Michael "Texas Mike" Moncek shows no fear on the felt in any situation, even against big stacks on the money bubble of a high roller.
The University of Texas alum who is not actually from the Longhorn State — he's from Chicago — made an aggressive move on the soft bubble of a $25,000 buy-in tournament at the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) against one of the top tournament players in the world — Stephen Chidwick.
On a flop of 4♣8♠6♠ with a pot of 400,000, Oscar Johansson, on the button, bet half the pot after Eshaan Bhalla, in the big blind, checked the action to him. Bhalla called to see the turn.
Bhalla led out with a 150,000 bet on the 4♦ turn, and after a short stare down, Johansson raised to 300,000. Bhalla took a few seconds before calling.
Bhalla kept the pressure on the river 2♥ which Johansson flat-called. Bhalla said he had a ten but Johansson waited for him to show. Bhalla showed 10♦9♣ for a complete bluff. Johansson tabled A♥A♣ then scooped the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
7,000,000
1,200,000
|
1,200,000 |
|
4,100,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
Aaron Overton raised from the cutoff to 160,000, and Ashton Nikzad three-bet shoved from the small blind for his remaining 1,000,000. Overton snap called.
Ashton Nikzad: K♠10♣
Aaron Overton: Q♥K♣
The board ran out 7♣6♠J♠4♠6♣ which gave no help to Nikzad, who was sent to the rail in 14th place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
4,600,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
|
Busted |
Aaron Overton raised to 160,000 in the cutoff and Mark Jaffe defended in the big blind.
The flop came 2♥7♠7♣ and Jaffe moved all in for 725,000 to put himself at risk. Overton snap called.
Mark Jaffe: A♥2♦
Aaron Overton: K♥K♣
The 10♥ turn and 10♣ river offered no help to Jaffe and his impressive tournament run came to an end.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,500,000
1,020,000
|
1,020,000 |
|
Busted |
Yoann Rubele raised from the cutoff to 125,000, and Mark Jaffe three-bet all in for his last 405,000 from the button. Rubele snap called.
Mark Jaffe: A♣8♣
Yoann Rubele: 4♣4♦
The flop of 3♣5♣Q♠ was not much help for Jaffe and nor was the K♦ on the turn. But when the 8♦ came on the river, Jaffe was pushed the pot after he hit a higher pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,000,000
809,000
|
809,000 |
|
|
850,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
Pablo Mariz limped on the small blind but Eshaan Bhalla defended his blind with a 2,000,000 raise. Mariz snap-called for his tournament life.
Pablo Mariz: 7♣7♥
Eshaan Bhalla: K♠Q♦
Bhalla immediately spiked a pair on the Q♣8♠2♠ giving very little hope for Mariz to stay further in the tournament. The runout J♥3♣ didn't improve Mariz's hand sending him out to the cashier counter.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,200,000
1,300,000
|
1,300,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 27
Blinds: 40,000/80,000
Ante: 80,000
Aaron Overton raised to 120,000 in the cutoff and Mark Jaffe defended in the big blind.
The flop came 7♦J♦K♣ and Jaffe check-called a bet of 80,000 from Overton, bringing the 3♦ turn.
Jaffe check-called again, this time for 320,000 and the river landed the J♣. Jaffe checked for a third time and Overton moved all in for 675,000 to put himself at risk.
After a brief moment of thought, Jaffe made the call and saw the bad news when Overton turned over J♠J♥ for quad jacks. Jaffe mucked and the pot was pushed Overton's way.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,480,000
980,000
|
980,000 |
|
|
855,000
1,110,000
|
1,110,000 |
Oscar Johansson raised to 120,000 from the small blind, only for Tristan Wade in the big blind to three-bet to 400,000. Johansson then four-bet jammed all in for 1,900,000, and Wade snap called.
Tristan Wade: A♣Q♥
Oscar Johansson: Q♠K♥
The flop came A♠J♥8♣, and Wade looked as though he was going to get a double-up. The 2♦ fell on the turn, but then the 10♠ came on the river, which gave Johansson a gutshot straight and eliminated Wade in 17th place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,200,000
2,199,970
|
2,199,970 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
| Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 503 | 1 | Eshaan Bhalla | United States | 6,900,000 | 115 |
| 503 | 2 | David Jackson | United States | 3,400,000 | 57 |
| 503 | 3 | Damarjai Davenport | United States | 8,000,000 | 133 |
| 503 | 4 | Oscar Johansson | Sweden | 2,000,030 | 33 |
| 503 | 5 | Tristan Wade | United States | 1,900,000 | 32 |
| 503 | 6 | Pablo Mariz | Canada | 1,450,000 | 24 |
| 523 | 1 | Dani Genov | United States | 6,800,000 | 58 |
| 523 | 2 | James Leonard | United States | 3,450,000 | 75 |
| 523 | 3 | Christopher Staats | United States | 4,500,000 | 75 |
| 523 | 4 | Dan Larsen | Denmark | 4,500,000 | 45 |
| 523 | 5 | Thomas Boivin | Belgium | 2,700,000 | 82 |
| 523 | 6 | Shundan Xiao | China | 4,900,000 | 33 |
| 513 | 1 | Mark Jaffe | United States | 1,965,000 | 25 |
| 513 | 2 | Yohan Rascar | France | 2,775,000 | 7 |
| 513 | 3 | Aaron Overton | United States | 1,500,000 | 47 |
| 513 | 4 | Ashton Nikzad | United States | 400,000 | 7 |
| 513 | 5 | Yoann Rubele | France | 2,809,000 | 47 |
| 513 | 6 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
8,000,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
||
|
|
6,900,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
6,800,000
1,555,000
|
1,555,000 |
|
4,900,000
1,200,000
|
1,200,000 |
|
4,500,000
750,000
|
750,000 |
|
||
|
4,500,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
3,450,000 | |
|
||
|
3,400,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
2,809,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
2,775,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
2,700,000
343,000
|
343,000 |
|
|
2,000,030
379,970
|
379,970 |
|
|
1,965,000
630,000
|
630,000 |
|
|
1,900,000
835,000
|
835,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,500,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
1,450,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
|
|
400,000
910,000
|
910,000 |
