Pocket aces are every poker player’s dream hand, especially at the final table of a major championship. Yet during the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Online Event #7: $215 Mystery Millions, Argentina’s Nicolás Giacomino shocked viewers by folding them preflop — a decision that ultimately increased his payout by more than $60,000.
The tournament attracted an enormous 53,758 entries, creating a prize pool that awarded $576,251 to the eventual champion along with the coveted gold bracelet. By the time of this dramatic hand, only seven players remained, each guaranteed at least $120,918.
The Critical Hand
Blinds were at 2,000,000/4,000,000 when the action began. Fabian Bernhauser, down to just over one big blind, moved all in from under the gun. Giacomino, sitting on 220,819,837 chips, looked down at pocket aces and raised to 10,806,617.
Next to act, Toni Bosch pushed all in for 19,049,956. Then came the move that changed everything: chip leader Adrovan Rodrigues shoved from the small blind with his massive stack of 612,822,406. Action returned to Giacomino, who suddenly faced a decision for his tournament life with the strongest possible starting hand.
Instead of making the seemingly automatic call, Giacomino went deep into the tank. With multiple short stacks still in play, the risk of elimination weighed heavily against the chance to take the chip lead. In the end, he folded his aces.
How the Cards Ran Out
After Giacomino stepped aside, Rodrigues revealed pocket nines. Giacomino would have been a huge favorite preflop, but the board ran 5♥ 9♣ 3♥ 6♦ 5♦, giving Rodrigues a full house. What looked like an overly cautious fold suddenly appeared brilliant in hindsight.
- Bernhauser busted in 7th place for $120,918 plus bounties.
- Bosch exited in 6th place, earning $156,811 plus nearly $350,000 in bounties.
- Giacomino, who had collected just over $7,000 in bounties, went on to finish in 4th place for $263,722.
Had he called, he would have been eliminated in 5th for $203,358. His fold effectively added more than $60,000 to his final payout.
Rodrigues Takes the Bracelet
Rodrigues’ decision to push all in not only pressured his opponents but also set him up for victory. After accumulating a commanding stack, the Brazilian went on to win the tournament, taking home $576,251, a WSOP gold bracelet, and $9,000 in bounties. He also secured a package including entry into the $25,000 WSOP Super Main Event in the Bahamas this December.
A Controversial Yet Profitable Decision
For Giacomino, who had less than $2,000 in career WSOP cashes before this event, the fold was a defining moment. Social media erupted with criticism, pointing out that he gave up the best starting hand in poker. Yet the results showed that caution paid off.
His fold with aces will remain one of the most debated hands of the 2025 WSOP Online — a striking reminder that sometimes, survival and payout jumps can outweigh even the strongest cards.
