WSOP: Brazilian Marcelo Pudla Wins Opener, Turns $100 into $265K

Lance Bradley · July 27, 2020

Marcelo Pudla earned the first World Series of Poker bracelet for Brazil on Sunday when he took down The Opener for $265K.

Brazil is one of the countries many poker players and fans expect to do well in the 2020 World Series of Poker Online events on GGPoker and early Monday morning a relatively unknown Brazilian emerged victorious from a record-setting event. Marcelo Pudla topped the 29,306-entry field in the $100 buy-in The Opener to win his first career bracelet and a $265,880 payday.

Day 2 of the multi-flight event was originally scheduled for the previous Sunday, but due to server issues was postponed one week. Pudla got to the final table with the chip lead and held it for some time before putting on an epic heads up comeback to claim the crown.

With blinds of 7.5M/15M, Bret Carson moved all in from UTG for 33,144,860 with . Action folded around to Pudla in the cutoff and he moved all in for 465,550,922 with . The board ran out to elimate Carson in ninth place.

Two hands later, Jonas Mackoff moved all in for 43,988,508 from UTG+1 with and Ramiro Petrone re-raised all in for 120,890,911 with . Mackoff was unable to find any help on the runout and was out in eighth.

On the very next hand, Pudla raised to 30,000,000 from the small blind with and Boban Zhivkovikj called off his last 26,459,568 from the big blind holding . The flop changed nothing but the turn gave Zhivkovikj four extra outs. Unfortunately for him, the river was not one of them and his tournament ended with a seventh place finish.

The fast pace of eliminations continued six hands later when Roberto Turrisi moved all in for 27,444,633 with before Petrone re-shoved for 201,879,419 with . Petrone made top set on the flop. Turrisi picked up a gutshot Broadway draw on the turn but the river completed the board to send Turrisi to the rail in sixth.

Pudla clashed with the only other remaining Brazilians three minutes later. Silva moved all in for 117,889,190 from UTG with and Pudla called from the button with . The board ran out to give Pudla top two pair and eliminate Silva in fifth place.

A blind versus blind battle gave Pudla another victim. Pudla bet 180,000,000 from the small blind with and Petrone called off his last 162,324,052 with . Pudla picked up bottom pair on the flop and stayed in front after the turn and river completed the board to eliminate Petrone in fourth.

Pudla finally conceded the chip lead and spent some time working the short stack before the two biggest stacks clashed in a massive pot. Pudla folded his button and Dejan Kaladjurdjevic moved all in for 455,445,664 with before Chamani woke up with in the big blind and called. The runout send Kaladjurdjevic to the rail in third place.

Chamani started heads up play with a 4-1 chip lead over Pudla but over the next 35 hands, Pudla showed off some alligator blood and avoided elimination while doubling up three times before putting Chamani out for good. Chamani moved all in for 365,851,081 with and Pudla called with . The runout changed nothing and Pudla took the pot to eliminate Chamani in second and capture his first WSOP bracelet.