Xixiang Luo Wins First-Ever WSOP Double Board Bomb Pot Bracelet Event

Xixiang Luo has made history as the first champion of a double board bomb pot event at the World Series of Poker. The Chinese player triumphed over 1,312 entries in the new $1,500 buy-in tournament, which combined pot-limit Omaha and no-limit hold’em, to win $270,820 and his first WSOP gold bracelet.

The tournament featured double board bomb pots, where every player antes and preflop action is skipped, only on the first hand of each game change between PLO and NLH. The event’s prize pool of $1,751,520 was shared among the top 197 finishers, with five-figure payouts for the final 23. Sixteen players advanced to the third and final day, with Luo in the lead. Notable players making deep runs included two-time bracelet winner David Prociak (19th), bracelet winners Dario Alioto (13th), Dejuante Alexander (11th), Gaby Livshitz (7th), and rising star Quan Zhou (5th).

David Funkhouser was eliminated in fourth place ($91,891) when his K-8 suited lost to the A-J of bracelet winner William Kopp. Kopp, despite securing that knockout, was next to go. He got all-in with K♣4♣ against the pocket eights of Daniel Hachem, son of 2005 WSOP main event champion Joe Hachem. The eights held, and Kopp finished third for $127,925.

Luo began heads-up play against Hachem with the lead. The two exchanged the lead several times before the final hand during a round of PLO. Hachem limped on the button with A♥K♠10♠7♣, Luo raised to 1,800,000 from the big blind with J♠10♥9♣8♥, and Hachem re-raised to 5,600,000. Luo called, and the flop came 9♠9♥7♠. Luo moved all-in with trip nines and a wrap straight draw, while Hachem called with a flush draw and two pair. The turn 5♥ and river 4♦ secured the pot and the title for Luo. Hachem earned a career-high $180,541 as the runner-up.