Pavel Plesuv Wins 2023 WSOP Millionaire Maker Event

Pavel Plesuv created a historic moment in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) by winning the $1,500 ‘Millionaire Maker’ no-limit hold’em event in the 2023 WSOP. He emerged victorious from a field of 10,416 participants, becoming the first player from Moldova to ever win a WSOP gold bracelet. Last year, Plesuv came incredibly close to winning a WSOP event but finished as the runner-up in the $10,000 six-max event. However, this time, he sealed the deal and claimed the coveted gold bracelet.

Along with the prestigious title, Plesuv also earned a career-best prize money of $1,201,564 for his remarkable performance. This victory boosted his total recorded tournament earnings to nearly $7.6 million, with over $2.2 million coming from successful finishes at the WSOP.

Notably, Plesuv is also a World Poker Tour main event champion, having won the WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open in 2018 with a $3,500 buy-in, earning $504,820.

The WSOP $1,500 ‘Millionaire Maker’ event drew an impressive attendance of 10,430 entries, making it the largest turnout for a $1,500 buy-in poker event. Consequently, the prize pool reached a staggering $13,905,360, with both the champion and the runner-up receiving seven-figure payouts.

Following two intense starting flights, it took an additional three full days of tournament play at the Paris and Horseshoe Las Vegas to narrow down the field to the final seven contenders. Plesuv began the final day with a substantial chip lead, holding nearly double the average stack.

The pivotal moment came when Myles Mullaly raised with pocket jacks, and Andreas Kniep three-bet with pocket tens. Vitor De Souza Coutinho then four-bet all-in with ADiamond SuitKHeart Suit. Mullaly folded, and Kniep called, resulting in a board that favored Kniep’s pocket tens and eliminated Coutinho in seventh place with a prize of $222,749.

Mullaly’s misfortune continued as his pocket eights clashed with Anton Smirnov’s pocket aces, leading to his elimination in sixth place. Mullaly then went all-in with A-5 suited against Florian Ribouchon’s pocket nines, but failed to improve and finished in sixth place, taking home $287,522.

Smirnov faced a similar fate and exited the tournament in fifth place with A-2 suited, losing to Ribouchon’s K-Q, which improved to a king-high straight on the river. Smirnov received $373,524 for his efforts.

Kniep suffered a setback after losing a significant pot with top pair against Plesuv’s turned straight. Despite a double-up, Kniep’s run came to an end when he called Plesuv’s all-in with pocket aces, only to see Plesuv hit a gutshot straight draw on the turn and complete it on the river. Kniep finished in fourth place, earning $501,182, his largest live tournament payday to date.

Final Table Results Event #37: $1,500 Millionaire Maker