Portugal Wins First Ever WSOP Bracelet

Throughout its history, the World Series of Poker has never had a bracelet winner from Portugal. That was until Saturday when 36-year-old Da Costa Santos took down WSOPE Event #6: €1,650 Six Handed PLO for €83,275 and in so doing broke his country’s 43 year long duck.
Following his remarkable achievement, Da Costa Santos expressed optimism his victory would inspire a new generation of Portuguese poker players, and commented: “Poker is still very new in my country. We do not have so many players right now. But I think it’s going to catch on and be more popular. There are a lot of younger players now who are starting to get interested in the game.”
First to leave the final table was Nikolay Volper in 6th (€13,273) after he was dispatched to the rail by Andrew Lichtenberger. At this stage, the US pro took the chip lead but after hemorrhaging chips over the next 4 hours was reduced to a short-stack and was eventually eliminated by Aku Joentausta in 5th place for €18,463. Last woman standing Ana Marquez from Spain then proceeded to knock-out Petteri Kalenius in 4th (€25,831), and after Da Costa Santos took care of Aku Joentausta in 3rd (€36,351), the heads-up phase of the competition got underway between Santos and Marquez.
As the action began, Santos held a 3.5 to 1 chip lead over his Spanish opponent. Ana Marquez was also hoping to become the first female player to win a bracelet since Annette Obrestad’s victory at the WSOPE Main Event in 2007. However, it was not to be and Marquez was eventually eliminated after going all-in holding A-K-10-5 to her opponent’s 10-9-7-6. The 8-5-7 flop all but sealed her fate and so Marquez had to settle for a runner-up finish worth €51,443, while Da Costa Santos walked away with the gold winner’s bracelet. Commenting on his victory, Santos said:
“There are just no words. All the hard work, all the days playing poker flashed before my eyes. It made it all worth it.”
The final table payouts were as follows:
1. Francisco Da Costa Santos, €83,275
2. Ana Marquez, €51,443
3. Aku Joentausta, €36,351
4. Petteri Kalenius, €25,831
5. Andrew Lichtenberger, €18,463
6. Nikolay Volper, €13,273