Las Vegas poker pro Jeffrey Dobrin’s persistence has paid off. After weeks of grinding the 2020 World Series of Poker, he not only made his first final table but ended up winning Event #80 ($600 Six-Max People’s Choice Event – Pros Vote) for $189,666 and his first career gold bracelet.

One look at Dobrin’s Hendon Mob profile will tell you that he’s been on the WSOP grind all summer long. Prior to his gold bracelet run, Dobrin, a two-time WSOP Circuit ring winner, racked up fifteen total 2020 WSOP results both on WSOP.com and GGPoker. Although he had been cashing regularly, all of the results only accounted for just under $25,000 in earnings, an average of roughly $1,600 per event. While Dobrin hadn’t really even been close to making the big money this summer (his deepest result was a 31st place finish), when it counted he made all the right moves to capture what is one of the biggest cashes of his career.

The action of the final table kicked off with one of poker’s most notable names hitting the rail in short order. After making an incorrect hero call just minutes before, six-time WSOP bracelet winner Chris Ferguson shipped his short stack in from the button with only to run into the of Joao Santos in the small blind. The board ran out clean for Joao’s pocket aces and the former Full Tilt Pro hit the rail in ninth place for $14,404.

Nearly thirty minutes later, Japan’s Hiroki Morishita, with less than five big blinds left in his stack, moved in from the small blind with . He was called by Marc MacDonnell in the big blind holding . The brought Morishita some additional straight outs which he smashed on the turn. However, the river brought the giving MacDonnell a higher straight and eliminating Morishita in eighth place for $20,034.

Next, it was Arvhin Malinab’s turn to ship from the small blind as he moved his short stack all in with and was called by Sergio Veloso in the big blind with . The flop kept Malinab ahead but gave Veloso some additional backdoor outs. The turn helped Veloso by opening up both flush and open-ended straight outs. The completed the backdoor possibilities bringing Veloso the straight and sending Malinab and his pocket sixes out the door in seventh for $27,863.

Even with the knockout, Veloso was still one of the short stacks. He found his spot to pick up chips when, after a Vahe Martirosyan open, Dobrin three-bet shipped on the button holding which allowed Veloso to move all in for less with the . The flop came [66] giving Dobrin top pair and leaving Veloso looking for help. The hit the turn and the fell on the river sending Veloso out in sixth place for $38,752.

Minutes later MacDonnell moved his eight big blind stack all in from under the gun holding . It folded around to Joao Santos in the big blind who snap-called with his . The flop came giving Joao a set and leaving MacDonnell looking for a gutshot straight or some backdoor help. All of that was put to rest though when the hit the turn, giving Joao quads and leaving MacDonnell drawing dead to the river. MacDonnell finished in fifth place for $53,897.

Santos’ stack slipped for the better part of thirty minutes when he found himself all in and at risk. Idris Ambraisse shipped roughly fourteen big blinds from the button holding and Santos decided to make the call for less with his . The board ran out giving the hand to Ambraisse’s ace-high and sending Santos out in fourth place for $74,960.

It was anyone’s tournament at three-handed with stack sizes all running close together. Eventually, after a big hand that left Martiosyan short, he moved all in from the button holding and was called by Dobrin in the big blind with . The flop put Martiosyan in bad shape, looking for runner-runner outs. The turn was not one of them, leaving Martiosyan drawing dead before the hit the river. Martiosyan settled for third place and $104,255.

Ambraisse held a slight chip lead over Dobrin at the start of heads-up play, however a few key hands turned the tide in Dobrin’s favor. Ambraisse found a late-game double but on the very next hand, Dobrin was able to close it out when both players woke up with premium heads up hands. Ambraisse called on the button with and Dobrin raised holding . Ambraisse shipped and Dobrin snap-called with the chip lead. The board gave the hand and the bracelet to Dobrin. Ambraisse ended up as the runner up and walked away with $144,998.

Jeffrey Dobrin earned the $189,666 first-place prize, a $12,000 package to participate in the World Series of Europe, and his first career gold bracelet.

Final Table Payouts

1. Jeffrey Dobrin – $189,666
2. Idris Ambraisse – $144,998
3. Vahe Martirosyan – $104,255
4. Joao Santos – $74,960
5. Marc MacDonnell – $53,897
6. Sergio Veloso – $38,752
7. Arvhin Malinab – $27,863
8. Hiroki Morishita – $20,034
9. Chris Ferguson – $14,404