Fabio Peluso Wins First Bracelet of 2022 World Series of Poker Europe Festival

Fabio Peluso came into 2022 with just over $14,000 in recorded live tournament earnings to his name. So far this year, the Italian player from San Nicandro Garganico has cashed for more than $400,000, including winning his first title in the kickoff event the World Series of Poker Europe. Peluso topped a massive field of 2,454 entries that turned out to the King’s Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic for the €350 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament known as ‘The Opener’, securing his first WSOP gold bracelet and the top prize of $95,670.

This was the second-largest score of his career, behind the $228,207 he earned as the runner-up in a €1,100 side event at the European Poker Tour Monte Carlo series.

“I have been studying a lot and discussing spots with my poker friends,” said Peluso when asked about what has led him to such a strong year on the circuit. “And of course, the run good helps too.”

Peluso’s breakout on the live scene this year has him positioned just outside the top 100 in the 2022 Card Player Player of the Year race sponsored by Global Poker. This win in Rozvadov added 432 POY points to his annual total, which grew to 1,988 as a result. With four final-table finishes, one title, and $386,459 in year-to-date POY earnings, he now sits in 121st place in the rankings.

This tournament featured four starting flights and two more full days of tournament action. The final day began with 24 players remaining and Peluso in third chip position. When the field combined onto the final table he remained in third, trailing only Dennis Wilke and Carlo Savinelli.

Gabriel Jansen Falcao Baleeiro was the first to fall, losing a preflop race to Wilke to finish ninth ($8,809). Wilke then scored another knockout, picking up pocket aces against the pocket sixes of Simone Andrian (8th – $11,254) and holding to narrow the field to seven.

Miroslav Navratil (7th – $14,509) lost a flip with pocket tens facing the A-Q suited of Savinelli. With that, the remaining six players were all set to earn a €10,350 seat into the WSOP Europe main event in addition to their cash payouts.

Peluso made his first elimination at the final table when his A-K cracked the pocket aces of Gennaro Proscia with all of the chips going in preflop. Peluso flopped a pair of kings and rivered trips to send Proscia home with $18,875.

Despite getting off to a hot start, it was Germay’s Wilke who was the next to be knocked out. He had lost a large pot to Peluso not long before finding himself all-in with Q-J suited facing the A-10 of Savinelli. Wilke flopped an open-ended straight draw but improved no further from there. He earned $24,773 as the fifth-place finisher.

Kevin Fluegel got all-in with A-K leading the Q-J of Peluso. The Italian flopped two pair and improved to a full house on the turn, leaving Fluegel drawing dead. He earned $32,801 for his fourth-place showing.

Stefan Vogt’s run in this event came to an end when he shoved Q10 from the button and received a call from Savinelli, who had been dealt A9 in the small blind. Vogt flopped a double gutshot withAJ8, while Savinelli improved to top pair. The 8 turn and J river were no help to Vogt, who went home in third place with $43,813.

With that, heads-up play began with the chip distribution looking as follows:

Carlo Savinelli – 31,600,000
Fabio Peluso – 17,500,000

Peluso was able to cut into Savinelli’s lead right away and soon moved ahead after winning a pair of healthy pots early in the confrontation. By the time the final hand was dealt, Peluso had increased his lead to more than a 2:1 chip advantage. Savinelli limped in from the button with A7 and Peluso shoved with 55. Savinelli called and the board ran out J64102 to lock up the pot and the title for Peluso. Savinelli earned $59,032 as the runner-up finisher.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

Winner photo provided by WSOP.

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