Brazil’s Vivian Saliba was one of the best tournament poker players without a WSOP bracelet to her name until recently, as she finally broke the curse and captured her career-first gold bracelet in the €2,000 Pot Limit Omaha event at WSOP Europe in Rozvadov.
The popular 888poker Ambassador bested a field of 229 players in her favorite poker game, Pot Limit Omaha, and took home the first-place prize of €91,400, along with the coveted WSOP bracelet.
While this win was far from the biggest of Vivi’s life in terms of cash, the magnitude of winning the first piece of WSOP silverware in her career was great, making this the biggest accomplishment of her career in poker.
-
1
Bonus £50 FREE - #Ad • 18+ • First depositors only • Min. deposit: $10 • Bonus will be granted as tournament tickets gradually over 6 days and will expire after 24 hours BeGambleAware | Full T&Cs apply
-
2
Bonus $1000100% bonus
- #Ad • 18+ • First depositors only • Min. deposit: $10 • Bonus will be granted as tournament tickets gradually over 6 days and will expire after 24 hours BeGambleAware | Full T&Cs apply
-
3
Saliba Bests a Tough PLO Field to Secure Bracelet
It is well-known that Pot Limit Omaha is one of the most popular game formats in Europe, which makes Vivian’s victory in a WSOPE PLO event that much more significant.
She was the only female player in a competitive field of 229 players who entered the €2,000 PLO bracelet event in Rozvadov, one of the preliminary events leading up to the WSOPE Main Event, one of the most anticipated poker events of the year.
It took 17 hours of play for Saliba to secure her victory, finally beating German player Markus Anheier in a heads-up battle when her pair and flush draw improved to a flush on the turn after all the chips went in on the flop.
Saliba secured over €90,000 for her win, which will be enough to take her over the $1,000,000 in lifetime tournament earnings, while her opponent had to take home the consolation prize of €59,700.
Saliba was emotional in her great moment, giving a short winner’s interview and expressing her relief in finally getting the monkey off her back: “Relieved! This is my fifth live WSOP final table in bracelet events. I've also finished eleventh and twenty-second. I was just like, okay, please don't come second. I was really aiming for the bracelet.”
“It was a real marathon. We played a lot yesterday, and I went to bed around 6 in the morning. I could concentrate – thanks to my experience and motivation, just because I really, really wanted to win.”
Who Is Vivian Saliba?
For those in the poker world who might not know her, Vivian Saliba is one of the best female poker players in the world and is well on her path to cementing her legacy as one of poker’s greats.
Introduced to poker at a young age by her family, Saliba started playing the game seriously as soon as she legally could and immediately fell in love with it, playing in card clubs and casinos across Brazil.
In 2017, Vivian won a Ladies Event at the 888poker LIVE Festival in London and her charisma and skills at the poker tables caught the eyes of 888poker’s team, who immediately brought her on as part of the 888poker Ambassadors team.
–
Working closely with the operator for seven years, Vivi has been one of the most outspoken members of the team, representing 888poker at live poker stops around the world and posting significant results at the tables.
Her PLO bracelet came after four unsuccessful WSOP final tables run and multiple other deep runs, all of which ended in some disappointment for the Brazilian poker prodigy.
Now, Saliba finally joined the ranks of WSOP bracelet holders, furthering her legacy as one of the best female players who ever played the game.
With many years ahead of her, Saliba has a chance to further that legacy in the WSOP’s to come, and she appears intent on wearing 888poker’s recognizable blue logo on her apparel every step of the way.
888poker Ambassadors Continue Spreading Joy Through the Poker World
While they are all formidable poker players in their own right, the one thing 888poker Ambassadors share more than anything is the desire to spread joy everywhere they go.
Made up of young and dynamic poker champions, the 888poker Ambassadors team brings fun and excitement to every event they show up to, whether they are playing cards, giving interviews, or recording top-notch poker content.
Vivi Saliba and Lucia Navarro are the two ladies on the team, and their formidable poker skills mixed with their always positive vibes make them some of the very best ambassadors the game of poker has ever had.
The likes of Ian Simpson, Alexandre Mantovani, and Cultural Ambassador Jack Maate all carry the same vibes with them, never allowing for Team 888poker to go unnoticed.
The more recently founded 888poker Stream Team has helped put the 888poker brand out there for the younger crowds as well, bringing poker to live streaming platforms and educating new generations of poker players every step of the way.
Vivian’s recent success will give further wind to all the 888poker Ambassadors, demonstrating that dedication and hard work pay off in the long run, even if cards don’t go your way on every corner.
