Swiss chess star Alexandre Vuilleumier crowned king of the $25k high roller

Terrance Reid
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Posted on: June 2, 2023 1:25 am EDT

In one of the toughest fields you’ll find in any poker tournament, it was a rising star that stole the show and secured his first illustrious World Series of Poker gold bracelet.

Swiss chess player-turned-poker tournament prodigy Alexandre Vuilleumier bested the field of 207 entrants to win Event #2: $25,000 High Roller six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em, and $1,215,864 for his efforts.

Alexandre Vuilleumier at 2023 WSOP
Alexandre Vuilleumier battled with the likes of Ren Lin at the final table

Vuilleumier is relatively new to the poker scene in comparison with his chess exploits. His first live cash came in 2018 right here at the World Series of Poker at the Colossus. Since then, he’s amassed over $2 million in tournament earnings, and now he’s a World Series of Poker champion.

Event 2: $25k High Roller six-handed NLH results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Alexandre VuilleumierSwitzerland$1,215,864
2Chance KornuthUnited States$751,463
3Sean WinterUnited States$518,106
4Axel HallayFrance$363,326
5Ren LinChina$259,220
6Joey WeissmanUnited States$188,219

Promoted to a king

Vuilleumier really only started taking tournament poker seriously at the start of 2022. However, he has played cash games for longer.

Alexandre Vuilleumier Chess
Alexandre Vuilleumier knows what it takes to concentrate for long periods over a game

Six-max tournaments are notoriously difficult to navigate, especially against the best of the best. You must get in there and battle much more often, maneuvering post-flop play against the world’s elite.

Vuilleumier did that and more, battling Chance Kornuth heads up for the bracelet and coming out victorious. Kornuth had hopes for the fourth bracelet of his career, but was denied by the newcomer.

Alexandre Vuilleumier
Alexandre Vuilleumier held his own against the world’s best

On the biggest stage, in the biggest spot of his career, there would be no blunder to leave him wanting. Vuilleumier rose to the task and closed out the second tournament of the summer slate.

A fitting representation of the WSOP

We’ve crowned two champions at the 2023 WSOP so far. One was Peter Thai, a table games dealer from California. Now, we have Alexandre Vuilleumier, perhaps better known in the chess community than among the poker crowd. That may change as of today.

Alexandre Vuilleumier
Alexandre Vuilleumier fended off a fourth-bracelet-seeking Chance Kornuth for the title

Such is the dream afforded by the WSOP. Anyone can come and battle with the world’s best. If you put up the money, battle through the tough field, and come out on top, the sought-after gold bracelet could be yours, too.

Many may have counted out the Swiss early in the tournament, that was a mistake. Vuilleumier was one step ahead of everyone in the building today. And now, he has a bracelet to prove it.