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Event #53: $1,500 Five Card Pot-Limit Omaha
Day 3 Completed
2026 World Series of Poker
Event #53: $1,500 Five Card Pot-Limit Omaha
Day: 3
Event Info
2026 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$1,750,973
Total Entries
1,319
Level
33
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Entries
7
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 1,319
Filter
Level 33
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Of the 1,319 entries into Event #53: $1,500 Five Card Pot-Limit Omaha, only one remains standing as Zachary Gruneberg takes down the first event of its kind at the 2026 World Series of Poker, becoming the inaugural five card bracelet winner, an achievement that will be irreplaceable in the history books.
After three days of gruelling action at Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas, Gruneberg bested a field that included numerous Omaha experts and bracelet winners in the standard PLO format, but none will be able to say they have hardware with an extra card in play.
On top of his priceless third gold bracelet, Gruneberg will also be taking home a more quantifiable, but equally important prize of $271,552 for his efforts, which is the number one payout offered by the huge $1,750,973 pool that was created. This takes his career earnings over the $2.5 million mark, according to The Hendon Mob and is his first ever six-figure score in a game other than No-Limit Hold’em.
A defining factor of his final day was the non-stop support from his rail, who were chanting and cheering for every pot won, outdoing even the Brazilians who were supporting third-place finisher Erick Mossinger. Once Gruneberg gained the chip lead four-handed, he didn’t look back once, and grinded his opponents’ stacks down to dust.
Runner-up Hokyiu Lee once again had an extremely impressive run in this tournament, after having finished second in a $1,500 PLO tournament mere days ago. Yet again, however, he was bested at the final hurdle and was unable to overcome Gruneberg to double his bracelet tally
Event #53: $1,500 Five Card Pot-Limit Omaha Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zachary Gruneberg | United States | $271,552 |
| 2 | Hokyiu Lee | Hong Kong | $180,230 |
| 3 | Erick Mossinger | Brazil | $127,560 |
| 4 | Kamel Mokhammad | Ukraine | $91,530 |
| 5 | Gianluca Cedolia | Canada | $66,610 |
| 6 | Ravi Shankar | United States | $49,160 |
| 7 | Bouwe Claushuis | Netherlands | $36,810 |
Winner’s Reaction
This was Gruneberg’s third career bracelet, with each of the previous two coming online in Hold’em events. Speaking with PokerNews, he let it be known how this was different from the rest.
“It means way more,” he said when asked how a live bracelet compares to one won online. “Of course, they were really cool, I’d always wanted to win a bracelet, since watching Chris Moneymaker,” and not only did he accomplish that dream, but he’s now done it three times over.
“It’s a whole different experience,” he added, noting that a win with his friends on the rail makes it all the more sweet. Although the noise they produced spurred him on, he found the right moments to block it out, and continue in the battle that was the final table.
Gruneberg described the new event as “awesome,” as he becomes the only player to hold a bracelet in PLO 5, and joked about it staying that way should they decide to not bring it back. In all seriousness, however, he hopes for it to become a mainstay in future Series as the five-card variant has intricacies not seen in other formats.
“You can be a little bit more aggressive,” he noted, referring to the fact that people sometimes can, “get a little bit scared,” at the concept of an extra card in their opponent’s hand. There are certainly, “a lot of really cool bluffs,” to be found, and Gruneberg has been pulling them off since before even Big O was a thing, as home games back in Pennsylvania afforded him the opportunity to gain experience in doing so.
Not all of his friends were convinced by the event, saying that the extra card just made it a gambler’s game. “Let’s see what you say when Liberto or Schulman go on to win it,” he retorted, knowing that it was certainly possible to have an edge in the field.
Although Gruneberg clearly knows a thing or two about Hold’em, and has the accolades to back it up, he knew how great it would be to get, “certified in mixed games,” at the same time.
His good friend and ex-WSOP roommate Eddie Blumenthal was recently "certified" himself, winning a first mixed game bracelet just last week, and now the pair of them have become names in the non hold'em streets, with Gruneberg joining his “good buddy” in quite an elite group.
He spoke with a lot of respect for his opponents on the final day, but that didn’t stop him battling it out with them right until the very end. There were moments where he was on the edge, sitting on a shorter stack for a while, before seeing tablemate Lee earn countless consecutive doubles, which made it seem like his hot streak would cause the heads-up match to go on for quite some time. In fact, the opposite was true, as it took just a few hands for him to reign supreme and become champion.
Final Day Action
Only seven were seated as play began on the final day, and it would be Dutch national Bouwe Claushuis to depart first, after a whole 90 minutes of play. As the table shortstack, he got it in on the flop against start of day chip leader Kamel Mokhammad, but was outflushed on the turn to leave him drawing dead.
It would take a while for the next hopeful to bust, with Ravi Shankar flopping a wrap and wagering all of his chips late in the third level of play. Erick Mossinger was right there with him, as he had also flopped massive, and he held on to send his opponent packing.
The fifth place finisher, Gianluca Cedolia, suffered a tale as old as time for his elimination, as his aces got all in on the flop while ahead, but ended up behind. Gruneberg scored his first knockout of the day by turning a flush to have his opponent drawing dead, as play became four-handed.
Final Day action continued to be cagey, with few all-in and calls taking place between the final four. Hokyiu Lee managed to get a massive double from Gruneberg, as he cracked his aces by turning Broadway, before scoring another shortly after, this time through Mokhammad, by turning the same straight yet again.
The chip lead changed hands repeatedly throughout four-handed play. Although Mokhammad had the advantage when it began, It didn’t take too much time for Mossinger to take the title away from him. Before long, it would be Gruneberg to take down a few chunky pots and garner almost half of the chips in play.
The doubles didn’t stop coming for Lee, as he won yet another huge all-in through start of day chip leader Mokhammad, shortly before Mokhammad himself busted out. He was left short, and turned a straight against the set of Mossinger, but his elation wouldn’t last for long with Mossinger spiking a boat to secure the elimination.
The podium was then set, and doubles continued being dished out to the short stacks, despite their opponent’s commanding leads. Mossinger binked a river gutshot to survive, before Lee went runner-runner to crack Gruneberg’s top set.
It was Mossinger whose luck ran out first, as he was unable to boat up against Gruneberg’s flopped flush to send the tournament to heads-up play. He more than doubled his career earnings, with a score of $127,560 to take his career earnings above the $200,000 mark.
Lee had reached his second heads up match of the week, having placed second just days earlier in Event #35: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha. Unfortunately for him, it was a matter of minutes until he would miss out on a bracelet yet again, with Gruneberg’s turned wheel holding true, much to the delight of his rail.
That wraps up PokerNews’ coverage of the first ever five card PLO event at the World Series of Poker, with Zachary Gruneberg your champion. Make sure to stay tuned for more coverage of every event, old and new, coming your way throughout the rest of the series.
Level 33
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Zachary Gruneberg took down Event #53: $1,500 Five Card PLO to become the first-ever champion of this event for $271,552. Stay tuned for a full recap of today's action and a reaction from the winner.
Level 33
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Zachary Gruneberg limped from the small blind before Hokyiu Lee checked his option from the big blind.
The flop came 8♦5♣A♠ before Gruneberg checked. Lee bet 600,000 before Gruneberg called.
The 3♦ turn hit before Gruneberg bet 2,100,000. Lee raised to 8,400,000 before Gruneberg went all in. Lee called to put himself at risk.
Hokyiu Lee: Q♥9♦7♦6♣3♠
Zachary Gruneberg: K♠4♣4♦3♣2♠
The A♣ hit the river to give Gruneberg a straight and eliminate Lee in second place.
Lee earned $180,230 for his finish.
Level 33
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Erick Mossinger potted on the button to 1,050,000 and Zachary Gruneberg called from the small blind. Hokyiu Lee folded the big, and the two went off to a flop of J♣4♣K♣. Gruneberg checked, Mossinger shoved and Gruneberg snapped off.
Erick Mossinger: A♦K♥J♥6♥6♦
Zachary Gruneberg: A♠10♣9♣5♠4♠
Gruneberg had flopped the flush, and Mossinger was praying for a king or a jack to boat up. The 5♣9♠ runout helped him none, as he was consoled by the Brazilian rail.
Level 33
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Zachary Gruneberg raised to 900,000 from the small blind before Hokyiu Lee reraised to 2,700,000 from the big blind. Gruneberg called.
The 4♥A♥9♦ flop led Gruneberg to put Lee all in. Lee obliged with a call to be at risk for 1,850,000.
Hokyiu Lee: A♣J♠10♦9♣9♠
Zachary Gruneberg: A♠Q♥Q♦8♦6♠
Lee had outflopped Gruneberg when he hit his set of nines.
Gruneberg could not retake the lead on the 10♣ turn or the 4♣ river as Lee doubled up once again to get back into contention.
Level 33
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Hokyiu Lee potted to 1,050,000 first to act. Zachary Gruneberg then moved all in from the big blind and Lee called all in to put himself at risk yet again.
Hokyiu Lee: A♠Q♥Q♦J♥6♠
Zachary Gruneberg: K♥K♦6♦2♦2♠
Gruneberg flopped incredibly, with his top set on 6♣7♣K♣ leaving his opponent drawing to runner runner. There were plenty of turn cards that would seal Lee's elimination, but the dream 10♥ gave him a wrap to Broadway. It was almost inevitable, as Lee survived yet another all-in following the A♣ river, to keep play three-handed.
Level 33
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Erick Mossinger opened to 1,050,000 on the button before Hokyiu Lee went all in. Mossinger called to put himself at risk for 3,075,000.
Erick Mossinger: A♣K♥10♥8♣4♠
Hokyiu Lee: A♥A♠K♦Q♠8♠
Lee stayed in the lead on the 2♣7♦J♠ flop, but the 6♦ turn gave Mossinger some life with some outs to a straight.
Mossinger called for a five, and it came on the 5♦ river as his rail celebrated the double-up.
Level 33
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Erick Mossinger potted on the button, with a bet that totaled 1,050,000. Hokyiu Lee made the call from the big blind
Action checked through to the river on a 6♠9♣6♣5♥7♥ board, at which point Lee announced a bet of 1,500,000. Mossinger took some time before folding.
Level: 33
Blinds: 150,000/300,000
Ante: 300,000
