button in SafariNormand Wins First WSOP Bracelet Despite Never Playing Game Before
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Three days ago, Frederic Normand had never played a Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo tournament in his life. The Canadian pro has years of experience in No-Limit Hold'em and regular Pot-Limit Omaha tournaments, but he had never ventured into the split-pot streets.
In the 25k Fantasy Draft, Normand had drafted himself for Team Chocolate Factory. The pursuit of fantasy points can often lead draftees into formats that they are unfamiliar with, but that proved to not be a problem for Normand, as he went wire-to-wire to claim his first bracelet in a poker format he had never played before.
Seven of the final 13 players were already bracelet winners, including young mixed game star Ryan Hoenig and former WSOP Player of the Year Josh Arieh. However, once the dust settled, it was Normand who came out on top, who already boasts over $3 million in live tournament earnings.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frederic Normand | Canada | $235,377 |
| 2 | Michael Rodrigues | Portugal | $156,863 |
| 3 | Josh Arieh | United States | $110,085 |
| 4 | Ryan Hansen | United States | $78,430 |
| 5 | Dennis Weiss | Germany | $56,738 |
| 6 | Rocky Paradise | United States | $41,688 |
| 7 | Jordan Polk | United States | $31,117 |
| 8 | Tobias Hausen | Germany | $23,602 |
Learning on the Job
Normand first cashed at the WSOP in 2019, and has been playing in high volume since 2023 in No-Limit Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha. He has steadily risen the stakes over the past few years, and even notched a cash in $75,000 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha tournament six months ago in the Bahamas. However, he hasn't ventured out from those two formats.
"I played one Big O tournament two years ago, and I learned the rules there. I didn't even know that certain lows are weaker or better, and I guess I learned that yesterday when I mucked some lows."
"I have a good background in PLO so I figure I'd learn the rest while playing. Why not?"
Despite his inexperience in split-pot games, his years of playing tournament poker helped him navigate the field.
"I have a good background in PLO so I figure I'd learn the rest while playing. Why not?"
"[Things like] ICM and different sizings, risk/reward. I was looking a lot at the other hands and trying to learn. It was fun."
One of the most pivotal hands occurred three-handed when Normand eliminated seven-time bracelet winner and Omaha crusher Josh Arieh in third place. Normand potted from the big blind after Arieh limped the small blind. On an ace-king-nine flop, Normand continued for a small size before his opponent check-potted for most of his stack. Normand had to decide whether or not he was going to put Arieh at risk with just top pair. Eventually he put the chips into the middle. Arieh held a gutter and bottom two pair, but Normand made a better two pair on the turn.
"I don't really know how to explain it. There was a lot in the pot. I feel it was a close spot with the backdoor low draw," Normand elaborated, "I didn't think he had much ace-nine or kings, and apparently a nine is not a good card in this game."
"I feel that I had to put it in with the backdoor equity. It was very close. Someone better than me will tell me," he joked.
The champ explained that his 25k Fantasy team was the reason why he played the tournament. The day before the tournament, he was at the Aria until 6 a.m. playing a different Pot-Limit Omaha tournament, which he also won for over $51,000.
"Finish at 6 a.m., and then I come play this for the points. Somehow made Day 2, and somehow won."
"I don't know? Magic!"
Final Day Action
Thirteen players returned for the final day of play, and it was Normand who held a small lead at the top of the counts.
It would take almost an hour of play before the first elimination took place, and more followed shortly thereafter. Robert Nehorayan (13th) and Ray Fishman (12th) were unable to spin up their short stacks. Then, there were simultaneous eliminations at two difference tables as the departures of David Hipperson (11th) and Ryan Hoenig (10th) meant that the final nine would combine at a single table with Normand in the lead.
A couple hands into final table play, Darin Utley would be the first to fall, getting his short stack into the middle with ace-eight-three-three, but losing to the full house of Normand.
Almost an hour later, Tobias Hausen exited in eighth place. He was involved in a large preflop all-in with ace-ace-four-three against the ace-jack-three-deuce double suited of Arieh, who made nut-nut to send Hausen to the rail.
Shortly thereafter, Jordan Polk was eliminated by Normand. Polk was left with under four big blinds and got the rest into the middle with king-ten-four-deuce from under the gun. He was called by Normand and Arieh who checked down the side pot, with Normand's two pair best at showdown after low bricked, and Polk had to settle for seventh.
Normand briefly gave up the chip lead six-handed, but regained it after busting Rocky Paradise in sixth. On a flop of ace-seven-deuce, Paradise had two pair but no low potential, while Normand had top pair with a flush draw and low draw. The flush came in on the turn, and Paradise was the next to fall.
German pro and Omaha specialist Dennis Weiss was then eliminated in fifth. He slowly became short stacked before he found himself under the gun with four-four-three-three. He potted before Michael Rodrigues repotted from the big blind. Weiss decided to call it off, and was eliminated after Rodrigues made a full house on the turn.
Ryan Hansen was the next casualty, finishing in fourth place. He got his final 14 big blinds into the middle with queen-queen-eight-three double suited, but he ran into the aces of Normand who held to bring the tournament to three-handed.
Normand held around seventy percent of the chips in play, and it did not take long for him to take the rest. The aforementioned pivotal hand against Arieh would soon take place. Arieh limp-called from the small blind and flopped bottom two pair on an ace-king-nine flop as he check-potted the flop. Normand decided to put Arieh at risk with top pair and backdoor draws, and he made two pair on the turn and faded the rest of Arieh's outs on the river to bring the tournament to heads-up.
The heads-up match would only take a single hand. Normand potted on the button with ace-king-ten-five and Rodrigues defended with nine-nine-eight-eight double suited. The queen-jack-nine flop gave Normand a straight and Rodrigues bottom set. All of the chips found their way into the middle, and the board bricked out, allowing Normand and his rail the chance to celebrate the truly dominant victory.
Normand led nearly from start-to-finish on Day 3, only giving up the chip lead for a couple of hands with six left. His wire-to-wire performance earned him his first WSOP bracelet and the first-place prize of $235,337. After sharing the triumph with his rail, Normand was eager to hop into the next tournament, Big O, to see if he can continue his split-pot beginner's luck.
