Tom Marchese Breaks In Esports Arena Las Vegas, Wins WPT Bellagio High Roller for $432,000

A known closer in the high roller scene, Tom Marchese entered the WPT Bellagio High Roller final table with the chip lead and closed out a tough final table to win the $432,000 first-place prize, a luxurious Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Titanium watch, and a custom trophy.

“No matter what $25K it is, it’s always amazing to win one,” Marchese said. “Especially a tournament like this where’s the so much media coverage and a good amount of prestige around it.”

Marchese waded through a field of 54 entrants to take a dominating advantage into the hiatus between May 5 and May 25’s final table. The break between the end of May 5’s Day 2 was to set up for the brand new Esports Arena Las Vegas at Luxor Hotel and Casino.

With so much experience on his side, Marchese was a favorite coming into the final table and he proved his reputation to be true.

WPT Bellagio High Roller Final Table Results

1st: Tom Marchese – $432,000
2nd: Aaron Ogus – $283,500
3rd: Sam Soverel – $189,000
4th: David Peters – $135,000
5th: Jake Schindler – $108,000
6th: Rainer Kempe – $81,000

Five of the six players at the WPT Bellagio High Roller final table were familiar with the $25,000 buy-in. In fact, Sam Soverel, David Peters, Jake Schindler, and Rainer Kempe have all played in the $300,000 Super High Roller Bowl.

However, it was the relative unknown Aaron Ogus who zoomed past the competition to pose the biggest threat to Marchese and steal the show for much of the action.

Both Kempe and Schindler departed early in the final table. Peters started the final table second in chips, but busted in fourth place.

Marchese held the and with the board reading , Peters called all in with the to bust.

“David is a super tough player,” Marchese said about Peters. “He’s the person I was most worried about. I was really fortunate in that we got in a setup hand where I was in the small blind with aces. I three-bet him and he had king-queen. I decided to check the king-high flop and I was fortunate I got a really clean runout where he’d never be able to find a fold.”

Marchese used that chip lead to increase his edge until Ogus temporarily took control. Ogus doubled up versus Marchese when his straight caught a Marchese bluff with the on a  board. Soverel departed in third place at the hands of Ogus and the lone non-pro at the final table went into heads-up with the lead.

The endgame knowledge possessed by Marchese paid dividends during this stage of the tournament. Marchese gradually chipped up against Ogus and then struck the final blow with pocket aces to win the tournament.

Marchese was unsure about how to proceed against Ogus’ play and used a patient approach to claim victory.

“I was least familiar with Aaron,” Marchese told WPT.com. “I tried to take it slow because the more you play with somebody, the better reads you’re going to have and be able to adjust against them. I took it slow and once again, was on the right side of the cards.”

The win is the second for Marchese in a WPT high roller tournament. In Season X, he won the WPT World Championship $100,000 Super High Roller at Bellagio.

The WPT Bellagio High Roller final table was the first to be filmed at Esports Arena Las Vegas and Marchese came away amazed by the venue.

“It’s amazing setup at the arena,” Marchese said. “It’s great for poker, seeing it expand like this and having a new place to play.”

Next up for Marchese is the Super High Roller Bowl on May 27. Given his success at Las Vegas in high roller events, another win may soon be in the cards for Marchese.

Photography by Joe Giron / PokerPhotoArchive.com

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