After a ten-year wait, Marco Johnson has finally won his third WSOP gold bracelet, marking his first ever No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament victory.

Returning to championship glory after ten years

The 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) will welcome another heavyweight champion.

In Event #49:$2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'emIn the WSOP, American professional poker player Marco Johnson defeated a massive field of 1,561 players to win the championship, taking home $513,885 in prize money and his third WSOP gold bracelet.

More significantly, this is also Johnson's first WSOP gold bracelet in a No-Limit Hold'em event.

His previous two gold bracelets were both from hybrid games, so this victory proves that he is not just a hybrid game expert.

1,561 participants create an intense battlefield

This Freezeout event attracted 1,561 participants, with a total prize pool of $3,473,225.

By Day 3, only 28 players remained to compete for the championship.

Johnson entered the final table with a leading chip count and displayed exceptional consistency throughout the final day, ultimately making it to the heads-up final.

The key move, KK, crushed the formidable opponent.

A major turning point occurred early in the final table.

Johnson faced off against German player Sebastian Schulze in a super-large pot match.

Johnson had pocket kings, while his opponent had AK, and both players had high chip counts.

Ultimately, Pocket K successfully withstood the pressure, allowing Johnson to win a massive pot of about a third of the chips on the table, thus establishing a significant lead.

After the match, Johnson admitted that he was actually very nervous at the time.

Because he had failed at similar crucial moments many times in the past few years, his biggest feeling when he saw the last community card fall was actually "a sense of relief".

Chino Rheem defeated his old friend in a one-on-one fight.

The heads-up match for the championship was between Marco Johnson and renowned professional poker player Chino Rheem.

The two have known each other for over 20 years and have a very good relationship in private.

Johnson stated:

"I've known Chino for twenty years, and he played a fantastic game."

In the crucial final showdown, Johnson's A♦5♦ went up against Rheem's A4, and the flop gave him a straight (Wheel), securing the victory.

Rheem won second place and a prize of $341,970.

First NLH title

Marco Johnson has long been considered a top expert in the field of hybrid games.

His first two WSOP gold bracelets came from:

• 2013$2,500 Six-Handed Limit Hold'em
• 2016 $3,000 HORSE.

However, in recent years, he has refocused on No-Limit Texas Hold'em.

Johnson said after the game:

"I've played a lot of No-Limit Texas Hold'em over the past five years, and I really enjoy the game. Winning a gold bracelet in this tournament means a lot to me."

The third gold bracelet was given to his son.

Beyond the prize money and glory, this victory held even more special significance for Johnson.

He revealed that his wife was pregnant with their first child when he last won a WSOP gold bracelet.

Now, many years later, he has finally won the championship again.

Johnson said with a smile:

"I promised my son that if I won another gold bracelet, I would give it to him."

Therefore, this championship is not only his own, but also a special gift for his family.

Event #49 Final Table Results

More than just hybrid game experts

For many years, Marco Johnson has been recognized as a master of mixed games in the poker world.

But this victory in a 1,561-player No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament undoubtedly adds another brilliant chapter to his professional resume.

Ten years of waiting, countless final table losses, and repeated near misses with the gold bracelet.

Now, Johnson has finally stood on the highest podium of the WSOP once again.

This gold bracelet, belonging to No-Limit Texas Hold'em, also marked a new breakthrough in the career of this veteran professional player.

Want to change Texas Holdem from "can understand" to "can win"?

If you want to learn more about Texas Hold'em, you can continue reading：

The Origins of Texas Hold'em: Why is it the World's Most Popular Poker Variant?
Texas Hold'em Hand Rankings and Showdown Rules (Beginner’s Essentials)
Texas Hold'em Betting teaching: Check / Bet / Call /Raise and Betting Strategy Analysis
The importance of Texas Hold'em position? Why is the back position more advantageous?
How to play Texas Hold'em? Novices learn Texas Hold'em rules, processes and betting teaching in 10 minutes
Texas Hold'em Starting Hands Strategy Guide: Which Hands to Play?
Texas Holdem Starting Hands Chart Tutorial: Complete Starting Hand Chart and Position Strategy
How to play Texas Hold'em? Complete rules and a hand's flow (Preflop / Flop / Turn / River)

Hunter Poker offers comprehensive tutorials, hand analysis, and strategy sharing to help players upgrade from simply "reading the cards" to understanding the range . This allows you to make better decisions in every hand.

▶️ In Facebook Follow Hunter Poker.
📘 In Youtube Follow Hunter Poker.

Want to learn more about Texas Hold'em gameplay and strategies?

Online Texas Hold'em free tournaments typically have no entry fee, making them ideal for beginners to familiarize themselves with the rules and for advanced players to test strategies and gain experience. View full brand profiles to learn about each platform's free tournament schedule, features, and target audience.

Go to learn more