2019 WSOP Bracelets – Who’s Counting?

Is 2019 stacking up to be the greatest year for Canadian poker players at WSOP?

While perusing the growing menu of final tablists in this year’s World Series of Poker at WSOP.com this morning, I thought to myself, “Wow, this really isn’t Canada’s year!” We don’t have to much to show for our nation – at least, not yet.

Only 57 tournaments have played out to the end. Event #58 has only 12 remaining; none from Canada. That still leaves 31 bracelets to be awarded (potentially to Canadian poker players), including the most precious of them all – the 2019 WSOP Championship bracelet.

Canadian Poker Players at the 2019 WSOP

So far, we haven’t performed all that well. At least, not compared to players from America. They’ve already wrangled up 37 bracelets this year, but that’s nothing new. As it turns out, the 2 bracelets our hometown poker heroes have already claimed this year are pretty special, matching or beating the number of gold finishes we accomplished in the last three years running.

In 2018, Tim Andrew and Tommy Nguyen were our best performers. Hailing from Cranbrook, BC, Tim Andrew snagged his first bracelet and $116,015 in EV#11, the $365 PLO Giant, beating out a field of 3,250. Days later, Tommy Nguyen of Oakville, Ontario routed more than 6,200 players to capture the crown in EV#48, the $1,500 NLH Monster Stack, earning his first gold bracelet and $1,037,451.

2017 was even less productive for the Canucks. Only Pablo Mariz scored a victory. It was a big one, though. The Montreal native took down the Millionaire Maker, beating out 7,760 other entrants to claim the bracelet and the top prize of $1,221,407.

Going back again to 2016, we see only one bracelet heading back to Canada again. That time, it was our most beautiful pride and joy, Kristen Bicknell, who pulled out the big win. She bested more than 2,100 in EV#46, the $1,500 NLH Bounty, for a $290,768 payout and her second World Series bracelet.

2019 WSOP Top Canadian Performers

In 2019, we’ve already matched last years’ pair of bracelet wins. Greg Mueller struck gold in the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship Event, #29, worth $425,347, collecting the first bracelet of his productive career. Then long-time online and live tournament pro Ari Engel (formerly “BodogAri”) finally captured a bracelet – it pairs nicely with his 9 WSOP Circuit rings, don’t you think? – in EV#48, $2,500 NLH.

Aside from outright wins, Canadian poker pros have gone deep in several events. So far, we’ve racked up 23 final table appearances, including a trio of 3rd place finishes, three more 2nd place positions, and the aforementioned pair of 1st place, bracelet-worthy victories.

Canada’s favorite all-time poker player, Daniel Negreanu, made two appearnaces on the boards so far. He finished 6th in the second event of the World Series, the Super Turbo Bounty, for a $52k haul. Then he finished runner-up to American John Haul in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship to bank $151,700.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the situation as the 2019 WSOP continues into early July.