This Week's Big Winner: Joao Vieira Wins WSOP $5,000 Six-Max NLHE Event For First Bracelet And $758,011

Joao Vieira has won the 2019 World Series of Poker $5,000 six-max no-limit hold’em event. The 29-year-old Portuguese poker pro defeated four-time bracelet winner and 2009 WSOP main event champion Joe Cada heads-up after outlasting a record field of 815 entrants. For the win, he earned his first gold bracelet and the top prize of $758,011. The massive score brought Vieira’s lifetime live tournament earnings to more than $3.4 million.

“In Portugal we say that the finals are meant to be won. As soon as you get heads-up, it doesn’t matter if it’s Joe Cada, John Doe… it doesn’t matter,” said Vieira. “At that point I’m just trying to compete, trying to do the best I can. I made a big hand right away, and as soon as I took the lead, I tried to close the deal.”

Vieira became Portugal’s fourth bracelet winner overall. Cada, the Michigan-based poker pro who final tabled the main event for a second time last summer, fell just short of securing his fifth WSOP bracelet but did earn $468,488 for the fifth-largest score of his career.

Here are the five key hands that propelled Vieira to the title.

Tournament: WSOP Six-Max NLHE
Buy-In: $5,000
No. of Entries: 815
Prize Pool: $3,789,750
1st Place Prize: $758,011

The Action

Mandavia raised to 180,000 on the button and Vieira three-bet from the small blind. Mandavia called, and the flop came down A 7 7. Vieira continued with a bet of 430,000, and Mandavia called. The turn was the Q, and Vieira slowed down with a check. Mandavia bet 425,000, and Vieira called. The river was the 2, and Vieira checked once more. This time, Mandavia bet 1,200,000, leaving himself with just 275,000. Vieira went deep in the tank, and after some drama unfolded with the clock, he ultimately decided to call with pocket kings. Mandavia could only reveal 10 9 for a bluff, and was eliminated a short while later in eighth place for $80,109.

The Action

Calamusa shoved from the small blind for his last 2,500,000 after picking up A 7, and ran right into the A K of Vieira in the big blind. Calamusa was in terrible shape heading into the flop, but the 8 7 4 put him in the lead. The 4 on the turn was still safe for the Frenchman, but the K on the river ended his tournament run in fourth place. He pocketed $219,468 for his deep run in the event.

The Action

Vieira raised to 250,000 on the button and O’Connor three-bet all in for 3,000,000. Vieira made the call with K Q, and was only a slight underdog against O’Connor’s A 4. The flop of 9 5 4 kept O’Connor in the lead and improved him to a pair, but the Q shifted the advantage over to Vieira. The river was the 9, and O’Connor was eliminated in third place, taking home $317,956.

The Action

Vieira raised to 575,000 and Cada called. The flop fell 5 4 2 and Cada checked. Vieira bet 550,000 and Cada raised to 1,875,000. Vieira called, and the K hit the turn. Cada checked, and Vieira checked behind. The river was the A and Cada bet 2,000,000. Vieira then raised to 5,200,000, sending Cada into the tank. After a couple of minutes, Cada called and Vieira showed him 4 3 for a wheel. The pot gave him a 3:1 lead in the match.

The Action

Vieira raised to 600,000 on the button, and Cada three-bet to 1,950,000. Vieira then shoved, and Cada called off with what he must have believed to be the best hand in A Q. Unfortunately for him, Vieira had him dominated with A K. The board ran out J 9 6 7 5, and Cada was eliminated in second place, earning $468,488. Vieira scooped the last pot of the tournament, and with it earned his first gold bracelet, and the $758,011 prize.

Final Table Results

1. Joao Vieira — $758,011
2. Joe Cada — $468,488
3. Jamie O’Connor — $317,956
4. Pierre Calamusa — $219,468
5. Olivier Busquet — $154,112
6. Barry Hutter — $110,127