$1,500 HORSE (Event #14)

The once raucous Brazilian crowd grew silent as the band of revelers awaited the showdown and then the final card.

"Quads," an excited Murilo Souza mouthed, eyes wide open. "Quads!"

He flipped his hand over and shouted something in Brazilian, no doubt calling for a high card as the only way the tournament would continue would be if Jason Stockfish could find a low card to take half of the Omaha pot.

A nine fell and pandemonium ensued. The Brazilians rushed past the rail and mobbed Souza, creating a mass of humanity pulsing, shouting and spilling drinks all over the floor. Their man had done it. Coming in with zero World Series of Poker cashes, he had claimed his first bracelet in a field of 751 in Event #14: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E., winning $207,003.

Official Final Table Results

"It's amazing," Souza said through a translator. "They're the best players from Brazil. I've known them for a long time. We've been playing poker together for more than 13 years. Winning here with them watching, I don't even have words to describe it."

The win did not come easy, and it did not come quickly for Souza, who said he plays for a living. When it came time for the last showdown, heads-up play against Stockfish, the war dragged out through six hours — two late in the night as the calendar turned to Saturday and four more after a noon restart.

Stockfish held the lead for most of the Day 3 portion and Day 4 began with more of the same. Certainly, he came in with the experience edge on the WSOP stage, having already booked a frustrating string of second-place finishes — one in 2016 and two in 2017. Observers sweating the action had to expect he was the favorite to close it out.

Those in the know — the Brazilian poker media — considered Souza to be drawing plenty live, however. According to them, Souza has had plenty of success online and is one of the better mixed-game players from their country.

The match went back and forth, with each player holding at least one large lead. At one point, down to a handful of bets, Souza had his head in his hands as second place loomed.

"It's tough, I lost a lot of chips against a very good opponent heads up," he said. "But, I never lost hope because I knew when I'd be all in I'd have good cards. So, I just played my game and hoped for the best."

To illustrate how large the bets were at the end, Souza was down 6 million to 1.5 just 15 minutes before he won the tournament. When his quads held, the wild celebration kicked off and then Souza stepped away from the crowd and did a quick video call back home, blowing kisses to his family and girlfriend.

It's been a long journey to a bracelet for Souza, who said his love of mixed games began right when he started learning poker. He said he had no materials, he simply watched the top players and then fired up hand replays to try to figure out what they were doing.

He said he hopes to play some satellites for the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. and the $50,000 Poker Players Championship, the latter representing a dream for him.

After winning his first bracelet, Souza is at least one step closer. And one thing is for sure: if he does make it, he'll have plenty of support on the rail.

Omaha Hi-Lo

Jason Stockfish completed on the button and big blind Murilo Souza raised to 400,000. He was called and the flop was dealt    .

Souza check-raised to two bets on the flop and the turn was the  . Souza bet 400,000 and Stockfish called.

The river was the   and Souza check-called a 400,000 bet. Souza opened up      and that was enough to win the pot against Stockfish who mucked.

Murilo Souza	6,675,000	775,000
Jason Stockfish	825,000	-775,000

Stud Hi-Lo

Murilo Souza brought in with the   and Jason Stockfish completed to 200,000. Souza then raised to 400,000 and Stockfish clicked to 600,000. Souza then put 800,000 in the middle and Stockfish called.

All the money got in on the next streets.

Stockfish ended up with         and Souza had        open and still had one down card. He already had a lock on the low but he caught the   on seventh to get a full double up with a wheel.

Jason Stockfish	4,500,000	-1,500,000
Murilo Souza	3,000,000	1,500,000

Stud

Jason Stockfish and Murilo Souza were checking down with each player sporting an ace-high board.

Jason Stockfish:   /    
Murilo Souza:   /    

Finally, Souza bet sixth and seventh. Stockfish called both streets and Souza announced one pair, throwing the   in. Stockfish tabled     and took the pot.

Stud Hi-Lo

Then, Souza completed with the   and Stockfish made it two bets with  . Souza called and paired up on fifth as he called down. Still, he allowed Stockfish to continue betting and Stockfish paired his door card.

Jason Stockfish:   /    
Murilo Souza:   /    

Upon facing a bet with two jacks showing, Souza gave it up and conceded the lead.

Jason Stockfish	4,200,000	2,800,000
Murilo Souza	3,300,000	-2,800,000

Razz

Murilo Souza completed with a   against a   and Jason Stockfish raised. They got most of Stockfish's chips in and then the rest on fourth.

Murilo Souza:   /  
Jason Stockfish:   /  

Stockfish's board ran better with a   on sixth that left Souza drawing dead after he was dealt   .

Then, Stockfish defended with the   against a  . It was Stockfish catching better and betting fourth and fifth, then sixth.

Jason Stockfish:   /    
Murilo Souza:   /    

Souza gave it up at that point.

Murilo Souza	5,100,000	-1,700,000
Jason Stockfish	2,400,000	1,700,000

Hold'em

Murilo Souza raised and Jason Stockfish called. The board ran out       and they checked down until Stockfish bet the river. Souza tanked about two minutes and folded.

Then, Souza raised and Stockfish three-bet. Souza peeled but folded to a bet on the     flop.

Murilo Souza	4,000,000	-1,300,000
Jason Stockfish	3,500,000	1,300,000

Hold'em

Murilo Souza had Jason Stockfish on the brink after Souza raised and called a three-bet. The flop came     and Stockfish bet-folded, getting down under 1.5 million.

The hand after that, though, it was raised and three-bet the other way and     flopped. Souza barreled down on the flop and   turn then checked the   river. Stockfish bet for nearly all of his chips and Souza thought about 30 seconds then folded.

Players are taking a short break as the level has increased and the T5,000 chips are no longer needed.

Murilo Souza	5,300,000	-100,000
Jason Stockfish	2,200,000	100,000

Razz

Jason Stockfish completed with a   and Murilo Souza defended with a  . Souza came out betting when both caught good on fourth and then they each paired up on fifth, but he didn't slow down. The Brazilian bet sixth as well and then they checked seventh.

Jason Stockfish:    /    
Murilo Souza:    /    

Souza scooped it with his eight.

Murilo Souza	4,500,000	500,000
Jason Stockfish	3,000,000	-500,000

Hold'em

Jason Stockfish raised and Murilo Souza defended the big blind. Souza check-called on     and they each checked the  . The river was a   and Souza check-called a bet.

"You win," Stockfish said, throwing in   .

"Vamo," Souza said to his rail, showing   .

"Vamo!" they chorused in return.

Jason Stockfish	5,000,000	-1,400,000
Murilo Souza	2,500,000	1,400,000

Stud Hi-Lo

Just after Jason Stockfish was betting it down with a freeroll and got clipped for half of the pot when his low plus an ace-high flush draw didn't improve against two tens, he and Murilo Souza battled again with Stockfish picking up open eights and betting fifth, while Souza called and then picked up jacks.

Jason Stockfish:   /    
Murilo Souza:   /    

Both players opted to check and Souza squeezed out his river and then tossed in a bet. Stockfish called instantly but Souza showed     for a small straight and a strong low.

Stockfish stood up in disbelief and mucked     for aces up.

Jason Stockfish	5,200,000	-535,000
Murilo Souza	2,300,000	535,000