Steve Albini Wins First WSOP Bracelet in Seven-Card Stud Tournament

Steve Albini, a legendary figure in the indie-rock world, known for his work with bands like Big Black and Shellac, and for producing albums for Pixies, PJ Harvey, and Nirvana, has won his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet. The victory came in a Seven-Card Stud tournament at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, where Albini's prize money was $105,629.

Albini's win was a surprising achievement for the 55-year-old musician and producer. He has been playing poker since his childhood, influenced by his grandmother Dora McKiver. His father, Frank Albini, was a bridge champion, and the family has a long tradition of card games. Albini's love for poker has been a constant throughout his music career, often finding games during tours.

Albini owns a recording studio in Chicago called Electrical Audio. He has been a regular at a home poker game hosted by Russ Arbuthnot for over a decade. The group was named Alliance-X, after a bakery above Arbuthnot's apartment. Notable poker players like Bandon Shack-Harris and Brian Gastings have been regulars at these games. Albini's poker group was one of the strongest home games in the country, according to his friend Eric Rodavig, who often played there until moving out of Chicago.