Alexandre Veulleumier Scoops $1,215,864 and WSOP Gold in $25k High Roller

Image courtesy of PokerGO.com

The first $million+ cash of the 2023 World Series of Poker has gone to Switzerland’s Alexandre Veulleumier, who pocketed $1,215,864 and a gold bracelet for taking down the $25,000 High Roller (6-Handed) defeating Chance Kornuth heads-up...

Event #2 on the 95-bracelet live schedule (another 20 bracelets will be won online) was filled with familiar faces, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth and Kristen Foxen among them.

They were all chasing WSOP gold and a share of the $4,864,500 prizepool, of which 32 of the 207 entrants would share, with DNegs taking $50k for 22nd spot.

Justin Bonomo and last year’s Main Event champ, Espen Jorstad (29th and 25th respectively for $43,750 paydays) made the money, as did Adrian Mateos and Sam Soverel (14th and 13th for $62,673 respectively.)

However, it was the player in 9th spot who was the big talking point, GG Poker cheat Jake Schindler. Banned from most of the big live tours, Schindler was back again having won a bracelet last year despite being roundly condemned for his online RTA cheating.

That didn’t happen, Schindler out in 9th place...

Schindler: 8♦ 8♣
Hallay: Q♥ J♣

Flop: A♥ Q♠ 10♣
Turn: 10♠
River: 9♣

...but the final table of six still had plenty of big names and drama, shortstacked Joey Weissman the first to fall as his kings were cracked in unlikely fashion...

Weissman: K♠ K♦
Vuilleumier: J♣ 3♥

Flop: 7♥ 3♣ 3♠
Turn: 8♠
River: 8♦

♠ ♣ ♥ ♦

Sean Winter almost made a remarkable “chip and a chair” comeback, turning 1.5BBs into 3rd spot, but eventually falling to Vuilleumier, who had to then face Chance Kornuth heads-up, Kornuth looking for his 4th WSOP gold, the Swiss player his first.

It was to be Vuilleumier’s lucky day, dashing Kornuth’s hopes with a barrage followed by the mercy blow...

Kornuth: K♠3♣
Alexandre Vuilleumier: A♦Q♠

Flop: J♦ 10♣ 8♦
Turn: 9♥
River: J♠

Final results

Vuilleumier, an international master at chess, told reporters afterwards: “Obviously, the World Series is just fantastic. To win a bracelet is just the epitome of a poker career for sure."

He explained how chess had helped his poker game: “There are a lot of similarities. One of the best tricks that you learn in chess is to be able to concentrate for long periods. So after nine hours of concentration, I think I am still at 90 percent of my capabilities while everyone else is maybe at 60 percent, so that is certainly great.”