Dennis Weiss Outlasts Martini and Lee to win Maiden WSOP Bracelet

German player Dennis Weiss won his first-ever WSOP bracelet as he outlasted former bracelet winners Julien Martini and Hokyiu Lee to reign supreme in Rozvadov to take home his first WSOP bracelet on the Czech-German border. With players such as Nikola Minkov and Victor Dota falling just short, it was a thrilling final table as everything went right for Weiss on the night.

Bumper Field for Bug Buy-In Bracelet Event

With a chunky €5,000 ($5,545) buy-in, a prizepool of just under $700,000 was on the line and with 141 entries, just 22 would end up in profit. The aforementioned Lee made it to 17^th place for $11,625, while Julien Martini won $12,200 in 15^th place as he too fell short of the final table of eight. Thomas Eychenne from France also busted in 13^th place for the same amount as his countryman Martini.

Leading the way when the final eight assembled to play down to a winner was Dennis Weiss and the final table began with the elimination of a short stack rather than a changing of the guard. Nikola Minkov took out Georgian player Vakhtang Javakhishvili in eighth place for $17,700 when the latter’s was unable to improve against the aces in the hole for Minkov. The Bulgarian was still short but had taken out a fellow straggler to boost his own chances of climbing the ladder.

Next to go was the other Georgian at the final table, Vazha Kometiani. He cashed for $21,900 when he lost out with the better hand pre-flop, holding pocket kings. His opponent in his final hand, German player Amir Mozaffarian, held and after a flop of , moved into the lead. A changed nothing on the turn, while an on the river only confirmed the Georgian’s exit.

Dota Delivered by the Detail

Krzysztof Magott was hooked in seventh place, as the Polish player fell victim to Victor Dota. Unable to improve his hand against the pocket queens of Dota, Magott missed both flush draws and straight draws, as well as failing to hit a king and departed for a score worth $28,200.

Soon after, Jonas Kronwitter got some chips in with pocket aces but had no takers, as his remaining four opponents all folded. Soon all-in with , he lost to Amir Mozaffarian’s aces in the hole, as Kronwitter said: ‘Good game, guys’ as he saw the hand he was up against. Those negative instincts were dead right as a board of played out to send the German home with $37,840 in fifth place.

Out in fourth was the action player of Victor Dota. Wearing an Arsenal short, the Romanian was ‘gunned down’ when queens in the hole were no match for Mozaffarian’s kings and the German won another important pot after a safe board landed to send Dota home with $52,730.

Weiss Wins in Style

“I’m a bracelet winner!”

Down to three players, Minkov was the next player to depart, as he got his chips in good with against Weiss’ on a flop of . A on the turn changed all that, giving Weiss trips. As Minkov stood up preparing for the worst, Weiss gave him some hope.

“It’s not over…” he said, just before the landed on the river. “…now it is.” Weiss completed, sending Minkov home with $76,270.

Heads-up, Weiss had an exact 2:1 chip lead and grew his lead before a flop of saw all the chips go into the middle. Mozaffarian shoved with for a pair of eights but Weiss called with and his pocket tens improved to two pair after an landed on the turn. A river ended the event in Weiss’ favor as he celebrated with his rail, saying ‘I’m a bracelet winner!’.

“I just haven’t processed it yet, I think,” he told PokerNews after the tournament. “I’m great, I’m happy. It was a goal I really wanted to achieve, and I’m looking forward the next one. I like mixed games, so If I get a chance to play some other mixed games, I always do at the WSOP. I’ve never been really successful, so it’s nice to finally get something.”

After a long time battling, Dennis Weiss’ achievement will go down in the history books as he claimed gold and became the latest holder of a World Series of Poker bracelet event.