Chris Brewer has been one of the most successful high stakes tournament players over the last few years, routinely finding himself deep in high roller tournaments. In fact, he currently ranks number two on the PokerGO Tour leaderboard. But one thing has eluded him: a World Series of Poker bracelet. On Sunday, he finally achieved his dream, winning Event #40: $250,000 Super High Roller, banking an incredible $5,293,556.
Despite all of his career wins and massive cashes, it was this one that meant the most. Brewer broke down in his post-match interview, saying, “I’m sorry, I’ve had some really tough ones. It just feels good.”
Brewer now has nearly $15.4 million in live tournament earnings.
It didn’t look great for Brewer’s chances at his first bracelet when heads-up play started, as he was at a significant chip disadvantage against Artur Martirosian, 78.4 million to 24.9 million. After about half an hour, Brewer took a slight lead, only to see his opponent take it right back.
The turning point came shortly thereafter. Brewer limped pre-flop with pocket 3’s. Martirosian raised to 4.5 million with A-T (suits don’t matter for this hand) and then Brewer shoved all-in for 34 million. Martirosian obviously made the call, or this wouldn’t be much of a turning point.
The flop was 8-6-5, changing nothing. The 4 on the river gave Martirosian some outs to a chop if they both hit a straight, while he still had two overcards. The 9 on the river clinched it for Brewer, doubling him up and giving him a 2-to-1 chip lead.
And then it was all over. Holding A-K, Martirosian raised to 2.4 million pre-flop and Brewer moved all-in with A-7. Martirosian quickly called with a dominant hand. But funny things happen in poker. Brewer was recently voted the “unluckiest” player in WSOP poll and perhaps that was just the reverse jinx he needed.
The flop was K-9-5, seemingly incredible for Martirosian, as he hit his King, giving him a stranglehold on the hand. The 8 on the turn presented Brewer with a gutshot straight draw and wouldn’t you know it, that draw came through with a 6 on the river as an astonished Brewer celebrated wildly with rail.
It was nice that a very well-liked guy like Chris Brewer won, because the final table of the tournament was marred by ill feeling toward third-place finisher Martin Kabrhel. Things came to a head when he eliminated Dan Smith in sixth place. When he left the table, Smith wished everyone luck except for Kabrhel, who he said he wished would be “barred.”
In an interview on PokerGO afterward, Smith said that Kabrhel’s “antics at the table are worse than anyone I’ve played with” and that many were speculating that he was marking cards. Regardless of whether or not the cheating allegations are true, Smith said, “playing with him is unbelievably unpleasant.”
“I think it’s ridiculous that he’s allowed to play in the tournament,” he added.