Jean-Robert Bellande Wins $1.5 Million in Onyx Series High Roller

Jean-Robert Bellande took first place in the $100K Onyx Series High Roller Championship and won $1,500,000.

The event drew attention not only because the 55-year-old increased his career live earnings by nearly a third, but also because of how he ended up competing against a field of much younger high rollers. Bellande has been an active poker player for over 25 years, but had not originally planned to play tournaments at this level.

A friend in need is a friend indeed

The Onyx Series is a relatively new addition to the high-stakes poker scene. Rob Yong, the British owner of the series and the high roller club of the same name, has been working to attract well-known poker players with a high level of service, good lineups, and guaranteed prize pools.

Yong often plays in tournaments himself and tries to create additional action at the tables. However, he was late for the start of the most expensive tournament of the first stage of the Onyx Series in Cyprus due to a flight delay in Istanbul.

Yong eventually called Bellande and asked him to take his spot in the tournament. The American was relaxing in his hotel room watching Netflix at the time, but quickly agreed and registered just before the start. Bellande had come to Cyprus to play cash games and had no intention of entering such an expensive tournament against elite opposition.

The tournament ultimately attracted 37 players and generated 50 total entries. The organizers were about $200,000 short of the $5 million guarantee. Remarkably, Rob Yong managed to register before late registration ended.

The most unusual twist came later, when Bellande and Yong met heads-up.

In the decisive big hand, Bellande made a hero call with the second pair against his opponent's three barrels. After the showdown, it turned out that the Brit had indeed been trying to bluff his opponent out after his flush draw failed on the river.

After the hand, Yong said:

"You and I in heads-up play is like Moneymaker winning the Main Event. After this, no high roller will miss another Onyx series."

Tournament Results:

1. Jean-Robert Bellande (USA) — $1,500,000
2. Rob Yong (UK) — $1,000,000
3. Markkos Ladev (Estonia) — $700,000
4. Pieter Aerts (Belgium) — $515,000
5. Thomas Eychenne (France) — $375,000
6. Emilien Pitavy (France) — $280,000
7. Biao Ding (China) — $230,000
8. Gha Iakobishvili (Russia) — $200,000

Who is Jean-Robert Bellande?

Jean-Robert Bellande first encountered gambling during his student years, when he earned extra money by playing billiards. He later worked as a club promoter, attracting guests, and quickly became a popular figure in the student community.

Bellande developed a serious interest in poker in 1998. He decided to master the game professionally, but the start was difficult—in his first year of regular play, he lost around $100,000. For several years, Bellande avoided no-limit hold'em for several years, fearing losing his stack in a single hand, although it was this game that later brought him fame.

His first major success came in 2005 on the WSOP Circuit, where Bellande finished third in the Championship Event and earned over $200,000. The final table was televised, and his passionate play and sense of humor quickly made him a fan favorite. Bellande later competed on the reality show Survivor and also appeared on High Stakes Poker, Poker After Dark, and Live at the Bike.

Bellande's major live poker achievements are tied to the WSOP:

• $784,828 for finishing second in The Players Championship in 2015
• $616,302 for winning Event #58 ($5,000 6-Handed NLH) in 2018

Family has played an important role in Bellande's life in recent years. He got married in 2018 and became a father to twins a year later. According to the player himself, having children has forced him to be more mindful of his finances and take a more balanced approach to the game, although his love of risky and spectacular poker remains his calling card.