The 2017 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event is down to the final few tables from the 7,221-entrant field, and one player who is no longer in contention for the $8,150,000 first-place prize is SnapShove Founder Max Silver.

The third-largest WSOP Main Event of history saw 85 players return on Day 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. Germany’s Robin Hegele was the chip leader with 9,990,000 in chips, while Silver sat third overall with 8,665,000 in chips. Players were guaranteed $72,514, but eyes were on surviving the day and being part of the 27 players advancing to Day 7 where a $263,532 payout would be assured.

Silver had won his first WSOP bracelet just a few weeks earlier in Event #53: $3,000 Limit Hold’em 6-Handed, and he was in prime position to best his 33rd-place finish in the 2016 WSOP Main Event. His day began by doubling Gregory Goldberg to slip to 6,290,000 in chips, before he pushed back up the leaderboard in a pot against Michael Zelman.

In a hand with Michael Sklenicka, Silver took a big hit for almost half of his chip stack when his triple-barreled bluff was picked off by Sklenicka. Down to 4,250,000 in chips, he would then double Frenchman Alexandre Reard when all the money went in on the river of an ace-high board with Silver’s ace-queen suited bested by Reard’s ace-king.

Now with just 11 big blinds, the final blow happened a few hands later. Scott Blumstein opened in middle position and Scott Stewart called from the button. Silver moved all-in from the big blind with pocket sevens, and after Bumstein folded, Stewart called with pocket jacks. Unfortunately for the founder of SnapShove, the board bricked out, and Silver was eliminated in 45th place for $176,399 in prize money.

Over a remarkable 13-month stretch, Silver recorded 15 WSOP cashes, captured his first WSOP bracelet, placed 33rd out of 6,737 entries in the 2016 WSOP Main Event, and followed it up with a 45th-place finish out of 7,221 entries in the 2017 WSOP Main Event. Beyond the WSOP, he finished 4th in the EPT Malta €25k No-Limit Hold’em High Roller for €164,030 and won the €2,150 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo Six Max at the Monte Carlo PokerStars Championship for €43,000. A true breakout year for the founder of SnapShove.

The 2017 World Series of Poker (WSOP) crowned it’s newest champion as SnapShove Founder Max Silver won his first WSOP bracelet in Event #53: $3,000 Limit Hold’em 6-Handed.

Silver topped the 256-entrant field to capture the $172,645 first-place prize and prestigious WSOP gold bracelet. Silver has accomplished many big wins and large scores in his career, but winning his first WSOP bracelet is by far the most significant poker accomplishment in his short career.

Entering the final day of play on June 29, Silver held a commanding chip lead with over 25% of the chips in play. He eliminated David Olson in seventh when his ace-king improved to top pair to put the final six players at the official WSOP final table. Following the elimination of Georgios Kapalas in sixth, Silver eliminated Lena Wang in fifth when his ace-ten rivered a pair against Wang’s eight-five.

Danny Qutami was eliminated in fourth place, and Mickey Craft fell in third place, as Silver entered heads-up play with a better than three-to-one advantage over Guowei Zhang. On the 30th hand of heads-up play, Zhang was all-in on the turn with second pair, while Silver had two overcards holding king-ten. With six outs in the deck for Silver to taste victory, the dealer revealed a king on the river and Zhang was eliminated in second place.

2017 WSOP Event #53: $3,000 Limit Hold’em 6-Handed Final Table Results

According to an interview with PokerNews, Silver said, “I can’t really describe it. It’s always been a dream for me to win a bracelet.” Silver immediately called his pregnant wife to share the news of his first WSOP bracelet win. “She was so happy. She’s currently six months pregnant, so she was crying – extra emotions!”

Silver becomes the fifth Irish poker player to win a WSOP bracelet. He joins Donnacha O’Dea (1998), Noel Furlong (1999), Ciaran O’Leary (2007), and Marty Smyth (2008).

The founder of SnapShove wore a long-sleeve black shirt featuring the company logo throughout the tournament – including in his winner’s photo. While SnapShove is designed specifically for No-Limit Hold’em, the added brand exposure, paired with Silver’s credibility as a newly crowned WSOP bracelet winner, creates meaningful momentum for SnapShove as an industry leader in poker apps and training tools.