Safiya Umerova Wins Shootout Event and First Bracelet

Kristen Bicknell was the first woman to win a gold bracelet at the WSOP this summer, and now just two days later Safiya Umerova has followed in her footsteps to win the most coveted bracelet in poker. The result came in Event #50: $1,500 Shootout, which drew 1050 players. To win the bracelet and the $264,046 first prize money Umerova had to win three tables over three days.

On the final day of play 12 players remained, among them Vanessa Selbst who was looking to capture her fourth bracelet. Unfortunately Selbst was eliminated on the final table bubble in 10th place for $17,255.

With the elimination of Michael Mixer in third place Umerova and British player Niall Farrell was heads-up for the bracelet. Umerova began heads-up play with 3,710,000 in chips vs. Farrell’s 4,135,000, and at one point Umerova was down to 37 bb, but then she doubled up with quads and won a huge pot with a full house to gain the lead. In the final hand Umerova called Farrell’s all in with

vs. Farrell’s . When the board came it was over for Farrell, and Umerova had won her first gold bracelet.

The 28-year-old player, who was born in Russia and now lives in Los Angeles, has only been playing poker for eighteen months. In her winner’s interview she said: “It’s just surreal to win. I’ve only been playing poker for a very short time. It’s exciting. This is a great start for my career (…). I don’t know how it used to be with women in poker, because I have only been playing a short time. But I have heard the last few years, women became so much better. I love it. It’s just so inspiring for women out there.”

And Umerova‘s victory is certainly inspiring for all female poker players too. Huge congrats to Umerova on an impressive performance.