Justin Bonomo Extends All-Time Leaderboard Gap with $25k PCA High Roller Takedown

Justin Bonomo extended his position at the top of the all-time tournament moneywinner leaderboard by taking down the PokerStars Caribbean $25k High Roller for a $574,529 score that pushes him to almost $60million in lifetime cashes.

For some reason this $25k more than any other event on the PCA High Roller schedule caught the imagination of the players, Bonomo just one of 140 entries producing a $3,361,400 prizepool.

With 20 paid spots, the first order of play was to dodge the bubble and find a cash, easier said than done in a field stacked with the world’s best players.

Stephen Chidwick, Ben Heath, Michael Addamo, Fedor Holz and Mike Watson all fell along the way, with the bubble bursting when Tauan Naves fell in a three-way pot.

Back for day two with $43,050 sewn up, Dan Shak and Timothy Adams departed quickly, while Daniel Dvoress had to settle for 10th spot when he ran into Bonomo...

Dvoress: 6♠ 6 ♦
Bonomo: Q♠ Q♦

Board: 10♣ K♣ J♦ 8♦ 7♦

Bonomo commented after the event on some of the new names and faces to appear, stating: “It was a great field. I’m used to playing these high-roller tournaments against a lot of the best players in the world, a lot of the same people over and over. So it’s definitely exciting when I get to play with new people, people I don’t recognize.”

Among those were Mario Mosboeck who finished 6th for $169,800 but prefers to be an “unknown player” in the Hendon Mob results page, and Carlos Chadha, who occasionally throws a WSOP High Roller event into his usual midstakes mix.

Chadha busted out in 4th spot for his biggest career cash to date, this time Haxton with the bigger pocket pair...

Chadha: 8♠ 8♦
Haxton: 9♥ 9♣

Board: Q♣ K♣ 4♥ 4♦ 2♥

The three hugely experienced pros left, Bonomo, Ferreira and Haxton, decided to ICM chop the $1.6million, with Bonomo later explaining to PokerNews: “Isaac and I go way back. I think he’s one of the best players in the world, possibly the greatest poker mind in the world. And Rui is a tough player as well.”

Final results

Bonomo told reporters after his win: “Just like any other tournament, you have to play your best, you have to get lucky, catch the right cards at the right time. Just a combination of things coming together, really.”

His win takes him to within one good score of $60million in lifetime career earnings, now more than $2million clear of second-placed Bryn Kenney and close to $10million ahead of Daniel Negreanu in third spot.

All-time tournament moneywinners top 5