Zixuan Liu: TikTok Engineer Wins First WSOP Gold Bracelet

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Tue Jul 07, 2026, 7:00 am ET

Read Time: 4 minutes

Zixuan Liu: TikTok Engineer Wins First WSOP Gold Bracelet

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Zixuan Liu enjoyed a career-defining moment after winning Event #85: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em at the 2026 World Series of Poker. The TikTok software engineer outlasted a field of 1,732 entries to capture his first WSOP gold bracelet and the top prize of $219,391.

The victory marked Liu's biggest live tournament cash and continued a memorable summer at poker's biggest stage. His breakthrough also showed that dedicated recreational players can compete with seasoned professionals on poker's grandest stage. 

Meanwhile, fans following the action through US online poker sites watched another inspiring bracelet story unfold in Las Vegas.

Zixuan Liu Navigates Tough Final Table to Capture Bracelet

Liu entered the final table against a talented lineup that featured Justin Shiao, Anthony Lasala, Jeffery Rozier, Tyler Phillips, Yehuda Yosef, Daniel Yoshiba, Bruce Diamond, and Dennis Hotz. 

Every remaining player had already secured a career-changing payday, but only one could leave with the bracelet.

Hotz became the first player eliminated before Diamond and Yoshiba followed him to the rail. Liu steadily built momentum while avoiding unnecessary risks. He then survived several key confrontations that strengthened his position near the top of the chip counts.

The eventual champion continued his climb after Yosef exited in sixth place. Phillips soon followed after a pivotal hand against Liu. Phillips moved all in with pocket threes, but Liu called with king-queen. A king on the flop gave Liu the lead, and Phillips failed to improve.

Rozier bowed out in fourth place after falling short of another comeback attempt. Lasala then claimed third after losing a crucial pot that sent Liu into heads-up play with a commanding chip lead over Justin Shiao. 

Although Liu held a significant advantage, Shiao mounted a determined comeback attempt and kept the match competitive for nearly an hour.

Liu Defeats Justin Shiao in Decisive Heads-Up Battle

The final duel featured Liu and Shiao competing for the bracelet and a payday difference exceeding $73,000. Despite Shiao's spirited comeback effort, Liu remained composed and capitalized on the biggest moments.

The championship hand arrived after both players committed their chips on the turn of a 10♦ 8♣ 7♥ 4♣ board. Liu held 8♦ 4♦ for two pair, while Shiao showed Q♣ 9♣ with straight and flush draws. 

However, the 8♥ river completed Liu's full house instead, sealing the victory and delivering his first WSOP gold bracelet.

Final Table Results

Place Player Payout POY Points
1 Zixuan Liu $219,391 1,080
2 Justin Shiao $146,167 900
3 Anthony Lasala $105,650 720
4 Jeffery Rozier $77,251 540
5 Tyler Phillips $57,149 450
6 Yehuda Yosef $42,781 360
7 Daniel Yoshiba $32,410 270
8 Bruce Diamond $24,852 180
9 Dennis Hotz $19,292 90

Second WSOP Appearance Ends With First Bracelet

Liu's remarkable victory became even more impressive because it came during only his second-ever WSOP event. His first appearance ended with a respectable 21st-place finish in the $600 Deepstack Championship No-Limit Hold'em, giving him confidence before returning to the series.

His championship run nearly ended much earlier. At one stage of the tournament, a failed bluff reduced Liu's stack to just four big blinds. Instead of forcing the action, he stayed patient, rebuilt his stack, and steadily worked his way back into contention. That resilience ultimately carried him from the brink of elimination to the winner's circle.

After years of balancing a full-time engineering career with competitive poker, Liu finally realized his dream of winning a WSOP bracelet.

Following the victory, Liu revealed exactly how he plans to spend part of his prize money.

"I'm going to buy my wife a new car. She is so supportive of me."

The heartfelt comment reflected the family support that helped him pursue tournament poker while maintaining his professional career. It also resonated with fans who appreciated the emotional significance of his breakthrough victory.

2026 WSOP Continues Producing New and Returning Champions

Liu joined a growing list of memorable bracelet winners during the 2026 WSOP. Several established stars added to their impressive collections this summer.

Daniel Negreanu claimed his eighth career WSOP bracelet, while Michael Mizrachi secured his ninth gold bracelet during another dominant series. Calvin Anderson also increased his career total by winning his third bracelet.

The series also introduced several first-time champions. Juan Rodriguez, Brent Gregory, Philip Chun, and Brazilian teammates Breno Drumond and Henrique Lessa each celebrated their maiden WSOP victories after impressive tournament performances.

With several breakthrough stories and legendary performances, the 2026 WSOP continues to showcase poker's unique blend of experience, perseverance, and opportunity. 

Liu's triumph stands among the summer's most inspiring moments and demonstrates that players from every background can achieve poker's ultimate goal.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

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