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Event #39: $5,000 Seniors High Roller No-Limit Hold'em
Day 4 Completed
2026 World Series of Poker
Event #39: $5,000 Seniors High Roller No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 4
Event Info
2026 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 4
Buy-in
$5,000
Prize Pool
$3,882,400
Total Entries
844
Level
35
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000
Entries
7
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 844
Filter
Level 35
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Fueled by the energy of a vocal rail and with a Peruvian flag draped over his chair, Juan Rodriguez rode his momentum all the way to victory in Event #39: Seniors High Roller No-Limit Hold'em at the 2026 World Series of Poker at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. In doing so, Rodriguez captured his first WSOP gold bracelet after outlasting a field of 844 entrants, earning a first-place prize of $673,011, and facing numerous bracelet winners and accomplished tournament veterans.
The final table of seven got underway at 1 p.m. on June 15 and wrapped up in less than six hours. The heads-up duel against Nariman Yaghmai moved swiftly despite Yaghmai entering with a slight chip lead. Rodriguez wasted little time taking charge, employing an aggressive approach to swing the momentum in his favor. Once he took the lead, he never looked back.
Throughout the long day, Rodriguez drew motivation from his family. "I used to play more for fun, and I wanted to collect rings and wins, but now I'm playing for my beautiful son, Max, so that he can have a future. That was going through my mind all day," he said after the victory.
His wife, Maribeth, was on the rail from start to finish and experienced every twist and turn alongside him. "This was very hard to watch," she admitted. "I was shaking on the sidelines every time he went all in." Her nerves ultimately gave way to celebration as Rodriguez secured the bracelet and the biggest win of his career.
Event #39: $5,000 Seniors High Roller No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Rodriguez | Peru | $673,011 |
| 2 | Nariman Yaghmai | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | $448,634 |
| 3 | Qing Lu | United States | $314,158 |
| 4 | Chad Lipton | United States | $223,439 |
| 5 | Marc Rivera | Philippines | $161,446 |
| 6 | Arie Kliper | Israel | $118,541 |
| 7 | Kenneth Kim | United States | $88,469 |
| 8 | Luke Graham | United States | $67,130 |
Winner's Reaction
Rodriguez's victory was met with an eruption of cheers from his sizable rail, which celebrated wildly after the final card was dealt. Reflecting on the support he received throughout the tournament, Rodriguez explained why so many people had gathered to cheer him on.
"I've been playing poker for a long time, and I think it's important to have a good presence at the table," Rodriguez said. "Over the years, I've made a lot of friends, first in Indiana and now in Florida. That's why I have such a large rail here today."
Originally from Peru, Rodriguez moved to Indiana at age 20 to pursue competitive tennis while attending college. He has lived in the United States ever since, but his Peruvian roots remain an important part of his identity. In fact, during Day 2 of the event, he made sure PokerNews corrected the flag displayed on his player profile.
Asked whether he still returns to Peru, Rodriguez's face lit up.
"Yes, I love the country," he said. "I miss my family, I miss the music, and I miss the food."
Rodriguez credits much of his poker success to the competitive drive he developed on the tennis court, along with the discipline he applies away from the table.
Despite the pressure of competing for a WSOP bracelet, Rodriguez later explained that he never felt overwhelmed, relying instead on his experience, competitive instincts, and the unwavering support of his family and friends throughout the event.
Rodriguez described his approach as both aggressive and exploitative, constantly adjusting based on the tendencies of the players around him.
"I was analyzing my opponents, and I determined which ones were trying to ladder up and which ones were playing for the top prize," Rodriguez explained. "Then I used aggression in the appropriate spots to secure chips."
That strategy was on full display during the money bubble when Rodriguez pulled off one of the tournament's most talked-about bluffs. Facing Michael Rein, holding two pair, Rodriguez applied maximum pressure by shoving all in on the river, forcing his opponent to fold what turned out to be the best hand. The hand quickly made the rounds on social media, sparking widespread debate among poker fans and commentators over whether the fold was correct.
While many observers were quick to weigh in, Rodriguez showed empathy for his opponent's predicament.
"That is a tough spot to be in and a very hard decision. I felt sympathy for that guy," he said.
The successful bluff not only helped propel Rodriguez deeper into the tournament but also showcased the fearless style that ultimately carried him to his first WSOP gold bracelet.
Final Table Action
Rodriguez's march to the title gained momentum when he won two pivotal coin flips in quick succession. The first came against Arie Kliper, with Rodriguez's ace-jack improving to crack Kliper's pocket tens and earn a crucial double-up. Shortly thereafter, he found himself in the reverse situation, holding pocket nines against Kenneth Kim's ace-jack. This time, the pocket pair held, sending Kim to the rail and vaulting Rodriguez into contention for the chip lead.
As the cards were dealt, Rodriguez's energetic rail could be heard shouting, "Stay low!" The plea proved prophetic, as Rodriguez avoided danger and emerged as the tournament's new chip leader.
Rodriguez spent most of the final table atop the chip counts, relentlessly applying pressure to shorter stacks and leveraging his position to accumulate chips. Although he briefly surrendered the lead late in the day, before the heads-up match, he quickly regained control, steadily chipping away at his opponent.
When asked who posed the greatest threat at the final table, Rodriguez did not hesitate.
"Chad Lipton," he said. "He was playing extremely well, and he knew everything that was going on. Every time he played a hand, I was rooting against him because he was fierce."
The tournament concluded in dramatic fashion. Facing Yaghmai in the final hand, Rodriguez found himself needing a king to secure the title. As the dealer prepared to run out the remaining community cards, his rail began chanting, "King, king, king!" Their wish was granted when a king appeared on the river, clinching the pot and the championship. The room immediately erupted as Rodriguez's supporters celebrated his first WSOP gold bracelet.
Rodriguez came into the summer focused on seniors events after recently becoming age-eligible to compete.
"My goal is to play seniors events," he explained. "In fact, I played a seniors event at another venue and bagged a big stack for Day 2, but I felt that winning a bracelet was more important, so I left my chips over there to get blinded off."
That decision ultimately led to the biggest score of his career and his first WSOP gold bracelet.
For Rodriguez, however, the victory meant far more than the money.
"My son is very important to me, and I will be using this money to help secure his future," Rodriguez said emotionally.
His son Max, who is three and a half years old, may not fully understand the significance of a WSOP bracelet just yet, but he will certainly enjoy the celebration.
"He's very excited about Toy Story right now," Rodriguez said with a smile. "So he'll be getting a surprise gift."
As for the bracelet itself, Rodriguez was still taking in the magnitude of the achievement moments after the win.
"I can't believe how beautiful it is," he said. "I almost didn't want to touch it."
After years of grinding on the felt, building friendships across the poker world, and balancing competition with family life, Rodriguez finally achieved his dream of becoming a World Series of Poker champion.
That wraps up PokerNews's coverage of Event #39: $5,000 Seniors High Roller No-Limit Hold'em. Stay tuned throughout the summer as the 2026 World Series of Poker continues at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, with dozens of bracelets still up for grabs and plenty more action yet to come.
Level 35
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Juan Rodriguez has won Event #39: $5,000 Seniors High Roller No-Limit Hold’em for $673,011 and his first World Series of Poker bracelet.
Stay tuned for a recap and a full winner/s interview.
Event #39: $5,000 Seniors High Roller No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Rodriguez | Peru | $673,011 |
| 2 | Nariman Yaghmai | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | $448,634 |
| 3 | Qing Lu | United States | $314,158 |
| 4 | Chad Lipton | United States | $223,439 |
| 5 | Marc Rivera | Philippines | $161,446 |
| 6 | Arie Kliper | Israel | $118,541 |
| 7 | Kenneth Kim | United States | $88,469 |
| 8 | Luke Graham | United States | $67,130 |
Level 35
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Juan Rodriguez jammed from the button, and Nariman Yaghmai called for his stack of 10,900,000 from the big blind.
Nariman Yaghmai: A♦3♥ 
Juan Rodriguez: K♣8♣
Rodriguez had been slowly extending his lead over Yaghmai, and now had his chance to win the tournament.
The flop came down 2♣10♦7♦, keeping Yaghmai's ace-high in the lead. Rodriguez's rail continued to chant from the stands, "King, king, king!"
Their prayers went unanswered on the turn as the 5♠ joined the board.
Only a king or an eight would win it for Rodriguez, while Yaghmai would take over the chip lead if a brick fell.
The dealer burned a card and then put out the K♠ on the river, causing Rodriguez and his rail of around twenty to erupt into celebration that could be heard throughout the entire Paris Ballroom and beyond.
Yaghmai had to settle for a runner-up finish, while Rodriguez was crowned champion of Event #39: $5,000 Seniors High Roller No-Limit Hold'em.
Level 35
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Juan Rodriguez limped in from the button, and Nariman Yaghmai checked his option in the big blind. The flop was J♦Q♣6♥ and Yaghmai checked, while Rodriguez bet 800,000. Yaghmai called.
Rodriguez kept up the pressure on the turn K♦ with a bet of 2,000,000, and Yaghmai called again.
Rodriguez took his foot off the gas on the river 5♠ and checked, and Yaghmai checked behind.
Yaghmai showed J♥7♦ for a pair of jacks and the win.
Level: 35
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 600,000
Level 34
: Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Juan Rodriguez raised it up to 1,200,000 on the button and Nariman Yaghmai came along from the big blind.
Yaghmai knuckled the action over to Rodriguez on the Q♣3♦2♥ flop, and Rodriguez placed out a continuation-bet of 1,000,000. Yaghmai just called.
Both players checked the A♦ turn before the 6♣ completed the board.
Yaghmai meticulously slid out a bet of 2,500,000, and after only a few moments, Rodriguez jammed with the covering stack.
With 12,100,000 remaining, Yaghmai went deep into the tank. After thinking for around three minutes, he eventually folded.
As the pot was pushed his way, Rodriguez said, "I rivered a set of sixes," to which Yaghmai replied, "I folded an ace."
Level 34
: Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Nariman Yaghmai completed on the button and Juan Rodriguez checked from the big blind.
Rodriguez check-called a bet of 600,000 from Yaghmai on the 6♣4♣2♦ flop.
The Q♣ arrived on the turn, and Rodriguez check-called a second bet from Yaghmai, this time for 1,800,000.
The 5♠ river checked through, and Rodriguez tabled 8♠6♦ for a pair of sixes to win the pot.
Level 34
: Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
The chips are traveling back and forth between the two heads-up competitors. In the following hand, Nariman Yaghmai raised from the button to 1,200,000, and Juan Rodriguez called from the big blind.
The flop was 8♥J♥6♦, and both players checked.
Rodriguez checked the turn A♥, and Yaghmai took a stab and bet 1,200,000. Rodriguez was not going anywhere and called.
This led both players to check the river 3♦. Rodriguez turned over Q♥8♦ for the winning hand with a pair of eights.
Level 34
: Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
The players have taken their seats and heads-up play is now underway with 13 minutes remaining in Level 34. The blinds are 250,000/500,000 with a 500,000 big blind ante.
