Event #18: $10,000 Dealers Choice 6-Handed Championship Day 2 | 2025 World Series of Poker

Jun 04, 2025

Kelsall Has Hellmuth Fuming Over a Chop

David Salituro

Level 18

Limit Flop/Draw: 10,000-20,000, 20,000-40,000 Limits
Stud Games: 5,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 20,000 Completion 20,000-40,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 10,000/15,000 Ante, 5,000-10,000 Blinds

A-5 Triple Draw

Phil Hellmuth drew one on the first draw and bet from the cutoff as Andrew Kelsall called on the button after taking two.

Hellmuth stood pat and bet again as Kelsall drew one and called. Hellmuth again patted the last draw and bet.

Kelsall took one and came back with a raise. Hellmuth then reraised and Kelsall put in another raise. Hellmuth shot out of his seat as he called and both players turned over a wheel to chop the pot.

"This f**king guy. It's insane how bad he plays against me," Hellmuth fumed.

"I shouldn't play a wheel draw?" Kelsall replied.

Tags: Andrew Kelsall Phil Hellmuth

Level: 18

Limit Flop/Draw: 10,000-20,000, 20,000-40,000 Limits
Stud Games: 5,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 20,000 Completion 20,000-40,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 10,000/15,000 Ante, 5,000-10,000 Blinds

Jun 04, 2025

Final Break

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Brett Slezak

Level 17

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limits
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

The final 18 are going on their final 15-minute break of the night before the final level of play.

Jun 04, 2025

Guagenti Virtually Doubles

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Brett Slezak

Level 17

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limits
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

Stud Hi-Lo

Action was picked up on fifth street in a hand between Naoya Kihara and Nick Guagenti.

Naoya Kihara: XxXx / A♥10♣2♠2♥ / Xx
Nick Guagenti: XxXx / A♠6♥9♦8♥ / Xx

Kihara led on fifth, Guagenti raised, and Kihara called. Kihara check-called on sixth.

On seventh, Kihara checked to Guagenti who moved all-in for 14,000, less than half a big bet, and Kihara painfully laid it down.

Tags: Naoya Kihara Nick Guagenti

Jun 04, 2025

Kelsall Draws Perfect in Three-Way Pot

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David Salituro

Level 17

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limits
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

A-5 Triple Draw

Allan Le bet on the first draw and Aaron Mermelstein raised under the gun. Andrew Kelsall called, while Le made it three bets. Both opponents called.

Kelsall and Mermelstein both took one and Le stood pat. Le then bet and Kelsall and Mermelstein called.

Le again patted the last draw, while Kelsall and Mermelstein took one more. Kelsall led out with a bet, Le called, while Mermelstein folded.

Kelsall showed 5x4x3x2xAx for a wheel and Le mucked.

"AJ, you know you're going to win the tournament, right?" Nick Guagenti said as he wandered over from another table.

"I already announced it back when I had 60K," Kelsall replied.

Tags: Aaron Mermelstein Allan Le Andrew Kelsall

Jun 04, 2025

Sternheimer Gets It Back From Smith

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David Salituro

Level 17

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limits
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

Badeucy

Dylan Smith raised under the gun and Philip Sternheimer reraised on the button. Smith made it four bets and Sternheimer called.

Smith took one and Sternheimer two. Smith then bet, Sternheimer raised, and Smith called.

Both players drew one on the second draw and Sternheimer bet. Smith called and they each took one again. Sternheimer put out another bet and Smith again called.

Sternheimer turned over K♣6♥4♣3♠2♦ and Smith mucked.

Tags: Dylan Smith Philip Sternheimer

Jun 04, 2025

Smith Wins Without Showdown

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Brett Slezak

Level 17

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limits
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

Badeucey

Dylan Smith raised from the button and Philip Sternheimer defended his big blind.

Both took three before Sternheimer led, Smith raised, Sternheimer three-bet, Smith made it four bets, and Sternheimer called.

Sternheimer took one and check-called after Smith was pat.

Sternheimer took one again and check-folded to a final bet from Smith.

Tags: Dylan Smith Philip Sternheimer

Jun 04, 2025

Betil Gets Paid by Alioto

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David Salituro

Level 17

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limits
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw

Dario Alioto raised to 18,000 on the button and Bariscan Betil called in the small blind.

Betil then led out for 100,000 after the draw and Alioto snap-called. Betil showed 9x7x6x5x4x and Alioto mucked.

Tags: Bariscan Betil Dario Alioto

Jun 04, 2025

Zack Takes From Cantu

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Brett Slezak

Level 17

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limits
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

Razz

Brandon Cantu completed, Daniel Zack raised, and Cantu called.

Brandon Cantu: XxXx / 4x6x7xJx / Xx
Daniel Zack: 5x2x / AxAx8x6x / Kx

Cantu led on fourth and fifth and was called.

Cantu check-called on sixth and the action checked through on seventh. Zack tabled his eight-six which was good as he dragged a modest pot.

Tags: Brandon Cantu Daniel Zack

Jun 04, 2025

Final Three Tables

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David Salituro

Level 17

Limit Flop/Draw: 8,000-15,000, 15,000-30,000 Limits
Stud Games: 3,000 Ante, 5,000 Bring-In, 15,000 Completion 15,000-30,000 Limits
No-Limit & Pot-Limit: 8,000/12,000 Ante, 4,000-8,000 Blinds

Table	Seat	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Bets
666	1	Gus Hansen	Denmark	320,000	11
666	2	Matthew Vengrin	United States	660,000	22
666	3	Naoya Kihara	Japan	410,000	14
666	4	Nick Guagenti	United States	200,000	7
666	5	Dario Alioto	Italy	420,000	14
666	6	Bariscan Betil	United States	600,000	20

667	1	Dylan Smith	United States	475,000	16
667	2	Koji Fujimoto	Japan	135,000	5
667	3	Adam Friedman	United States	345,000	12
667	4	Philip Sternheimer	United Kingdom	590,000	20
667	5	Brandon Cantu	United States	445,000	15
667	6	Daniel Zack	United States	665,000	22

668	1	Jon Turner	United States	720,000	24
668	2	Phil Hellmuth	United States	340,000	11
668	3	Andrew Kelsall	United States	180,000	6
668	4	Allan Le	United States	440,000	15
668	5	Aaron Mermelstein	United States	410,000	14
668	6	Ryan Hoenig	United States	1,100,000	37