Brek Schutten Wins WSOP High Roller for Career-High Score in Las Vegas

This week’s $25,000 High Roller in 6-Max No-Limit Hold’em gave Brek Schutten the win and $1,405,641 as he took down the biggest event of his poker career so far. With 272 entrants, the 2024 version of the event saw 65 more entries than last year’s corresponding event did, as players such as Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu and Erik Seidel battled for a piece of the $6,392,000 prize pool.

WSOP Online Main Event Winner Bubbles Final Table

Heading into the latter stages of the event, the final ten were battling for nine places at the final table felt. It was the Bulgarian 2020 WSOP Online Main Event winner Stoyan Madanzhiev who busted in 10^th place, as his all-in call with ace-nine of diamonds against the four-bet shove with king-queen of clubs from Michael Rocco got there on a board of 7-4-3-9-J with three clubs to take out the at-risk Madanzhiev for $99,685.

Once the final nine were reached, Eli Berg was the first man to exit, cashing for $128,604. All-in with ace-ten, Berg lost out to the pocket nines of Taylor von Kriegenbergh, before Chongxian Yang won the same amount in eighth place, again losing his stack to von Kriegenbergh. This time, two pairs went head-to-head, Yang’s pocket tens no match for the American’s pocket jacks, leaving the Chinese player to collect a six-figure score but no gold.

Ognyan Dimov busted in seventh place for a score of $169,719. The Bulgarian, a live poker star in recent years, moved all-in for nine big blinds with king-nine and lost to Schutten’s queen-jack when a cruel board of T-8-4-2-J rivered the Bulgarian from the event, bumping up Schutten’s own stack to that of chip leader.

Coinflips and Dominations

Japanese player Masashi Oya lost a coinflip to von Kriegenbergh to cash for $229,002 in sixth place. All-in with king-jack, Oya lost to pocket nines and reduced the field to five. Soon, it was four. Schutten scored another knockout when his pocket kings beat Wilson’s king-queen to send the overnight chip leader home with $315,771.

Next, von Kriegenbergh left in fourth for $444,766 when his queen-ten was toppled by Michael Rocco’s ace-queen. Rocco then suffered a similar defeat, ousted with seven-four when running into Tyler Stafman’s ace-seven to leave with $639,620 in third place.

Heads-up, Stafman had 15.37 million chips, but started some way behind Schutten’s 25.45 million and after flopping the nut flush, the eventual winner Schutten built up a 7:1 chip lead.

Soon, it was all over. Stafman shoved with ace-nine, and when Schitten called, turning over ace-queen, the writing was on the wall. Sure enough, no miracle came for Stafman and he cashed for $938,775 in second place. The worthy runner-up was only bettered by the phenomenal Schutten, who raised the bracelet as WSOP champion and winner of the $1.4m top prize.

Schutten Feels ‘Vindicated’ For Self-Belief

“You never know if you’re going to get back to a high roller final table.”

After the event, the part-time ICU nurse and part-time high stakes poker player Schutten said he felt ‘vindicated’ by playing in the big buy-in event and sealing his maiden WSOP victory.

“I got second to Jake Schindler [before] and had regrets ever since. Certain hands go through your mind all the time and you never know if you’re going to get back to a high roller final table, let alone heads-up, let alone win the thing.”

Schutten admits that financial implications came second to dreams of that gold bracelet – even during the final table itself.

“I was more concerned about winning the bracelet than the ICM for pay jumps and stuff, so I think that helped to be able to put my chips in when I felt like I had the best hand and hope for the best. [I’m] focusing more on poker than nursing right now but still working a few shifts here and there. I love playing against the best in the world. It’s just a great experience and it’s good to know that I can win a tournament with this field.”

Following his WSOP win, Schutten is considering a push for the Triple Crown, poker’s rarest achievement. He now has the WSOP title to go with the SHRPO Championship he won on the World Poker Tour in Hollywood two years ago for $1.2m. Only a European Poker tour is required to climb a mountain that only nine men have ever managed before.

“I haven’t played an EPT before,” said Schutten. “I’ve actually never been to Europe! But maybe [I will]. It might be possible.”

Given how well he has performed in both his WSOP and WPT victories, Schutten would surely be a celebrated winner should he manage to complete that epic achievement.