The 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is underway on the Las Vegas Strip, and one of the early marquee events provided one of the best viral reactions to a "miracle river" card.
Event No. 8: $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold 'em Championship pitted 64 players in a bracket-style format to play down to the winner who would take home the $507,020 first-place prize and coveted WSOP bracelet.
The final day began with Doug Polk taking on Chris Brewer and Sean Winter facing off against Chanracy Khun in the semifinals. With the matches being live-streamed exclusively on PokerGO.com, the Polk and Brewer match occupied the feature table first, and with Brewer holding a slender lead, a memorable hand would play out.
Polk opened with a raise on the button, holding pocket queens, and Brewer three-bet, holding pocket kings. Polk reraised back, and Brewer shoved all-in. Polk immediately called and was at risk -- he needed to hit the case queen to stay alive. This led to a viral moment from Polk:
Heading into the river, Polk needed to find one of the final two queens in the deck, and he did! Polk immediately leaped in the air and began running multiple laps around the WSOP Main Stage, high-fiving people on the rail, and even stopping for a celebration dance. That hand propelled Polk into the finals against Khun, where he finished just short of winning his fourth WSOP bracelet.
Khun’s win against Polk secured the Canadian his first WSOP bracelet, the $507,020 first-place prize, and the title of Heads-Up Championship winner.
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