After 28 events at the 2013 World Series of Poker (WSOP) the one country which is shining out is Canada. It will be interesting to see what the Canadians do next in the ongoing WSOP 2013. Their victory in seven of the events has equaled the past records and if we will add World Series of Poker Asia Pacific (WSOP APAC) Main Event winner Daniel Negreanu’s bracelet, they have set a new record.
Andrew Feldman of ESPN has come up with a theory and said that online poker is the main reason as a lot of Canadians play online poker and being in action online sharpen up their skills. Although anyone can argue with this as Canadian poker players do participate in live events in large numbers as we have seen it at WSOP Circuit event at River Rock Casino in Vancouver.
Canadian Jonathan Duhamel’s win at WSOP 2010 Main Event was a big thing for everybody. It certainly inspired a lot of poker players from Canada to play more poker and to participate in live events. Though Duhamel himself was not able to deliver another major victory, his close friend Charles-Andrew Sylvester has won the Event#3, a $1,000 No limit Hold’em Re-entry event this WSOP summer
The number of Canadians participating each year is very small if we compare it with US national’s. The ratio of Poker Players entering in the tournament every year is 1:10, in favor of USA. But if we’ll see the number of players entering the tournament and winning the bracelet then Canada is far ahead of USA this year. Their winning percentage has been 28.5% as compared to the number of Canadian players entering the tournament i.e 5.3%.
And it is not just Sylvester’s victory at No limit Hold’em Re-entry or Chan’s at Millionaire Maker. Canadian Poker Players have triumphed other formats of the poker game too. Mark Radoja won Heads-up, No limit Hold’em, Calen “Big Wheel” Mcneil emerged as winner in $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo whereas Michael Malm grabbed the title of Eight Game by defeating compatriot Greg Mueller. Several more Canadians have come very close to winning with Mueller himself doing two final table this summer.
Somebody jokingly said that maybe the low temperature of the Amazon Room gives Canadian a feeling of home and that is why they are performing so well.
Canadian WSOP Bracelet winners in 2013 include:
| Sr. No | Player Name | Event |
| 1 | Charles Sylvestre | Event 3, $1K NL Hold’em, Re -entry |
| 2 | Benny Chen | Event 6, $1500 NL |
| 3 | Michael Malm | Event 8, $2500 Eight Game Mix |
| 4 | Levi Berger | Event 11, $2500 NL Hold’em, 6 Handed |
| 5 | Mark Radoja | Event 16, $10K Heads Up NL Hold’em |
| 6 | Calen McNeil | Event 20, $1500 Omaha Hi/Lo |
| 7 | Jason Duval | Event 28, $1500 NL Hold’em |