James Seaton Wins Lodge Winter Championship Poker Main Event

James “Archibald” Seaton won the main event at the Lodge Winter Championship Series hosted by the Lodge Card Club on March 3 in Austin. That was good for a top payday worth $250,706 along with the tournament trophy. The poker player from the United Kingdom can now boast total career earnings of over $571,000 thanks to this recent victory secured in Texas.

The $3,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament drew a field of 418 entries across seven starting flights, surpassing the $1 million guarantee thanks to grow the final prize pool to $1,139,050. The top 45 players all scored a min-cash of at least $6,265 on the path to the final table. Day 2 saw the money-bubble burst, and by the end of play the field was narrowed to just nine contenders.

It’s time for the LCS Main Event Final Table with $250,706 up top at @LodgePokerATX!

Chip counts and payouts below

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— Lodge Card Club (@LodgePokerClub) March 3, 2025

When the final day of play began Seaton sat at the top of the chip counts. One of the most accomplished players at the final table was also the first to fall, with World Series of Poker bracelet winner Alex Keating exiting in ninth place. The next player to exit was Joshua Yoon in eighth, and after that it was Peter Park who hit the rail in seventh. Seaton continued to stay out of the way from the elimination hands – as Jason Hickey busted in sixth, and then Anze Smajd took his leave in fifth – but after that he began to pick up steam on his way to victory.

Seaton scored his first knockout punch by eliminating World Poker Tour champion Darryll Fish in fourth place. Fish was all in preflop with pocket jacks, but Seaton looked him up with A-K and a king found it’s way to the board on the turn to send Fish out of the tournament.

The Englishman held the chip lead when three-handed play began, and by the time it ended he had a stranglehold on the lead. Chun Kit was all in short with Q-J in the hole, and Seaton had the lead the whole way with K-2 suited that improved to a nut flush by the time the dust settled.

Heads-up play began with Seaton holding a nearly 7:1 chip advantage over Jake White. Seaton kicked off the final hand by raising to 350,000 on the button with K10. White defended his big blind holding 98, and the flop fell AK9. White check-called a bet of 225,000, and the K rolled off on the turn.

White check-called again, this time to the tune of 1,100,000. The river brought the 3 and White checked again. Seaton moved all in and White went into the tank as he mulled the decision for his tournament life. He eventually made the call and Seaton revealed his winning trip kings. White was awarded $160,606 for the runner-up finish. The Floridian poker player now has more than $386,000 in total winnings.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

Photo Credit: Lodge Card Club