Dan Smith Wins WPT Five Diamond WPC $100k Super High Roller For $1,404,000

It took a concerted effort by a Dan Smith and Daniel Negreanu tag-team to deny another German super high-roller victory at the WPT Five Diamond series held in the Bellagio in Vegas yesterday, the New Jersey pro edging out the Canadian for the title and $1,404,000 after Stefan Schillhabel had launched an amazing comeback.

There were 39 entries to the relatively media-free event, each putting up the $100,000 to battle it out for a $3.9million prizefund at the casino which was the scene of an armed robbery just days ago, Doyle Brunson among those in the poker room at the time…

…his tweet met with humour and warnings in equal measure…

To Vegas regulars, however, there is very little which can stop a big-money game or tournament, and the chips were back in action almost immediately, Daniel Negreanu hoping to cash in on the work he promised to do after losing a series of side-bets to the ‘new generation’ of super high rollers at September’s Poker Masters series.

It was Schillhabel who, if you’ll pardon the phrase, played the role of cockroach at the final table – down to just 4BB at one stage yet somehow climbing back to 35BB as the opening tweet shows, but the cooler hand which finally sent him to the rails was a thing of rarity, Negreanu describing the action…

With just Smith and Negreanu left to duke it out, with the New Jersey man who already boasted over $17million in tournament earnings hoping to spot opportunities at the poker table slightly better than at chess – an old love of his – although it’s not an easy position (I solved it quickly though ;) )

Having disposed of the likes of Ike Haxton, Bryn Kenney and Sergio Aida between them, Negreanu may have fancied his chances going into the heads-up battle, but it wasn’t to be, the Canadian poker star tweeting the end when it arrived…

…although with a 2nd spot and $936,000 in his pocket the celebrations could still begin…

…and his bosses seemed pretty pleased with the result too…

Dan Smith, in taking the first prize, lifted himself above the $19million mark and cemented his place in the top 20 all-time earners – a list which Negreanu himself tops with over $35million!

Final table results: