WSOP 2026: Ciro Gonzalez Turns $1,500 into Nearly Half a Million (Event #65)

Event #65: $1,500 Freezeout NLH offered a fantastic opportunity for a wide range of players to compete for a massive prize. It attracted 2,617 players, creating an impressive prizepool of $3,474,067.

Gonzalez’s path to the top was marked by outstanding play and a touch of poker fortune at crucial moments. In the final four, he eliminated Argentinian Octavio Borra in a particularly brutal fashion. Borra was a heavy favorite with a flopped set of fives, but Gonzalez completed a runner-runner flush on the river. Gonzalez then dispatched German Julian Eibel by hitting a needed seven on the turn with K c 7 d against Eibel's K s Q s.

Entering the final duel against American Kyle Lin, Gonzalez had a dominating 7:1 chip lead. The heads-up was brief, deciding everything when Gonzalez went all-in with A c 8 s, and Lin called with 4 d 4 h. Although Lin was slightly ahead pre-flop, the board 8 d 2 h J s 7 c 8 h gave Gonzalez trip eights, securing his monumental victory.

Final Table Results of Event #65: $1,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em

Source: WSOP, WSOP Live

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