There was a time when someone once said that more rake is better, and oh, how we all laughed at the thought. A few months after that ridiculous claim, a billboard appeared near the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, the venue for the 2018 World Series of Poker, displaying those very words.

Of course, more rake is not better because more rake means you see less winnings in your online poker account. With that in mind, we are delighted to share the news that TigerGaming has reduced the rake on its most popular cash games.

All cash games that are played at $0.50/$1 and lower have had the maximum rake lowered. Indeed, in the case of $0.05/$0.10 tables, TigerGaming has slashed the maximum rake in half.

The cash game rake at TigerGaming is set at 6.25% for stakes of $0.05/$0.10 and $0.10/$0.25, and 5.56% for $0.25/$0.50 and higher. This is the equivalent of $0.01 of rake per $0.16 in the pot for the lower stakes and $0.01 per $0.18 in the pot for the higher stakes.

Previously, in the case of $0.05/$0.10 cash games, TigerGaming would take a maximum of $3 in rake from the pot if the pot’s size reached $48. If that happens now, the rake charged is only $1.50.

It may not seem like a huge difference but believe us it is. Rake affects the lower stakes games more than those played at higher stakes because it is larger in comparison to the pots. Taking a $3.00 rake from a $48 pot is far more costly to a player than taking $3.00 rake from a $480 pot, despite the amounts raked being the same.

Why not hit the TigerGaming cash games when you get the chance and see for yourself how much more profit you make at the tables now that the rake caps have been reduced for $0.05/$0.10 to $0.50/$1

Are You Ready For the TigerGaming Summer Micro Tournament Series?

Pad Your Bankroll With $1,000 in Bonus Money

TigerGaming is waiting for you with open arms and is offering all PokerNews readers the chance to bag themselves a 100% up to $1,000 welcome bonus to kickstart their careers at this long-running online poker site. Download TigerGaming via PokerNews, create your free account, and make a deposit of at least $50, and TigerGaming will match your initial deposit 100% up to a maximum of $1,000.

You need to email TigerGaming’s excellent support team, who will activate your welcome bonus. Send an email to [email protected], stating your account number, deposit amount, plus the date and time of your deposit, along with a mention of the bonus code “NEWTG” within 24 hours of depositing, and your bonus will be activated within 24 hours.

Once activated, you have 30 days to release as much of the bonus into your playable balance as possible. The bonus releases in $5 increments each time you contribute $50 to the cash game rake or pay in tournament fees.

Steve Verrett, a well-known Wisconsin poker player and activist, passed away on June 25 at the age of 53.

According to the Hendon Mob, Verrett amassed $67,554 in tournament earnings, including a career-best $21,026 for finishing 27th in the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em. He was also respected throughout the Wisconsin poker community, and was good friends with online poker legend Mark “P0ker H0” Kroon, the two even hosting a poker radio show at one time in Madison.

While Verrett enjoyed poker as a hobby, he showed a real passion for the game as an advocate serving as the president of the Wisconsin Poker Players Alliance. In 2015, Verrett and Kroon challenged the Wisconsin Department of Justice to decide on the skill-versus-luck debate on the game. They raised $10,000 from local players and hired attorney Stan Davis to force a judge to rule on poker’s legality in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the judge did not rule in their favor.

“I think it’s a very narrow view,” Verrett told PokerNews back in 2015 immediately after the ruling. “To uphold a 1964 conviction in the case that he mentioned, it’s very vague on what other games were being played there. There were other activities that the place was closed for. Poker happened to be one of them and lumped in. Again, that’s what this is about, taking poker away from being lumped in with other types of casino or house-banked games.

“We just had a circuit court ruling that said poker is not a criminal offense in Wisconsin, which is completely contradictory of what he is holding. At what point given the landscape and everything that’s happened between 1964 and now, which is over 50 years, that they’ll have the ability to change the law. We’ll have to look into it.”

While it wasn’t the verdict the Wisconsin poker community hoped for, all were appreciative of Verrett’s valiant efforts in standing up for player’s rights.

Players React to Passing

“Long before the Moneymaker effect and the mass transition to online poker, to me, poker was about being part of a community,” said Michael Hanson, founder of the Madison Poker Community (MPC). “The Madison Poker Community has lost a pillar of the community and I have lost a dear friend and confidant.”

“Future generations won’t know the extent of what he did for poker statewide but they will definitely reap the benefits of his diligence to our community.”

Pam Wilson offered: “I can say for certain the most fun period of my life were those years we all played together and so many fun nights with Steve and Missy. Steve is a great man who impacted so many and will always be remembered.”

Zachary “Posso” Lane said: “Future generations won’t know the extent of what he did for poker statewide but they will definitely reap the benefits of his diligence to our community. An influential and integral part to the Madison Poker Community and I, for one, will always be grateful to get to experience his presence in my life.”

Tony Nardi shared: “Always enjoyed talking strategy with him as he had his specific play style that he made work that was unorthodox at times as a short stack, very similar to Phil Hellmuth.”

Speaking of Hellmuth, a Wisconsin native, Verrett was a frequent collaborator on charity events hosted by the “Poker Brat” in the Dairy State.

Successful Businessman & Loving Family Man

Born October 12, 1969, Verrett was a veteran of the Gulf War and a successful businessman who traveled around the world for over 20 years, most with his own company, Executive Sales Service.

“Beyond the professional achievements, Steve had a genuine interest in the well-being of others and always extended a helping hand to colleagues in need. Steve was a mentor and a friend to many, offering guidance, support, and encouragement that touched countless lives,” Verrett’s obituary read.

Indeed, in addition to those sharing poker stories of Verrett, there were even more remembering him as a soldier, friend, father, and husband. Verrett is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Melissa Verrett; children, Christina (Steve) Zajicek and Aaron (Brianna Rose) Verrett; grandchildren, Paul Zajicek and Diana Zajicek; and brothers, Carl (Margie) Verrett, John Verrett and Ryan Verrett.He was preceded in death by his father, Racy Verrett; mother, Kathy Payne; and his brother, Jim Verrett.

A funeral service will be held at GUNDERSON STOUGHTON FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 1358 Highway 51 N. @ Jackson St., Stoughton, at 12 noon on Thursday, July 6, 2023. Military honors will follow. A visitation will be held at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Thursday.

PokerNews offers its condolences to the friends and family of Verrett, and recognize his contributions to the game.

Ten bracelet-awarding events were in play at some stage on Day 30 of the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, making it one of the busiest days since the series started.

As you can imagine, with so many events taking place, plenty of action unfolded, bad beats were given out in spades, and several bracelets found new homes.

Event #53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker crowned its champion on Day 30, and Pavel Plesuv is that man. The $13,905,360 prize pool was so vast that the top two finishers became millionaires! Florian Ribouchon was the tournament’s runner-up; they collected $1,003,554. Plesuv walked away with a $1,201,564 top prize and the first bracelet of their career, and Moldova’s first-ever piece or WSOP hardware.

If you thought those payouts were crazy, wait until you see the sum won by Ka Kwan Lau after taking down Event #57: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller. First place in this event came with $2,294,756 in cash plus the all-important commemorative gold bracelet. Lau finished second in this even two years ago, so will see this victory as redemption.

Robert Schulz became a 2023 WSOP champion by being the last player standing in Event #59: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout. Schulz left 1,597 opponents in their wake, including runner-up Julien Sitbon, as they captured their first bracelet and $675,275.

Seidel Looking to Join the 10-Bracelet Club

Erik Seidel (3,065,000) goes into the final day of Event #60: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw second in chips and with his best chance yet of becoming a ten-time WSOP bracelet winner. Only Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, Phil Ivey, and the late Doyle Brunson have achieved this remarkable goal.

The Poker Hall of Famer trails only Brad Ruben (4,265,000), a player with four bracelets of his own. Seidel’s stack keeps him ahead of five-time bracelet winner Jason Mercier (2,565,000), who appears to again come out of retirement for the WSOP, Mike Watson (2,350,000), and Jon Turner (1,390,000).

Tune into the PokerNews updates from 12:00 p.m. local time on June 29 to see if Seidel can get the job done.

Event #60: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Final Day Chip Counts

Only 109 Remain in the Super Seniors, With Davoudzadeh Out in Front

Iranian Farhad Davoudzadeh (2,400,000) is on course to collect his first WSOP bracelet as he leads the field in Event #61: $1,000 Super Seniors going into Day 3. Some 810 players returned to their seats today, but only 109 of them had chips requiring bagging once the curtain came down on proceedings.

Davoudzedah holds a near 800,000-chip lead over Jean-Claude Perrot (1,615,000) at the start of Day 3. Mark Gerecke (1,600,000), Ronald Lane (1,525,000), and Federico Trujillo (1,425,000) round out the overnight top five.

Reigning champion Massoud Eskandari (825,000) is also still in the hunt.

PokerNews‘ coverage of the Super Seniors resumes at 10:00 a.m. local time on June 29, with another ten levels scheduled.

Event #61: $1,000 Super Seniors Top 10 Chip Counts

Mixed NLHE/PLO Reaches Final Day With Mizrachi Flying High

Four-time WSOP bracelet winner Robert Mizrachi (3,100,000) is flying high in Event #62: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha, where only 28 players remain in contention for the $410,659 top prize.

Mizrachi’s stack places him sixth going into Day 3, and there are some stellar names joining him in the finale of this event.

Three players return with more than four million chips each. Israel’s Eran Carmi (4,255,000) is the chip leader, with Charles Honkonen (4,160,000) and Belgium’s Bart Lybaert (4,050,000) trailing just behind.

Also still in the mix are Upeshka De Silva (3,165,000), Jarred Solomon (1,395,000), David Prociak (1,350,000), and the polarizing Martin Kabrhel (1,070,000).

Mizrachi and company return to action from 1:00 p.m. local time on June 29, and PokerNews‘ team will be on the ground throughout proceedings.

Event #62: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha Top 10 Chip Counts

Schindler Leads the Final 16 in the $10K Stud Hi-Lo Championship

Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship has whittled its field to only 16 hopefuls, and it is Maximilian Schindler (1,250,000) who is the overnight chip leader.

The penultimate day of this event was full of fun, frolics, and laughter, as the players seemed to forget what is at stake — $344,677 and a WSOP bracelet – and spent most of the time engaged in banter.

Among the final 17 are some of the game’s greats. Andres Korn (926,000) and Joao Vieira (837,000) find themselves in the top three, while Brynn Kenney (601,000) is fifth.

Lower down the counts are such luminaries as Bruno Fitoussi (467,000), Mike Matusow (285,000), and a certain Daniel Negreanu (51,000), the latter returning with the shortest stack.

The cards are back in the air from 2:00 p.m. local time on June 29, and PokerNews will be there, bringing you all of the action as it happens.

Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship Chip Counts

$600 NLHE Deepstack Championship Sees Another Huge Turnout

A bumper crowd of 4,303 players turned out for Event #64: $600 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack Championship but only 543 of those starters bagged up chips at the end of the 17th level. Two players, Steven Stolzenfeld (1,190,000) and Adel Kabbani (1,052,000) finished Day 1 with more than a million chips each!

Two Indian players crammed enough chips into their overnight bags to secure a top ten Day 1 finish. Neel Joshi (843,000) and Gokul Dharmarajan (795,000) are sure to have a legion of fans back home, cheering them on from afar.

Also safely through to Day 2 are players such as Martin Zamani (480,000), Ismael Bojang (411,000), Matt Affleck (343,000), Kathy Liebert (308,000), Justin Pechie (281,000), Ben Yu (249,000), and Joseph Hebert (120,000).

Play resumes at 10:00 a.m. local time on June 29, so return to PokerNews then for all of the updates for this event.

Event #64: $600 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack Championship Top 10 Chip Counts

Stars Turn Out in Force for the $5K NLHE 6-Max

A field of 1,074 players descended on Event #65: $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em (6-Handed), blowing last year’s 920 attendance out of the water. That number is set to rise with late registration remaining open into Day 2.

Bulgaria’s Yuliyan Kolev (521,000), this time without his KFC bucket hat, bagged up the most chips of the 381 survivors. Although Kolev has started well, there is a long way to go in this event, not least because the field is as stacked as they come.

Players such as Matt Berkey (370,000), Ren “Tony” Lin (369,000), Mustapha Kanit (312,500), and Taylor Paur (306,000) bagged up top 20 stacks.

Vanessa Selbst (253,000), Danny Tang (227,000), David Miscikowski (219,000), Nacho Barbero (181,500), Alex Foxen (165,000), and Ryan Leng (144,500) also bagged ample stacks.

If you dream of catching a glimpse of your favorite poker player, you should join the PokerNews team from 12:00 p.m. local time on June 29 because this field is jam-packed with supreme poker talent. Which of them will survive on Day 2?

Event #65: $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em (6-Handed) Top 10 Chip Counts

Guagenti is the Man to Catch After Day 1 of the $1,500 PLO8

Nick Guagenti (656,000) bagged up the most chips after Day 1 of Event #66: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or better concluded. Some 1,125 players bought into the action on Day 1, and they were whittled to a more manageable 168 by the end of the 15th level.

Some of the more notable players that punched their Day 2 tickets include Mike Linster (540,000), Robert Campbell (497,000), Amnon Filippi (489,000), Jeff Lisandro (150,000), Yuval Bronshtein (105,000), and Anthony Zinno (100,000).

Join PokerNews from 1:00 p.m. local time on June 29, which is when the remaining players return to battle in this event.

Event #66: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Top 10 Chip Counts

What to Expect on Day 31 of the 2023 WSOP

The events continue coming thick and fast, with the 2023 WSOP showing zero signs of slowing down despite it being in action for a month.

Event #60: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw will award its bracelets, as will Event #62: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha and Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship.

Event #61: $1,000 Super Seniors kicks off its third day, while it is Day 2 of Event #64: $600 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack Championship. We will also report from Day 2 of Event #65: $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em (6-Handed) and Event #66: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better.

Three new tournaments shuffle up and deal on the 31st day of the 2023 WSOP.

Event #67: $1,000 Ladies Championship will attract the very best female players poker has to offer, while Event #68: $1,000 Super Turbo Bounty should draw in a massive crowd; do not be surprised if this tournament requires an additional day. Rounding off the new events is the star-studded Event #69: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw.

As always, stay tuned to PokerNews throughout the 2023 WSOP as we are the only place providing the live updates and content poker players really want.

A hard-fought final table which lasted almost seven hours was finally put to bed by Robert Schulz, when defeated Julien Sitbon, to take down the $675,275 prize for first place in Event #59: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout.

In keeping with previous events at the 2023 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, the numbers exceeded the previous edition of the contest, attracting 1,598 runners and generating a prodigious prize pool of $4,266,660.

2Event #59: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Final Table Results

Schulz is no stranger to big final tables, having previously amassed over a million dollars on his Hendon Mob profile, but this was his grandest win to date. The occasion did not hinder the unflappable German, who remained the personification of calmness throughout.

The final table was a veritable United Nations of poker, with no fewer than nine countries being represented. And there were boisterous rails supporting several of the participants, but nothing could distract Schulz from fulfilling his ultimate goal.

Final Table Action

First to bust from the unofficial final table of ten, was Shon Aroeti, when his ace-ten was outkicked by Schulz’s ace-king — and that was before the board ran out with two more kings. He was swiftly followed to the payout desk by Jesse Lonis and Kunal Patni.

Nazar Buhaiov fell in seventh place, his nines out flopped by Schulz’s ace-king. And Robert Burlacu went in sixth, another victim to the unstoppable German.

Dario Sammartino was next to go – Barak Wisbrod rivering an ace to end his WSOP dream, at least for the time being.

But it was Wisbrod who would succumb in fourth when he couldn’t overcome Sitbon’s pocket eights.

James Mendoza departed in third place, with what proved to be the defining moment in Shultz’s tournament, giving him a commanding lead over Sitbon, who only lasted a few more hands.

Winner’s Reaction

Asked if he was always so composed, Schulz replied, “I would say so. I think I’m on the calmer side. Usually, it takes pretty extreme things to put me out of balance.” It is hard to imagine much that could be more extreme than a WSOP final table.

Summing up his emotions, he said he felt, “Exhausted, relieved, and yeah, proud as well. I think I played fine.”

On the subject of what he will do next, Schulz commented, “I think I’m coming down with a cold; I’ve been sniffing and coughing, so I think I’m going to take it slow. Let’s see how tomorrow is, and then maybe then I’ll want to play again.”

Finally, reflecting on how he managed to remain unfazed through the vociferous railing, Schulz simply said, “I don’t speak French, so I’ve no clue what they said.”

Schulz’s impressive victory takes his lifetime earnings from live poker tournaments past the $1.76 million mark and bumps him up to 37th in Germany’s all-time money list. Based on this performance alone, it is highly likely we shall see Schulz at another WSOP final table in the not-too-distant future.

Stay tuned to PokerNews throughout the 2023 WSOP to see if Schulz shakes off his cold and battles his way to glory once again.

Kings Resort in Rozvadoz, Czech Republic, is where you need to head this September if you are a fan of high-stakes Pot-Limit Omaha action. Kings are once again hosting The Big Wrap series, and it is bigger and better than ever before.

The Big Wrap runs from September 12-18 at Europe’s largest cardroom. Seven Pot-Limit Omaha events plus a handful of satellites are scheduled, and some of those tournaments are massive in terms of buy-ins and guaranteed prize pools.

What better way to start the latest Big Wrap festival than with a €5,000 buy-in, €500,000 guaranteed event? A similar tournament took place at The Big Wrap in March 2023 and saw Hungary’s Gergo Nagy outlast 86 entrants to take home €114,706. The guarantee was “only” €200,000 that day, so expect a much more substantial top prize this time around.

King’s Resort Has Big WSOP Plans For The Rest Of 2023

Two Events With Seven-Figure Guarantees

Following the €5,000 buy-in event is a €10,000 buy-in affair known as The Big Wrap Diamond 10K PLO High Roller. Kings Resort is expecting a substantial turnout for this tournament, as is evident by the massive €2,000,000 guarantee the casino has slapped on the prize pool. The equivalent event earlier this year guaranteed €500,000, but a 142-strong field ensured €1,308,530 was paid out. A player choosing to remain anonymous took home €337,000 for their victory. Can you imagine the size of first-place prize money with a €2 million guaranteed prize pool?

Amazingly, that is not the only seven-figure guarantee on The Big Wrap’s schedule because another €10,000 buy-in High Roller is set to pay not a cent less than €1,000,000.

The €500,000 Guaranteed Big Wrap Main Event

The Big Wrap Main Event comes with a more affordable yet still substantial €2,350 buy-in, and an enticing €500,000 guaranteed prize pool. There are several €330 buy-in satellites taking place at Kings Resorts before and while the Main Event is running if you want to take a shot at the big time.

This exact tournament previously ran from March 31 and saw 199 players re-enter 101 times, creating a €627,000 prize pool as a result. An anonymous player came out on top and turned their €2,350 investment into a €132,600 haul.

Bounty hunters will be pleased to learn there are two bounty events scheduled. One is a €2,200 buy-in €100,000 guaranteed 5-Card PLO tournament with €1,000 bounties on the heads of each player. The other may be a little out of most players’ reach because it commands a €25,000 buy-in, and has €10,000 bounties throughout!

Do Not Make These Five Common PLO Mistakes

The Full Big Wrap Schedule

There Even More Poker Action Coming to Kings

It is not only The Big Wrap taking place at Kings Resort in the coming months because there are several prestigious events in the pipeline.

Straight after The Big Wrap, the World Series of Poker International Circuit heads to the casino, bringing with it 12 ring-awarding events, including a €1 million guaranteed €1,700 buy-in Main Event. The WSOPC runs from September 21 through October 1.

Later in October, from the 25th through November 16, the 2023 WSOP Europe festival stops by. The full schedule is still being put together, but expect a massive Main Event, in addition to €25,000 and €50,000 buy-in events!

Stay tuned to PokerNews in the coming weeks and months for more news and all the juicy details emanating from Kings Resort.

The second winner of a Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller Event of the 2023 World Series of Poker has been crowned at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Out of a staggering field of 499 entries in Event #57: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller, PLO specialist Ka Kwan Lau defeated Sergio Martinez Gonzalez in heads-up as both Spanish-speaking four-card aficionados earned the biggest slice of the $10,551,500 prize pool.

It was the biggest prize pool for a Pot-Limit Omaha live poker event in the history of the WSOP and Lau sealed the victory two years after he came up one spot shy of earning his maiden WSOP gold bracelet in the very same tournament. Known under his online moniker of “kaju85”, he is one of the most-feared players in PLO tournaments on the live and online poker circuit. He was born in Spain and has a Hong Kong passport as well but quickly became an integral part of the close-knit Spanish poker community ever since entering the live poker scene back in 2010.

Lau resides in Andorra and that’s where he will be heading to in a few days from now because the birth of his second daughter is imminent. He will even skip the upcoming $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller as well as the remainder of the 2023 WSOP to be home with his family. Lau’s return to Europe will be sweetened with the top prize of $2,294,756 and his first bracelet, while Martinez Gonzalez received a consolation prize of $1,418,270.

Andjelko Andrejevic came into the final day as the shortest stack but laddered to third place ahead of Roger Teska and Mads Amot. All five of the finalists were competing for their maiden WSOP victory in the Horseshoe Event Center, and Lau has further cemented his status as one of the best PLO players.

Final Table Result Event #57: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller

Winner’s Reaction

“I feel great. It feels like I have been missing something, and now it is complete … I am very happy with that. I came here two years ago to win the bracelet. I can’t really say yet how happy I am not,” an overwhelmed Lau said after the frenetic celebrations with his Spanish rail were done and the winner shots had been taken care of.

Lau is arguably one of the most accomplished PLO tournament players, and his strategy for success seems rather simple.

“My secret is to grind a lot. I love poker and push hard,” he said with a big grin on his face.

He also competes in No-Limit Hold’em tournaments once in a while as well and had a deep run in the 2016 WSOP Main Event, where he collected $269,430 for his 20th-place finish. However, the four-card variant has very much been his bread and butter for more than a decade now.

“My game in No-Limit is very poor. I just play a couple of tournaments. When I have no games or nothing better to do, I play probably one tournament of No-Limit Hold’em,” the Spaniard admitted.

With two times as many cards, he is a force to be reckoned with, and the number of entries in each of the PLO events has been growing by a lot during the 2023 WSOP, very much to the delight of the Spaniard.

“PLO is getting more and more popular. The number [in this event] speaks for itself. I didn’t come the last year, but people told me that it is almost double the field, and that is a lot. Also, in the 10K, the field was up a lot. I think the game is getting more popular.”

Another high-stakes event in his preferred four-card variant is just around the corner with Event #71: $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller, which gets underway on June 30, 2023, but other PLO specialists may be relieved that Lau won’t be among the participants.

“I will miss the tournament. I am waiting for my second daughter and she is going to come in a week or ten days. I think it is a great moment to come back home and be with my wife and my daughter. It is okay for this year, I will just relax and see how my daughter grows but next year it is very probable that I will come here again with them.”

Action of the Final Day

The final day recommenced with five players remaining and Lau in the driver’s seat, while fellow Spanish-speaking Martinez Gonzalez was in distinct second place. Lau suffered a minor setback when Andrejevic extracted value with a full house, but he more than made up for it soon after.

In a large clash with the third-biggest stack Amot, Lau flopped an open-ended straight and flush draw against the middle set of the Norwegian. The turn was a blank, but the river brought another spade without pairing the board to vault Lau into a commanding lead.

Next to go was one of the two short stacks when Teska put his hopes on the top two pair and a gutshot. However, he was drawing very thin against the flopped wheel of Martinez Gonzalez and bricked the river to reduce the field to the final three after fewer than 90 minutes of play.

Andrejevic kept his short stack afloat with a double against Martinez Gonzalez but still had a mountain to climb for a shot at the title. The big lead of Lau was then decimated to just a handful of big blinds when Martinez Gonzalez earned value from a superior full house, which had the potential to shift the momentum.

The Serbian stuck around for a while but never pulled away from the bottom of the leaderboard by some margin. He eventually made a stand with double-suited queens against the pocket aces of Martinez Gonzalez in a preflop contest. Both players flopped a set, and Andrejevic didn’t catch the miracle one-outer to bow out in third place for nearly $1 million in prize money.

Heads-up play between Lau and Martinez Gonzalez started with an incredible average of 84 big blinds, as the final two contenders were separated by just two big blinds with a pay jump of more than $800k and the WSOP gold bracelet on the line. It would only take fewer than two hours to determine a winner, however, and it was Lau who came out on top.

Martinez Gonzalez started pulling away in the first half of the heads-up duel and was just one card away from victory. His nut flush draw, however, missed and Lau doubled into a narrow lead with the nut straight. It was a pivotal turning point as Lau regained his composure after having been frustrated previously, and he raked in several big pots in quick succession to jump into a commanding lead.

Ultimately, they got it in preflop with naked aces for Martinez Gonzalez against a double-suited Broadway run-down of Lau, and the latter rivered a straight to finish the job he missed out on two years ago in Las Vegas.

The 2023 World Series of Poker at its home at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas has crowned a new champion. Moldova’s Pavel Plesuv has won his first bracelet for himself and his country after he was the last player standing in Event #53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold’em. Although this is his first bracelet, Plesuv has found high success in prior WSOP events.

With the victory, Plesuv secured his biggest live cash to date. He stormed through the field of bracelet winners and went wire-to-wire on the final day to capture the $1,201,564 up top. Plesuv outmanoeuvred 10,429 other entrants over five days to claim the biggest slice of the $13,905,360 prize pool.

Plesuv was supported by a rail of friends and family as he seemed unstoppable, marching his way to the bracelet.

Event #37: $1,500 Millionaire Maker Final Table Results

Winner’s Reaction

“It feels amazing…I had some deep runs at the WSOP but no bracelets. So, it’s really nice to win my first bracelet in such a big field, and for such a big amount, my best cash. It feels amazing.” Plesuv told PokerNews after the triumph.

“Keep studying and keep believing in your dreams,”

“First of all, I will pay my taxes,” Plusev explained when asked what he was going to do with his seven-figure score. “Second, I will have some beer and a party, and I will continue supporting Ukraine and people in need. Maybe I’ll buy a house. We will see,” he added.

When asked if he felt there was a tipping point or hand that was crucial to his win of the tournament.

“Follow your passion, and the results will come,”

“Honestly, I don’t have this feeling that I will definitely win. The stacks were pretty shallow, and it is swingy. If I lose this A♦2♦ vs A♣A♠ hand, I will not be the chip leader. I’d say the turning point where I got the chip lead and was far ahead of the others was at two tables on the second feature table. We got big stacks there close to each other, and I was getting good hands in good spots to accumulate some chips.”

Rounding out the winner’s interview, Plesuv gave inspiring words for all the recreational players and grinders out there.

“Keep studying and keep believing in your dreams. Follow your passion, and the results will come. Don’t let results affect your life too much. You can extract a lot of good things, even when you have a losing streak.”

Recap of the Day

The day started with Andreas Kniep putting the pressure on the rest of the table, and the first elimination could be credited to Kniep he beat Vitor De Souza Countinho in a flip to him. This eliminated the Brazilian in seventh place for $222,749.

The next casualty was Myles Mullaly, who saw himself on the wrong end of a two outer.

Anton Smirnov was departed next. He lost a flip to be eliminated in fifth place for $373,524. Shortly after, Plesuv coolered Kniep out of contention after cracking the latter’s aces.

https://twitter.com/PokerGO/status/1674190732473819136

Paul Gunness was eliminated in third place for $650,058. His Ace high hand lost a flip against Plesuv

The heads-up battle was a short affair, and on the final hand of the night, Plesuv bested the pocket jacks held by Florian Ribouchon to seal the victory.

In this Series

• 1 Peter Thai Wins First Bracelet of the 2023 WSOP: Event #1: $500 Casino Employees ($75,535)
• 2 Alexandre Vuilleumier Captures 2023 WSOP Event #2: $25K High Roller Title
• 3 Cody “1eggadaymike” Bell Wins WSOP Bracelet and $87,665 in the Triple Treys Summer Tip Off
• 4 Michael Moncek Wins Event #6: $5,000 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha for $534,499
• 5 Chad Eveslage Steamrolls to Second WSOP Bracelet in Event #5: $1,500 Dealer’s Choice (6-Handed) ($131,879)
• 6 Ronnie Day Reigns Supreme in Event #4: Tournament of Champions ($200,000)
• 7 Vadim Shlez Takes Down Event #7: $1,500 Limit Hold’em For $146,835
• 8 Chanracy Khun Wins Event #8: $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship
• 9 Nick Schulman Wins Event #9: Seven Card Stud For Fourth WSOP Bracelet ($110,800)
• 10 Ian “IanMa” Matakis Wins Online Event #2: $500 No-Limit Hold’em Bankroll Builder for $120,686
• 11 Ryan “dna2rna” Hughes Wins Third Bracelet, Defeats Shaun “fortnite” Deeb in Online Battle
• 12 Tyler Brown Crowned Champion of Event #3: $1,000 Mystery Millions ($1,000,000)
• 13 Kenneth O’Donnell Wins Event #11: $600 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack For $351,098
• 14 The Chosen One: Chad Eveslage Wins Third Bracelet in the $10,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship
• 15 Estes Nabs Second WSOP MI Online Bracelet; Kershaw Victorious in First PA Event
• 16 Joseph Altomonte Returns to Poker With a Bang; Rakes in $217,102 and a WSOP Bracelet
• 17 Jeremy Eyer Defeats Felipe Ramos in Gruelling Heads Up Duel for $5K Freezeout Title ($649,550)
• 18 Danny “jackdaniels1” Wong Finally Bags WSOP Bracelet After 13 Hour Day
• 19 Isaac Haxton Removes Name from “Best Without a Bracelet” List w/ $25K High Roller Win
• 20 Brian Yoon Wins 5th WSOP Bracelet in $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship
• 21 Brazil Out in Force for Reis’ First Bracelet in $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em
• 22 Three Isn’t a Crowd for Jim Collopy Who Wins His Third WSOP Bracelet
• 23 Valentino Konakchiev Denies Andres Korn a Second Bracelet in $2.5K NLHE Freezeout
• 24 Michael Rodrigues Becomes First Badugi Champion in Event #20: $1,500 Badugi
• 25 Stephen Nahm Toasts To His Victory in Event #21: $1k Pot-Limit Omaha
• 26 Fifth Bracelet for Josh Arieh in Event #22: $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship for $316,226
• 27 Leon Sturm Bests Bill Klein in Event #23: $50,000 High Roller ($1,546,024)
• 28 Two Big Bets and a Chair – David “ODB” Baker Fights Back from the Felt to Win His Third Bracelet
• 29 Jason Simon Becomes WSOP’s First Gladiator of Poker for $499,852
• 30 Renji Mao’s Deepstack Aggression Earns Him First WSOP Bracelet ($402,588)
• 31 Belyalovsky Defeats 2020 WSOP Online Domestic Main Event Champion Hebert
• 32 12 Year Drought Ends: Ben Lamb Runs “Hotter Than the Sun” to Win 2nd WSOP Gold Bracelet
• 33 Six is Sweet For Shaun Deeb in Event #27: $1,500 Eight Game Mix
• 34 Jans Arends Tops Star-Studded Final Table to Win $100K High Roller for $2,576,729
• 35 Benjamin Ector Busts Seven Straight to Win Event #28: $1,500 NLH Freezeout ($406,403)
• 36 Houston Firefighter Scott Dulaney Extinguishes the Opposition in Event #31 of 2023 WSOP
• 37 Cash Game Specialist Mark Ioli Wins First WSOP Bracelet for $558,266
• 38 John Monnette Joins Five-Timers Club With $1,500 Triple Draw WSOP Title
• 39 Sean Troha Wins 2nd WSOP Bracelet; Takes Down Event #34: $1,500 PLO for $298,192
• 40 “It’s Gonna Be Tough for You” Says Jerry Wong on Way to Winning 1st WSOP Bracelet
• 41 Chris Klodnicki Returns to WSOP, Wins $10,000 NLH Secret Bounty for 2nd Career Bracelet
• 42 Ryutaro Suzuki Becomes Japan’s Mixed-Game Master in Event #36: $3,000 Nine Game Mix
• 43 Yuan Li Adds Name to List of 2023 WSOP Bracelet Winners after $2K NLHE Triumph ($524,777)
• 44 Benny Glaser Joins Five-Timers Club with Win in Event #38: $10K 2-7 Triple Draw Championship
• 45 Morgan Magee & Josh Dempsey Lay Claim to WSOP Online Bracelets in MI & PA
• 46 “suited_h13” Last One Standing in WSOP Online Event #6: $500 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo ($134,527)
• 47 Chris Brewer Wins $250k Super High Roller and First Bracelet ($5,293,556)
• 48 Joe “jimjam01” Serock Wins 2023 WSOP Online Event #7: $500 PLO 6-Max ($93,911)
• 49 “I’ve Got It!” Qiang Xu Wins First Bracelet in $800 Deepstack ($339,033)
• 50 Scott Abrams Becomes Inaugural Big O Champion for $315,203
• 51 Braxton Dunaway Wins Monster Stack for $1,162,681; Now Headed to Son’s College World Series
• 52 Jeremy “ChipChecka” Ausmus Claims Sixth Bracelet in Online Event #8: $3,200 No-Limit Hold’em
• 53 Jay Lockett Turns $500 into $262,526 and a Bracelet at the 2023 WSOP
• 54 Braxton Dunaway Wins Monster Stack for $1,162,681; Now Headed to Son’s College World Series
• 55 William Leffingwell Brings A Bracelet Home to Houston a Week After His Friend Did the Same!
• 56 Pengfei Wang Plays First Tournament Ever; Wins $270,700 in Event #49: $1,500 Super Turbo Bounty
• 57 Brian Rast Wins $50,000 Poker Players Championship For the Third Time ($1,324,747)
• 58 Yang Zhang Captures 2023 WSOP $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em Title ($717,879)
• 59 Yuri Dzivielevski Wins Third Bracelet and $207,678 in Event #47: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.
• 60 Poker Player Proposes to Girlfriend After Winning WSOP Bracelet & $1,309,232
• 61 Team Savakinas Reign Supreme in WSOP Tag Team Event ($190,662)
• 62 Nick Pupillo Wins First Bracelet In $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw for $181,978
• 63 Justin Vaysman & Rudy Gavaldon Win WSOP Online Bracelets in Pennsylvania & Michigan
• 64 Ryan “GoFeltaFish2” Eriquezzo Multitasks His Way to His Third WSOP Bracelet
• 65 Lonnie Hallett Defeats Billy Baxter Heads-Up to Win 2023 WSOP Seniors Championship ($765,731)
• 66 Mike Gorodinsky Blazes Down the Home Stretch to Win $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship ($422,747)
• 67 Marcin Horecki Denies Mike Matusow as he Captures Poland’s First-Ever Live WSOP Bracelet
• 68 Retired Fireman Steven Genovese Climbs a Different Type of Ladder to Take Home a WSOP Bracelet!
• 69 Jason Daly Steamrolls Final Table of Event #58: $3,000 Limit Hold’em to Win First WSOP Bracelet
• 70 Millionaire Maker Winner Pavel Plesuv Becomes Moldova’s First WSOP Champion ($1,201,564)

The 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is hosting 20 online bracelets – up from 13 last year – awarded on WSOP.com in the merged network of New Jersey and Nevada.

While PokerNews is offering live updates from those tournaments, the segregated markets of Pennsylvania and Michigan are also each awarding seven bracelets.

While we’re not able to offer live updates from those tournaments, we will be bringing you recaps for all the bracelet winners from Wolverine and Keystone States.

Below is a look at the latest winners from Michigan and Pennsylvania.

A Look at the 2023 WSOP Online Bracelet Schedule – How to Deposit

Christopher Nunez Pennsylvania’s Latest Online Bracelet Winner

On Sunday, June 25, the fourth Pennsylvania online bracelet of the summer was awarded. Event #4: $500 Mystery Bounty attracted 127 players who rebought 90 times. The 217-entry field resulted in a $138,150 prize pool that was paid out to the top 36 finishers.

Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Michael McNeil (10th – $2,260), Kyle “LetMeWin3437” Gross (18th – $6,013), Ilya Soyfer (21st – $1,004), Simon Levy (25th – $1,145) and Shawn Dullavin (27th – $995).

After nearly ten hours of play, it was Christopher “WINPOTS247” Nunez defeating Clinton “Cbranchen07” Branchen in heads-up play to win the tournament for $18,714 and his first online gold bracelet.

Last week’s WSOP Online PA bracelet winner Justin “yumdubz” Vaysman also secured another good score and finished in fifth-place for $5,157. He also ended up with the biggest payout from the tournament as he collected $23,194 in Mystery Bounty prizes for a final payday of $28,351.

WSOP Online PA Event #4 Final Table Results

A Look at All the 2022 WSOP Online Michigan Bracelet Winners

David Ferus Wins Fourth MI Bracelet of the Summer

The Michigan edition of the Mystery Bounty WSOP Online event saw 133 players rebuy 75 times, which resulted in a 208-entry field that awarded its $127,350 prize pool to the top 36 finishers.

Following more than nine hours of play, it was David “NoEndgame” Ferus defeating Shivprasad “The3MonK” Nomula in heads-up play to win the tournament for $16,422 for his first online gold bracelet. It was also just his second cash under the WSOP umbrella.

Like in Pennsylvania, the big winner of the day was not the last player standing. “theeeburger” managed to ladder to fourth place for $6,265 but also found the $20,000 top mystery bounty prize. He racked up $21,270 in bounty pulls for $27,535 to be added to his bankroll.

WSOP Online Michigan Event #4 Final Table Results

Remaining Michigan/Pennsylvania Schedule

Back in 2021, the WSOP offered gold online bracelet events in the segregated Pennsylvania market. In 2022, the WSOP expanded its online bracelet offering into Michigan with eight events.

In 2023, WSOP.com will offer seven online bracelets each in their segregated markets in Michigan and Pennsylvania. The events and schedule are the same in both markets.

On the latest PokerNews Podcast episode, Chad Holloway and Jesse Fullen continue The Chad & Jesse Poker Show straight from the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP).

They are joined by renowned Japanese vlogger Masato Yokosawa, AKA “World Wide Yokosawa.” While players in the United States might think folks like Brad Owen and Andrew Neeme has the biggest vlog followings in the world, that distinction actually belongs to Masato, who regularly clears 600K views on each of his vlogs!

The Japanese vlogging sensation opens up about his start in poker, what inspired him to start a vlog, and how he’s managed to turn it into a smashing success with the help of a creative team. He also talks about his desire to win a WSOP gold bracelet, how Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth are perceived in his home country, and what the future looks like for poker in Japan.

Chad and Jesse then do a new “Calling the Clock” segment in which they offer quick two-minute dialogues for topics on “The Board.”

Here’s a look at this episode’s topics:

• Man proposes to woman after winning WSOP bracelet
• Man awaiting trial for “intent to commit murder” wins online bracelet
• Daniel Negreanu proposes Poker Hall of Fame changes
• Billy Baxter finishers runner-up in Seniors Event
• Phil Hellmuth makes deep run in $10,000 H.O.R.S.E.
• Ryan Eriquezzo multitasks way to 3rd gold bracelet
• Shaun Deeb retakes 2023 WSOP POY lead
• Mike Matusow nearly captures 5th gold bracelet

Listen to those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!

Time Stamps

Time	Topic
00:35	Welcome to the show
01:29	Thoughts on Ali Imsirovic’s video addressing cheating allegations
03:20	Bullshit on paying his dues
06:57	Call for Ali to be banned from all live events
08:30	Let someone ask the tough questions
11:00	Is there any redemption to be had?
12:00	Is it time for Ali to leave poker behind and move on?
15:45	Sponsor: Global Poker
16:26	The $1,100 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD PokerNews Cup is here!
19:30	Man proposes to woman after winning WSOP bracelet
21:30	Man awaiting trial for “intent to commit murder” wins online bracelet
23:30	Daniel Negreanu proposes Poker Hall of Fame changes
25: 30	Billy Baxter finishers runner-up in Seniors Event
27:30	Phil Hellmuth makes deep run in $10,000 H.O.R.S.E.
29:30	Ryan Eriquezzo multitasks way to 3rd gold bracelet
31:30	Shaun Deeb retakes 2023 WSOP POY lead
33:30	Mike Matusow nearly captures 5th gold bracelet
35:45	Guest Masato Yokosawa joins the show
37:00	What got you into poker?
38:20	What got you interested in starting a vlog?
40:35	One vlog away from No. 200!
41:30	Do you get stopped by fans?
42:20	How did you get the “World Wide Yokosawa” nickname?
43:30	How long have you been coming to the WSOP?
44:35	Hitting $1 million in lifetime earnings
45:05	What would it mean for you to win a WSOP gold bracelet?
46:00	Respect for Daniel Negreanu
50:00	Playing high-stakes live-streamed games
51:04	How is Phil Hellmuth perceived in Japan?
52:25	How did you create such amazing vlogs?
54:19	What is poker like in Japan?
56:15	What are your plans for the rest of the WSOP?

PokerNews Freerolls for June

Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show — tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards on Twitter.

Subscribe to the PokerNews Podcast on Apple Podcasts here!

Check Out Past Episodes of the PN Podcast Here!

Executive Editor U.S.

Executive Editor US, PokerNews Podcast co-host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.