaments but they are usually Omaha-eight. I like playing those tournaments.”

The 390-entrant tournament came down to Vidmer, Sean Rean and Heng Zhang and after the elimination of former runner-up TK Miles, the three agreed to an ICM chop. Rean took home $82,826 and Zhang left with $69,252.

“I had a great time,” Vidmer said of the bestbet main event. “Great staff, a great place to play poker, all the guys were great.”

Collin Wilson was the first elimination of the day. Miles opened to 65,000 from middle position and Collin Wilson shoved for about 400,000 from the button with AK. Miles tabled JJ and Wilson lost the race after a 96473 board.

Wilson received $10,792 for his ninth place finish.

After Wilson, Darryll Fish was knocked out in eighth for $14,630.

Rean raised the button and Darryll Fish shoved from the big blind. Rean called with AQ and Fish was all in for his tournament life holding K10. Fish was eliminated after a board of 883A9

Several hours passed before Michael McDonald was eliminated as the seventh place finisher for a $18,287 payday.

McDonald shoved for his last 80,000 from under the gun and Antony Vidmer called from under the gun+1. Miles called from the big blind and the dealer fanned Q52. Vidmer and Miles checked it down and the board completed 108.

McDonald showed KQ for a pair of queens, Vidmer showed 85 for two pair and Miles took the pot with 86 for a Queen-high flush.

Next to go was Willie Lawrence.

Rean raised to 175,000 from under the gun and Willie Lawrence moved all in for his last 115,000 from the cutoff. Zhang called from the small blind and Vidmer called from the big blind.

The dealer moved the chips for the side pot and Zhang checked in the dark. The three players checked down a board of 97329 and all hands were tabled.

Lawrence showed K8, Rean tabled AJ, Vidmer opened 53 and Zhang showed 66 for the winning hand.

Lawrence took home $21,945.

Down to his last 55,000 with the blinds at 40,000-80,000 and a 10,000 ante, Lawrence Paden moved his meager stack to the center from the cutoff.

Miles limped for 80,000 from the button, Zhang followed from the small blind and Vidmer checked his option from the big blind.

All three players checked after a 963 flop and again after a jack fell on the turn. The river was a queen and Miles fired out a bet of 100,000. Zhang and Vidmer folded and the hands were tabled. Paden held A7 and was bested by Miles’ Q9. Paden received $27,945 for his fifth place finish.

Miles, who has finished 16th or better in this event three years in a row was eliminated in fourth.

He chopped heads-up with Harvey Vandeven in 2013 for $76,598 and finished 16th in 2014 for $3,150, making him the third player in the tour’s three-year history to cash in three consecutive main events at the same card room.

Dustin Fox has finished in the money three years in a row at CPPT Atlantis in Reno, Nevada and Gary Luther has done the same at CPPT Choctaw in Durant, Oklahoma.

Miles open-shipped all in for 740,000 from the small blind and Zhang called from the big blind.

Miles showed Q2 and Zhang opened K6. Miles spiked a Queen on a Q97 flop and held after the A opened on the turn. The K on the river sent Miles to the rail.

Miles added $36,575 to his CPPT winnings.

Final Table Results: