Michelle Chin makes history by defeating all rivals to win her first WSOP gold bracelet.

International news

Michelle Chin won the $1,500 Limit 2-7 Low Stud Three Draw event, earning her first WSOP gold bracelet and $161,313 in prize money. She becomes the second woman to win an Open event in the 2026 series.

Published: June 23, 2026 Updated: June 23, 2026 Category: International News
International Poker News Michelle Chin makes history by defeating all rivals to win her first WSOP gold bracelet. WSOP Latest News WSOP High Stakes Tournament Report

Michelle Chin makes history by defeating all rivals to win her first WSOP gold bracelet. Michelle Chin won the $1,500 Limit 2-7 Low Stud Three Draw event, earning her first WSOP gold bracelet and $161,313 in prize money. She becomes the second woman to win an Open event in the 2026 series.

657 people participated, but only one remained. That person was Michelle Chin, who defeated all her opponents in the #58:$1,500 Limit 2-7 Low Stud Three Draw event to win her first gold bracelet at the 2026 World Series of Poker.

Horseshoe in Las Vegas hosted a thrilling three-day triple draw tournament in Paris, featuring past low-stakes champions, multiple bracelet winners, and a $25k dream pick, but none could match Chin's performance.

With a total prize pool of $872,167, Chin not only took home the largest share of $161,313, but also the ultimate trophy for any poker player—a coveted gold bracelet. This victory represents the highest live payout of her career, surpassing her previous best of $88,126, according to The HendonMob.

Although Daniel Strelitz, the loser in the heads-up match, was undoubtedly disappointed to lose in the final stage, he performed brilliantly and was rewarded with a prize of $107,504 for his wonderful journey.

Event #58: $1,500 Limit 2-7 Low Stud Three-Draw Final Table Results

Rankingplayercountrybonus
1Michelle ChinUnited States$161,313
2Daniel StrelitzUnited States$107,504
3Horacio ChavesParaguay$72,152
4Nick PupilloUnited States$49,458
5Ian PelzUnited States$34,641
6Sean TrohaUnited States$24,804
7Oliver TotSlovakia$18,165

A surreal feeling

Chin is already a history maker. Back in 2015, she became the first woman to win the WSOPC Main Event, taking home a $1,675 tournament in Conseil Bluffs, Iowa. This time, it feels completely different.

In an interview with PokerNews, Chin explained that this gold bracelet journey was even more incredible than her first taste of glory. "Surreal," was the word she used to describe the feeling of winning the gold bracelet—an experience that many people can never attain.

"Back then, I was still a complete novice when it came to poker," she said, recalling her first victory. "I didn't realize how difficult it was to win a tournament, and then it took me 10 or 11 years to win another one." She had a near-perfect success rate back then, which meant her second victory was even sweeter.

Compared to her ring, the effort she put into winning the gold bracelet allowed her to fully savor the glory while making history once again. Now she "truly understands" the meaning of winning the tournament and acknowledges that "there are very few women in the poker world," but she absolutely had the ability to "prove to half the world that we can do it too," and she certainly did.

"I didn't realize how difficult it was to win a tournament, and then it took me 10 or 11 years to win another one."

Chin is now the most recent woman to win a gold bracelet in a hybrid game variant, the last being Carol Fuchs in 2015. When asked how she got into hybrid games, Chin mentioned starting with Pot-Limit Omaha.

"Trying new things is always more fun." This attitude has led her to explore the world of poker variations more deeply, from Omaha to all other playable games. 2-7 is one of her favorite games, and her performance on final day perfectly illustrates this.

A key factor for Chin on final day was her supportive family and friends who stood by her from the very beginning of the game. Their cheers grew louder with each pot she won, and she shared every emotion with them throughout the tournament.

"I feel incredibly fortunate to have such a supportive family and friends around me. I'm so grateful," she added. Her supporters will undoubtedly celebrate this career-best result with her, and she plans to take a break to relax and enjoy the victory. As a great advocate for women's participation in poker, women's participation in mixed games, and poker itself, this certainly won't be the last time we hear Michelle Chin's name.

Chin becomes the second woman to win an Open event in the 2026 series.

The final level of Day Two confirmed the final two table lists, meaning only 12 players would open their chip bags on Day Three (the final day). Everyone held onto the hope of winning the gold bracelet, but the first dream to be shattered was Steve Billirakis'. He went all-in with an 8, but lost to Strelitz's 7, leaving him with a knockout.

Michael Rodrigues, who finished in 11th place, suffered the same fate, with no suspense whatsoever—his 10-draw was met with a 9 that was already made. David May was soon forced to go all-in from the big blind. He ended up with 9-7, but his tablemate Evan Sandberg had 8-6, ending May's run prematurely.

Sandberg himself didn't last long, and he was the next to be eliminated. The $25k dream pick and two-time bracelet winner didn't play a single card in his tournament life. Despite holding 9-7, he ran into Horacio Chaves' 2 and was eliminated in ninth place.

The final table bubble was long, taking over an hour to shrink from eight to seven players. Short-stacked players remained alive, with Sean Troha, Oliver Tot, and Alessio Isaia all doubling up when it mattered most. However, Isaia's luck ran out first—he held J-9 after the third draw, but Nick Pupillo drew a 9, eliminating the Italian player.

Once the final table began, it became more difficult for players at risk to win all-in than before. Almost immediately, Slovakian player Tot faced Strelitz's 8, needing only a 3 or 4 to win. That would have been good for A-5, but not enough for 2-7—his last card was an A, making him the first player eliminated from the final table.

Troha didn't last long either; he held on with a 10, and his opponent revealed an 8. Ian Pelz then went all-in and drew two cards, but couldn't improve from his three starting hands, eventually ending with a low hand of KQ.

Pupillo came close to the podium, pairing up in the final draw and leaving the table, ushering in a turbulent period for the final three players.

Chips and chip lead changed hands frequently until Chaves could no longer hold on. He went from holding half the chips to having none, a series of bad draws sending him plummeting.

Chaves ultimately couldn't beat Strelitz's 9, but he didn't leave empty-handed. In addition to the $72,152 prize money, he also achieved Paraguay's best result in WSOP history, representing his country on the world stage and also representing his beloved "Albirroja".

The heads-up match started with Strelitz holding a clear lead, but he was completely overwhelmed when Chin transformed into a complete machine. She went on a scoring spree, winning hand after hand until her opponent was nearly forced to go all-in. On her first chance, she eliminated her at-risk opponent 8-7. Although Strelitz drew two cards and hadn't yet secured victory, his pair meant Chin would be basking in WSOP glory.

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