Cedric Schwaederle Wins Record-Breaking Merit Poker High Roller

After three powerful, gruelling days of poker contained in the Crystal Cove Lodge and On line casino, the record-breaking $5,300 Excessive Curler has topped a winner right here on the 2025 Advantage Poker Dolce Vita Collection. France’s Cedric Schwaederle got here out on prime of the sphere of 318 entries, the most important ever recorded for a Advantage Poker Excessive Curler.

Schwaederle took dwelling the title and a career-best rating of $310,000, defeating Mauritania’s Mohamed El-Wely in a heads-up match that lasted over two full ranges. Schwaederle maintained the chip lead all through heads-up play, ultimately closing out the victory with out ever relinquishing his lead.

Remaining Desk Outcomes

Winner’s Response

Contemporary off his victory, Schwaederle spoke to PokerNews about the way it feels to stroll away with a career-best $310,000 and the record-breaking Excessive Curler title.

“It feels actually good,” Schwaederle mentioned, smiling. “I’ve had numerous shut calls earlier than and that is my greatest rating, so it’s fairly nice.”

The highway to victory was something however clean. Schwaederle’s chip stack fluctuated all through the ultimate desk, and at one level, he was down to only over ten large blinds. However reasonably than panic, he remained targeted and located the proper spots when it mattered most.

“In the midst of the ultimate desk, I didn’t have a lot expectation as a result of I used to be short-stacked,” he defined. “That makes the win even higher. While you’re the shortest stack and find yourself successful, it’s simply wonderful.”

When requested about his general expertise on the Advantage Poker Dolce Vita Collection, Schwaederle had nothing however reward for the resort and its ambiance.

“The amenities are excellent. I’m going to the health club, all of the employees are pleasant,” he mentioned. “I’m right here with my spouse and he or she likes it too. She goes to the seaside, the pool, and we will spend time collectively. Thanks, it’s wonderful right here.”

Remaining Day’s Motion

When the ultimate day of the $5,300 Excessive Curler started, 43 gamers returned with their eyes on the $310,000 prime prize and a min-cash of $9,500 secured for the ultimate 41. As soon as Grzegorz Kozieja fell on the bubble, eliminations got here shortly. Schwaederle wasted no time climbing the ranks, scoring three knockouts earlier than the ultimate desk, together with the elimination of start-of-day chip chief Jakub Michalak, whose ace-jack couldn’t maintain in opposition to Schwaederle’s five-four.

At the beginning of the ultimate desk, Schwaederle, El-Wely, and Aren Bezhanyan have been nearly tied on the prime, separated by lower than a small blind. Schwaederle vaulted into the chip lead by knocking out Roman Pshyk in ninth with pocket jacks, however he quickly misplaced momentum after a check-raise from Xuming Qi in a three-bet pot value him nearly half of his stack.

Schwaederle spent a lot of the center levels nursing a shorter stack, however a double-up with ace-queen suited in opposition to Salah Assi gave him new life. He regained the chip lead four-handed after El-Wely check-jammed third pair into Schwaederle’s prime pair and flush draw. A couple of fingers later, Schwaederle despatched Qi to the rail with ace-king and now held over half the chips in play.

With three left, Schwaederle utilized some ICM strain, as El-Wely and Bezhanyan have been neck and neck, and seemingly battling for second place. El-Wely ultimately obtained the higher of that change, eliminating Bezhanyan in third with ace-nine in opposition to queen-eight.

Heads-Up Battle

Schwaederle started heads-up play with simply over a 2:1 chip lead. El-Wely chipped away on the deficit by successful numerous the small limped pots. Nevertheless, Schwaederle halted the comeback by spiking fifth pair on the river to win the pot in opposition to El-Wely’s combo-draw. From that time on, El-Wely’s stack continued to dwindle, and Schwaederle edged nearer to the title.

Down to only 4 large blinds, El-Wely moved all in with queen-trey and was referred to as by Schwaederle holding ten-eight. Two tens on the flop sealed it, and moments later, Schwaederle was topped the $5,300 Excessive Curler champion on the 2025 Advantage Poker Dolce Vita Collection, gathering the largest rating of his profession.