Just one day after being penalized for a heated dispute with tournament staff, American pro Tyler Brown has silenced all controversy in the most definitive way possible. He navigated a massive field of 2,775 entrants to win Event #28: $600 Mixed NLH/PLO, capturing his second career World Series of Poker gold bracelet and a top prize of $178,126.
A Dominant Wire-to-Wire Victory
Brown’s performance was nothing short of commanding. He seized the chip lead when the tournament was down to the final two tables and never relinquished it. He entered the final table holding a quarter of the chips in play, a figure that swelled to half of all chips by the time six players remained. “It added almost no pressure to me,” Brown stated after his win. “Mostly because I had already made up my mind that I was going to win this tournament two days ago.”
From Unknown to Omaha Specialist
This second bracelet holds special significance for Brown. When he won his first in 2023, he was a relative unknown. Now, as a player drafted by Team Negreanu in the prestigious 25k Fantasy league, this victory carries more weight. “This second bracelet really solidifies a lot for me,” Brown reflected, acknowledging his growing recognition within the poker community.
Despite his first bracelet coming in No-Limit Hold’em, Brown professes a deep love for Pot-Limit Omaha. “I just really enjoy the strategy more,” he explained. “Four cards opens up the game tree significantly more.” True to his word, Brown’s upcoming schedule will focus almost exclusively on Omaha events.
The Final Showdown
The heads-up battle saw Brown face off against Norway’s Bjorn Gravlien. In a remarkable parallel, Gravlien had finished fourth in this very same event in 2023. He improved on that result to claim a career-best score of $118,618 for his runner-up finish. The final hand saw Brown flop a set of kings in PLO, which held against Gravlien’s flush and gutshot straight draws to seal the remarkable victory.
