Ryutaro Suzuki Wins Historic First TORSE Bracelet at 2025 WSOP
The 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas witnessed history with the debut of the new T.O.R.S.E. format — a variation of the traditional H.O.R.S.E. mix that swaps out limit hold’em for deuce-to-seven triple draw. A total of 522 entries jumped into Event #93: $3,000 T.O.R.S.E., creating a prize pool of nearly $1.4 million at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
When the final card was dealt, it was Japan’s Ryutaro Suzuki who came out on top, claiming his second WSOP bracelet and the honor of being the first-ever champion in a TORSE bracelet event. Suzuki took home $273,386 for the win, a new career-best score.
[Ryutaro Suzuki]
A Redemption Story for Suzuki
Coming into the event, Suzuki described his summer as exhausting and underwhelming. Despite logging a packed schedule, his results had been modest — a few five-figure scores and five additional small cashes. In an interview with PokerNews, Suzuki admitted he was tired and had entered TORSE as his final event of the series.
That decision proved golden.
Final Table Results – Event #93: $3,000 T.O.R.S.E.
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Ryutaro Suzuki (Japan) – $273,386
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Toby Lewis (United Kingdom) – $178,427
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Koji Fujimoto (Japan) – $119,108
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Matthew Rosen (United States) – $81,357
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Dave Stann (United States) – $56,892
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Sterling Lopez (United States) – $40,753
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Lucas Johnson (United States) – $29,921
How the Final Day Unfolded
Sixteen players returned for the final day, with Suzuki starting in second chip position. Momentum shifted quickly, and by the time the first break hit, the field had been trimmed to 11.
Suzuki surged into the lead during the mid-game, overtaking Day 2 chip leader David Prociak, who ultimately bubbled the final table in 8th for $22,531. From there, Suzuki maintained strong control as action at the final table accelerated.
Early exits included Johnson, Lopez, and Stann, who were eliminated in 7th, 6th, and 5th respectively. When the field shrank to four, Suzuki lost his chip lead to British pro Toby Lewis after a series of tough hands.
The Turning Point
Facing elimination, Suzuki doubled through fellow countryman Koji Fujimoto and regained footing by busting Matthew Rosen in 4th. He then knocked out Fujimoto in 3rd during triple draw to set up a dramatic heads-up battle against Lewis.
It was a tug-of-war between Suzuki’s dominance in deuce-to-seven and Lewis’ edge in stud. The momentum swung back and forth until Suzuki scored a crucial double with an 8-low in deuce play. From there, he slowly regained control.
The final hand came in razz. Lewis pushed his last chips in while drawing to a 9-low, but Suzuki nailed an 8-low on seventh street, clinching the win and leaving Lewis to settle for second place.
Japan’s Mixed Game Star Shines Again
Ryutaro Suzuki first broke through in 2023 with a bracelet win in the 9-Game Mix. His second bracelet not only comes in a historic debut format but also lifts his total WSOP earnings beyond $800,000.
With Suzuki’s victory, Japan continues its rise in the global poker scene, particularly in mixed games — a space traditionally dominated by Americans and Europeans.
[Ryutaro Suzuki]
