2025 WSOP Day 3: No Bracelets But Plenty of Action at the Horseshoe and Paris

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May 30, 2025 7 min read Last updated Jun 03, 2025

No 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets were awarded on Day 3, but there was not a shortage of action across the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. At one stage, there were five events, each packed with poker's elite, taking place across the vast tournament areas. One poker great, perhaps the best of them all, Phil Ivey, graced us with his presence.

The 11-time bracelet winner bought into the $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em on Day 2 and wasted little time in getting into the thick of the action. Ivey was involved in a hand where the floor needed to be called after his opponent thought Ivey had moved all-in on him. What was the floor's ruling, and how did Ivey get on in the $5K? Find out right here.

Reichard Bags Big on Day 1c of the Mystery Millions

Josh Reichard got off to a flying start on Day 1c of Event #1: $1,000 Mystery Millions, ending the night with 2,675,000 chips, the second-most of the flight. Only Reichard's fellow America, Brad Laakso (3,550,000), finished with more chips.

Reichard has a staggering 16 WSOP Circuit rings, but a bracelet still eludes him. He has knocked on the door of victory several times in bracelet-awarding events, yet he's still missing that elusive jigsaw piece. After this blistering start, Reichard's wait could be about to be over.

Several bracelet winners and 25K Fantasy Draft picks progressed from this flight. Valentino Konakchiev (2,330,000), Craig Varnell (1,390,000), Brad Ruben (1,340,000), Phil Hui (900,000), and Brock Wilson (190,000) were among them.

Day 1d, the penultimate flight, starts at 10:00 a.m. local time on May 30. There should be more than 3,000 players who choose Day 1d to start their quest for glory. Remember that PokerNews' traditional coverage for this event begins on Day 2 on June 1.

Event #1: $1,000 Mystery Millions Day 1c Top 10 Chip Counts

Antonio Galiana On Course to Win His Second Bracelet

Spain's Antonio Galiana goes into Day 3 of Event #3: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em in prime position to win his second bracelet in as many years. Galiana won the $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em Freezeout in 2024 and returns to the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas on May 30 with only 24 opponents standing between him and a 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet.

Galiana shot up the chip counts when he flopped quads jacks against Robert Smith, and he never looked back. If you're flopping four-of-a-kind, you must go into the penultimate day's play full of confidence that Lady Luck is on your side.

The Spaniard is being chased down by some supremely talented players, including 12 bracelet winners and nine 25K Fantasy Draft picks!

Georgios Sotiropoulos (3,045,000) is the best placed of them and the only other player with at least three million chips in their stack. Bradley Gafford (2,445,000), Uri Reichenstein (2,095,000), and Christian Roberts (2,065,000) round out the top five.

Others to look out for in PokerNews' Day 3 coverage include Renji Mao (2,045,000), Michael Moncek (1,805,000), Joshua Remitio (1,755,000), Sam Soverel (1,215,000), Justin Saliba (1,150,000), Raj Vohra (675,000), Ethan Yau (360,000), and Justin Liberto (245,000). See, we told you this field was stacked!

The 25 surviving players are due to return to the action at 12:00 p.m. local time on May 30. Join us then for live updates from this event.

Event #3: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em Day 2 Top 10 Chip Counts

Melvin McCraney Leads Final 16 in the $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo

Only 16 of the 910 hopefuls who entered Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better remain in contention for the $205,333 top prize and the accompanying gold bracelet. Melvin McCraney will lead those surviving players back into battle on May 30 to decide who the champion is.

McCraney has 3,425,000 chips when play resumes, around six big blinds more than David Shmuel (3,060,000) in second place. Shmuel led the field on Day 1 and has built on the solid foundations he laid a couple of days ago.

Two bracelet winners, Christopher Vitch (835,000) and Matt Grapenthien (535,000) return looking to add to their WSOP hardware collection, while Jon Kyte (1,010,000) has locked up some valuable points for his 25K Fantasy Draft team.

Play resumes at 1:00 p.m. local time on May 30, with the plan to play down to a champion. From past experience, we know that split pot events can head into an unscheduled extra day; here's hoping that does not happen in this tournament!

Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Day 2 Top 10 Chip Counts

Matthew Beck Takes Early Lead in the $5,000 PLO

Event #5: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha got off to an impressive start with 757 entrants competing on Day 1. After 15 levels, only 128 of those starters had chips in front of them, and nobody had more betting tokens than New Zealand's Matthew Beck.

Beck, a PLO specialist, finished Day 1 with a tournament-leading 1,320,000 chips, which are worth a colossal 165 big blinds. The Kiwi cashed on two PLO events at the 2024 WSOP and looks all but guaranteed to cash in this tournament after his impressive start.

Michael Duek will also sleep easy tonight because he was the only other player to finish with a seven-figure stack. Duek's 1,026,000 chips are the equivalent of 129 big blinds. Duek has more than $7.7 million in live tournament cashes, with more than half that princely sum stemming from the $4 million he received for his third-place finish in the 2022 WSOP Main Event.

Dozens of household names progressed to Day 2 alongside Beck and Duek. They include Lawrence Brandt (557,000), Chad Eveslage (531,000), Alex Livingston (525,000), and George Wolff (473,000).

The talkative and often controversial Martin Kabrhel (437,000) also punched his Day 2 ticket, as did Ren Lin (421,000), Daniel Zack (384,000), defending champion Bryce Yockey (363,000), Mike "The Mouth" Matusow (273,000), and six-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb (227,000).

Day 2 shuffles up and deals at noon local time on May 30, and PokerNews will be on hand to provide live and exclusive coverage.

Event #5: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts

David Bach Among the $1,500 Seven Card Stud Day 1 Leaders

Event #6: $1,500 Seven Card Stud is the first stud event of the 2025 WSOP and it proved popular with 377 players buying in. Only 69 of those starters progressed to Day 2, including three-time bracelet winner David Bach.

Bach is a mixed game specialist who knows his way around fixed limit games. He won his first bracelet in the $50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E. in 2009, added a second in the $1,500 Dealer's Choice in 2017, and a third in the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship, also in 2017. Bach finished Day 1 of this event with 282,500 chips, enough for fourth place on the overnight leaderboard.

John Woolen leads the returning players with 439,000 chips; he's the only player with more than 400,000 chips. Matthew Valeo (353,500) and Robert Shepp (340,000) complete the podium places.

Others who made it to Day 2 include Dan Heimiller (272,000), Michael Noori (263,000), Max Pescatori (261,500), Joey Couden (261,500), and Robert Wells (245,000).

Poker Hall of Famer Brian Rast (153,000) finds himself near the middle of the pack, with Ray Henson (104,000), Allen Kessler (63,500), and reigning champion Richard Ashby (36,500) also still on contention.

Day 2 is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on May 30. Ten hour-long levels are scheduled. Once they are complete, we should have a clearer picture of who will become this event's worthy champion and bracelet recipient. Join PokerNews then for all the Stud action you can handle.

Event #6: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Top 10 Chip Counts

What's Happening on Day 4 of the 2025 WSOP?

Day 4 of the 2025 WSOP will take place on May 30. Seven events will take place across the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.

Day 1d of Event #1: $1,000 Mystery Millions shuffles up and deals at 10:00 a.m. local time with the final 25 players in Event #3: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em returning to the action at noon. Event #5: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha also resumes at noon local time.

Players in Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better have a 1:00 p.m. local time restart, which is also when Day 2 of Event #6: $1,500 Seven Card Stud gets underway.

That takes care of the in-play events, but what about the new tournaments starting? Check into PokerNews from noon for some high-stakes heads-up action in Event #7: $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship. Darius Samual is the reigning champion, having defeated Faraz Jaka in last year's finale.

One of the craziest events on the 2025 WSOP schedule begins at 2:00 p.m. local time, Event #8: $1,500 Dealer's Choice. This event allows players to choose from more than 20 poker variants, creating plenty of action from start to finish. Expect John Hennigan to be among the Day 1 players. He won this event in 2024 for $138,296 and his seventh gold bracelet.

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 Allen Kessler Brad Ruben Brian Rast Chad Eveslage Bryce Yockey Christian Roberts Ethan Yau Daniel Zack Josh Reichard Justin Saliba Lawrence Brandt Martin Kabrhel Max Pescatori Matthew Beck Ray Henson Richard Ashby World Series of Poker Uri Reichens
• Related Tournaments World Series of Poker
• Related Players Allen KesslerMax PescatoriRichard AshbyBrian RastBryce YockeyDaniel Zack

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