Zachary Gruneberg Captures Inaugural Five Card Pot-Limit Omaha WSOP Bracelet

Zachary Gruneberg has etched his name in poker history by winning the inaugural World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet for Five Card Pot-Limit Omaha. The victory in Event #53: $1,500 Five Card Pot-Limit Omaha came with a top prize of $271,552 and marks Gruneberg’s third career WSOP title.

The newly introduced Five Card PLO event attracted 1,319 entries, generating a prize pool of $1,750,973. After three days of intense competition at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, Gruneberg emerged as the champion, outlasting a field rich with Omaha specialists. This win also pushed his live earnings beyond the $2.5 million mark and represents his first six-figure score outside of No-Limit Hold’em events.

Gruneberg’s triumph was amplified by the vocal support of his rail, whose cheers often rivaled the energy of other notable cheering sections. Once he seized the chip lead during four-handed play, Gruneberg maintained his momentum, never relinquishing control.

Runner-up Hokyiu Lee continued his strong summer performance, having previously finished second in a $1,500 PLO event just days before. However, like in his previous final, he fell one step short of securing a bracelet. Gruneberg’s previous two bracelets were won online in No-Limit Hold’em events.

Speaking to PokerNews after his victory, Gruneberg expressed the significance of winning a live bracelet: “It means way more,” he stated. “Of course, they were really cool. I’d always wanted to win a bracelet, since watching Chris Moneymaker.” He elaborated on the unique atmosphere of a live tournament, noting that sharing the moment with friends on the rail added an extra layer of sweetness to the win.

Gruneberg described the Five Card PLO format as “awesome” and expressed hope for its continued presence on the WSOP schedule. He highlighted the increased aggressiveness players can adopt, noting that the extra card can sometimes lead to caution. The format also allows for “a lot of really cool bluffs,” a concept he was familiar with long before its WSOP debut. While some friends joked about the added variance, Gruneberg anticipated the format’s appeal.

Though his prior bracelet successes were in No-Limit Hold’em, Gruneberg expressed pride in earning what he playfully called a “certification in mixed games.” He joins his good friend and former WSOP roommate Eddie Blumenthal, who recently won his first mixed-game bracelet.

Final Day Action

Play began on the final day with seven players remaining. Dutch player Bouwe Claushuis was the first to be eliminated after 90 minutes of play, getting his chips in on the flop but being out-flushed on the turn.

The next departure was Ravi Shankar, who moved all-in with a flopped wrap, only to be outdrawn by Erick Mossinger, who also flopped a strong hand. Gianluca Cedolia followed in fifth place when his aces were cracked on the flop.

Gruneberg secured his first knockout of the day by hitting a flush on the turn, leaving his opponent drawing dead. As play narrowed to four-handed, the pace became more cautious. Hokyiu Lee managed a significant double-up against Gruneberg by turning a Broadway straight to crack his aces, and then secured another double shortly after against Kamel Mokhammad with the same hand.

The chip lead shifted several times among the final four. While Mokhammad started with the advantage, Mossinger took the lead before Gruneberg accumulated a significant portion of the chips in play. Lee continued to find crucial double-ups, including one against Mokhammad, shortly before Mokhammad’s own elimination. Mokhammad, short-stacked, turned a straight against Mossinger’s set, but Mossinger ultimately made a full house to win the pot.

The battle for the final table seats saw continued doubles for short stacks. Mossinger survived by hitting a gutshot on the river, and Lee went runner-runner to crack Gruneberg’s top set. Ultimately, Mossinger’s run ended when he couldn’t improve against Gruneberg’s flopped flush, setting up the heads-up match.

Heads-Up Play

Mossinger’s deep run earned him $127,560, pushing his total career earnings past $200,000. For Lee, this was his second heads-up match of the week, having placed second in Event #35: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha. However, the match was short-lived, with Gruneberg’s turned wheel holding true to secure the historic victory, much to the delight of his cheering rail.

Key facts
| Stat | Detail |
|—|—|
| Event Name | Event #53: $1,500 Five Card Pot-Limit Omaha |
| Winner | Zachary Gruneberg |
| Prize Money | $271,552 |
| Entries | 1,319 |
| Prize Pool | $1,750,973 |
| Gruneberg’s Bracelets | 3 (1 live, 2 online) |

This development is relevant to PlayVideoPoker readers as it highlights a significant new event and a historic win in a popular poker variant. The success of Five Card PLO at the WSOP could lead to increased interest and participation in the format, impacting online video poker and live poker rooms.

Source: PokerNews – A New WSOP Bracelet Was Born This Week, and Zachary Gruneberg Just Won It – https://www.pokernews.com/news/2026/06/zachary-gruneberg-wins-2026-wsop-1500-five-card-plo-bracelet-51612.htm

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