The World Series of Poker (WSOP) set the stage for an unprecedented chapter in its long and storied history with the introduction of Event #18, the Gladiators of Poker. This new event attracted an astounding 23,088 players over four opening rounds, making a name as the most bang-for-your-buck live event in WSOP’s history with its modest $300 buy-in.
Record-breaking Field
The record-breaking field produced a substantial prize pool of $3,603,162, effectively shattering the initial $3 million guarantee. Out of this many poker enthusiasts, only a mere 827 competitors managed to forge their path into the tournament’s second day, where the numbers gradually whittled down to the final 14 contenders.
Ultimately, one player proved his mettle over the rest. Emerging from the tough competition, Jason Simon of St. Louis was declared the inaugural victor of the Gladiators of Poker. Simon started the decisive day fourth in chips, displaying a resolute determination throughout a day punctuated with soaring highs and plummeting lows. A supporting crowd of friends and family rallied behind him throughout the nerve-wracking event, their cheering an essential morale boost for the newly crowned gladiator.
“The Chisler”
Simon, better known in the poker circuit as “The Chisler,” earned his moniker due to his particular style of play that opponents found hard to decipher. However, the event witnessed him chisel his name into WSOP’s history books as he emerged victorious in one of the biggest tournament fields ever.
“Your tournament life is so valuable, you have to stay alive no matter what,” Simon commented, reflecting on the importance of maintaining a composed demeanor during the tumultuous phases of the tournament.
His victory has catapulted Simon’s poker career to new heights, with his biggest cash win to date tripling his overall earnings. Despite his usual preference for mixed games, Simon’s win might motivate him to delve deeper into the world of No-Limit Hold’em tournaments. Following the crowning, he joined his supporting crowd from St. Louis in a well-deserved celebration, marking the end of this historic event.
Final Day Action Recap
From a group of fourteen, the field narrowed to ten in under two hours. Joshua Rothberg, Salvatore Boi, and Willie Smith exited the game before the final table was set. The unfortunate soul to bid adieu next was Tim Williams, who lost to Wade Wallace’s pocket fives despite possessing an ace-king, hence concluding his run at the 11th spot.
The final table was drawn up and play promptly resumed. Early day chip leader Caio Sobral found himself struggling with a diminished stack but managed to turn the tables on Duc Bien Nguyen with a king-jack, causing a reversal of fortunes and leaving Nguyen vulnerable. However, Eric Trexler, in his match-up against Nguyen, managed to gain the upper hand and the tournament chip lead, with Nguyen exiting in tenth place.
Thomas Reeves entered the day as one of the shortest stacks but successfully climbed up to the final table. Despite an initial double-up, his luck ran out against Trexler, resulting in a ninth-place exit. Sobral, even after an early resurgence, found himself on the ropes, culminating in an eighth-place finish at Wallace’s hands.
Jonson Chatterley, who struggled to gain momentum, was eventually ousted by Simon, bagging a seventh-place finish. Subsequent elimination saw Bohdan Slyvinskyi falling at sixth place, courtesy of Wexler’s pocket nines, triggering an uproar from Wexler’s supporters, “Team Torch”.
Final Four & Heads-Up
Kfir Nahum, despite a valiant fight, ended up fifth. The final four witnessed a fluctuating lead as all-in pots doubled for several players. Wallace was the next to go, resulting in a fourth-place finish, leaving three players standing: Wesley Cannon, Trexler, and Simon.
Cannon had a promising start but fell third when he couldn’t beat Simon’s queen nine with his king eight. The ultimate heads-up clash began with Simon holding a 4:1 lead over Trexler. Despite Trexler managing to close the gap slightly, Simon eventually reigned supreme, clinching the tournament with king-eight against Trexler’s jack-ten suited. Simon’s victory left Trexler in second place, still marking a career-high for him.
Final Table Results
| Result | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Jason Simon | United States | $499,852 |
| 2 | Eric Trexler | United States | $301,097 |
| 3 | Wesley Cannon | United States | $210,024 |
| 4 | Wade Wallace | United States | $160,818 |
| 5 | Kfir Nahum | Israel | $123,831 |
| 6 | Bohdan Slyvinskyi | United States | $95,883 |
| 7 | Jonson Chatterley | United States | $74,664 |
| 8 | Caio Sobral | Brazil | $58,466 |
| 9 | Thomas Reeves | United States | $46,051 |
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