28 Jun 2025 In response to serious claims that Jesse Yaginuma was chip dumping during the last heads-up match, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) has decided not to award him the prestigious bracelet and the $1,255,180 first-place prize for winning the $1,500 Millionaire Maker event. Not only did Yaginuma beat 11,996 other players, but he was also ready to win the seven-figure WSOP prize and a $1 million bonus from ClubWPT Gold. But after the last heads-up match, where James Carroll had a big 10-to-1 chip lead, people in the poker world began to question him because Yaginuma beat him in a way that no one saw coming. Was There Chip Dumping? During the summer, ClubWPT Gold ran a promotion where winners would get $1 million if they could win a WSOP bracelet event. Michael Lavin won the $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em SHOOTOUT and received the $1 million bonus, while Yaginuma was poised to become the second player to win this prize. However, the celebration is currently on hold. The WSOP tweeted on X (formerly Twitter) early Thursday morning: Last night, we were made aware of a potential breach of the official WSOP Tournament Rules during heads up play in Event 53. An investigation is underway. At this time, 1st and 2nd place have not been confirmed and neither the prize money nor the bracelet have been officially… — WSOP - World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 26, 2025 Chip dumping is against the rules of the WSOP. The practice occurs when one player intentionally gives chips to another player, typically to obtain something outside of the game, such as a deal or a reward. The WSOP rules are clear: “Poker is an individual game. Chip dumping and other forms of collusion will result in disqualification.” Polk Weighs In Notable poker player and ClubWPT Gold Ambassador Doug Polk discussed the incident on his YouTube channel. Polk said a source told him that the $1 million reward would still be given to Yaginuma by ClubWPT, no matter the outcome of the WSOP investigation. A representative for ClubWPT Gold confirmed that they are "looking into the matter". Poker Community Divided When the news broke, the poker subreddit r/poker went wild, with many players questioning the fairness of the match and the logic behind the bonus offer. Here's what the poker community on Reddit had to say: GarfieldsLasagna121: Comment byu/Adept_Flamingo7278 from discussion inpoker TNGBO: Comment byu/Adept_Flamingo7278 from discussion inpoker saskpilsner: Comment byu/Adept_Flamingo7278 from discussion inpoker Fluid_Charity1980: Comment byu/Adept_Flamingo7278 from discussion inpoker ConorOblast: Comment byu/Adept_Flamingo7278 from discussion inpoker kinjongfun: Comment byu/Adept_Flamingo7278 from discussion inpoker While Yaginuma and Carroll were both well-known pros, some people said that Yaginuma only got his ClubWPT seat on the day of the final table. This made them wonder if ClubWPT had chosen who got the promotion intentionally. What Happens Next? In the meantime, both Yaginuma and Carroll are stuck. The poker community is keeping a close eye on things, as no bracelets or money have been awarded yet. Although some professionals argue that any deal made was between two players who agreed to it, others contend that the WSOP's rules are in place to protect the game's integrity and that collusion, even for marketing reasons, is against those rules.
