Matt Vengrin conquers 12 final table appearances, earning his inaugural WSOP gold bracelet.
Did Matt Vengrin FINALLY Win a F*cking WSOP Bracelet? Hell Yes!
It's about damn time we cross another big name off thelist of poker players who've never tasted WSOP glory. That's right; Matt Vengrin, a prominent figure in the mixed-game scene, has finally walked away with a WSOP title. He nailed down the win at Event #54: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha, raking in a career-best $306,791, but you already know that ain't all he's after. He wanted the bracelet, and by God, he got it!
After more than a dozen final table appearances at the World Series of Poker, Vengrin had high hopes for this one. And let me tell you, he faced some stiff competition throughout. But with three previous heads-up losses under his belt, including a tough battle with Yuri Dzivielevski in 2020, Dan Idema in 2015, and Amnon Filippi in 2022, he was ready to prove he could seize the moment when it mattered most.
Looking back, Vengrin faced perhaps the toughest heads-up match to date in his opponent. But after a short and intense heads-up battle, Vengrin emerged victorious, defeating two-time bracelet winner Bryce Yockey. And what a match it was!
With Vengrin holding a 2:1 chip lead to start things off, Yockey chipped away at it, eventually taking the lead. But Vengrin? He remained cool as a cucumber, enjoying the cutthroat competition that poker always brings. When Yockey had the chance to take the lead, Vengrin merely smiled, thought to himself, "Game on, let's go," and didn't let up until he secured the win.
The hand that truly shook things up featured a monstrous Pot of 3,500,000 when the board read . Vengrin bet big, and Yockey re-raised all-in with just 5,000,000 chips left. Though Yockey mucked his cards without revealing them, it later came to light that he held jacks full of sixes, while Vengrin flaunted his jacks full of sevens. Vengrin's lead was restored, and just a few hands later, he clinched the title with a full house of sixes full of tens against Yockey's trip tens.
With this win, Vengrin jumps into the top ten of the WSOP Player of the Year race, having already cashed five times, including a 5th place finish in the $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship. Now that he's finally donned the coveted bracelet, he's setting his sights on that Player of the Year title.
"Definitely yes," Vengrin said. "I was going to chase it anyway, but this will make it a lot easier to jump out of bed every morning."
While Vengrin is eager to continue his pursuit of the POY title, he may just treat himself and his poker friends to a little celebration once the series wraps up. As for us, we're sure as hell rooting for him to claim that Player of the Year title! And who knows – maybe Vengrin will even throw a special poker-themed dish on the menu at his restaurant, Yohama Noodles, to mark the occasion. We'll have to wait and see what his partner in life and business, Nutcha, has in store for us!
Poker players can now add Matt Vengrin to their list of peers who have tasted WSOP glory, as he has shown an impressive ability in both sports-like competition and the poker world. His victory at the World Series of Poker serves as evidence that Vengrin is not only a skilled poker player but also a dedicated athlete who embraces the pressures and excitement of both sports and poker.
