Jean-Robert Bellande added a new milestone to his long and colorful poker career this weekend, surviving a dramatic final table in Cyprus to capture $1.5 million and the Onyx High Roller Championship title at Merit Royal Diamond.
The former WSOP bracelet winner and Survivor alum topped a 50-entry field of elite high-stakes players, each posting a $100,000 buy-in. The resulting $5,000,000 prize pool paid out the top eight finishers, with Bellande ultimately defeating close friend Rob Yong after a spirited, back-and-forth heads-up duel.
Early Setback Nearly Ends the Run
Bellande began the final table in commanding position, having stormed through the last two tables with a sizable chip lead. That advantage evaporated almost immediately. In one of the opening hands, Pieter Aerts found a miracle card on the river, making a set to crack Bellande’s two pair.
The single hand flipped the entire tournament dynamic. Aerts vaulted from second in chips to a dominant lead, while Bellande’s stack was left in ruins.
“I’m not any kind of world-class poker player, but I have fun,” Bellande said after the win. “I was devastated when I lost the bulk of my stack.”
Despite the early gut punch, Bellande refused to fold under pressure.
Clawing Back Into Contention
Once Artur Martirosian burst the money bubble, eliminations came quickly. Gha Iakobishvili exited in eighth, followed by Biao Ding in seventh and Emilien Pitavy in sixth. As the field thinned, Rob Yong emerged as the new chip leader.
Bellande stayed alive with two critical double-ups—one through Aerts and another against Thomas Eychenne. Markkos Ladev then doubled through Eychenne, setting up the Frenchman’s eventual fifth-place finish. Aerts bowed out in fourth, and Ladev followed in third, setting the stage for a heads-up clash between two longtime friends.
“You see the way Rob and I go at each other,” Bellande said. “We have fun. I’ve hitched my wagon to whatever Rob is doing.”
Friendly Fire at the Finish Line
Yong entered heads-up play with the advantage, but a mistimed bluff swung momentum back in Bellande’s favor. Not long after, Yong moved all-in with pocket fives on a paired board, only to be looked up by Bellande’s pocket jacks.
That call sealed the victory—and the biggest score of Bellande’s career.
A Long Time Coming for JRB
The $1.5 million payday nearly doubled Bellande’s previous best result, a $748,828 runner-up finish in the 2015 Poker Players Championship. It also snapped a lengthy six-figure drought dating back to shortly after he captured his first WSOP bracelet in the $5,000 Six-Max event.
For Bellande, the win wasn’t just about the money. It was a reminder that resilience, heart, and a little bit of fun can still carry you to the very top—even in a $100K buy-in high roller battlefield.
