WSOP 2026: Markus Gonsalves Ends 21-Year Wait for a Bracelet (Event #73)

Event #73: $5K 6-Handed NLH saw a total of 1,402 entries, resulting in a massive prizepool of $6,449,200. Gonsalves, who started his career at online 6-max tables, admitted feeling a special energy before the tournament: “I was excited to play.”

Although he primarily focuses on cash games, the six-player format suits him immensely. “It’s more fun, it’s more creative and aggressive,” he explained with a smile. His experience shone through during the four days of play, as he patiently carved his path to the title against the world’s elite.

Gonsalves entered the final day as the commanding chipleader and maintained his lead for most of the day. Even though the finals saw some dramatic moments, and he briefly lost the lead in heads-up to Xiaoyao Ma, the closing stages belonged to him.

In the tournament's decisive hand, Gonsalves called his opponent’s all-in with K c 5 c against Ma’s A s Q s. The board 5 d K d 2 s 8 c 4 h gave the American two pairs, sealing his monumental achievement and nearly doubling his previous record win.

Immediately after his victory, the champion could not hide his emotion over reaching a goal he had chased for over two decades: “It’s something every player dreams of. I’ve been playing poker for 21 years, and there’s no feeling that compares to winning this trophy.”

Final Table Results of Event #73: $5,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em

Source: WSOP, WSOP Live, YouTube

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