The duo wasn’t just there to shuffle chips and read opponents; they were on a mission to unearth a treasure from the 2025-2026 Topps Sapphire NBA collection, a pursuit reminiscent of pirates searching for lost gold. These weren’t ordinary cards; they were the keys to a kingdom where a single card could be valued at a king’s ransom. And indeed, amidst the sea of potential, they discovered a Cooper Flagg gold rookie auto card, a beacon of rarity with only 50 of its kind in the world. Cooper Flagg, the shining star picked first in the 2025 NBA Draft and a beacon of hope and talent in the basketball realm, had his potential captured in this tiny yet immensely valuable piece of cardboard.
This card, akin to a rare diamond unearthed in an endless mine, holds the potential to command around $10,000 at auction, with its value potentially skyrocketing if graded as Gem Mint—a testament to its perfection. This moment of triumph was a testament to the allure of sports card collecting, a hobby that can turn moments into legends and paper into gold.
But let’s not forget the main event that brought these treasure hunters together: the poker tournament. The game saw notable talents like Tobias Leknes and Benny Glaser, alongside Bleznick and Schulman, navigating through the treacherous waters of bluffing and betting. The tournament was not just a test of poker skills but a marathon of endurance and strategy, with the Yuri Dzivielevski victory ultimately claiming victory and the $1,300,000 prize, further cementing his status in the poker world with over $11.7 million in live tournament cashes. The Yuri Dzivielevski victory was not just a personal victory but a moment of pride for Brazil, as he extended his lead on the country’s all-time list.
In this extraordinary event, the worlds of sports card collecting and poker intertwined beautifully, each enhancing the allure of the other. It was a spectacle of highs and lows, of unexpected treasures found amidst fierce competition, painting a vivid picture of the multifaceted world of gaming and collecting. As the dust settled in the PokerGO Studio, the story of the Yuri Dzivielevski victory at this event became one for the annals of poker and sports card history, a reminder of the magic that can happen when different worlds collide in the city of lights.
*Acknowledgment to the brilliant capture by Antonio Abrego & PokerGO, who immortalized these moments through their lens.