2025 WSOP Day 4: Four-Time Bracelet Winner Chance Kornuth Progresses in $25K Heads-Up Event

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May 31, 2025 7 min read Last updated Jun 03, 2025

Day 4 of the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas has everything. Those in Las Vegas saw another gold bracelet awarded, a couple of events progress to their respective final tables, and a slew of elite-level grinders battle it out one-on-one in the biggest buy-in event of the 2025 WSOP so far.

The second bracelet of the series, and the first awarded in an open event, went to David Shmuel in Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better. Shmeul was the chip leader on Day 1, finished near the top of the chip counts on Day 2, and was the last player standing when all was said and done. You can read a full recap of Shmuel's impressive victory here at PokerNews.

Stars Shine in the $25,000 Heads-Up NLHE Championship

If you wanted to catch a glimpse of some poker royalty, then being a railbird at Event #7: $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship was your best bet. The event quickly reached its 64-player cap, with the entry list reading like a who's who of the poker world.

Chance Kornuth is hoping to add to his four gold bracelets by coming out on top in this event. Kornuth defeated heads-up crusher John Smith in his first match before coming from behind to defeat Edward Sebesta to take his place in the last 16. Kornuth faces Frenchman Killian Desnos in the Round of 16.

Others safely through to Day 2 include Martin Zamani, Alex Foxen, Patrick Leonard, Joao Vieira, Artur Martirosian, and Matthew Wantman.

Of course, there were more superstars who fell by the wayside than made it through. Among the busted players were such luminaries as Phil Ivey, Darren Elias, Kristen Foxen, last year's runner-up Faraz Jaka, Jeremy Ausmus, and Chris Brewer. Surprisingly, Daniel Negreanu was a notable absentee.

Day 2 of this star-studded event is scheduled for noon on May 31, where another two rounds will take place. As always, PokerNews will be on hand to bring you all of the action.

Event #7: $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Champion Day 2 Players

Huge Day 1d Takes Mystery Millions Attendance to Over 11,500

Day 1d of Event #1: $1,000 Mystery Millions saw 5,314 players enter, taking the total attendance to 11,536 with one flight remaining. Only 287 of the Day 1d starters navigated to Day 2, including seven-time WSOP bracelet winner and Poker Hall of Fame member John Hennigan.

Hennigan was expected to jump into the $1,500 Dealer's Choice in an attempt to defend his title. He probably planned to had the Mystery Millions not gone to plan. However, Hennigan built a 1,800,000 stack in this event, enough for a top ten spot on the overnight leaderboard.

Although Hennigan's stack was impressive, Clark Merritt's was more so. Merritt ended Day 1d with 4,595,000 chips, the most of anyone in the tournament thus far.

Other players who progressed from Day 1d included Daniel Strelitz (1,835,000), Justin Arnwine (1,135,000), Quan Zhou (1,075,000), Andrew Kelsall (775,000), Jason Wheeler (725,000), Ryan Hughes (725,000), and Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi (250,000).

Day 1e shuffles up and deals at 10:00 a.m. local time on May 31. Players will fight it out across 22 levels. It is expected that a field in excess of 6,000, maybe 7,000, will descend on this event. We don't have long to see if that happens.

Event #1: $1,000 Mystery Millions Day 1d Top Ten Chip Counts

Only Five Players Remain in the $5K No-Limit Hold'em

Event #3: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em is down to its final five players after three days' of intense action. Christian Roberts is the man to catch going into Day 4, his 10,075,000 chips putting him in pole position to capture his second bracelet.

Antonio Galiana (8,430,000) and Renji Mao (6,700,000) are also in with a shout of becoming two-time bracelet winners, while Gaetan Balleur (5,160,000) and Frederic Normand (4,650,000) are hunting for the first piece of WSOP hardware.

Each of the returning five players is guaranteed to take home no less than $137,948 for their efforts. However, at this stage of the tournament, the prize money doesn't matter because the coveted bracelet is within touching distance. That said, a $582,008 top prize should also serve as inspiration for this quintet to bring their A-game to the table.

We shall discover who wins this event on May 31. Cards are back in the air slightly later than usual, at 3:00 p.m. local time, with action continuing until a champion is crowned. Stay with PokerNews throughout this event to find out who that champion will be.

Event #3: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Seating and Chip Counts

Kabrhel and Koliakoudakis Tied for the Lead in the $5K PLO

Love him or loathe him, you cannot deny Martin Kabrhel knows his way around a poker table. The Czech player finds himself tied for the lead in Event #5: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha, where only 11 players from the 757-strong starting field remain.

Kabrhel and Roussos Koliakoudakis have 4,510,000 betting tokens in their arsenal. The former was his usual chatty self, sweet and trash-talking his way through Day 2. He now finds himself ten eliminations away from winning his fourth gold bracelet.

Lawrence Brandt (2,140,000), Caleb Furth (1,450,000), and 2013 WSOP Main Event champion Ryan Riess (650,000) are the other bracelet winners still in the mix going into this event's final day.

Play resumes at noon on May 31, and PokerNews will provide you with live and exclusive coverage from the first pitched cards through to the champion having their photograph taken.

Event #5: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Day 3 Chip Counts

Is Heimiller's 11-Year Wait For a Bracelet About to End?

Dan Heimiller has two WSOP bracelets, but it has been 11 years since he captured his second. His long wait could be about to end because he finds himself leading the final six of Event #6: $1,500 Seven Card Stud. The first Stud event of the 2025 WSOP drew in 377 entrants but oly six are still in the hunt for the $106,840 top prize and the all-important bracelet.

Heimiller (2,885,000) holds a narrow lead over Finland's Jyri Merivirta (2,555,000), but then there's a substantial gap before you arrive at David Bach (1,440,000). Charles Phillips (1,330,000), Mengqi Chen (770,000), and Kristan Lord (465,000) have more work still to do, but you can guarantee they are not there only to make up the numbers.

Return to PokerNews from 1:00 p.m. local time on May 31 to see if Heimiller reels in his third bracelet.

Event #6: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Final Table Seating and Chip Counts

Late Night Double KO Gifts Schreiber Early Dealer's Choice Lead

Matthew Schreiber eliminated Mark Roland and Thomas Taylor in the same hand late into Day 1 of Event #8: $1,500 Dealers Choice and soared to the top of the chip counts. Some 597 players bought in, making this the best-attended $1,500 Dealers Choice since it first ran in 2014.

Schreiber's 463,500 stack currently ranks him in the top spot of the 124 players who punched their Day 2 tickets. However, he'll be hard-pressed to hold onto the lead with the sheer amount of talent he must contend with.

Christopher Vitch (388,000) and Allan Le (360,000) finished Day 1 in the top ten. Dylan Smith (221,000), Justin Liberto (211,500), Daniel Zack (209,500), Eric Baldwin (205,000), and Adam Owen (192,000) all finished within the top 20!

Others who made it to Day 2 include Benny Glaser (175,000), James Obst (117,000), Dario Sammartino (104,000), the legendary Huck Seed (92,500), and Phil Hellmuth (28,000).

Day 2 commences at 1:00 p.m. local time on May 31. Join PokerNews then if you love nothing more than following mixed game updates.

Event #8: $1,500 Dealer's Choice Day 1 Top Ten Chip Counts

What's Happening on Day 5 of the 2025 WSOP?

Day 5 will see two bracelets awarded at some stage. Event #3: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em and Event #6: $1,500 Seven Card Stud are set to crown their champions.

The final flight of Event #1: $1,000 Mystery Millions kicks things off from 10:00 a.m. local time before Event #5: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha sees its 11 returning players cut to only five, while the star-studded Event #7: $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship will whittle its field from 16 to just four.

Mixed game fans should tune into our coverage from Day 2 of Event #8: $1,500 Dealers Choice, where the money bubble is guaranteed to burst.

Only one fresh event enters the arena on Day 5, but what an event it is. Event #9: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Low 8 or Better Championship should see some poker Goliaths lock horns as they attempt to wrestle Scott Seiver's title from him. That tournament starts at 2:00 p.m. local time.

Matthew Pitt hails from Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom, and has worked in the poker industry since 2008, and worked for PokerNews since 2010. In September 2010, he became the editor of PokerNews. Matthew stepped away from live reporting duties in 2015, and now concentrates on his role of Senior Editor for the PokerNews.

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• Tags WSOP25 Alex Foxen Artur Martirosian Benny Glaser Chance Kornuth Chris Brewer Christian Roberts Daniel Negreanu Dan Heimiller Faraz Jaka Huck Seed James Obst Jeremy Ausmus Joao Vieira John Hennigan Martin Zamani Martin Kabrhel Lawrence Brandt Kristen Foxen
• Related Players Daniel NegreanuJohn HenniganHuck SeedDan HeimillerChance KornuthFaraz Jaka

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