Live Reporter
Ottomar Ladva’s BSOP Super High Roller Series had been nothing short of brutal.
First came a crushing heads-up defeat in the $30,000 Super High Roller, where he surrendered a massive chip lead to Martin Kabrhel. Then came the soft bubble in the $50,000 Super High Roller. For some players, that combination is enough to call it a week.
Ladva chose the opposite approach.
Jumping immediately into the next available tournament — the $20,000 One-Day Super High Roller — the Estonian chess grandmaster put in a marathon session that stretched deep into the early morning. When the dust settled, he stood alone as champion, topping a 58-entry field to claim the trophy and a $321,000 payday after a heads-up deal with Rodrigo Selouan.
$20,000 One-Day Super High Roller Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ottomar Ladva | Estonia | $321,000* |
| 2 | Rodrigo Selouan | Brazil | $251,000* |
| 3 | Carlos Serrano | Colombia | $155,000 |
| 4 | Alisson Piekazewicz | Brazil | $118,000 |
| 5 | Affif Prado | Brazil | $91,000 |
| 6 | Rafael Mota | Brazil | $71,000 |
| 7 | Ivan Luca | Argentina | $57,000 |
| 8 | Allan Mello | Brazil | $44,000 |
*indicates heads-up deal
Ladva is no stranger to success in high-pressure, strategic environments. The 28-year-old poker convert is a chess Grandmaster who, at just 13, became the youngest ever winner of the Estonian Chess Championship—an event he would go on to win three more times.
He has since shifted his focus from the chessboard to the poker table, transferring those skills with remarkable success. According to The Hendon Mob, he has amassed more than $3 million USD in lifetime earnings – a figure that sees him sit second on Estonia’s all-time money list.
A regular presence on the high-stakes circuit, Ladva already boasts multiple $25k victories and continues to cement his status as one of poker’s rising stars.
Winner’s Reaction
Speaking after the victory, Ladva didn’t sugarcoat the grind.
“Yeah, I’m super tired, but also happy. The day started pretty badly. I bubbled the $50k, so I jumped right into this and ended up playing fifteen hours. But the result is pretty good.”
Despite the heartbreak in the $30K SHR, Ladva refused to frame this win as redemption.
“I don’t think about it like that. I ran pretty badly heads up, and that’s poker. It happens.”
His perspective is shaped not only by experience at the tables but also by the unique foundation he brings from another discipline. As a chess grandmaster competing in elite poker fields, he sees a clear connection between the two games, advising that his discipline from playing chess carries over, which is an invaluable asset in poker.
Final Table Recap
The final table began with nine players but only eight spots paid. The bubble burst almost immediately as Fabiano Kovalski became the lone finalist to leave empty-handed.
Eliminations followed steadily. Allan Mello fell with ace-queen, then Ivan Luca’s run ended when his ace-five suited ran into Ladva’s kings.
From there, Ladva found his rhythm. He doubled through Rafael Mota with pocket queens, then finished him off a few hands later. Affif Prado was next out, followed by start-of-day chip leader Alisson Piekazewicz.
Carlos Serrano had enjoyed stretches as chip leader but couldn’t survive the final few levels, losing a flip to bow out in third.
By the time Ladva and Selouan reached heads-up, fatigue had fully set in. Under tournament rules, at least 10 percent of the prize pool had to remain in play, so the pair struck a deal and flipped for the rest. Ladva’s four-two offsuit paired to beat jack-ten and secure the title.
Live Reporter