Falling Short of Glory: Johnny Chan’s Quest for 11th WSOP Bracelet Ends in Bittersweet 14th Place

Johnny Chan, a two-time World Series of Poker Main Event champion in 1987 and 1988, and holder of 10 WSOP bracelets, fell short in his quest for an 11th bracelet on Monday. Despite a strong performance in Event #41: $1,500 Big O, Chan finished in 14th place, earning $13,982. This was his best performance since a 12th-place finish in a 2011 lowball event.

Chan’s surprising bid for an 11th bracelet took place in the largest $1,500 Omaha event of the 2023 series so far. The Big O debut attracted 1,458 participants and generated a prize pool just under $2 million, greatly exceeding most players’ expectations for its inaugural standalone event at the WSOP. The Big O’s growing popularity as a cash game offering ample action had already led to its inclusion in WSOP mixed-games events in recent years.

Seasoned poker players have dominated this inaugural event as it approaches the final table. Of the remaining nine players, three previous bracelet winners, Bjorn Verbakel, Robert Williamson III, and Owais Ahmed, are still in contention. Victor Ramdin, a well-known professional and long-time brand ambassador for PokerStars, is also still in the game.

For Chan, Day 3 was a disappointment as the winning streak he needed never came. He started the day in 12th place out of the remaining 18 players. After losing a significant hand where he folded to an all-in reraise on the river, Chan was eliminated shortly after by Vegas professional Scott Abrams. Chan’s last chips were lost after a flop where he had a draw to the lowest hand—Big O is a split-pot game—while Abrams had a set of jacks and a near-certain win on the high half.

When the turn and river brought high cards, ruining Chan’s low draw, Abrams won the pot and eliminated Chan. This was Chan’s second cash win of the 2023 WSOP, and it’s likely he’ll participate in other events as the series continues.