Victory belonged to Brazil in Event #65: $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold'em at the 2025 World Series of Poker, where Kelvin Kerber and Peter Patricio outlasted a field of 1,373 teams to capture their first WSOP gold bracelets and the $184,780 top prize. It was a dream come true for the longtime friends, one that had been 14 years in the making.
Friends since their early days grinding under the same stable, Kerber and Patricio combined their talents in perfect sync, relying on instinct, rhythm, and trust. They tagged in and out with confidence and communication, switching roles often and always staying sharp as they danced their way through the three-day marathon inside the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, earning the biggest share of the $1,208,240 prize pool.
By the time they reached heads-up play against Samy Boujmala and Hicham Mahmouki of Team Boujmala, the Brazilians had the momentum and the samba beat of their rail behind them. It took just two hands for Kerber to close it out and send the Brazilian corner of the room into celebration.
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“Oh man. It’s real,” said Kerber, still soaking in the moment after winning his first WSOP bracelet alongside Patricio. “It’s the dream that everybody that starts playing poker looks to. He has been playing for a bit more than me. We have been friends for my whole journey.”
Their connection goes way back. “We were in the same stable 14 years ago. That’s how we met. Now we are partners at the table.”
We were in the same stable 14 years ago. That’s how we met. Now we are partners at the table.
When it came to strategy, flexibility was key. “When we started the tournament like that, you never really expect to go that far,” Patricio said. “He had a tournament to play, so I said, okay, let me play now and you’ll grab me later. Then he came and he played for like a day and a half. I was just playing between breaks for him.”
By Day 3, they got into rhythm. “We were like 30 left with a big stack, and we decided, let’s switch whenever you feel like, okay, I don’t think I’m on my A-game anymore. We didn’t mind switching a lot. We kept switching, and it was working.”
Team Kerber
As they reached the final stretch, Kerber stepped up. “When we were six left, I just told him, if you want to, I got this. I think I got this guy. And he’s like, just go for it. I trust you.”
Trust was the foundation of their teamwork. “We tried to give as much information as we can. But because other players are also switching, it’s like kind of, oh this guy, oh no no…” mentioned Kerber when talking about how they discussed strategy whenever they tagged in and out.
The win was made even sweeter by their support system. “Yeah man, they are like old friends who helped us on the rail. There are guys that I talked to like twice in my life, and they’re like cheering and screaming. My ears are ringing. It’s fun. I’m not gonna lie to you.”
My ears are ringing. It’s fun. I’m not gonna lie to you.
And while heads-up only lasted two hands, that was just fine by Kerber. “It’s a good experience to be here with the rail and everything, but I’m glad it was fast.”
Tag Team Action
Team Kerber picked up steam in Level 24 when Jonathan Scott from Team Novello three-bet shoved pocket sevens for over thirty big blinds. Kerber had the Cowboys, and a clean runout later left them near the top of the pack.
Not long after, Patricio's pocket jacks dispatched Team Singh's Mehmet Siginc, who held pocket tens. Patricio also brought about the official final table of nine when his pocket fives held on a flop against Matthew Lambrecht's king-eight.
Matthew Lambrecht
The Brazilians' stack took a hit when their pocket jacks couldn't hold up against the ace-nine of Michael Lancaster from Team Lancaster. However, it didn't take long to regain momentum, as Kerber rivered a flush against Kyeongrim Shin of Team Shin, who made a hero call with a rivered pair of sevens.
Kerber then came from behind with ace-four to eliminate David Sathue of Team Hannah, who held pocket fives. Kerber flopped a straight draw and turned it, with that same card giving Sathue a set. The board didn't pair on the river, which left just four teams in contention.
Hicham Mahmouki
By the time heads-up play started, Kerber was up against Mahmouki with deep stacks in front of them both. Despite that, it was over in just two hands. Mahmouki had Big Slick and paired his king on the flop, while Kerber also paired his jack with jack-eight.
After a bet and a call on the turn, Kerber made trips on the river and Mahmouki shoved into him. Kerber instantly called, and just like that, he and Patricio had won themselves a WSOP bracelet.
