Kabrhel draws controversy, steals spotlight at BSOP Millions

Martin Kabrhel stole the show at the Brazilian Series of Poker's Super High Roller Series with an impossible victory and marked card accusations, bringing his usual volume of noise and controversy at what is the largest-ever poker series in Latin American history. 

The Super High Roller Series was created to attract big names to the big buy-ins at the BSOP Millions, and it did just that, bringing Kabrhel to a field that included some of Brazil's finest high stakes poker players. The Czech native took the show to Brazil after winning bracelets in both the Las Vegas and Europe version of the WSOP. They were his fourth and fifth bracelets, with the summer Mini Main Event win being his first outside of Europe. 

Kabrhel shocked Sao Paulo with an impossible comeback in the $20K.

Marks work Bruschi

Like most other appearances, Kabrhel was the center of attention throughout the Super High Roller schedule of seven events, highlighted by a miraculous comeback win in the $30,000 buy-in. What followed was another deep run in the $100,000 Main Event, punctuated by another controversy that paused play. 

Kabrhel was battling at the final table alongside Renan Bruschi and Mehdi Chaoui, who accused him of marking cards on Day 1. Bruschi started the row with an accusation in Portuguese, prompting a demand for translation from Kabrhel. 

The ruckus drew in Chaoui, who was also at his wit's end with Kabrhel. "Yesterday was pretty obvious. There is nothing to say about it. It was obvious."

Kabrhel protested, but Chaoui continued. "One of your cards was marked after you played the hand."

"Are you joking or what?" Kabrhel shot back at both of them. "You are really sick. I did nothing wrong."

Kicking it up a notch, Bruschi said it was a shame for his native Brazil to host Kabrhel. 

"You are a boring man to play against. You are marking cards."

The two chirped back and forth and Bruschi went back to playing with his chip stack. 

"You are lucky boy because I'm a new Renan. If it was five years ago maybe things happen."

The exchange prompted a delay in play while temperatures cooled. Chaoui would miss out on the final group of six and Kabrhel and Bruschi bagged up for the finale, where Bruschi would eliminate his antagonist in fourth place. 

Renan Bruschi is the latest player to fall into the Kabrhel Vortex.

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Simao wins on home turf

Meanwhile, the rest of the series went off with considerably less drama. Brazil's Joao Simao won the $10,000 Invitation to kick off the SHR series, beating Ivan Luca for $256,000. Luca popped up several times throughout the week, finishing fourth in the following $20,000 buy-in and seventh in the $20,000 One Day event later in the week. 

That $20,000 buy-in was won by the aforementioned Chaoui, who beat Ruben Lopes in heads-up play for $315,000. Elsewhere, another Brazilian, Felipe Boianovsky, beat Leandro Zavondini for $640,000 in the $50,000 SHR, followed by Ladva's revenge in the $20,000 One Day. Ladva had given up what seemed like a locked chip lead to Kabrhel earlier in the week, but he beat Rodrigo Selouan for $321,000 to get some of that out of his mind. 

The week climaxed with the aforementioned $100,000 Main Event, where Kabrhel finished fourth and Bruschi finished third. Boianovsky notched his second big score of the week with a runner up finish and Czech backgammon genius Zdenek Zizka won the $1,200,000 prize. 

The series now continues its homestretch with the $6,000 BSOP Championship. The flagship event will play one more opening flight on Tuesday before the surviving players return for Day 2 on Wednesday. You can tune into BSOP English for daily livestreams throughout the rest of the series hosted by Jeff Gross, Maria Ho, and Brian Rast. 

BSOP Millions Super High Roller Series winners

^{Images courtesy of BSOP.}