2019 World Series of Poker

Event #81: $1,500 50th Annual Bracelet Winners Only No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2019 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
32
Prize
$71,580
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$277,500
Entries
185
Level Info
Level
26
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
80,000

Event #81: $1,500 Bracelet Winners Only No-Limit Hold'em Kicks Off at 3 p.m. PDT

The fabled WSOP bracelet
The fabled WSOP bracelet

Across 50 years of the World Series of Poker, more than 1,000 players have reached the pinnacle in the live tournament arenas in the Binion's Horseshoe and Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, becoming WSOP bracelet winners.

All of those previous winners now have a chance to meet in a unique event dedicated to the appreciation of their achievements at the series, the $1,500 Bracelet Winners Only No-Limit Hold'em event, running from July 10-13, 2019.

The rake-free tournament is restricted to past champions, promising a truly spectacular lineup of World Series legends at the tables. While the WSOP has awarded bracelets in dozens of various games, the winners' event will be played in the most popular one of them.

Players will start with 50,000 in chips and the levels will be 60 minutes long throughout the event. Day 1 starts today at 3 p.m. and the exclusive field will navigate through 10 levels on Day 1, starting at 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante. While many tournaments across the world have become increasingly filled with re-entry formats, this exclusive event will allow only one chance per player.

PokerNews will provide updates from start to finish so come back to follow the battles between high profile players, all of whom have already proved that they have what it takes to take down a World Series of Poker event and claim a bracelet.

Tags: World Series of PokerWSOP

Strelitz' Tournament Is Over

Level 3 : 200/400, 400 ante
Daniel Strelitz
Daniel Strelitz

Daniel Strelitz became eligible to compete in the Bracelet Winners event only a month ago after topping the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em event for $442,385. However, Strelitz' appearance in the exclusive event lasted less than three hours.

Strelitz had already dropped some chips during the opening two levels and his swan song came when he faced off against his neighbor Yue Du.

Both hands had been tabled by the time the action was picked up and the dealer rolled out the final card of the board. Strelitz ran with {a-}{q-} into Du's {k-Hearts}{k-Diamonds} and a king on the turn cemented Du's position.

Strelitz walked away while Du improved to 170,000.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Yue Du cn
Yue Du
170,000
170,000
170,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Daniel Strelitz us
Daniel Strelitz
Busted
WSOP 2X Winner

Tags: Daniel StrelitzYue Du

Tsinis Scoops Most of Esposito's Chips

Level 7 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Arkadiy Tsinis
Arkadiy Tsinis

Arkadiy Tsinis was in early position, betting 5,500 into 13,000 on the flop of {2-Hearts}{5-Spades}{4-Diamonds}. John Esposito raised to 20,000 in the cutoff and Tsinis tanked for a while. Then he announced he was all in and Esposito called right away.

Tsinis held {q-Spades}{q-Clubs} and he needed to fade Esposito's open-ender with {7-Spades}{6-Spades}.

The {7-Diamonds} turn gave Esposito a few extra outs but the {2-Diamonds} river stayed with Tsinis, who had 45,500. Esposito asked whether Tsinis got him covered, but while it was close, Esposito was left 800.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Arkadiy Tsinis us
Arkadiy Tsinis
104,000
104,000
104,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of John Esposito us
John Esposito
800
-97,200
-97,200
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Arkadiy TsinisJohn Esposito

Kim Calls Down Martini

Level 7 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Jiyoung Kim
Jiyoung Kim

Julien Martini three-bet to 7,000 over Jiyoung Kim's 2,300-raise from early position. Kim called and they went to the {3-Clubs}{8-Hearts}{3-Diamonds} flop. Kim checked, Martini bet 4,000, and Kim called.

The {k-Hearts} hit the turn and Kim check-called another 12,000.

Martini fired one more shell on the {6-Hearts} river, making it 14,000. Kim called again and Martini showed {j-Spades}{j-Hearts}. Kim turned up {k-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds} and claimed the pot, vaulting over 220,000 in chips.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jiyoung Kim kr
Jiyoung Kim
225,000
225,000
225,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Julien Martini fr
Julien Martini
37,000
-19,500
-19,500
WSOP 4X Winner

Tags: Jiyoung KimJulien Martini

Luther Takes Down Masive Pot to Seize Substantial Lead

Level 10 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Nikita Luther
Nikita Luther

In a battle of early position, Nikita Luther opened under the gun and her neighbor three-bet to 9,200. Luther fired back with a four-bet to 25,000 and she subsequently faced a 54,200-reraise. Luther jammed for an effective 120,000 or so and she got called.

Luther was a favorite heading into the flop with {k-Hearts}{k-Clubs} versus {a-Diamonds}{k-Spades}. She faded an ace-high board as the dealer rolled out {6-Spades}{7-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}.

Luther tackled her opponent and dragged the 250,000 pot. She is now approaching 400,000 in chips with one more hour left to play on Day 1.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Nikita Luther in
Nikita Luther
395,000
155,000
155,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Nikita Luther

Nikita Luther Storms Through Day 1 of Bracelet Winners Event

Level 10 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Nikita Luther
Nikita Luther

The opening day of the $1,500 Bracelet Winners Only No-Limit Hold'em Event drew a field of 143 players. With the tournament dedicated to those who have already been decorated at the World Series of Poker, the lineup was guaranteed to feature some of the sharpest players across decades and game varieties.

Among those who entered the contest were about two dozen female players, and one of them took the spotlight as Nikita Luther dominated the first day, presenting herself with a fiercely aggressive approach. Luther finished the day with an outstanding 538,500, leading the 51 survivors into the next stage.

Luther wasn't scared to put her chips in the middle. She was seen jamming on her opponents left and right, and it looked to be a race between her, Michael Gagliano (354,000) and Yuval Bronshtein (277,000) for the pole position.

But Luther seized the outright lead when she prevailed in a gigantic preflop confrontation which saw her six-bet shove with kings and hold against ace-king. Luther was able to add a further 60 big blinds to her stack thereafter, mainly thanks to dragging a hefty pot in a hand against Scott Bohlman.

Gagliano arrived early and he quickly extended his stack, staying near the top of the chip counts for the rest of the day. Chris Ferguson opted for a different strategy, hopping into the tournament only for the final stretch of today's play. Still, Ferguson was able to spin his stack up to 224,500.

Along with Ferguson, another former Main Event champion thrived on Day 1; Joe Cada, who had a tough start to the tournament, but it's the strong finish that counts. Cada proved that he's still one of the best no-limit players in the world. He vaulted to 195,000, mostly thanks to a successful bluff-catch with ace-high in an inflated pot against Perry Friedman.

Day 2 starts on Thursday, July 11, at 2 p.m. local time and the late registration remains open until then. It is likely that the field will be increased by some last-minute entrants, with the 50,000-starting stack worth 20 big blinds as the play resumes at 1,000/2,500/2,500.

PokerNews will be again on the ground to provide live updates from the encounters of the decorated field, so come back then for the coverage.

Tags: Chris FergusonJoe CadaMichael GaglianoNikita LutherPerry FriedmanScott BohlmanYuval Bronshtein