Only 149 players remain in the $10,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event of the 2023 World Series of Poker, out of a record-breaking 10,043 entries. The ultimate goal is to win the championship bracelet and the top prize of $12,100,000, which will be awarded in less than a week.

Leading the pack going into day 6 is Zachary Hall from Wilbraham, Massachusetts, with a chip count of 16,310,000. Zachary Hall played a significant role in the early career of vlogger Ethan ‘Rampage Poker’ Yau, who has since become a successful poker player, winning a WSOP bracelet, a World Poker Tour high roller event, and a Mid-States Poker Tour championship.

Three other players also ended day 5 with more than ten million chips: Bryan Obregon (12,295,000), Liran Betito (11,140,000), and Andrew Hulme (11,065,000).

Among the remaining players, several well-known figures have a shot at the title. This includes Tony Dunst, a bracelet winner and World Poker Tour champion (8,285,000), John Racener, a bracelet winner and the 2010 WSOP main event runner-up (7,670,000), Raj Vohra, a bracelet winner (7,650,000), Ryan Tosoc, a WPT champion and bracelet winner (7,625,000), Masato Yokosawa, a popular Japanese poker vlogger (6,740,000), Jan-Peter Jachtmann, a bracelet winner (6,375,000), Maurice Hawkins, a 15-time WSOP Circuit ring winner (6,145,000), Amit Makhija (6,045,000), and Daniel Weinman, a two-time WPT champion and bracelet winner (5,340,000).

Even Nate Silver, the founder of FiveThirtyEight and a former professional poker player, remains in the competition with a chip count of 2,130,000. In 2021, he came close to winning a bracelet, finishing as the runner-up in the $10,000 limit hold’em championship and earning $151,842.

It is worth noting that both the winners of the previous events who made it to day 5 were eliminated. Chris Moneymaker, the 2003 main event winner, finished in 403rd place, while Joe Hachem, the 2005 winner, finished in 402nd place.

At the start of day 5, there were 441 players remaining, but by the end of the day, only 149 players remained, meaning that 292 players were eliminated. Among those eliminated were notable players like Jason Koon, Jason Somerville, and Andrew Neeme, as well as football player Richard Seymour.

One of the significant hands of the day resulted in the elimination of Chance Kornuth, a WPT champion and three-time bracelet winner. Despite his previous success this summer, Kornuth couldn’t survive the hand against Nichola Rigby and finished in 301st place ($44,700).

The remaining players will return for day 6 with blinds of 40,000-80,000 and an 80,000 big blind ante. The average stack is 4,044,161 chips, representing 50.5 big blinds. All players still in the competition are guaranteed a minimum payout of $67,700, and the first six-figure paydays will start at 80th place.

WSOP Main Event Top Ten Chip Counts

Once again, Phil Hellmuth has achieved a remarkable feat, further solidifying his position as the leading title holder in the history of the World Series of Poker (WSOP). He emerged victorious in the 2023 WSOP $10,000 no-limit hold’em super turbo bounty event, securing an unprecedented 17th gold bracelet.

With this extraordinary accomplishment, Phil Hellmuth now possesses a staggering seven more bracelets than his closest competitors, including esteemed players such as Phil Ivey, Johnny Chan, and the late Doyle Brunson, all of whom have ten wins each.

In this recent triumph, the 58-year-old Phil Hellmuth triumphed over a field of 642 participants in a lightning-fast tournament that concluded within a single day. Despite the rapid structure, the final hand was not dealt until approximately 5:20 in the morning, resulting in a total duration of over 15 hours.

In addition to the prestigious bracelet, Hellmuth’s victory earned him a substantial prize of $803,818 as the champion of the event. This significant payout now brings his lifetime earnings to an impressive sum of more than $26.4 million. Notably, Hellmuth has accumulated over $17.7 million from his 197 cashes at the WSOP, placing him in third position for the highest earnings in the series’ history, behind only Antonio Esfandiari ($21.9 million) and Daniel Negreanu ($20.9 million).

This particular triumph marked Hellmuth’s 14th hold’em bracelet, with his first coming from his memorable victory in the 1989 WSOP main event. Additionally, Hellmuth triumphed in the WSOP Europe main event in 2012, making him the sole player to have won both of these esteemed titles. He has also secured three non-hold’em bracelets, with one in no-limit deuce-to-seven single draw lowball and two in razz.

For this win, Hellmuth received 2,100 Card Player Player of the Year points. It served as his second title and third final-table finish of the year, as he previously emerged victorious in a U.S. Poker Open event in March and secured fifth place in another tournament of the same series. With a total of 2,755 points, Hellmuth has risen to 35th place in the 2023 POY race standings presented by Global Poker.

Moreover, Hellmuth’s victory propelled him up the rankings of the PokerGO Tour leaderboard. The 804_PGT_ points he accumulated allowed him to claim the sixth-place position in those rankings.

The event rewarded the top 97 finishers with monetary prizes, attracting notable players who made deep runs, including Joe McKeehen, the 2015 WSOP main event champion (77th place), long-time High Stakes Poker host Gabe Kaplan (27th place), Tom Marchese (25th place), World Poker Tour champion Markus Gonsalves, two-time bracelet winner Lawrence Brandt (10th place), and high-stakes tournament regular Brandon Steven (7th place).

Remarkably, Phil Hellmuth was not the only top-ranked player on the bracelet leaderboard to reach the final table. Phil Ivey came agonizingly close to winning his 11th bracelet but was ultimately eliminated in 6th place ($133,461). During six-handed play, Ivey’s KDiamond Suit10Diamond Suit fell to Hellmuth’s AHeart SuitADiamond Suit when the turn failed to improve Ivey’s open-ended straight draw, leading to his elimination shortly before 4:00 AM local time. Ivey’s career tournament earnings now exceed $38.1 million.

Another significant moment occurred when Justin Zaki’s Q-9 defeated Chris Savage’s pocket kings (5th place – $181,230), securing trips and narrowing the field to four players. Subsequently, Tom Kunze eliminated Kelvin Kerber (4th place – $249,876) with K-3, surpassing Kerber’s Q-10 suited.

Kunze found himself all-in with an open-ended straight draw against Hellmuth’s turned top pair. Although Kunze managed to make a pair on the river, it was insufficient to surpass Hellmuth’s kings, resulting in Kunze’s elimination in third place ($349,737).

The heads-up play lasted only one hand. In a pot with a limp, Phil Hellmuth led out on a KClub Suit8Spade Suit4Spade Suit flop with 8Club Suit4Heart Suit. Zaki responded by moving all-in with 7Spade Suit6Spade Suit, holding a gutshot straight flush draw. Hellmuth made the call, and the turn revealed the 4Diamond Suit, granting Phil Hellmuth fours full of eights. Although the river presented the 5Spade Suit, Zaki’s KSpade Suit was not enough to secure a double-up. Consequently, Zaki finished in second place, earning a career-best payday of $496,801. With this result, Zaki’s recorded tournament earnings now approach $4.5 million.

Event #72: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Results

Julio Belluscio emerged victorious in a thrilling three-day battle at the 2023 World Series of Poker’s Event #73: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet. Facing off against Federico Quevedo in an intense heads-up showdown, Julio Belluscio claimed the title at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas venues. The event showcased a captivating mix of big bet variants, attracting a record-breaking field of 377 participants and generating an impressive prize pool of $836,600.

With his hard-fought triumph, Julio Belluscio not only secured his first-ever WSOP bracelet but also earned the prestigious top prize of $190,240. This remarkable victory significantly boosted his previous WSOP earnings total of $90,339, more than doubling his overall winnings from the prestigious series.

In the 2023 World Series of Poker, a $2,500 mixed big bet event took place featuring seven games with pot-limit or no-limit betting structures. The rotation of games included no-limit hold’em, no-limit deuce-to-seven single draw lowball, no-limit five-card draw high, pot-limit Omaha, pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better, pot-limit deuce-to-seven triple draw lowball, and Big O (five-card pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better).

For Julio Belluscio, this win marked his largest tournament payday to date, surpassing the $57,613 he earned in a €1,100 buy-in side event at the 2014 European Poker Tour Barcelona festival. With this triumph, his lifetime earnings have now reached nearly $622,000.

The final day of the event began with 24 players, with Jon Turner, a two-time Card Player Poker Tour main event winner, leading the pack, while Belluscio held a middle position. Unfortunately, Turner was eliminated in 11th place. Several notable players, including bracelet winners Bryce Yockey (22nd), Michael Noori (17th), Michael Savakinas (15th), and Steve Zolotow (9th), also fell short of reaching the final table.

When the final table was set, Belluscio secured the third-largest chip stack, with Benny Glaser, a five-time bracelet winner, in the lead. Anthony Zinno, a three-time World Poker Tour champion and four-time bracelet winner, was the first to be eliminated, finishing in 7th place with a prize of $19,857. Hye Park, who had previously placed sixth in the 2021 WSOP main event, replicated that result in this tournament, earning $27,130.

Erick Lindgren, a two-time bracelet winner, suffered a significant loss in a pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better hand against Federico Quevedo, leaving him with a very short stack. Lindgren ultimately finished in fifth place, taking home $37,901 after being eliminated in a hand of five-card draw high where his pair of fives did not improve against Glaser’s aces and nines.

Glaser eliminated Tomasz Gluszko in 4th place ($54,118), setting up the final three players. However, Glaser’s stack took a hit in a pot-limit triple draw deuce hand, and he eventually succumbed to Belluscio’s full house and superior low in Big O, securing a third-place finish with a prize of $78,939.

Heading into the heads-up play, Julio Belluscio held a significant chip lead and quickly capitalized on it to claim the title. Quevedo, with a short stack, went all-in preflop with A♣8♠6♠6♦4♥ in Big O. Belluscio held A♥K♣Q♥6♣4♣. The board revealed 7♦2♠2♣K♥J♦, granting Belluscio a scoop and leaving Quevedo as the runner-up with a prize of $117,577.

Event #73: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet Final Table Results

On June 18, Chris Brewer achieved a significant milestone in his poker career by winning his first World Series of Poker gold bracelet. He emerged victorious in the $250,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em high roller event, claiming an impressive $5.3 million prize. Just a mere two weeks later, Brewer found himself once again celebrating a triumph. This time, he triumphed over a challenging field of 154 players to secure the title of the 2023 WSOP $10,000 no-limit deuce-to-seven single draw lowball champion. This victory earned him $367,599 in prize money and marked his second bracelet of the summer.

Reflecting on his dual wins, Brewer acknowledged the contrasting nature of the tournaments. He described the first one as a high-stakes event with a $5 million prize pool, highlighting the intense pressure that accompanied it. In contrast, the second victory, although equally meaningful, presented different stakes and a comparatively less intense atmosphere.

Brewer’s success in 2023 has been remarkable. While his WSOP victories count for two titles, he has also triumphed in five other tournaments this year. His exceptional performance has secured him a spot in 14 final tables, amassing a total cash prize of $8,960,186 across various events.

Additionally, Brewer’s triumph earned him 368 PokerGO Tour points, allowing him to surpass Isaac Haxton and claim the lead in the PGT points race for the second half of the year.

The competition Brewer faced in the WSOP $10,000 no-limit deuce-to-seven single draw lowball championship was formidable, with only the top 24 finishers receiving cash prizes. Among those who secured a payout were esteemed players such as six-time bracelet winner Jason Mercier (14th), five-time bracelet winner Eli Elezra (13th), five-time bracelet winner John Monnette (11th), four-time bracelet winner Brad Ruben (10th), bracelet winner and PokerStars Caribbean Adventure main event champion Halen Hall (9th), and the 2013 WSOP main event champion Ryan Riess (8th).

Daniel Negreanu, a renowned player with six bracelets, managed to make it to the final table. He outlasted Young Ko (7th place – $46,356) and three-time bracelet winner Yuri Dzivielevski (6th place – $60,840), only to finish in fifth place when his fixed hand of 9-8-6-4-2 collided with the fixed hand of bracelet winner Alex Livingston, who held an 8-7-6-5-3 combination. Negreanu’s fifth-place finish earned him $81,751 and pushed his total recorded tournament earnings past the $50 million mark, securing him the third position on poker’s all-time money list.

In the later stages of the tournament, two-time bracelet winner Chris Vitch exited in fourth place ($112,402) after losing a hand against David ‘ODB’ Baker, who had a straight wheel and ultimately claimed Vitch’s remaining chips. Vitch had previously bet-folded, leaving him with only a fraction of a blind.

The final three players engaged in an intense battle that continued into day 3. When day 4 commenced unexpectedly, David ‘ODB’ Baker led the chip count, with Brewer in second place and Livingston at a disadvantage with the shortest stack.

2023 WSOP Event #69: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship – Final Table Results

1. Chris Brewer – $367,599
2. Alex Livingston – $227,193
3. David “ODB” Baker – $158,057
4. Chris Vitch – $112,402
5. Daniel Negreanu – $81,751
6. Yuri Dzivielevski – $60,840
7. Young Ko – $46,356
8. Ryan Riess – $36,181

The Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas have declared the second champion of the 2023 WSOP’s Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller Event. Among the astounding 449 participants in Event #57: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller, PLO specialist Ka Kwan Lau emerged victorious in a thrilling showdown against Sergio Martinez Gonzalez. These skilled players, both enthusiasts of the four-card variant and fluent in Spanish, claimed the largest portions of the impressive $10,551,500 prize pool.

This event marked a historic milestone for Pot-Limit Omaha live poker tournaments at the WSOP, boasting the biggest prize pool to date. Lau’s triumph arrives two years after narrowly missing out on his first WSOP gold bracelet in the same competition. Known as “kaju85” in the online realm, Lau has earned a fearsome reputation in PLO tournaments, captivating both live and online poker enthusiasts. Though originally from Spain and holding a Hong Kong passport, he has seamlessly integrated into the tight-knit Spanish poker community since his entrance into live poker in 2010.

Currently residing in Andorra, Lau will soon be making his way back home, as the birth of his second daughter is imminent. Consequently, the four-card specialist has made the decision to forgo participation in the upcoming $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller and the remainder of the 2023 WSOP, prioritizing his presence with his family. As he departs for Europe, Lau will be accompanied by the grand prize of $2,294,756 and his first WSOP gold bracelet, while Martinez Gonzalez receives a consolation prize of $1,418,270.

Despite starting the final day with the shortest chip stack, Andjelko Andrejevic managed to climb to the third-place position, surpassing Roger Teska and Mads Amot. Each of the five finalists vied for their inaugural WSOP victory at the Horseshoe Event Center, and Lau’s triumph further solidifies his standing among the elite four-card aficionados.

Final Table Result $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller

The $1,000 seniors no-limit hold’em championship event of the 2023 World Series of Poker attracted an enormous field of 8,180 entries, all of whom were aged 50 or above. Amongst this vast number of players, Lonnie Hallett, a 54-year-old Canadian, emerged as the last remaining senior. Hallett secured victory, earning $765,731 in prize money and claiming his first gold bracelet.

Hallett faced formidable competition throughout the tournament, including Dan Heimiller, a two-time bracelet winner and the 2014 champion of the same event, who finished in third place, as well as Billy Baxter, a seven-time bracelet winner, who secured second place.

This triumph marked Hallett’s largest tournament payday to date. Prior to this achievement, his most significant accomplishment had been a third-place finish in a PokerStars online event in January 2021, where he earned $646,189 after competing against a field of 6,922 entrants.

With his recent victory in the series, Hallett’s recorded earnings have now exceeded $1.5 million.

The tournament spanned six days, featuring two starting flights and four subsequent days of intense action. A total of 1,227 participants received cash prizes, and several renowned players had notable runs in the event, including Men Nguyen, a seven-time bracelet winner (finishing in 131st place), Yue Du, a bracelet winner (103rd place), Kevin Song, a bracelet winner (97th place), Victor Ramdin, a World Poker Tour champion (35th place), Jiaqi Xu, a bracelet winner (16th place), as well as the aforementioned Heimiller and Baxter.

The final day commenced with only seven players remaining, with Heimiller leading the pack and Hallett positioned second in terms of chip count. The first elimination occurred when Rudolf Fourie (7th place – $122,130) saw his pocket fives fall to Gordon Eng’s pocket nines, resulting in an early exit. Hallett secured his first knockout of the day by outlasting Loren Cloninger (6th place – $158,006) in a battle of the blinds, where Hallett’s 8-4 prevailed against Cloninger’s A-2.

Eng’s tournament journey concluded in a devastating manner when his K♠K♣ lost a preflop all-in confrontation against Shannon Fahey’s K♥K♦. The board produced four hearts, granting Fahey a winning flush and sending Eng home in fifth place ($205,799).

Shortly thereafter, Fahey found herself all-in and at risk with her Q-9 suited against Heimiller’s pocket sevens. A seven on the flop propelled Heimiller into a substantial lead with a set, and a blank on the turn sealed Fahey’s fate. She collected $269,841 as the fourth-place finisher.

In the subsequent crucial hand, Heimiller and Hallett clashed, with all chips going in on a Q♥J♥4♥ flop. Heimiller held A♥J♣ for middle pair, an overcard, and the nut flush draw, while Hallett possessed Q♣4♣ for top and bottom pair. The turn and river failed to alter the situation, resulting in Heimiller’s elimination in third place and a prize of $356,166. Following this deep run, Heimiller’s lifetime earnings surpassed $6.7 million.

The heads-up battle began with Hallett holding a commanding chip lead of over 8:1 against Baxter, who sought his first bracelet win in more than two decades, having previously emerged victorious in a 2002 $1,500 razz event.

2023 WSOP Seniors Event Final Table Results

After a two-week nomination period, the World Series of Poker® (WSOP®) is excited to reveal the highly anticipated roster of finalists for the 2023 WSOP Poker Hall of Fame. With the tradition of inducting one new member each year, the 32 living WSOP Poker Hall of Fame members will thoroughly evaluate the following 10 nominees. The final decision will be made through a voting process where each member will allocate a total of 10 points on their ballot to determine this year’s inductee. The finalists for this year’s Hall of Fame are:

1. Josh Arieh
2. Jeremy Ausmus
3. Ted Forrest
4. Kathy Liebert
5. Mike Matusow
6. Lon McEachren and Norman Chad
7. Brian Rast
8. Matt Savage
9. Isai Scheinberg
10. Bill Smith

All the living Poker Hall of Fame members have been invited to participate in Event No. 86: $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty No-Limit Hold’em on Thursday, July 13. Each participating Hall of Famer will have a corresponding bounty assigned based on their induction year. The announcement of the 2023 Poker Hall of Fame inductee will take place during the event, followed by the unveiling of the inductee’s Hall of Fame portrait at the new WSOP Poker Room located inside Horseshoe Las Vegas.

For additional information about the Poker Hall of Fame, please visit http://www.wsop.com/pokerhalloffame/.

About The Poker Hall of Fame: Established in 1979, the Poker Hall of Fame was acquired by Harrah’s Entertainment in 2004 along with the World Series of Poker. Although it exists virtually, the Hall of Fame recognizes poker’s most influential players and other significant contributors to the game. Currently, there are 32 living members, with a total of 59 individuals honored as Poker Hall of Famers. The Poker Hall of Fame traditionally elects one or two members every year. The induction ceremony now coincides with the final table of the WSOP Main Event held in Las Vegas.

Braxton Dunaway emerged victorious in a massive field of 8,317 participants at the 2023 World Series of Poker $1,500 no-limit hold’em ‘Monster Stack’ event. On the final day, he secured five out of six knockouts, earning himself $1,162,681 in prize money and his first gold bracelet.

Before this significant triumph, the 40-year-old Texan’s highest live tournament win was a fifth-place finish in the 2019 WSOP Circuit Choctaw $1,700 main event, where he took home $68,390. With this latest achievement, Dunaway’s lifetime cashes now total nearly $1.5 million.

The event spanned six days, consisting of two starting flights and four action-packed days. The final day commenced with seven players, led by Nicholas Gerrity.

The first player to be eliminated was Joe Cada, a four-time bracelet winner and the 2009 WSOP main event champion. Despite holding A-K, Cada fell victim to Dunaway’s A-J when a jack appeared on the river, resulting in a seventh-place finish. Cada’s earnings from this event increased his lifetime winnings to nearly $14.4 million, with over $13.7 million accumulated from WSOP cashes.

In the subsequent elimination, Dunaway’s A-K triumphed over Joshua Adcock’s inferior A-Q. Despite initial dominance, Adcock failed to improve his hand, ultimately finishing in sixth place ($240,695).

Gerrity’s journey came to an end after a preflop confrontation with Jesse Rockowitz, who held pocket deuces. Neither player improved their hand, and Gerrity exited in fifth place, earning $313,297. Soon after, Loic Dobrigna’s A-2 clashed with Dunaway’s Q-Q, resulting in Dobrigna’s elimination in fourth place with a prize of $410,493.

Approximately two hours later, three-handed play concluded as Rockowitz called an all-in bet on the turn with second pair and a gutshot straight draw. Dunaway held an open-ended straight draw and an overcard. The river card, a queen, favored Dunaway, securing him the best hand. Rockowitz finished in third place, taking home $541,376 and boosting his lifetime earnings to nearly $2.3 million.

Heads-up play began with Dunaway holding a commanding 5:2 chip lead over Colin Robinson. Dunaway wasted no time converting his advantage into victory. In the final hand, Dunaway limped in with 9♣7♥ from the button, while Robinson raised from the big blind with A♦2♠. Dunaway called, and the flop revealed 7♥3♠2♦. Robinson check-called Dunaway’s bet. The turn brought 9♥, prompting another check from Robinson and a bet from Dunaway, who held top two pair. Robinson called, and the river card, K♠, completed the board. With Robinson checking once again, Dunaway placed a bet sufficient to put Robinson all-in. After contemplating his decision, Robinson made the call with his pair of deuces but was met with disappointment as Dunaway revealed his superior hand. Robinson finished as the runner-up, earning a career-best score of $718,649 for his commendable performance.

2023 WSOP Event #39 Final Table Results

Chris Klodnicki experienced two crucial moments at the final table of the $10,000 no-limit hold’em ‘Secret Bounty’ event during the 2023 World Series of Poker. In both instances, he needed help on the river, and fortunately, an ace appeared, granting him the pair of critical pots. The last ace on the river played a decisive role in securing Klodnicki the championship title, a hefty $733,317 prize, and his second WSOP gold bracelet.

Reflecting on his victory during a post-win interview with PokerGO, the exclusive live streaming coverage provider of the WSOP, Klodnicki acknowledged the shallow and gamble-heavy nature of the event. Despite the limited poker skills exhibited, he expressed his satisfaction with the win. Initially at a significant disadvantage with a short stack and ranking last among the remaining eight players, Klodnicki persevered, running well when it mattered most. He expressed his contentment at being in that moment.

Following this latest triumph, Klodnicki’s lifetime tournament earnings have reached a remarkable $11.3 million. His first bracelet win occurred six years prior when he emerged victorious in a $1,500 no-limit hold’em event, claiming a prize of $428,423. Furthermore, Klodnicki has amassed an impressive sum of over $7.1 million in cashes throughout his career in WSOP bracelet events.

The event saw a total of 568 entries, with each $10,000 buy-in contributing $3,000 to a separate bounty prize pool. Several notable bounties were claimed, including Ali Shahni with a $250,000 bounty, Artur Martirosian (European Poker Tour Sochi main event champion) and Tyler Cornell (bracelet winner), who each secured $100,000 bounties.

At the beginning of the third and final day, only eight players remained, and Klodnicki held the lead, closely followed by five-time bracelet winner Jeremy Ausmus.

Early on, Klodnicki lost the top spot after his pocket kings fell victim to pocket aces. Ausmus proceeded to eliminate Eric Yanovsky (8th place – $73,756) and Daniel Rezaei (7th place – $96,265) through two knockouts, subsequently overtaking the lead. Ausmus and bracelet winner Barak Wisbrod then engaged in a three-way all-in that ended the journey for bracelet winner Angel Guillen (6th place – $127,515).

During five-handed play, Klodnicki’s first critical ace materialized. All the chips went in preflop in a classic race situation, with Klodnicki’s A-K against Ausmus’ pocket queens. Despite the queens holding strong throughout the first four community cards, the arrival of an ace on the river (ASpade) enabled Klodnicki to double up, establishing a significant lead while Ausmus slipped down the ranks.

The next player to exit the tournament was Tracey Nguyen, whose A-Q was outmatched by Klodnicki’s pocket tens, resulting in her departure in fifth place ($171,389).

Shortly after, Ausmus met his fate when his K-2 suited clashed with Klodnicki’s pocket aces. Ausmus secured $233,690 for his fourth-place finish.

2023 WSOP Event #35 Final Table Results

In an extraordinary display of skill, Jason Simon emerged victorious on June 12 at the Gladiators of Poker tournament, part of the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Nevada. Facing an enormous field of competitors, Simon conquered the event and secured the coveted first-place prize, amounting to an impressive $499,852, as well as his inaugural gold bracelet. With a staggering turnout of 23,088 entries, this no-limit hold’em tournament boasted the second-largest attendance in the history of live poker tournaments, surpassed only by the WSOP Big 50 event of 2019, which had 28,731 entries.

Nicknamed “The Chiseler,” Simon’s performance aptly demonstrated his prowess among such a record-breaking assembly. This triumph marked the pinnacle of his career, propelling his tournament earnings close to $800,000. Notably, this victory constitutes his ninth win, augmenting his collection of accolades that includes a gold ring earned at a WSOP Circuit event in 2020 at Ameristar St. Charles near St. Louis.

Addressing reporters after his triumph, Simon expressed his elation, remarking, “It was awesome to have your friends here with you, cheering for you during all-ins; it definitely makes a difference.” He went on to emphasize the significance of preserving one’s tournament life, stating, “Your tournament life is incredibly valuable; you have to stay in the game at all costs.” Even when his chip stack dwindled to 14 million, Simon maintained his composure and rallied by securing a double up, ultimately reclaiming the lead. Reflecting on his future plans, he concluded, “I primarily engage in mixed games, reserving no-limit hold’em exclusively for tournaments, but perhaps I’ll participate in more tournaments following this experience.”

The tournament consisted of four starting flights, culminating in a prize pool totaling $5,679,648. Impressively, the top 3,173 players all secured a minimum prize of $480. As the competition progressed to Day 2, 827 players returned, but by the end of the night, only 14 contenders remained. Among the notable players who made deep runs on the penultimate day were Casey Carroll (29th), TK Miles (39th), Melanie Weisner (62nd), DJ Buckley (68th), and Daniel Negreanu (72nd).

The final 14 players required two hours of play to narrow down to the final table on the last day. At that point, Simon found himself in the middle of the chip-stack rankings. He swiftly gained momentum by eliminating Johnson Chatterley in seventh place, solidifying his position in the competition. Simon continued his ascent by ousting Kfir Nahum in fifth place, thereby securing the third-highest chip count among the remaining four players.

Determined to claim the title, Simon accelerated his progress by eliminating Wade Wallace in fourth place and Wesley Cannon in third place, ultimately entering the heads-up final with a significant chip advantage of nearly 4:1. The final showdown proved to be brief, as a single all-in hand determined the champion. Simon applied pressure by going all in, and Eric Trexler called with J♥10♥, putting his remaining chips at stake. Holding K♠8♣, Simon maintained the lead, and the board, revealed as 5♠4♣3♥6♦3♣, solidified his victory. Trexler, eliminated in second place, secured a substantial reward of $301,097, a testament to his endurance amidst a formidable field of over 23,000 opponents.

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