Event #9: $100,000 Triton Main Event | 2025 WSOP Paradise

12-11-2025 15:43 UTC-5

Why Did This Poker Player Pull a Gun on His Opponent? | PokerNews Podcast #929

Chad Holloway

Level 24 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

In the 929th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Hayley Hanna and Steven Jones, the latter having recently finished third place in Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2. He talks about that experience and what it's been like to become a reality TV show star.

The crew then discusses recent developments in the home game fight between Maurice Hawkins and the aggressor Eugene Castaneda. That includes surveillance footage that shows both men going to their respective cars, where Eugene admitted that he retrieved a firearm. From there, it's a recap of Hustler Casino Live’s Million Dollar Marathon that included a $2.1 million cooler, backlash over the WSOP+ App's new ICM feature and a chop at the WSOP Paradise, and Sam Soverel's bracelet win.

Finally, learn about recent winners from the WSOP Paradise, WPT World Championship, and the PokerStars EPT Prague, where Yulian Bogdanov has already claimed two titles!

Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! Oh, and be sure to check out the audio version of the PokerNews Podcast that is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!

12-11-2025 15:34 UTC-5

Updated Counts

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Calum Grant

Level 24 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Pedro Padilha	12,750,000 225,000	225,000
Aleksejs Ponakovs	11,075,000 1,025,000	1,025,000

Manuel Fritz	7,100,000 900,000	900,000
Adrian Mateos	6,075,000 1,200,000	1,200,000

Jean-Noel Thorel	5,900,000 100,000	100,000
Eelis Parssinen	5,050,000 550,000	550,000

Jason Koon	3,075,000 125,000	125,000

Yang Wang	2,950,000 500,000	500,000
Klemens Roiter	2,850,000 700,000	700,000

Ye Wang	2,450,000 850,000	850,000

12-11-2025 15:28 UTC-5

Round Two Between Koon and Fritz

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Calum Grant

Level 24 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Manuel Fritz opened to 400,000 from the hijack and Jason Koon defended his big blind.

Koon check-called for 550,000 on the A♣J♦7♦ flop, bringing in the board-pairing J♠ turn. Koon led out for 550,000 and Fritz called.

The A♦ river double-paired the board and completed flush draws. The action checked through to showdown where both players tabled flushes, but Fritz's K♦9♦ took the pot over Koon's 5♦2♦.

Player	Chips	Progress
Manuel Fritz	6,200,000 1,800,000	1,800,000
Jason Koon	3,200,000 1,675,000	1,675,000

Tags: Jason Koon Manuel Fritz

12-11-2025 15:22 UTC-5

Parssinen Holds to Double Through Wang

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Tyler Boyer

Level 24 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Action folded to Ye Wang in the small blind, and he moved all in for the big blind Eelis Parssinen's stack of 2,225,000. He gave it some thought and made the call to put himself at risk.

Eelis Parssinen: 5♠5♦ All in
Ye Wang: A♠6♥

It was a flip with Parssinen ahead with his pocket fives, and he improved to set after the 2♦3♥5♣ flop, with Wang picking up a straight draw. But the 2♣ on the turn locked things up with a full house, and J♣ on the river gave the double-up to Parssinen.

Player	Chips	Progress
Eelis Parssinen	4,500,000 2,175,000	2,175,000

Ye Wang	3,300,000 2,075,000	2,075,000

Tags: Eelis Parssinen Ye Wang

12-11-2025 15:16 UTC-5

Updated Counts

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Calum Grant

Level 24 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Pedro Padilha	12,525,000 50,000	50,000
Aleksejs Ponakovs	12,100,000 250,000	250,000

Jean-Noel Thorel	5,800,000 375,000	375,000
Ye Wang	5,375,000 100,000	100,000

Adrian Mateos	4,875,000 600,000	600,000

Jason Koon	4,875,000 25,000	25,000

Manuel Fritz	4,400,000 400,000	400,000
Klemens Roiter	3,550,000 750,000	750,000

Yang Wang	3,450,000 400,000	400,000
Eelis Parssinen	2,325,000 325,000	325,000

Level: 24

Blinds: 100,000/200,000

Ante: 200,000

12-11-2025 15:13 UTC-5

Fritz Makes a Good Call

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Calum Grant

Level 23 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Jason Koon shoved from the small blind and Manuel Fritz called off his 1,925,000 stack from the big blind after some thought.

Manuel Fritz: K♣9♥ All in
Jason Koon: K♠2♠

Fritz was in a great shape and had the hand locked up on the turn, with the final board reading Q♦9♣3♦Q♣10♦.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Koon	4,900,000 2,000,000	2,000,000

Manuel Fritz	4,000,000 1,625,000	1,625,000

Tags: Jason Koon Manuel Fritz

12-11-2025 15:05 UTC-5

Mateos Leads the Flop

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Tyler Boyer

Level 23 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Pedro Padilha raised to 325,000 from the button with A♠5♦, and Adrian Mateos called in the small blind with A♣9♣.

The flop came J♦J♣9♠ and Mateos decided to lead out for a bet of 300,000 with his pair of nines, and Padilha quickly mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pedro Padilha	12,475,000 400,000	400,000
Adrian Mateos	5,475,000 575,000	575,000

Tags: Pedro Padilha Adrian Mateos

12-11-2025 15:01 UTC-5

Thorel Delivers Huge Beat to Mateos

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Calum Grant

Level 23 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Jean-Noel Thorel opened to 300,000 from the hijack and Adrian Mateos defended his big blind.

On the J♥8♣8♠ flop, Mateos check-raised to 725,000 over a bet of 300,000. Thorel snap-jammed for 2,675,000 and was quickly called.

Jean-Noel Thorel: 6♠6♥ All in
Adrian Mateos: A♦8♥

Thorel was in a world of hurt, but became the huge favorite, finding a miracle 6♣ turn to make a full house. Mateos needed his trips to turn into a boat, but the K♣ river gave Thorel the unlikely double.

Mateos, ever the professional, didn't even flinch.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jean-Noel Thorel	6,175,000 2,775,000	2,775,000
Adrian Mateos	4,900,000 3,150,000	3,150,000

Tags: Adrian Mateos Jean-Noel Thorel

12-11-2025 14:57 UTC-5

King-High Good for Padilha

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Tyler Boyer

Level 23 : Blinds 75,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Action folded to Aleksejs Ponakovs in the small blind, who limped in with J♠9♥. Pedro Padilha checked his option with K♠9♠ in the big blind.

After the 7♥10♦A♦ flop, Padilha called a bet of 150,000 from Ponakovs.

The turn brought the 3♦, and both players checked to the 4♦ on the river. Ponakovs then checked to Padilha, who checked back and saw that his king-high was good.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pedro Padilha	12,875,000 350,000	350,000
Aleksejs Ponakovs	11,850,000 75,000	75,000

Tags: Pedro Padilha Aleksejs Ponakovs