Event #2: $500 Industry Employees No-Limit Hold'em
Day 2 Completed
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #2: $500 Industry Employees No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 2
Event Info
2025 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
$500
Prize Pool
$379,310
Entries
914
Level
30
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
160,000
Entries
138
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 914
Filter
Level 30
: Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
The vibe in the room was electrifying as Phovieng Keokham won the first bracelet of the 2025 World Series of Poker. His joy and excitement was infectious from the moment he eliminated one of the more challenging contenders at the final table, Shaun Colquhoun, in third place after a miracle river card.
From there, Keokham could hardly sit still as he got closer to becoming the champion of Event #2: $500 Industry Employees No-Limit Hold'em. When he defeated runner-up Christopher Zollo in just a few hands, the cheers from his rail were echoing throughout the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
Coming into the final table, Keokham was the shortest stack with only ten big blinds, when he shoved all in against Colquhoun. Keokham's prospects were looking grim, but the tides turned in his favor after catching a straight on the river to earn a pivotal double up to begin the final table.
“When I shoved with queen-jack and the other guy had pocket queens, and I rivered a ten for a straight, that doubled me up and I felt like this [tournament] is mine.”
From there, instead of the player being at risk, he began eliminating his opponents. Keokham took out four final table challengers on his way to claiming the biggest cash of his career ($64,369).
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phovieng Keokham | United States | $64,369 |
| 2 | Christopher Zollo | United States | $42,886 |
| 3 | Shaun Colquhoun | United States | $29,850 |
| 4 | Michael Coombs | United States | $21,126 |
| 5 | Mark Kawamoto | United States | $15,207 |
| 6 | Pedro Green | Dominican Republic | $11,138 |
| 7 | Connor Richards | United States | $8,301 |
| 8 | Rick Muniz | United States | $6,299 |
| 9 | Francois Truong | United States | $4,867 |
Day 2 Action
The final day started with 138 players returning, all guaranteed a minimum payout of $1,006. However, the objective was to take home the largest share of the $402,617 prize pool and the much-coveted WSOP bracelet.
The first few levels of the day whittled the field down fast, as a lot of short stacks were trying to either double up or bust. Unfortunately, one of them was WSOP bracelet winner Chad Holloway, who won this very same event in 2013. He was hoping to capture another bracelet but got eliminated before the first break of the day. Holloway was one of six PokerNews team members in contention, with Connor Richards making it all the way to the final table and a seventh-place finish for $8,301.
The start-of-day chipleader was Colquhoun, who told PokerNews that he was quite confident with his chance to grab a bracelet. Colquhoun was constantly among the top five throughout the day, and entered the final table with a very healthy stack. Having placed fourth in the same tournament in 2022, he hoped to improve on that result. Those hopes were dashed by Keokham’s luck, as the eventual champion outdrew him twice during the final table.
The Final Three
After eliminating Michael Coombs in fourth place, Keokham became unstoppable. Facing Culquhoun once again, Keokham squashed his opponent's dreams of winning the tournament by replicating the events that happened at the start of the final table.
With Culquhoun ahead with a flopped pair of aces, Keokham spiked the river once again to set up a heads-up battle with Zollo.
With just two players remaining, celebrations began as Keokham claimed a third of Zollo’s chips quickly. The newest WSOP bracelet winner needed just one more hand to finish the job, spiking the turn this time to claim victory.
With the win, Keokham intends to have a short celebration as he plans to play numerous events in the series.
“It’s a freeroll for me," he said.
This concludes our live reporting for Event #2: $500 Industry Employees No-Limit Hold'em, but be sure to keep an eye on PokerNews for the rest of the 2025 WSOP.
Level 30
: Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Christopher Zollo's run at a bracelet is over.
Zollo opened from the button to 400,000, but was met with resistance from Phovieng Keokham, who chose to raise 2,000,000 in response to Zollo’s open.
Zollo pondered, then four-bet jammed for 9,880,000. Keokham did not hesitate to call, putting Zollo at risk.
Christopher Zollo: 9♦6♠
Phovieng Keokham: A♦Q♣
Zollo found himself in the lead when the board flopped 9♠10♠4♦, turning the tables on Keokham.
The turn reversed the fortune when the Q♥ put Keokham back into the lead.
Zollo’s tournament run was officially over when the 2♣ flipped over on the river.
Zollo won $42,886 for finishing in second place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
22,825,000
7,800,000
|
7,800,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 30
: Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Phovieng Keokham raised to 480,000 from the button and Christopher Zollo defended out of the big blind.
The J♣J♥K♠ flop checked through to see the 7♦ hit the turn. Zollo checked again and Keokham bet 450,000. Zollo called.
After Zollo checked the 10♠ river, Keokham meticulously carved out a bet of 3,000,000. Zollo pondered over his decision for a while and then made the call.
Keokham turned over trips with Q♣J♠, and Zollo could only muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,025,000
1,800,000
|
1,800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
7,200,000
1,800,000
|
1,800,000 |
Level 30
: Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Christopher Zollo limped the button and Phovieng Keokham checked the big blind.
Both players checked the Q♥5♠A♣ flop to see the Q♦ land on the turn. Keokham led out for 450,000 and Zollo called.
The 6♣ fell on the river and Keokham checked. Zollo bet 950,000, which was enough to take down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,225,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
9,000,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
Level: 30
Blinds: 80,000/160,000
Ante: 160,000
Level 29
: Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
12,975,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
9,250,000
450,000
|
450,000 |
Level 29
: Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Phovieng Keokham and Christopher Zollo are on a break before they play heads up for the $500 Industry Employees title and the first-place prize of $64,365.
Level 29
: Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Shaun Colquhoun made it 375,000 from the small blind and Phovieng Keokham defended out of the big blind.
Colquhoun bet 625,000 on the A♣5♥8♠ flop and Keokham called.
The turn came the 4♥ and Colquhoun checked. Keokham fired out a bet of 1,000,000, which Colquhoun called.
Colquhoun checked for the last time on the 9♣ river and Keokham jammed. The bet was for Colquhoun's remaining 3,100,000, and after just a few moments, Colquhoun called.
Shaun Colquhoun: A♦6♠
Phovieng Keokham: 9♥8♥
Colquhoun had top pair, but was second best to the rivered two pair of Keokham. Colquhoun was out in third and the tournament was now heads-up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
12,975,000
4,275,000
|
4,275,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
8,800,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 29
: Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Shaun Colquhoun kicked it off with a limp from the button for 120,000. Phovieng Keokham came along with a limp from the small blind before Christopher Zollo bumped it up to 520,000.
Both Colquhoun and Zollo came along bloating the pot to over 1,500,000 heading into the flop.
The flop of 2♥K♥5♥ garnered a check from both Keokham and Zollo.
Colquhoun opted to bet, prompting quick folds from Keokham and Zollo.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,700,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
8,300,000
1,300,000
|
1,300,000 |
|
|
6,000,000
1,900,000
|
1,900,000 |
|
|
||
