Vivian Saliba Secures Her First WSOP Bracelet in Rozvadov After Marathon Battle

Day 2 Action: Bubble Trouble to Final Table

The day began with 50 hopefuls returning for a shot at the bracelet. With only 35 spots paying out, the bubble became the first obstacle to overcome. As always, tensions ran high. Bracelet winner Gabi Livshitz and seasoned pro Vladimir Troyanovskiy were among those who fell just short of making the money, with Austria’s Harry Casagrande being the last player to leave empty-handed after his bold bluff was sniffed out by Fahredin Mustafov.

Once the bubble burst, the pace picked up quickly. Players like Stanislovas Vinicenka and Kai Lehto found themselves unable to build momentum and were eliminated before making a real run at the final table. Three-time bracelet winner Anson Tsang’s attempt at a deep finish came to an abrupt end in 25th place, setting the stage for the final stretch.

Photo Credits: Tomas Stacha & Omar Sader

The Final Table: A Rollercoaster of Chips and Dreams

By the time the final table was set, it was last year’s champion, Hokyiu Lee, who held the chip lead and looked poised for a repeat victory. The short stacks, however, weren’t giving up without a fight. Thomas Hueber, who entered with just 13 big blinds, doubled up quickly and refused to be counted out. Others weren’t as lucky — David Sosic, for example, saw his pocket aces cruelly cracked by Samuel Albeck’s pocket kings, making him the first to fall at the final table.

As the final seven players battled it out, Lee kept up relentless pressure on the middling stacks, but the tide was about to turn. Eran Carmi busted in seventh when his aces got run down by Saliba’s straight. Albeck and Hueber soon followed, and it was clear that the tournament was reaching its critical moment.

Photo Credits: Tomas Stacha

The Final Three: Lee Falls Short, Saliba Takes Control

Four-handed play was where things really started to get wild. The chip lead seemed to bounce around as players took turns doubling up or busting out. Lee, fresh off a huge hand where he rivered a straight flush, couldn’t hold onto his momentum. Saliba chipped away at his stack, landing two crucial double-ups before finally knocking him out in third place when his kings couldn’t hold up.

This set the stage for a heads-up showdown between Saliba and Markus Anheier. Although Saliba started with a comfortable 3:1 chip lead, poker, as always, had a few surprises in store.

Photo Credits: Tomas Stacha

Heads-Up Battle: Swing After Swing

Heads-up play started fast and furious. Anheier wasted no time in finding a way back, doubling through Saliba when an ace on the turn crushed her kings. Just like that, Anheier had taken the lead. But this was Saliba’s moment—she clawed her way back with a timely flush on the river and took control again. The final hand saw Saliba turn another flush to beat Anheier’s two pair. After avoiding a dangerous river that could have paired the board, Saliba finally secured her first WSOP bracelet.

After five WSOP final tables and multiple near misses, Saliba was understandably relieved to finally capture that elusive bracelet. “I was just thinking, please don’t come second again,” she said afterward.

Relief was the emotion that defined her win — years of hard work and close finishes had culminated in this long-awaited victory. Despite the grueling hours, Saliba was still full of energy, driven by her competitive fire and desire to add more titles to her résumé.

A Bit od Backstory on Vivian Saliba

There’s no rest for the newly crowned champion. Saliba plans to keep her momentum rolling through the rest of the WSOP Europe series. Winning her first bracelet may have been a huge step, but for Saliba, it feels like just the beginning of what could be an even bigger run. While waiting to see which title she brings home next, we thought this would be a good place as any to give a bit of backstory about this first time bracelet winner.

Vivian “Vivi” Saliba’s journey to poker stardom began early. At just 12 years old, she was introduced to the game during a family trip, and it wasn’t long before she found herself drawn to the social aspects of poker. By the age of 18, her father took her to a Brazilian card club, where her interest in the game truly blossomed. Five years later, Saliba turned pro, choosing Pot-Limit Omaha as her game of choice, a move that would shape her career.

In 2017, her talent and passion for poker caught the attention of 888poker, and she was welcomed to their ambassador team. That same year, she made history at the World Series of Poker, becoming the youngest female to enter the Main Event at just 24. Her journey in that event ended with a respectable 421st-place finish, but it was her performance and presence that caught the attention of poker fans, especially in her home country of Brazil, where she quickly became a rising star. And now?

Well, you can see her achievements for yourself below.