For the first time in WSOP history, a Badugi bracelet event made it to the festival’s schedule, and it was won over the weekend by Michael Rodrigues for $144,678 in top prize. It was a huge victory for the Portuguese player who has now officially entered the record books as the first WSOP Badugi champion.
Final Table Results
The $1,500 Badugi event pulled in a 516-entry field to create $688,860 in total prize pool. The tournament extended to a fourth day during which the three remaining players battled it out for the gold bracelet and the six-figure top prize.
In the end, it was Rodrigues who claimed the historic title after outclassing Yingui Li heads-up. His Chinese opponent held a slight chip lead as the action began, but Rodrigues managed to turn the tables after pulling off a massive bluff. He never looked back from there.
Completing the final table were Serhii Popovych (3rd, $59,879), Matt Vengrin (4th, $40,996), Danny Tang (5th, $28,270), and Owals Ahmed (6th, $20,557).
Career-Best Score for Rodrigues
Rodrigues’ $144,678 win is the largest score of his career and also represents his first WSOP gold bracelet. His total live earnings have now climbed to $495,282.
