A Juvenile Username That Became Internet Gold
The WSOP+ app has received rave reviews during the early days of this summer’s World Series of Poker festival. Players use the app to register for WSOP events, track tournament progress, and stay connected to the action. However, one feature that developers will certainly be updating is the ability for players to use custom names on the app.
We have Christopher Zollo to thank for exposing this oversight.
Zollo registered for Event #2: $500 Industry Employees No-Limit Hold’em under the username “SuckMe69.” This might have gone unnoticed among the thousands of players, except for one crucial detail: Zollo didn’t just make Day 2 of the tournament—he advanced all the way to heads-up play against Phovieng Keokham.
Unfortunately for poker fans everywhere, WSOP officials made Zollo change his username before the final showdown. The app displayed his boring, everyday name instead of the comedic moniker that had captured everyone’s attention.
The Perfect Setup for Poker History
What happened next nearly created one of the most legendary moments in World Series of Poker history.
Trailing in the heads-up battle, Zollo looked down at his hole cards and saw the poker gods smiling: 6-9. The irony was too perfect to ignore. There were no two better cards he could have received at that moment to stage his comeback.
The action unfolded like a Hollywood script:
- Zollo opened the betting with his suited connectors
- Keokham re-raised with A-Q
- Believing destiny was calling, Zollo moved all-in
- The flop delivered a 9, giving “SuckMe69” the lead
With two cards to go, Zollo was a massive favorite. The poker community held its breath as the ultimate meme moment seemed destined for completion. Even though officials had forced the name change, the poker gods knew who he really was.
When Reality Crushes Dreams
But poker, like life, doesn’t always deliver fairy tale endings.
The turn card brought a Queen, giving Keokham two pair. The river bricked out, and just like that, the dream died. Phovieng Keokham won his first WSOP gold bracelet, while Zollo’s near-legendary story became a cautionary tale about getting too caught up in the narrative.
For Keokham, Zollo’s decision to chase the meme play was the best possible outcome. The aggressive all-in with 6-9 suited gave him the perfect opportunity to capture his first World Series of Poker victory.
The Lesson in This Almost-Perfect Story
While we almost witnessed one of the greatest highlights in WSOP tournament history, the poker world learned an important lesson: sometimes the story is too good to be true. Zollo’s run with his inappropriate username created genuine entertainment value and showed how poker’s human elements can captivate audiences beyond just the cards.
The incident also highlighted how tournament organizers need to balance player expression with professional standards. The WSOP+ app will likely implement stricter username policies to prevent similar situations in future events.
Though the perfect ending eluded us, Christopher Zollo’s near-miss remains a reminder that in poker, as in comedy, timing is everything.