Orhan Ates makes WSOP history with the first gold bracelet win by a player from Turkey. (photo: PokerCity/Holland Casino)

World Series of Poker history was made this week when Orhan Ates topped the 3,170-entry field of WSOP Event #60 ($525 Bounty No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed) to take home his first gold bracelet, one that doubles as the first-ever gold bracelet won by a player from Turkey.

Ates also walked away with a first-place prize of $114,584 and another $65,593 in bounties for a grand total of $180,177. It marks the second-highest score of his career right behind a $185,000 haul he won in Kyrenia back in 2018.

Prior to being able to play in WSOP events on GGPoker, Ates only had two recorded WSOP-related results. Both came in November of 2019 when he attended a World Series of Poker International Circuit event in Holland. However, despite not having much experience at the WSOP, Ates has more than $900,000 in live earnings and experience dating back to 2012 which he used to etch his name in the WSOP history books.

Although the tournament was six-handed, the final table got underway with nine players left and Ates holding the chip lead.

Latvia’s Arsens Sakanjans was the first of the nine to depart when he shipped his 14 big blind stack from the small blind holding AdTs and was called by Caique Sanches’ in the big blind with his As6d. Although Sakanjans held the dominating hand, the board ran out 5c6h7cQh5s to give Sanches a pair for the win. Sakanjans was out in ninth for $8,185 and another $6,670 in bounties.

Minutes later Ates raised from under the gun and Jeff Hakim three-bet shipped his final twenty big blinds with TsTh. Ates quickly called holding KsKd and the 5sAd6d5c2d board ran clean for the pocket kings sending Hakim home in eighth place for $11,383 and another $6,332 in bounties.

Shortly after the first break, the bustouts resumed when Augusto Hagen open-shipped his seven big blind stack holding KsTs. Brazil’s Sanches then re-shipped, having Hagen covered, with 8s8c. The table watched as the board rolled out 2s5d2h7dQd and Sanches’s pair won the flip as he eliminated his second player of the final table. Hagen settled for seventh place and a $15,832 payday plus another $11,854 in bounties.

Austria’s Tobias Schwecht found major momentum when play got to six-handed. He put in a late position raise with QhQd online to be shoved on by India’s Gaurav Sood holding AdJs. Schwecht made the snap call and the flop came KsTs9d keeping Schwecht in the lead and giving both gunshot straight draws. The Jd hit the turn, giving Schwecht the straight. The 5c river was no help to Sood who exited in sixth place for $22,019 and $6,521 in bounties.

Having lost his chip lead to Schwecht, Ates was looking to get back to the top of the chip counts. He shipped his final 20 big blinds with ThTd but was quickly called by Sanches who woke up with AsAh. Sanches was well in the lead, but with the shorter stack of the two, he was also at risk. The JdAd9c flop improved Sanches to top set while leaving Ates desperate for help. Some arrived on the 7s turn, giving Ates four outs to the gutshot straight. That four-outer came in when the 8s hit the river giving Ates an unlikely straight and sending Sanches to the rail in fifth for $30,624 and $20,676 in bounties.

Schwecht then went to work as a bounty collector. From UTG, Schwecht made it 1,600,000 to go and Alexandre Reard called from the big blind. Reard then checked after the 6s5h2h flop. Schwecht bet enough to put Reard all-in and Reard made the call. Reard showed As2s for bottom pair which put him ahead of Schwecht’s Js7d. The 9s turn gave Schwecht outs to a straight and the 8c river filled that draw to end Reard’s run in fourth for $42,591 and another $13,884 in bounties.

Schwecht needed just two minutes to find another victim. Ates folded his button and Schwecht moved all-in from the small blind with 6c4s and Tomas Jozonis called from the big blind with AsJc. The 7h6d6h flop gave Schwecht trip sixes and left Jozonis drawing razor thin. The 3h turn had Jozonis drawing dead and he was eliminated in third after the Ks completed the board. Jozonis collected $59,236 for his bronze finish and another $2,174 in bounties.

Schwecht began heads up play with a 3-1 lead over Ates but two back-to-back hands completely flipped the script. On the first, Ates held Tc7c and was all in after the turn against Schwecht’s Kd8d with the board showed AdTs6dTd. The As river gave Ates a full house to double to just over 25 million. On the next hand, the players were all in preflop with Ates flipping with 7d7s against the AsJc of Schwecht. The pocket sevens held giving Ates a chip lead he wouldn’t surrender again.

On the final hand, Schwecht put in a raise from the button with AsAc and Ates defended holding QdTc. Ates checked the Qs6d3h flop and Schwecht put out a bet with his overpair. Ates check-raised his top pair enough to put Schwecht at risk. Schwecht made the call and the 3d arrived on the turn. Schwecht was in good shape to double up but Ates found the Qc on the river to improve to a full house and send Schwecht out at the runner-up, which was good for $82,386 and another $15,629.

Ates brings home $114,584 for first place, plus another $65,593 in bounties for a total score of $180,177.

Final Table Payouts

  1. Orhan Ates – $114,584 + $65,593
  2. Tobias Schwecht – $82,386 + $15,629
  3. Tomas Jozonis – $59,236 + $2,174
  4. Alexandre Reard – $42,591 + $13,884
  5. Caique Sanches – $30,624 + $20,676
  6. Gaurav Sood – $22,019 + $6,521
  7. Augusto Hagen – $15,832 + $11,854
  8. Jeff Hakim – $11,383 + $6,332
  9. Arsens Sakanjans – $8,185 + $6,670