button in Safari$102,000 Onyx SHRS PLO Invitational
Day 2 Completed
2025 Onyx Super High Roller Series
$102,000 Onyx SHRS PLO Invitational
Day: 2
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Final Table
1
23,400,000
Level 15
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
The stage is set for the final day of the $102,000 Onyx SHRS PLO Invitational at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa. After two days of cards-up action and some of the highest-stakes Omaha ever played in a tournament setting, the original field of 79 entries has been reduced to just nine finalists. They will now return to battle for the trophy, the title, and a share of the $7,663,000 prize pool, with the eventual champion set to collect a massive $1,923,000.
Leading the way is "Dubai Police", who stormed through Day 2 and bagged up a towering 23,400,000, well ahead of the chasing pack. His nearest rivals are Cong Pham (14,000,000) and Laszlo Bujtas (11,525,000), both of whom have been consistent forces throughout the event.
Unofficial Final Table Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubai Police | United Arab Emirates | 23,400,000 | 187 |
| 2 | Cong Pham | United States | 14,000,000 | 112 |
| 3 | Laszlo Bujtas | Hungary | 11,525,000 | 92 |
| 4 | Samuli Sipila | Finland | 9,075,000 | 73 |
| 5 | Martin Dam | Denmark | 6,425,000 | 51 |
| 6 | Ben Lamb | United States | 5,000,000 | 40 |
| 7 | Robert Cowen | United Kingdom | 4,800,000 | 38 |
| 8 | Sergei Nesterenko | Russia | 3,300,000 | 26 |
| 9 | Lautaro Guerra | Spain | 2,300,000 | 18 |
Samuli Sipila (9,075,000) and Martin Dam (6,425,000) find themselves in the middle of the pack, while proven names such as Ben Lamb (5,000,000) and Robert Cowen (4,800,000) will look to use their big-game experience to climb the ladder. Sergei Nesterenko (3,300,000) and Lautaro Guerra (2,300,000) round out the lineup, and although they bring back the shorter stacks, both are dangerous operators capable of making a run.
With the field trimmed to nine, the invitees and pros will now sit side by side at a single table as the Invitational plays down to a winner. The lineup is packed with quality, and with stacks still deep, plenty of play remains before the trophy is lifted.
Day 2 Action
At the start of the day, Mikalai Vaskaboinikau held an enormous stack of over 10,000,000, which would have been good enough for fourth place had he made the final table. Instead, his run came to an end at the hands of eventual chip leader "Dubai Police".
With just 13 places in the money, many expected a tense and drawn-out bubble. Instead, it was over in an instant. On the very first hand of hand-for-hand play, Stanislau Melhui flopped a set of tens and moved all in, only to discover that Pham had flopped an even bigger set with pocket aces. Just like that, the bubble burst and the payouts were underway.
Pham continued his hot streak by eliminating Biao Ding before Armin Ghojehvand fell to Lamb. Nick Schulman was then part of a three-way all-in against Cowen and Dam, but came out third best and was eliminated just short of the final table.
It was none other than Poker Hall of Famer Phil Ivey who suffered the unluckiest blow, bubbling the final table when his flopped set of nines was cracked by the rivered flush of "Dubai Police." That hand locked in the final nine and set the stage for Thursday’s finale.
Remaining Payouts
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,923,000 |
| 2 | $1,340,000 |
| 3 | $950,000 |
| 4 | $725,000 |
| 5 | $565,000 |
| 6 | $450,000 |
| 7 | $370,000 |
| 8 | $305,000 |
| 9 | $255,000 |
All nine finalists are now guaranteed a payout of $255,000, while a spot on the podium is worth at least $950,000. The top two will both earn seven-figure prizes, with the eventual champion set to walk away with $1,923,000 and the $102,000 Onyx SHRS PLO Invitational title.
Cards will be back in the air at 2 p.m. local time on Thursday, August 22, with the final table streamed on a 30-minute delay for fans around the world on OnyxLiveTV. Blinds resume with around 12 minutes remaining in Level 15 (50,000/125,000/125,000).
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all the updates and to see who will claim the title.
Level 15
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
23,400,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
||
|
14,000,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
11,525,000
75,000
|
75,000 |
|
9,075,000
1,875,000
|
1,875,000 |
|
6,425,000
925,000
|
925,000 |
|
5,000,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
||
|
4,800,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
3,300,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
2,300,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
|
||
Level 15
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
With 9 players remaining, Day 2 has come to an end as the final table is set.
Stay tuned for a recap of the day's action and the chip counts.
Level 15
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
"Dubai Police" opened the cutoff to 400,000 and Phil Ivey called on the button.
The flop came 7♥9♥4♣ and after "Dubai Police" checked, Ivey potted it. "Dubai Police" then shoved, and Ivey called off his stack of just a few more chips.
Phil Ivey: 10x10x9x9x 
"Dubai Police": A♥Q♥7♦5♦
Ivey had flopped a set, but needed to fade the combo draw of "Dubai Police". The 8♦ on the turn added a straight draw for Ivey, one that he hit on the J♥ river, but unfortunately that same card gave "Dubai Police" the nut flush, ending Ivey's run in tenth.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
23,500,000
5,000,000
|
5,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 15
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Nick Schulman opened the hijack and Martin Dam called in the cutoff. Robert Cowen then potted the button for his stack of 1,575,000. Schulman committed his stack of around 2,500,000, and Dam called to put both at risk,
Robert Cowen: A♠A♥8♠6♦
Nick Schulman:; A♦Q♠10♠5♦
Martin Dam: K♦K♠7♥5♠
Dam had a chance to eliminate two opponents in one go, but had to crack the aces of Cowen to do that.
A 10♣3♣J♥ flop did give Schulman some outs, but the 3♥ turn was a great card for Cowen. Nothing changed on the 9♦ river, which meant Cowen tripled up and Schulman was out in 11th.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,500,000
1,500,000
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
4,700,000
3,300,000
|
3,300,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 15
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Ben Lamb opened from under the gun and Laszlo Bujtas called on the button. Armin Ghojehvand then shoved from the big blind for 925,000, and Lamb potted it. Bujtas folded.
Armin Ghojehvand: A♠Q♥7♣4♠
Ben Lamb: A♦K♠10♠5♠
Ghojehvand found a decent flop on 4♦6♠5♥ as he made a pair and picked up a straight draw. However, the J♠J♣ runout meant he was out in 12th.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
11,600,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
|
5,200,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 15
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
18,500,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
14,500,000
5,100,000
|
5,100,000 |
|
|
12,000,000
5,000,000
|
5,000,000 |
|
|
7,200,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
|
7,000,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
3,900,000 | |
|
|
3,800,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,700,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,100,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,800,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,400,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,000,000
1,600,000
|
1,600,000 |
Level 15
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
"Dubai Police" limped in from the small blind and called a raise of 375,000 from Phil Ivey in the big blind.
The flop came Q♠7♠8♣ and once it checked to him, Ivey bet 400,000. "Dubai Police" then raised, which got a snap-fold from Ivey.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
18,000,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,400,000
1,300,000
|
1,300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,800,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
|
||
Level 15
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Ben Lamb opened to 350,000 from the hiajck and Sergei Nesterenko called in the small blind. Cong Pham also called from the button.
On the J♦2♣Q♠ flop, Lamb continued for 475,000 and Nesterenko shoved 2,300,000. Pham and Lamb both folded.
On the other table at the same time, Phil Ivey limped the button and then called a raise of 425,000 from Martin Dam in the big blind.
Dam's bet of 450,000 did the trick on the A♦2♦8♠ flop as Ivey folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,200,000
750,000
|
750,000 |
|
|
4,600,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
3,900,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
|
3,700,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
||
