WSOP 2023: Brazil’s Rafael Reis Secures His Inaugural Gold Bracelet in Event #15: $1.5K 6-Handed NLHE ($465,501)

Rafael Reis
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  • Attreyee Khasnabis June 9, 2023
  • 4 Minutes Read

A wave of Brazilian fervor swept through the tournament hallways at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas as Rafael Reis (cover image) clinched his inaugural gold bracelet in Event #15: $1,500 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em at the 2023 World Series of Poker.

Reis triumphed over Spain’s Daniel Barriocanal in a gripping heads-up battle, pocketing a hefty $465,501. The tournament attracted a formidable roster of 2,454 competitors, amassing a prize pool worth $3,276,090. The Spaniard earned $287,679 in second place.

 

Day 2 chip leader Sarah Herzali eventually secured the third position, bagging $207,720. The top five spots were rounded off by Nikolaos Angelou (4th with $151,559) and the four-time WSOP bracelet winner, John Monnette (5th with $111,755). The six-handed final table was concluded with Grant Wang landing the 6th spot for $83,289.

Reis’s accomplishment was celebrated by the electrifying support of his fellow Brazilians, creating an unforgettable atmosphere at the tournament. This victory marks Reis’s second deep run at the WSOP, building on his previous achievement of reaching the final table in Event #30: $1,500: Monster Stack NLHE at the 2021 WSOP.

Exuding joy in his post-win interview with PokerNews, Reis stated, “I feel like I had a mission, and I accomplished it. My last appearance here saw me at the final table, clinching the third spot. This time, I felt extremely comfortable.”

Reis drew upon the lessons learned from his debut on the WSOP stage, which ended in disappointment but served as a valuable learning curve.

The $1,500 buy-in tournament attracted a strong field of 2,454 players, resulting in a prize pool of $3,276,090. The rewards were distributed among the top 369 contenders, including renowned bracelet winners such as Ian Matakis (9th with $47,788), Upeshka De Silva (14th with $28,654), Norbert Szecsi (18th with $22,565), Adam Friedman (213th with $3,000), and Josh Arieh (255th with $2,625).

Day 3 began with 15 players, with David Wells (15th for $28,654) being the first to fall during the day’s opening level. The tournament reached its unofficial final table after approximately three hours of gameplay. Ryan Hohner exited in the seventh position (for $62,746) when his pocket queens failed to get past Daniel Barriocanal’s big slick.

Ryan Hohner
Ryan Hohner

 

Barriocanal subsequently eliminated Grant Wang and Nikolaos Angelou, while Rafael Reis sent Sarah Herzali home in the third place.

Sarah Herzali
Sarah Herzali

 

The showdown between Daniel Barriocanal and Rafael Reis extended for nearly two levels, with Barriocanal putting up a vigorous fight but failing to tip the lead in his favor.

Daniel Barriocanal
Daniel Barriocanal

 

Following a premature victory claim due to a misread board, Reis quickly regained composure. The defining moment arrived after Barriocanal managed a small double with a suited nine-eight, only to lose to Reis’ suited ace-queen, sealing the victory with his two-pair.

Rafael Reis
Rafael Reis

 

Final Table Results (USD)

  1. Rafael Reis – $465,501
  2. Daniel Barriocanal – $287,679
  3. Sarah Herzali – $207,720
  4. Nikolaos Angelou – $151,559
  5. John Monnette – $111,755
  6. Grant Wang – $83,289

 

Content & Images Courtesy: WSOP

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