Player Bluffs 180 Big Blind Pot into Full House Deep into WSOP Main Event

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Jul 10, 2025 3 min read Last updated Jul 13, 2025

What. Just. Happened?

That’s what everyone at the WSOP Main Event feature table must’ve been asking after witnessing the biggest pot of the tournament so far in what was an absolutely wild hand that’s destined for future WSOP highlight reels.

Jeremy Kottler, an American player with over $2.5 million in live earnings, pulled the trigger on an audacious king-high bluff on Day 5 of poker's World Championship. Unfortunately for him, Yuchen Chen was holding fives full of jacks and made the call for his tournament life after spending some time in the tank.

The 4.55 million chip pot (182 big blinds) shipped Chen’s way, leaving the table and everyone else stunned. This is one hand you’ll want to read again and again.

Kottler Sends It With King-Deuce into Fives Full

As told by PokerNews' Frank Visser, he reported:

In Level 21, Yuchen Chen raised to 50,000 in the hijack, and Jeremy Kottler three-bet to 140,000 on the button. It folded back to Chen, who called to the 5♥J♠3♦ flop.

Kottler continued for 75,000, which Chen check-raised to 225,000. Kottler tossed in a quick call, and the A♦ hit the turn.

Chen reverted to a check, seeing Kottler retake the initiative with a bet of 250,000. Chen just called this time, and the J♣ river completed the board.

Chen checked again, after which Kottler quickly moved all in for an over-bet, covering Chen's 1,630,000 remaining chips. Chen spent minutes in the tank before he pushed in his stacks of chips for a call.

Kottler tabled K♦2♠ for a spicy bluff with king-high, while Chen doubled up to 4,550,000 with 5♠5♦ for fives full of jacks.

Haxton Ousts Kottler and Chidwick

Kottler, who was left with 395,000 after the bluff, saw his Main Event come to an end shortly after, and was joined by Stephen Chidwick to the payout desk after Isaac Haxton sent both players packing.

Haxton was in middle position and raised to 60,000. It folded to Chidwick on the button, who jammed in his stack of 375,000. Kottler, in the small blind, thought for some time before he committed his stack of 335,000, and Haxton snap-called to put both players at risk.

Jeremy Kottler: A♥J♥
Stephen Chidwick: 5♥5♦
Isaac Haxton: K♦K♣

Haxton flopped top set on 3♥K♠6♥, but Kottler's flush draw completed on the 9♥ turn to take the lead. The 6♦ river paired the board, turning Haxton's set into a full house.

Chidwick and Kottler picked up their bags as Haxton shipped the pot, chipping up to over 125 big blinds.

Hawker Holds Chip Lead in Main Event at Dinner

Day 5 of the WSOP Main Event began with 522 players still in the hunt for the $10 million top prize, but by the dinner break, that number had been cut to 311. Among those to fall were vlogging pioneers Andrew Neeme and Brad Owen, where the latter could not complete his Royal Flush draw to stay alive.

As players head to dinner, Michael Hawker leads the field with 6,090,000 in chips, good for 152 big blinds when play resumes at Level 23 (20,000/40,000). Muhamet Perati is the only other player at the six million mark, while Greg Merson, the last remaining Main Event champion, sits on 2,050,000 (51 big blinds).

Also still in contention is Rene-Charles Angélil, son of Canadian music icon Celine Dion, who returns from break with 2,770,000 (69 big blinds).

All remaining players have secured at least $45,000, with the next pay jump to $52,500 coming at 287 players. The Main Event resumes at approximately 6:55 p.m. local time and you can follow all of the action in the PokerNews live updates.

Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum has written for various poker outlets but found his home at PokerNews, where he has contributed to various articles and live updates, providing insights and reporting on major poker events, including the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

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