Jean-Robert “JRB” Bellande could have simply delivered some of the shocking headline performances of the early 2026 poker season. On the Onyx Excessive Curler Collection in North Cyprus, Bellande claimed victory within the $100,000 No-Restrict Maintain’em Excessive Curler Championship, topping a discipline of fifty and incomes $1.5 million.
Rob Yong known as JRB to play the occasion last-minute providing to purchase in. Bellande seized the chance, entered, after which battled his method by means of elite opponents to defeat Yong himself heads-up in what’s now the biggest results of his profession.
JRB has been a fixture on each match and money circtuts for years, however JRB’s has typically been a narrative of just about however not fairly.
A Profession of Nearly Hitting it Massive (till this Onyx Poker Win)
Bellande first entered the poker highlight in 2005 when he made a giant run in a WSOP Circuit occasion, ending third for over $210,000, and instantly adopted that with a win on the Winnin’ o’ the Inexperienced occasion.
His charismatic, loud desk presence made him a favorite on televised reveals like Poker After Darkish and Excessive Stakes Poker, the place his chat and expressive reactions made him some of the talked-about characters within the sport.
In 2007 Bellande broadened his viewers past poker by showing on Survivor: China, an expertise that cemented his standing as a character as a lot as a participant.
Veteran poker viewers (like me), may also bear in mind Bellande having some of the memorable WSOP 2008 bust outs, when an newbie’s 9 10 beat his AQ within the Principal Occasion.
Bellande has proved many times that he is likely one of the most constant gamers extending over the generations. He positioned 2nd within the 2015 WSOP $50,000 Poker Gamers Championship, incomes $784,828. But it surely took him till 2018 to lastly win his first WSOP bracelet in a $5,000 No-Restrict Maintain’em Six-Handed occasion for over $616,000.
Between these stand-out outcomes and quite a few cashes, now totaling nicely over $3 million in stay match earnings, Bellande at all times proved he was able to large performances. Lastly this Excessive Curler win has given him a rating I feel most poker gamers and followers will agree he deserves. Let’s hope it has damaged the seal on a brand new JRB sizzling streak.
