Lo and behold, the World Series of Poker is already here, bringing us plenty of exciting and fascinating stories to feast our eyes on! The 54th series of WSOP tournaments started on May 30, taking place at one of the most prestigious casinos in Las Vegas.
In the upcoming months, thousands of players from all around the world are about to play all types of poker variations, including Holdem Texas poker, trying to win one of the highly coveted bracelets.
Now that the first week of the event is behind us, let's take a look at some of the latest World Series of Poker highlights: who already won a bracelet? And which pro tried to bluff his way to a win – and lost? This week's WSOP recap is here!
WSOP Week 1: All You Need to Know
Best Wins
The first to win a bracelet was Peter Thai, who participated in an event reserved for casino employees only. Out of a record-breaking field of 1,015 participants, Thai manages to remain the last man standing, winning $75,535 in the process. The poker dealer has plenty of experience watching the game unfold, but he also learned Texas Hold'em rules by playing cash games and online Sit N' Go events.
James Urbanic - another dealer and poker blogger - came in second place, winning $46,690 out of the astounding $426,300 prize pool.
The second bracelet winner so far is Alexandre Vuilleumier, who won first place in the $25,000 High Roller 6-Handed event. Originally from Switzerland, the poker pro now resides in Costa Rica, but he travels all over the world to participate in the most prestigious poker events out there.
The Swiss poker was joined by 206 high rollers to create a prize pool of $4,864,500, out of which he won $1,215,864. This is not Vuilleumer's first victory this year, as he also won first place at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure event. This great poker player made $2,149,596 in live earnings so far, landing him in third place on the Switzerland All-Time Money List.
Most Shocking Losses
Even some of the most renowned poker pros can make mistakes that might cost them a bracelet win, as was proven by Doug Polk. The poker pro - who specializes in heads-up No Limit Hold'em – tried to bluff his way to the top without success. That happened only a week after he tried to bluff during the Hustler Casino Live event, as he faced off against Tom Dawn, who ultimately had a better hand, causing Polk to lose $550,000 on the spot.
Fast forward to the 8th WSOP event that attracted the attention of 64 players, Polk included. This time around, the founder of Upswing Poker tried to intimidate Chanracy Khun by bluffing during a crucial moment in the game. Unfortunately for Polk, his opponent didn't fall for this old trick, causing Polk to lose his chance to win another bracelet.
But while he suffered two losses back-to-back, Polk is still not out of the race! There are plenty of other WSOP events for him to participate in and try to redeem his reputation.
In Conclusion
There is a reason why the WSOP is one of the most captivating poker events of the year. The drama, unexpected wins, and shocking losses are all here to provide us with endless amounts of entertainment, so stay tuned and wait for further news!