Bohdanov wins first 2019 WSOPE bracelet

(credits: WSOP)

The first of 15 WSOP gold bracelets to be awarded at the 2019 World Series of Poker Europe is going to Ukraine. Renat Bohdanov outlasted Norbert Mosonyi after a long heads-up to win Event #1: €350 Opener No-Limit Hold'em for €53,654 and a WSOPE Main Event ticket worth €10,350. It was the seventh WSOP bracelet for Ukraine in the tour's rich history.

Eyal Bensimhon saw his attempt to add a WSOP bracelet to his WSOP Circuit Ring end in third place. Rafi Elharar, third in the 2019 WSOP's Big 50 earlier this summer, was seventh, while six-time bracelet winner Jeff Lisandro finished in eight place.

"I'm not realizing it yet that I just won a bracelet," was the first thing Bohdanov said to PokerNews after claiming the most coveted reward in all of poker.

"I think I'm really going to be happy. It's a good feeling," he smiled.

Although Bohdanov represents the yellow and blue of his native Ukraine, his profile on The Hendon Mob shows nothing but cashes in the small tournaments that King's Resort is known for.

"I played in Ukraine for maybe three or four years on small local events, mainly tournaments. But I really wanted to become a better player and come to King's Casino as well to have the opportunity to play higher tournaments with more players," Bohdanov explained why his profile is chock-full of Czech flags.

"I've been here five times already and I really like the poker room," he added. And with a freshly minted WSOP bracelet now firmly around his wrist, as well as the WSOPE Mini Main and Main Event coming up on his poker schedule, his love for King's can only grow even further.

Ten players returned at 2 p.m. to continue their quest for WSOP gold. Each of them had already plowed their way through a bumper 1,011-player field, kicking off the 2019 World Series of Poker Europe in proper fashion. Mere minutes into the day, Marcus Mondel lost his final few chips to let the other nine break to a final table right off the bat.

At that final table was six-time bracelet winner Jeff Lisandro, who had to spin it up from the shortest of stacks if he was to make No. 7 happen today. While he snatched a payjump after Richaras Vymeris busted first, Lisandro went down in eight place when his ace-seven remained behind against Samuel Mika's pocket queens.