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In what can only be described as a marathon heads-up brawl under the bright lights of poker's biggest stage, Joao Vieira outlasted Aram Oganyan to seize his fourth World Series of Poker bracelet in Event #38: $100,000 High Roller. With 103 elite entries putting up poker's highest buy-in of the summer, Vieira bagged the win, and a hefty $2,649,158 score to match.

2025 WSOP Event #38: $100,000 High Roller

• Buy-in: $100,000
• Date: June 11 to 13, 2025
• Entries: 103
• Prize: 1st Place GTD $2,649,158

The final duel was a tug-of-war between two titans. Momentum swung with nearly every card, and tensions rose to a boil when words were exchanged across the felt. Still, cooler minds prevailed, particularly that of the Portuguese pro.

"It's heads up. I know things can go up and down. I just try to keep myself as levelheaded as possible. Do my best, fight until the end. I didn't have time to complain about having to fight," Vieira said.

For Vieira, redemption was just another hand away. He had come painfully close at the WSOP Paradise $100K High Roller just months ago, finishing runner-up. But in true pro fashion, he brushed the past aside.

"It is just today's event. I'm not thinking about what happened six months ago, or what's going to happen in the next six months."

The win caps off a red-hot stretch for Vieira, who recently notched his biggest career score of $4.6 million. While results like that build momentum, for Vieira, confidence isn't bought, it's earned.

"The confidence comes from just waking up. Doing my best for 13 or 14 years and just showing up. Showing up, showing up, grinding, being in the present, just working really hard. That's where confidence comes from. Of course, results help."

The final table was stacked and the rail was roaring. Among those backing Vieira were high-stakes crushers Adrian Mateos, Alex Kulev, and Ren Lin. But beyond the star-studded support, Vieira acknowledged the strength of his inner circle.

"Nobody walks this life alone. I'm very happy to have the wife that I have, the parents, my sister raised me, my beautiful nieces, and the support group of my friends. My base is also very strong, and that helps me go through the ups and downs with a humble head."

The Final Showdown: From Eight to One
Eight players returned on Day 3, all guaranteed nearly $300,000, but it was clear from the start that it was a two-horse race. Vieira and Oganyan held about 75% of the chips, while the rest jockeyed for ladder spots.

Vinny Lingham, the lone amateur at the table, saw his stack cut early. After losing a flip, he shoved from the big blind only to run into Vieira's pocket kings - an early exit. Emilien Pitavy followed after his top pair was no match for Oganyan's flopped pair, sending the Frenchman out in seventh.

Andrew "Lucky Chewy" Lichtenberger was in position for back-to-back final table runs after finishing second in the $50K High Roller just days prior. But fate had other plans. He flopped top pair, turned two pair, only to watch Thomas Boivin river a straight that ended his run.

Ben Heath rode a rollercoaster through the day, but ultimately shoved ace-five suited into Oganyan's ace-king and couldn't find any help. Isaac Haxton, the short stack coming into the day, laddered to fourth after surviving with just five bigs late on Day 2. His pocket queens were cracked by Oganyan's ace-high after a timely river.

Boivin was the last man standing in the way of the final duel. He battled bravely, but eventually ran his paint into Oganyan's dominating ace. With Boivin out in third, the heads-up clash between the two juggernauts was on.

Trading Blows and Turning Points
Vieira landed the first major punch with a rivered straight for a critical double-up. From there, the two gladiators exchanged chip leads in a dramatic back-and-forth. Vieira pulled ahead after winning a coin flip, but Oganyan's rail erupted when he hit one of two outs to survive.

Frustration began to show as Oganyan shoved ace-six into Vieira's pocket sixes, and again survived with an ace on the flop. Over an hour of grinding later, Vieira found himself at risk but managed to hold with ace-high, keeping his dream alive.

The final hand came swiftly after that. Oganyan, down to a handful of big blinds, shoved once more. Vieira held top pair and stayed ahead as Oganyan bricked a flush draw. The Portuguese rail exploded with joy.

Joao Vieira had done it: bracelet number four, a $2.6 million payday, and a hard-fought victory in one of the toughest poker fields of the summer season.

2025 WSOP Event #38: $100,000 High Roller - Final Table Results

Source:
https://www.pokernews.com/news/2025/06/joao-vieira-avenges-wsop-paradise-loss-wsop-high-roller-48836.htm