It’s been a busy last couple of days at the 2011 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas. Not one, but two members of the PocketFives.com community captured bracelets, boosting our total to 18 through 46 completed events, a 39% success rate. The Main Event is on the horizon and starts next Thursday, July 7th. Let’s take a look back at Tuesday and Wednesday at the 2011 WSOP.

View our ongoing WSOP coverageof online poker players, sponsored by 24hPoker. If you need an excuse to sign up for 24hPoker, the site offers a 100% first deposit bonus up to €500 and either 30% rakeback or access to a special VIP loyalty program.

Andre aakkariAkkari (pictured above) became the second WSOP champion ever from Brazil after taking down Event #43, a $1,500 No Limit Hold’em tournament. The field numbered nearly 3,000; four countries were represented at its final table. Akkari, a PokerStarspro, watched as U.S. Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX) issued the “Shuffle up and deal” command for the tournament on Saturday. Barton introduced a bill to license and regulate online poker in the United States last week.

The 36-year-old married father of two joins fellow PocketFives.com member Alexandre Allingomes Gomes (pictured) as the only Brazilian WSOP bracelet winners in history. On his compatriot, Akkari told WSOP officials, “It was unbelievable. After he won the bracelet, it changed everything about poker in Brazil. Poker was growing before he won the bracelet, but after that, it was unbelievable. Three million people play poker online and play poker live; it changed everything about poker in Brazil. I was so happy. I was here, rooting for him, and now he is here rooting for me.”

Can poker grow any larger in Brazil following Akkari’s bracelet ceremony? Or has the game already reached its apex? Akkari speculated, “Oh, it’s going to be amazing. You have no idea what is happening in Brazil right now. Poker is an American sport… But in Brazil, just to give you an idea,I received 1,500 messages a minute on Twitter; it’s unbelievable.”

Here’s how the final table shook out in Event #43:

1. Andre aakkariAkkari – $675,117
2. Nachman thelandlord Berlin – $419,173
3. Matthew Carmody – $295,625
4. Jacob Naquin – $213,520
5. Scott stsitron Sitron – $156,090
6. Nicolas niccc Chouity – $115,477
7. Zachary Hall – $86,434
8. Phillip Meulyzer – $65,452
9. Ray WirdPair Foley – $50,140

On Wednesday, California’s Owais oerocketsAhmed (pictured) brought home a bracelet in Event #47 of the 2011 WSOP, a $2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud High-Low Eight or Better contest. A total of 450 players turned out for Monday’s opening gong and three cashed for at least six-figures.

Ahmed trumped one of the toughest final tables we’ve seen at this year’s WSOP. He defeated the runner-up in last year’s Player of the Year standings, Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi, heads-up. Others who made the final eight included bracelet winner Abe Mosseri and former Main Event champ Scotty Nguyen.

A hearty congratulatory thread for Ahmed appeared in the Live Poker forum, with original poster wackyJaxon exclaiming, “Nice job buddy shipping Event #47! You came close twice before, finally got the hardware! Not bad for primarily a PLO cash game player! Well done and GL in the Main Event!” The cash was Ahmed’s fourth at the 2011 WSOP; he’s up to $318,000 in career WSOP earnings:

1. Owais oerocketsAhmed – $255,959
2. Michael Mizrachi – $158,148
3. Abe Mosseri – $100,532
4. Scott Bohlman – $72,491
5. Scotty Nguyen – $53,091
6. Gerard Rechnitzer – $39,475
7. Gregory Jamison – $29,791
8. Thomas Whitehair – $22,819

Finally, we’ll turn to our WSOP Twitterpage, powered by 24hPoker, where Alex AJKHoosier1 Kamberis reminded us all that we’re on the brink of the Main Event: “$2,500 Mixed Hold’em at 5pm, $1K Saturday, $1,500 Tuesday, all that’s left till the Main Event.”

Stay tuned to PocketFives.com for continuing WSOP coverage of online poker players. Show your love by signing up for 24hPoker, an Entraction Network site.