Event #56: $500 Salute to Warriors | 2023 World Series of Poker

06-27-2023 12:09 UTC-7

Alawadhi Carves Up Butcher

Yori Epskamp

Level 37 : Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante

Ali Alawadhi opened to 2,200,000 in the cutoff and Will Butcher defended the big blind. Both players checked the J♣J♥6♠ flop. Butcher checked the K♦ on the turn, Alawadhi bet 2,000,000, and Butcher called.

The river was the 8♥ and Alawadhi bet 4,000,000 after a check. Butcher called but was shown the bad news as Alawadhi tabled J♦9♥ for trip jacks.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Alawadhi	58,000,000 7,000,000	7,000,000
William Butcher	15,500,000 -5,500,000	-5,500,000

Tags: Ali Alawadhi Will Butcher

06-27-2023 12:05 UTC-7

Alawadhi Doubles Through Locatelli in Massive Blind Versus Blind Confrontation

Chris Land

Level 37 : Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante

Action folded to Raffaello Locatelli in the small blind who limped. Ali Alawadhi answered raising to 2,400,000 from the big blind. Locatelli paused briefly before announcing all in and seeing a snap-call from Alawadhi, putting himself at risk and sending the pair to a runout.

Ali Alawadhi: A♦A♠
Raffaello Locatelli: A♥K♠

In what quickly became a massive blind versus blind confrontation with over 50,000,000 chips in the middle, the board ran out 8♦3♠5♣3♦A♣ to secure a huge double for Alawadhi and catapult him to the top of the chip counts.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Alawadhi	51,000,000 31,700,000	31,700,000
Raffaello Locatelli	11,000,000 -26,600,000	-26,600,000

Tags: Ali Alawadhi Raffaello Locatelli

06-27-2023 11:58 UTC-7

Elisofon Doubles Through Gall

Yori Epskamp

Level 37 : Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante

David Elisofon (middle) and Kelly Gall (right)

Raffaello Locatelli made it 2,000,000 to go in early position. David Elisofon three-bet shoved 11,600,000 from the small blind, Kelly Gall reshoved from the big blind, and Locatelli got out of the way.

David Elisofon: 8♣8♥
Kelly Gall: A♣10♣

Elisofon's pair held up during the 9♠4♣3♠J♥5♠ rundown to keep nine players at the table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Raffaello Locatelli	37,600,000 7,900,000	7,900,000
David Elisofon	27,200,000 8,300,000	8,300,000
Kelly Gall	23,000,000 -7,200,000	-7,200,000

Tags: David Elisofon Kelly Gall Raffaello Locatelli

06-27-2023 11:54 UTC-7

Butcher and the Blades

Yori Epskamp

Level 37 : Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante

In the previous hand, Will Butcher open-shoved a little over 10,000,000 from under the gun and received no callers. In the next hand, Ryan Stephens raised to 2,000,000 from under the gun and Butcher defended the big blind.

Butcher check-called 1,000,000 from Stephens on a K♣5♣5♦ flop before both players checked the 3♠ on the turn. On the 3♦ river, Butcher led for 4,500,000 and Stephens followed with a call.

Butcher tabled A♠A♣ for aces and fives and Stephens mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ryan Stephens	23,600,000 -4,400,000	-4,400,000

William Butcher	21,000,000 10,400,000	10,400,000

Tags: Ryan Stephens Will Butcher

Level: 37

Blinds: 500,000/1,000,000

Ante: 1,000,000

06-27-2023 11:46 UTC-7

Alexander Doubles Through Alawadhi

Chris Land

Level 36 : Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

Action folded to Dejuante Alexander on the button who jammed for 6,400,000. Ali Alawadhi called from the big blind to send the pair to a runout with Alexander at risk.

Dejuante Alexander: 7♦7♠
Ali Alawadhi: A♥9♦

The board ran out 8♠7♠4♠4♥2♦, securing a full double for Alexander.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Alawadhi	19,300,000 -15,700,000	-15,700,000
Dejuante Alexander	13,200,000 600,000	600,000

Tags: Ali Alawadhi Dejuante Alexander

06-27-2023 11:45 UTC-7

Stephens Takes A Big One Off Butcher

Chris Land

Level 36 : 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

William Butcher raised to 2,100,000 from middle position and Ryan Stephens called from late position to see a A♦2♥J♠ flop.

Butcher continued with a bet of 2,000,000, which Stephens called to bring out the K♥ on the turn.

Butcher counted out another bet, this time in the amount of 4,300,000. Stephens thought briefly before tossing in the call to take the duo to the Q♦ river.

Both players checked through to showdown and when Stephens turned up the A♥Q♣, Butcher slid his cards toward the muck as the dealer pushed the pot in Stephens' direction.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ryan Stephens	28,000,000 11,000,000	11,000,000

William Butcher	10,600,000 -10,900,000	-10,900,000

Tags: Ryan Stephens William Butcher

06-27-2023 11:36 UTC-7

Genovese in Control

Yori Epskamp

Level 36 : Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

Supported by friends and family on the rail, Steven Genovese has been one of the early standouts at the final table. After a few raise-and-take-its, where he showed both ace-king and pocket queens, Genovese got involved in another hand.

This time, he raised to 1,900,000 in middle position and Ryan Stephens three-bet to 5,100,000 in late position. Genovese took a stack of T-500,000 chips worth 10 million, stuck a 1 million chip on top of it, and slid it forward next to his original raise for a bet totaling 12,900,000.

Stephens briefly considered it before folding.

Player	Chips	Progress
Steven Genovese	34,000,000 19,800,000	19,800,000

Ryan Stephens	17,000,000 -22,600,000	-22,600,000

Tags: Ryan Stephens Steven Genovese

06-27-2023 11:28 UTC-7

Final Table Photos

Yori Epskamp

Photos by Matthew Berglund - PokerNews/WSOP

06-27-2023 11:14 UTC-7

Alawadhi Gets the Best of Hicham

Chris Land

Level 36 : Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

Youssef Hicham raised from early position to 1,600,000 and got called by Ali Alawadhi in the big blind to bring out a 8♦7♥10♦ flop.

Alawadhi checked over to Hichamwho continued with a bet of 1,900,000. Alawadhi called and the pair headed to the A♦ turn card.

Alawadhi checked again and Hichamput another bet out, this time for 4,300,000. Alawadhi called once again to take both players to the 2♦ river.

Alawadhi paused briefly before jamming to put Hicham at risk. Hichamcounted his chips and checked his cards a few times during a minute or two long tank. Eventually, he opted to let it go and concede the pot to Alawadhi.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Alawadhi	35,000,000 9,300,000	9,300,000
Youssef Hicham	10,600,000 400,000	400,000

Tags: Ali Alawadhi Youssef Hicham