The WSOPE just began and has already awarded its first six-figure prize
The 2024 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) kicked off in style, with Poland’s Przemyslaw Szymanski claiming the first bracelet of the series. Szymanski emerged victorious in the €350 (US$392) buy-in No-Limit Hold’em “Opener” event, held at King’s Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic. He outlasted a field of 3,509 players to secure his first WSOP bracelet and a top prize of $128,039. This marked the largest win of Szymanski’s career, far surpassing his previous best of $2,436 from a runner-up finish in the 2021 European Poker Festival.
This year’s “Opener” event saw a slight increase in participation compared to last year, with six more entries than in 2023. The strong turnout also pushed the prize pool beyond the €1,000,000 (US$1,120,675) guarantee by nearly €40,000 (US$44,827).
The final day of the event started with just 20 players remaining, with Szymanski and Dmitrij Fadeev tied for the chip lead. However, it was Daniel Trunk who quickly took control at the final table, eliminating several opponents to set up three-handed play between himself, Szymanski, and Rostyslav Sabishchenko.
One of the pivotal moments came when Szymanski’s A-Q managed to make quads, overcoming Fadeev’s pocket kings and delivering a critical double-up. Fadeev, left short-stacked, was soon eliminated in fifth place, earning $41,681.
Heads-up play between Szymanski and Trunk began with the latter holding a slim lead. However, a dramatic hand saw Szymanski hit aces full of fours, leaving Trunk with very few chips. Shortly after, Szymanski sealed the win with two pair, taking down the tournament and earning his first WSOP Europe bracelet. Trunk finished as runner-up, pocketing $88,967 for his efforts.
