How a poker room on the banks of the Vaal River became Africa’s first stop on the World Series of Poker map, and the American star who put it there.
Situated along the banks of the Vaal River in Vanderbijlpark, approximately an hour south of Johannesburg, Emerald Resort & Casino has been part of South Africa’s gaming landscape since opening in 1997.
The property has undergone several ownership changes over the years, most recently in 2022, when an investment group led by Tsogo Sun and Keystone Investments acquired a stake in the resort.
Now, Emerald is preparing to return to the poker spotlight, with a five-day tournament series scheduled for September 2026. The event marks another chapter for a venue that played a significant role in bringing the World Series of Poker (WSOP) to Africa.
MICHAEL MIZRACHI PUTS SOUTH AFRICA ON THE MAP
Few international players have left a bigger mark on Emerald’s poker history than American professional Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi.
In February 2013, Mizrachi arrived at Emerald as an established star of the game. Already a three-time WSOP bracelet winner, he entered the WSOP Africa Main Event as one of the favourites, facing a 116-player field featuring some of South Africa’s leading competitors.
The American ultimately came out on top, claiming approximately R977000 ($101,267), a gold-and-silver WSOP Africa ring and a crystal trophy.
The victory marked Mizrachi’s first WSOP Circuit ring and added an African title to an already impressive poker résumé.
Following his win, Mizrachi expressed hope that the result would help raise South Africa’s profile on the international poker stage and encourage more overseas professionals to compete in future editions.
It proved to be another milestone in a remarkable career, which would eventually include nine WSOP bracelets and victory in the 2025 WSOP Main Event.
AFRICA’S FIRST WORLD SERIES OF POKER EVENT
Emerald’s place in WSOP history was established three years before Mizrachi’s triumph.
In October 2010, the casino hosted the first WSOP-branded tournament series on African soil, introducing one of poker’s most recognisable names to the continent.
The inaugural festival featured a R8000 ($1,100) Pot-Limit Omaha event and a R36600 ($5,000) No-Limit Hold’em Main Event, alongside a charity exhibition featuring Danish poker professional Gus Hansen.
While the arrival of an international poker brand was a significant milestone, it was a South African who claimed the headline result.
Warren Zackey emerged victorious in the inaugural Main Event, collecting approximately R1.63 million ($222,477) and becoming the first Main Event champion of the WSOP Africa series.
His victory gave local poker a landmark result on home soil and established Emerald as a venue capable of attracting international attention.
Zackey’s achievement also set the stage for Mizrachi’s success in 2013, with the two champions becoming central figures in the casino’s poker history.
A NEW CHAPTER FOR EMERALD
More than a decade after those landmark tournaments, Emerald is preparing to welcome competitive poker back to the Vaal River.
South African professional Rudolf Fourie, a Bloemfontein native with more than $1 million in reported career tournament earnings, is set to host the Main Event at September’s five-day series.
Fourie brings considerable international experience, having competed on major tours including the WSOP and World Poker Tour (WPT).
For Emerald, the upcoming festival offers an opportunity to reconnect with a significant part of its sporting history.
From Warren Zackey’s breakthrough victory in 2010 to Michael Mizrachi’s memorable triumph in 2013, the venue has already played a part in some of South African poker’s most notable international moments.
September’s return presents an opportunity to begin writing the next chapter.