With Day 2 of the $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship at the 2023 World Series of Poker currently in motion, PokerNews thought it’d be a fun idea to ask the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT to predict the outcome of the event.

From the original field of 64, just 16 players made it through to Day 2, where the Round of 16 and Quarter Finals will play out on the WSOP felt.

Among those who fell by the wayside in the first session included Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu and 2022 WSOP Main Event champion Espen Jorstad, while the likes of Doug Polk, Chris Brewer and Chance Kornuth all managed to navigate through the first two rounds successfully.

So, we inputted the matchups into ChatGPT to see how it thinks the Heads Up Championship will play out. It produced many hypothetical eye-catching confrontations while also thinking that a certain someone would pick up their fourth WSOP bracelet.

Round of 16

ChatGPT also expanded on its predictions and gave reasons for producing the outcomes it did. For example, in the Sean Winter and Kevin Rabichow showdown, the AI bot had this to say:

“Winter’s consistency and experience in high-stakes tournaments make him a formidable opponent. However, Rabichow has shown great skill and an ability to adapt to different playing styles. This match will likely be fiercely contested, but we predict Winter will prevail with his solid track record and deep understanding of the game.”

ChatGPT also predicted that Daemon Richardson, Chanracy Khun, Isaac Kempton, Chris Brewer, and Anthony Zinno would make it through to the next round alongside the aforementioned Kornuth and Polk.

Quarter-Finals

One of the interesting quarter-final matchups forecasted by ChatGPT is between Chris Brewer and Anthony Zinno. And it believes that Brewer will be the player to come out on top. It told us that:

“Brewer’s ability to read opponents and adapt his strategy accordingly could give him an advantage against Zinno. Zinno’s experience and versatility cannot be underestimated, but Brewer’s recent performances might tip the scales in his favor. Our prediction leans towards Brewer progressing to the semi-finals.”

Semi-Finals

ChatGPT has envisaged some absolute dream heads-up matches for the semi-final. Winter, Kornuth, Polk and Brewer are all considered elite poker players and the idea that these could be the semi-finals brackets is a salivating thought.

Kornuth and Winter have already battled each other this series, as both players finished second and third in Event #2: $25,000 High Roller 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em, respectively.

If the Polk and Brewer face-off happens as foretold, audiences can expect a jovial encounter. However, ChatGPT thinks Polk would have the last laugh.

ChatGPT projected that “Polk’s aggressive style could put Brewer on the backfoot in this matchup. However, Brewer’s ability to make precise reads and adapt his strategy accordingly could make it a tough battle for Polk. This match could swing either way, but our prediction leans towards Polk moving on to the final.”

Final

Will it be Winter’s first bracelet or number four for Polk? Well, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that ChatGPT thinks that heads-up specialist Polk emerges as the victor. It’s a safe bet from ChatGPT as Polk is widely regarded as the best heads-up no-limit hold’em player of all time.

It speculated, “If these two skilled players were to face off in the final, it would undoubtedly be an exhilarating match. Winter’s consistency and ability to thrive under pressure could challenge Polk’s aggressive style and deep understanding of the game. While both players possess exceptional skills, our hypothetical prediction leans towards Doug Polk emerging as the 2023 WSOP $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship champion.”

However, with the matchups still playing out, who knows who will reach the final and capture the winner’s spoils? If you want to find out how the Heads Up Championship concludes, then head over to the PokerNews live reporting page.

The 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) kicked off earlier this week, and bracelet winners are being minted every day. The PokerNews Live Reporting Team has been busy capturing all the action in our live updates, and they’ve witnessed some hands go down that proved to be either entertaining, game-changing or just flat out brutal.

Below is a look at some of the best hands of the week from the 2023 WSOP!

Accidental Slow Roll from Hellmuth

On Day 1 of Event #5: $1,500 Dealer’s Choice 6-Handed, it was Level 7 when reporter Connor Richards captured an interesting Badeucey hand involving 16-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth.

Chad Eveslage raised to 1,200 on the button and was called by the small blind and Hellmuth in the big blind. Eveslage drew two as Hellmuth drew three and the small blind drew one.

Action checked through after the first draw and Eveslage drew two as Hellmuth and the small blind again drew three and one.

The small blind then led out for 1,200 and Hellmuth and Eveslage both called. The small blind stood pat as Eveslage drew one and Hellmuth drew one.

The small blind bet again after the third draw and only Hellmuth called. The small blind showed 8♣7♠6♠4♠2♦ for an eight-seven low and a three-card Badugi and Hellmuth put down 5♦4♥3♣ as he read his opponent’s hand.

“Oh wait, I scoop it!” Hellmuth cheered as he turned over 8♥7♣ to reveal a better low and a better three-card Badugi.

“I don’t slow roll intentionally,” Hellmuth consoled his opponent.

“I’m a Genius”

In the same tournament but in Level 10, Richards caught another hand. It was Nacho Barbero‘s turn to choose a game and he took his time sifting through the 20 mixed game placards as Daniel Negreanu and others at the table waited for the high-stakes Argentinian pro to decide.

After getting to the final placard, Barbero flipped back to the top of the stack and made another run through before landing on Limit 2-7 Triple Draw.

An early position player raised to 3,000 and Barbero and the button called. Barbero drew one and his opponents drew two.

Action checked to Barbero and he bet and drew one. Both opponents called and drew one. Each player again checked and drew one and checked once more after the third draw.

Barbero showed A♦6♦4♠3♥2♣ as he picked up an ace at the end to significantly weaken his hand. But it was enough to win as both of his opponents paired at the end and mucked in defeat.

“I’m a genius. I’m a f***ing genius,” Barbero said as he took in the pot.

Poker Royalty Brenes Loses to Aronowitz’ Runner-Runner Royal Flush

In Event #7: $1,500 Limit Hold’em, reporter Ryan Gray posted an update from Level 10 (1,000/2,000).

After a bet by Matthew Aronowitz and a call by Humberto Brenes on a board of 4♣9♣10♦K♦, the two took a J♦ river.

Aronowitz bet and Brenes folded.

Brenes let the table know he had folded a pair of tens as he flashed the Ax10x.

Aronowitz showed his holding was slightly stronger when he rolled over A♦Q♦ for a Royal Flush.

Follow live updates from the 2023 WSOP here!

Kitagawa Pays Tribute To Doyle Brunson

Also, in Event #7: $1,500 Limit Hold’em, Chris Land reported a hand in Level 13 (2,000/4,000) when the under-the-gun player raised and got called by a player in late position and Kyle Kitagawa in the big blind.

The flop came down 6♠10♥2♥ and Kitagawa checked. The under-the-gun player put a bet out and saw the player in late position call before Kitagawa stuck in a raise, which was called by both opponents prompting the dealer to burn and turn the A♥.

Kitagawa checked again before he and the late position player both called a bet from the under-the-gun player and all three went to a 2♠ river.

Kitagawa checked once more and faced another bet from the under-the-gun player. The late position player put in the call before Kitagawa tossed out a raise. The UTG player called and the late-position player tossed his cards toward the muck.

Kitagawa showed the 10♣2♣ for deuces full to take down a massive pot.

With the passing of Doyle Brunson just a few short weeks before the start of the 2023 WSOP, we knew we’d see players looking to pay tribute to his legacy and Kitagawa did just that.

Former Main Event Champ is King in Mystery Millions

Event #3: $1,000 Mystery Millions featured four starting flights, and as expected the gimmicky tournament attracted thousands of players, both pros and recs alike. There were a lot of big hands to go down, and one in particular involved a former Main Event champion.

The hand took place in Level 17 (5,000/10,000/10,000) when Sweden’s Martin Jacobson, the winner of the 2014 WSOP Main Event, raised to 20,000 from middle position and the player to his left three-bet to 52,000. Action folded to the player in the big blind and they jammed for approximately 150,000.

Jacobson responded by moving all in over the top for 340,000 and then the three-bettor called off for right around 300,000.

Martin Jacobson: K♥K♦
Late-Position Player: A♦A♣
Big Blind: 10♦10♠

All three players held big pocket pairs, and none of them improved on the 4♥8♥9♠ flop.

The 9♥ turn gave Jacobson the only flush draw, but he didn’t hit it. Instead, the dealer put out the K♠ on the river to fill him up and give him the double knockout.

Jacobson went on to bag 1.18 million and will return to action on Sunday for Day 2, which is when the $1,000,000 bounty and other prizes will be up for grabs.

The 2023 World Series of Poker has crowned the third winner of a coveted gold bracelet at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Out of a field of 456 entries in Event #5: $1,500 Dealer’s Choice (6-Handed), American poker pro Chad Eveslage defeated Andrew “AJ” Kelsall in a short-lived heads-up duel to claim the biggest slice of the $608,760 prize pool.

It was the second bracelet in as many years for Eveslage after he followed up his victory in Event #8: $25,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed. The maiden triumph back then came with a seven-figure score and also took place very early in the series. For his efforts throughout the last three days, Eveslage earned a payday of $131,879 while Kelsall was denied a second bracelet and had to settle for $81,509.

The final day featured one further WSOP bracelet in John Racener, who reached the final table and bowed out in fourth place. Clayton Mozdzen was the only non-American still in contention among the 11 hopefuls and finished in fifth place.

Final Table Result Event #5: $1,500 Dealer’s Choice (6-Handed)

Winner’s Reaction

After his dominating victory, Eveslage admitted that he was, “Not nearly as excited, but it’s fun,” when compared to the maiden victory nearly one year ago. Something else was certainly different. Not only were the stakes much lower, but also an entirely different kind of atmosphere compared to the serious nature of the high-stakes contest back then.

“You know what I mean? The mixed atmosphere is much, much more laid back, we were joking around heads up. Like, you know, when I beat Jake heads-up or it was, no, I don’t think a single word was spoken, you know, but it’s nice, you know … I imagine it never gets old winning a World Series of Poker bracelet though,” the now two-time champion clarified.

While many of the contenders picked specific games, Eveslage said that he considered his edge to be in a rather traditional variant. “There was a lot of Badeucey, but there was Hold’em, too. I think I’ve got way more No-Limit Hold’em experience than a lot of these guys. So there’s a lot of value in just calling those games,” he added, but clarified that the former is certainly one of his favorite variants. “I think…I definitely am certain I have an edge against almost everybody in that game … just … they’re laughing at me because I sound egotistical”, the champion joked while his friends poked fun at him for it.

Dubbed as the “greatest Badeucey player in the world” not only by runner-up Kelsall, Eveslage revealed that it all started from him playing a character as the greatest at the tables like a championship wrestler but “it might be true, too”.

Another tongue-in-cheek remark by his opponents that was often mentioned throughout the last two days was the “run like Chad”, which he explained as follows.

“A lot of people who have played me in mix think I just … I’m not good and run really good. Maybe they are right, maybe that’s are just some kind of psychological justification. I don’t know what is going on, but that’s where it is from.”

There won’t be much of a break from the poker grind for the now two-time WSOP bracelet winner, however, and he is not certain yet which event to play next. Potential candidates are the Dealer’s Choice Championship or the Mystery Bounty Event. “I don’t know, we will see how I feel”, he concluded.

Action of the Final Day

Runner-up Kelsall entered the final day as the chip leader, but couldn’t keep up the momentum of the previous day. During a frustrating opening stage, Kelsall dropped back into the middle of the pack and even joked he “was a much better Day 2 player than a Day 3 player”. The lead changed multiple times and several hopefuls came back from the brink to stay in contention.

This wasn’t the case for Nick Pupillo, however, as his stack was swallowed up by James Johnson in Pot-Limit 2-7 Triple Draw. With ten players remaining, Eveslage was the shortest stack by a small margin while Racener saw his stack reduced to a fraction of a full bet. Despite that, Ryan Roeder became the next casualty as he was knocked out by Eveslage.

That boost to the stack sparked a rapid growth for Eveslage, who also dispatched Gregory Kelley shortly after. Racener remained in contention while Andrew Brown saw his stack vanish across multiple bad run-outs as he came up just shy of the unofficial final table. With seven players remaining, Eveslage held three times as many chips as second-placed Nick Kost and even the miracle escape of Mozdzen in remarkable fashion was just a very minor setback.

Eveslage decimated the stack of David Levi, who was then knocked out by Racener. Johnson fell to Mozdzen before Eveslage claimed the stacks of Mozdzen in Badeucey and Racener in Big O. Kost was left short by the hot run of Eveslage and bowed out in a battle of short stacks with Kelsall, who was unable to overcome the overwhelming lead and tremendous Badeucey prowess of his opponent.

Day 4 of the 2023 World Series of Poker has come to a close with two more bracelet winners joining the pantheon and two new events kicking off. The WSOP is keeping up its hectic pace as three other events trundled through the midgame.

Today’s bracelet winners were Chad Eveslage in Event #5: $1,500 Dealer’s Choice (6-Handed) and Michael Moncek in Event #6: $5,000 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha. We also got to catch the first sighting of Phil Ivey at the series.

Event #3: $1,000 Mystery Millions had its Day 1c flight today and Event #4: Tournament of Champions reached its final table. Meanwhile, Event #7: $1,500 Limit Hold’em narrowed the field ahead of its Day 3 finale which will take place tomorrow.

Phil Ivey Arrives, Loses to Legendary Smith

The biggest excitement on the floor was for Day 1 of the Event #8: $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship. Big-name players like Phil Ivey and Doug Polk rolled out for a string of one-on-one battles.

Ivey’s arrival, his first at this year’s series, caused a particular stir. Ivey faced the legendary John Smith — a poker veteran with two WSOP HU runner-up finishes — in the first round and bowed out after a lengthy battle. Smith himself succumbed in the second round to Chris Brewer, who will be back on Day 2.

Other notable survivors include Landon Tice, Chance Kornuth, Anthony Zinno, and Doug Polk, all remaining in contention for the first place prize of $507,020.

Event #8: $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship Brackets/Results

Fernando “JNandez” Habegger Just Misses Out On Bracelet

Event #6: $5,000 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha saw Fernando “JNandez” Habegger come in second to Michael Moncek.

Moncek beat Habegger heads up, hitting a full house after a preflop all-in. The American won $534,499 and his first gold bracelet, while the famous PLO instructor took home $330,344 for his trouble.

Event #6: $5,000 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha Final Table Results

Read the full recap here

Bracelet Number Two For Chad Eveslage

There were 456 entries to Event #5: $1,500 Dealer’s Choice (6-Handed). Agter three days of play, Chad Eveslage came out on top after beating Andrew “AJ” Kelsall heads up. This is Eveslage’s second bracelet, following his victory last year in Event #8: $25,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed.

Sadly, Kelsall was also in the running for a second bracelet as was John Racener, who came in fourth. However, there could be only one and Eveslage made sure it was him.

Event #5: $1,500 Dealer’s Choice (6-Handed) Final Table Results

TOC Finds Its Final Table

Event #4: Tournament of Champions played down to the final seven today. Wissam Gahshan will lead what’s left of the field when they return for the televised final table at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The invitation-only tournament has a $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool. Only winners of a WSOP bracelet or WSOPC ring in the last year are allowed to enter. Despite this restriction, 741 players entered.

The action will return with 42 minutes of level 28 (50,000/100,000/100,000) remaining.

Event #4: Tournament of Champions Final Table Chip Counts

Follow live coverage of the ToC final table here

David “ODB” Baker Chases Third Bracelet In Limit Hold’em event

Day 2 of Event #7: $1,500 Limit Hold ‘Em saw but David “ODB” Baker chasing his third WSOP bracelet to the final table. Baker built his stack in the closing hours of the day, as the last few players fell by the wayside.

Several other players looking to add a bracelet

Of the 169 returning players on Day 2, just 17 remain going into the third and final day. They will all have their eyes on the $146,835 first prize.

The remaining nine players have locked up at least $4,843, but all eyes will be on the $146,835 top prize and the coveted WSOP bracelet when play resumes. Big name players who have made the money include Nick Schulman, Patrick Leonard, and Justin Pechie, as well as Yueqi Zhu, who took third in this event last year.

Event #7: $1,500 Limit Hold ‘Em Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts

Dzmitry Urbanovich Leads Seven Card Stud Event

Today also saw Day 1 of Event #9: $1,500 Seven Card Stud play out, with Dzmitry Urbanovich taking a chip lead with 292,000 after 15 levels of play.

Urbanovich, already has an EPT trophy on his shelf and over $6 million in tournament cashes, so the real prize for him will be the bracelet.

From 339 total entries, 101 players remain and just 54 will make the money. These players will return June 3 at 1 p.m. for another 12 levels of play.

Event #9: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Day 1 Top Ten Chip Counts

Chino Rheem Hunts For Mystery Bounty

Ryan McKnight topped out the Day 1c field of Event #3: $1,000 Mystery Millions - No-Limit Hold’em. However, he was in the running with big-name player
s like Chino Rheem, Chris Hunichen, and Adam Hendrix.

However, the event chip lead is still held by Francis Anderson (2,750,000) from the Day 1a field.

Other large stacks from Day 1c of the Mystery Bounty include Bleron Maliqi (1,910,000), Justin Liberto (1,670,000), and Ryan Hughes (1,630,000.)

Event #3: $1,000 Mystery Millions - No-Limit Hold’em Day 1c Top Ten Chip Counts

From May 10-24, the Moneymaker Poker Tour made its inaugural stop at the Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Over the course of 21 events, the stop catered to 2,677 entrants and awarded $1,416,840 in prize money.

The first stop for the new poker tour created by Chris Moneymaker and Moneymaker Executive Manager Tony Burns also provided plenty of satellite opportunities, including several with an $86 buy-in – the same satellite buy-in amount Moneymaker parlayed into a 2003 WSOP Main Event entry en route to the victory that revolutionized the game.

Among those to claim titles during the series were Raminder Singh, who won Event #16: $186 Moneymaker Mega Stack NLH, and David Shmuel, who won back-to-back tournaments by winning the first-ever Moneymaker Tour trophy in Event #2: $300 H.O.R.S.E, before he claimed another piece of hardware the very next day as he emerged victorious in Event #3: $300 Omaha 8/B.

Is Chris Moneymaker’s Win STILL the Biggest WSOP Upset Ever?

Mike Rossi Wins Moneymaker Main Event in Familiar Fashion

The marquee event of the series was the $2,500 Moneymaker Main Event – a five-day tournament with a $500,000 guarantee and a live-streamed final table.

The Main Event amassed 262 entrants over three starting flights to generate a $589,500 prize pool and was ultimately won by Mike Rossi of Tampa, Florida. Rossi navigated a final table that included reigning GPI Player of the Year Stephen Song and overcame a three-to-one deficit to defeat two-time WPT champion James Carroll in heads-up play.

Rossi multiplied his previous biggest live win by a factor of nearly 20, according to The Hendon Mob. In a story similar to the tour’s namesake, Rossi earned his entry through a $90 online satellite offered on America’s Cardroom, evoking memories of an amateur accountant turning a small investment into a big score.

Another aspect to add to Rossi’s magical win was the fact that it came exactly 20 years to the day since Moneymaker’s Main Event triumph. Inspired by Rossi’s relatable run, Moneymaker and ACR CEO Phil Nagy decided to sweeten Rossi’s experience even further by gifting him a $10,000 WSOP Main Event ticket and a $100,000 Triton London package to extend his extraordinary journey.

Moneymaker Main Event Final Table Results

100-Year-Old Eugene Calden Claims a Trophy

On May 14, Event #5: $500 Moneymaker Mulligan NLH saw 25 players battle it out on the felt for a $10,750 prize pool paid out to the top three finishers.

The event was won by 100-year-old World War II veteran Eugene Calden. The centenarian has numerous live poker results on The Hendon Mob dating back to 2010 when he was but a young 87-year-old player.

The Moneymaker Tour will also be sponsoring Calden into the WSOP Main Event where he is set to become the oldest-ever participant in the World Series of Poker. Calden would surpass Jack Ury who last played in 2010 at the age of 97, and who poker fans may remember for a good-natured slowroll caught on camera during the 2009 WSOP Main Event.

Event #5 Final Table Results

Zhen Cai Takes Down Moneymaker Kickoff Event

The series began with the $500 buy-in Moneymaker Kickoff with six starting flights and a $250,000 guaranteed prize pool along with some live-streamed action.

The opening event was won by Zhen Cai, who claimed the trophy and $55,158 following a three-way deal with Marc Levy and Roberto Bendeck. Cai added the five-figure score to his poker résumé which includes a sixth-place finish in the 2019 WSOP Main Event for $1,850,000.

Moneymaker Kickoff Final Table Results

Partying Like it’s 2003: Chris Moneymaker Deep in WSOP Main Event Again

Moneymaker Poker Tour Winners

Next Stop

_{*Images courtesy of the Moneymaker Tour.}

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the most prestigious and highly anticipated poker festival in the world. It attracts thousands of players each year, all vying for the chance to win a coveted WSOP bracelet and a share of some huge prize pools.

The WSOP is a test of skill, strategy, and endurance, and taking down one of the events can be a life-changing experience. However, even winning players can find themselves losing money at the WSOP. Daniel Negreanu, one of poker’s biggest names and winners, found himself in the hole for $1.1 million at the 2022 WSOP, and he’s just one of many notable names to have ended in the red following a series.

But just what reasons are there for winning poker players to lose money at the WSOP? PokerNews explores five reasons why this can happen.

Variance

Variance is a term used in poker to describe the random fluctuations in the game due to luck. Even the best players in the world can experience a run of bad luck that can cost them a lot of money. At the WSOP, the stakes are high, and the competition is fierce. With so many players participating, the variance is even greater, making it more likely for skilled players to experience losing streaks.

The WSOP attracts recreational players who may not be as skilled as the professionals. These players can often win big pots with weak hands, which can be frustrating for more experienced players. The unpredictability of these players can also increase the variance, making it more challenging for even winning players to make a profit.

Daniel Negreanu Wraps 2022 World Series of Poker Down $1.1 Million

Tilt

Tilt is the emotional state of a player who has lost control of their game due to a bad beat or other negative events. Tilt can cause players to make irrational decisions, leading to more significant losses. At the WSOP, the pressure to perform can be intense, which can increase the likelihood of players tilting.

Moreover, the WSOP features long and grueling tournaments, like the Main Event, that require players to play for long hours and consecutive days. This can be physically and mentally exhausting, making players more susceptible to tilt. Even the best players in the world can succumb to tilt at the WSOP, which can cause them to lose money.

Exhaustion

The WSOP is a marathon, not a sprint. As mentioned, some events take multiple days to play out, and a deep run in one of the tournaments could mean a player spends over 50 hours at the tables in just a few days. This can take a toll on their physical and mental health, which can affect their performance at the table. Exhaustion can lead to poor decision-making and a lack of focus.

Players may not have enough time to rest and recover between games, which can further exacerbate the problem. Even winning players can suffer from exhaustion at the WSOP, making it difficult for them to perform at their best.

How to Decide Which WSOP Tournament(s) to Play

Competition

The WSOP attracts some of the best players in the world. Winning at the WSOP requires playing at a very high level and competing against skilled layers who are also playing their best game. Professional poker players and even the best recreational players can spend multiple weeks and months prepping for the occasion. So even the best players can find themselves outmatched in certain spots, leading to a loss of money.

Tournament poker requires players to adapt to new and challenging situations. The tournament structure, the number of players, and the skill level of the competition can vary from game to game. Winning players may be unable to adjust their game strategy to these new situations, leading to costly mistakes and a loss of money.

Bad Strategy

Even the biggest winning players can make mistakes in their game strategy. At the WSOP, players may require a different approach than they are used to.

The ability to adapt to new situations and opponents is essential for maintaining a winning edge at the WSOP. Players must be willing to analyze their game, identify weaknesses, and change their strategy when necessary.

WSOP Main Event Champions 2015-17: McKeehen, Nguyen, Blumstein

Final Thoughts

Winning at the WSOP is a significant achievement requiring skill, strategy, and luck. However, even winning players can find themselves losing money at the WSOP due to factors such as variance, tilt, exhaustion, competition, and bad strategy.

Understanding these factors and taking steps to manage them is crucial for making a profit at the WSOP. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newcomer, the WSOP is a unique and challenging experience.

Out of 568 players that entered Event #6: $5,000 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha yesterday, only one remained when the dust settled after 26 hours of play over two action-packed days.

Obviously, a tremendous start at the 2023 World Series of Poker for Michael Moncek, as he took the lion’s share of a prize pool that totaled a whopping $2,612,800. Runner up, Fernando Habegger came into the day with the chip lead and managed to navigate all the way to the final heads up. Habegger received $330,344 for his valiant efforts.

PokerGo interviewed Moncek moments after he rang the victory bell. “It means a lot and now I have a decent shot at going for Player of the Year,” Moncek said. “Winning a bracelet in the first week, I’m excited about that.”

Michael Moncek is no stranger to winning. He has three WSOP circuit rings and this isn’t his first bracelet either, he also won Event #13: $1,500 Limit Hold’em last year at the 2022 World Series of Poker.

Final Table Results

Final Day Action

Plenty of skilled hopefuls made it deep into day one but came up short. Brian Rast bust just three from the money in the 17th level. Daniel Negreanu bust Jeremy Ausmus (86th - $8,000) in level 18. Dylan Weisman (74th - $8,000) cashed after making a big fold deep in the tournament. Negreanu later went on to bust without finding a bag (63rd - $8,750). On day two Martin Zamani exited in 21st place in a pair-over-pair altercation (21st - $17,826). Yuval Bronshtein (9th - $41,521), a two-time bracelet winner, finished in 9th place at the unofficial final table.

Final Table Action

Ferenc Deak is a Hungarian player who has cashes in Las Vegas that go as far back as 2011. On the bubble of the final table, he worked a short stack, stealing blinds in both the PLO and NLH rounds every opportunity he could. Unfortunately, when the cards were on their back, he ended up getting his aces cracked in PLO to finish in 8th place.

Shortly after this, the players went on break and when they returned, they were moved to the PokerGo feature table.

No stranger to the lights and cameras, Kristen Foxen could be counted amongst the chip leaders since early on day 1. Losing a big hand to Livingston, where he limped jacks blind vs blind left her with only 390,000 in chips. She went on to be eliminated in 7th place shortly after.

Tyler Brown got some respect from Shaun Deeb on Day 1 but ultimately was eliminated in 6th place when Moncek rivered a set against him on the river.

Long-time crusher Christian Harder fell in fifth place, when he got his last 2,000,000 in chips in against Livingston preflop. Harder went on to say he’s still in search of the hardware and will be back on the grind tomorrow.

Michael Banducci, who won a NLH bracelet in 2008 was searching for a repeat 15 years later but Habegger’s big slick bested him in a pot over 6,000,000. Banducci will have to settle for 5th place this time.

Alex Livingston,also vying for a new piece of jewelry, ran into Habeggar’s trips to lose a big chunk of his stack . It was Moncek who delivered the last blow, leaving Livingston to settle for the bronze.

Heads up play

Early in the heads up match, Moncek had 20,900,000 to Habegger’s 7,480,000. Moncek kept the aggression up and whittled Habegger down to 4,450,000 but when Habegger limped jacks in the small blind he was able to find a double. Habegger was whittled down and doubled again in an Omaha hand when he flopped top paid but he was never able to regain the chip lead.

Finally down to his last 2,100,000 in chips, Habegger got it all-in with a suited ace and a pair in an Omaha hand.

Congratulations again to Moncek who started the World Series of Poker off with a bang, defeating Habegger with kings full of jacks.