Aido the Unbeliever Wins UKIPT High Roller

Sergio Aido won the €2,200 buy-in UKIPT Galway High Roller at the weekend after making a hero call during the heads-up climax of the event against Kyle Maguire

The affable Spaniard added the UKIPT Galway High Roller title to the WPT Barcelona and UKIPT London titles he has collected within the last year after an astonishing conclusion to the event. Having started the final day third in chips behind Christopher Day and Kyle Maguire, Aido stormed into the chip lead within two levels after taking a massive pot from Day and eliminating Jan Przysucha in fifth (Q♠ Q♥ > K♥ 10♣).

Maguire – who had already chipped up by busting Niall Farrel in sixth (Q♥ Q♣ > 10♦ 10♣) – gave chase, and finished the job against Christopher Day – sending the overnight chip leader to the rail with 10♦ 10♠ > 9♦ 9♠ – before eliminating FTP ambassador Dermot Blain in third (2♠ 2♣ > A♦ K♠) to take a 410,000-v- 310,000 chip advantage into the heads-up against Aido.

The Hero Call of Hero Calls

With blinds of 2,500/5,000, the game could have gone on for a while, but an incredible hand as the two sat down to battle out the climax of the UKIPT Galway High Roller gave Aido a huge chip advantage – and a considerable psychological one as well!

Maguire opened to 12,000 from the button and Aido raised him to 27,000 chips. Maguire made the call and the two players saw the flop of 2♠ 4♥ 7♦. Aido put out an 18,000 continuation bet, which Maguire raised to 38,000 and which Aido called.

Aido check-called Maguire´s 47,000 bet following the 8♥ on the turn, but after the 2♣ on the river, Maguire announced he was all-in. Aido thought about his decision for several moments before calling off his last 215,000 chips.

Maguire turned over Q♣ 10♥ for nothing better than Queen-high, while Aido turned over A♦ K♥ – having won the decisive hand of the heads-up with nothing better than Ace-high.

All Over for Maguire in Next Hand

Reduced to 19 Big Blinds, Kyle Maguire stated “I play better with a short stack”. However, his decision to call Sergio Aido´s (2♣ 2♠) shove in the next hand with K♥ 6♥} proved to be the wrong decision as the board ran out 8♣ J♠ Q♥ / 3♠ / A♦ to give Aido the UKIPT Galway High Rollers title and first prize of €24,450.

Speaking in an interview after the game had finished, Aido was asked about the hero call that had set up his victory and simply said “I just didn´t believe him”. Aido then jumped into the UKIPT Main Event, looking to add a fourth major title to his live poker portfolio with the space of twelve months.

UKIPT Galway High Rollers Result

Footnote: Due to so many potential entrants still being involved in the UKIPT Galway Main Event on Saturday, the €10,300 buy-in UKIPT Super High Rollers event was cancelled.