The 2025 Japanese Poker Open $1,650 Excessive Curler started with 86 entrants, and on Saturday, the ultimate desk of 9 returned to compete for a share of a $129,000 prize pool.
Jordan Fishman, a retired professor who’s well-known in native poker circles, started the ultimate desk because the chip chief, and whereas he didn’t go wire to wire, he nonetheless managed to shut it out after a three-hour heads-up marathon in opposition to poker professional Steven Tabb.
Fishman was cheered on by his girlfriend, Linda Swears, whom he met on the Japanese Poker Tour. They’ve recognized one another for 15 years however grew to become a pair two years in the past. It’s round that point that each of their poker video games began to enhance dramatically.
“She had a extra conservative fashion, and I used to be extra aggressive. We meshed our video games collectively,” stated Fishman, a retired professor who now travels with Linda to play poker. “With out her, it wouldn’t be as a lot enjoyable.”
Fishman continued: “That is the most effective poker I’ve ever performed. I’m able to deal with something. That is by far my greatest poker accomplishment.”
2025 Japanese Poker Open Excessive Curler Outcomes
| Place | Participant | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jordan Fishman | $45,000 |
| 2 | Steven Tabb | $27,000 |
| 3 | Ron Scott | $15,500 |
| 4 | Dennis O’Hare | $10,500 |
| 5 | Adam Johnson | $8,400 |
| 6 | Justin Carey | $7,100 |
| 7 | Brian Haughey | $6,400 |
| 8 | Mike LaMontagne | $5,200 |
| 9 | Linval Gentles | $3,900 |
It marked a brand new career-high rating for Fishman, who had $112,564 in profession earnings previous to the win, in response to The Hendon Mob. That included a previous career-best $13,589 for ending as runner-up within the 2018 Bar Poker Open Championship. Extra just lately, Fishman completed third in February’s Gate Metropolis Winter Open $350 No-Restrict Maintain’em for $10,850.
Ultimate Desk Motion
One of many larger storylines coming into the ultimate day was the truth that final 12 months’s runner-up, Justin Carey, and champ, Brian Haughey, have been each in competition. Sadly for them, there could be no rematch, as each bowed out pretty early.
In Degree 19 (20,000/40,000/40,000), Mike LaMontagne moved all in for his final 95,000 from early place and Ron Scott jammed excessive for 795,000 from the cutoff. Haughey then known as off for 215,000 from the small blind and all three fingers have been turned up.
Mike LaMontagne: Q♠Q♥
Brian Haughey: 7♦7♣
Ron Scott: A♣Ok♠
Scott had an opportunity at a double knockout and the 5♠Ok♦5♥ flop paired his king to present him the lead. Neither the 5♣ flip nor 8♥ river modified a factor and Scott scored the double elimination.
Within the subsequent stage, Carey three-bet jammed from the small blind with ace-nine solely to run into the 2 purple jacks of Scott within the massive. The pocket pair held and Carey noticed his run come to an finish in sixth place.
From there, Adam Johnson, Dennis O’Hare, and Scott all hit the rail to depart Fishman and Tabb to battle heads-up in what turned out to be a marathon affair. Fishman started with an enormous chip lead, however Tabb doubled and ultimately pulled out in entrance. That set off three hours of back-and-forth play that noticed the duo take turns within the driver’s seat.
Because the blinds escalated, each hand proved extra impactful, and ultimately, Fishman secured a double into the lead earlier than delivering the knockout blow when his ace-eight held in opposition to Tabb’s jack-ten.
“You measure your self in opposition to higher gamers,” Fishman stated of Tabb, “and this was a good way to measure myself. He’s a troublesome participant and performed a fantastic match.”
The Japanese Poker Open Championship
Whereas the $1,650 Excessive Curler is finished, there’s nonetheless yet one more day left within the 2025 Japanese Poker Open. The invite-only $34,000 Championship – a match that helps native charities, with a portion of the proceeds going to causes locally – noticed the highest 16 gamers from Day 1 advance to Day 2.
On Sunday, April 6, the ultimate spherical will likely be televised, and the highest 16 gamers will likely be joined by Month-to-month Championship winners, Regional Winners, and Wild Card Spots from the “Open” Charity Tournaments.
PokerNews will likely be there to stay report all of the motion, so be sure you be a part of us then.
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