Event #2: $500 Industry Employees No-Limit Hold'em Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

05-28-2025 00:40 UTC-8

Zavodnik River Bet Forces Imperial to Fold

Gabrielle Barredo

Level 15 : Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Joseph Imperial opened to 12,000 and got called solely by Eric Zavodnik in cutoff taking both players to the flop.

Imperial continued with 9,000 on the 6♠5♥2♣ flop and got called by Zavodnik again. Action slowed down on the Q♦ turn as both players checked.

Imperial looked alternately between the board and his chips taking his time to consider his next move. He fired 17,000. It was Zavodnik's turn to mull over the situation, unmoving except for the shuffling of his chips. He raised to 65,000.

Imperial stared at Zavodnik for some time before conceding his hand and the pot to his opponent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Eric Zavodnik	315,000 283,000	283,000
Joseph Imperial	240,000

Tags: Eric Zavodnik Joseph Imperial

05-28-2025 00:46 UTC-8

Vournas Sends Smith to the Rail

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Erick Torres

Level 15 : Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

John Arbe opened the action with a raise from early position to 11,000.

Alex Smith responded with a jam for 40,000. Action folded to John Vournas in late position who called. Arbe got out of the fray with a fold.

Alex Smith: A♥Q♠ All in
John Vournas: 10♠10♣

Smith had overcards, but was unable to improve on the board of K♣9♥10♦3♣9♦ eliminating him from the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Vournas	405,000 208,500	208,500
John Arbe	249,000
Alex Smith	Busted

Tags: Alex Smith John Arbe John Vournas

05-28-2025 00:51 UTC-8

Final Break of the Day

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Erick Torres

Level 15 : Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Players are now on a 10-minute break. Play will resume at the 4,000/8,000/8,000 blind level.

The bubble looms as there are three eliminations left before players are in the money. The minimum cash for the $500 Industry Employees is $1006.

Level: 16

Blinds: 3,000/6,000

Ante: 6,000

05-28-2025 00:58 UTC-8

Updated Eliminations

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Erick Torres

Level 16 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Kenneth Cheung	Busted
Jason Montez	Busted
Samuel Summers	Busted
Vincent Ikeh	Busted
Jaeli Moron	Busted
Tamara Hanna	Busted
Mark Nagal	Busted
Michael Solis	Busted
Leandra Tanner	Busted
Takako Adams	Busted

05-28-2025 01:03 UTC-8

Play is Now Hand for Hand

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Erick Torres

Level 16 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

The $500 Industry Employees is now hand for hand as players are two eliminations away from the money.

05-28-2025 01:48 UTC-8

Franklin Cracks Foust’s Kings with Flopped Trips

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Gabrielle Barredo

Level 16 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Raymond Franklin raised to 15,000 and Aaron Foust responded with an all-in shove. Franklin made the call putting Foust's tournament life on the line. While waiting for the other tables to finish their hand and for the board to be dealt, Foust was talking with the poker-faced Franklin saying, "You know I've got a big hand."

But Franklin waited without showing any emotion. Finally the hands were tabled.

Aaron Foust: K♣K♥ All in
Raymond Franklin: A♠K♦

Franklin let out a cheer when the dealer flopped A♥A♦Q♥ leaving Foust to hope for a miracle to stay in the tournament. The J♠ turn and 4♥ river dropped without improving Foust's hand. Foust hit the rails as Franklin boosted his chip stack almost assured of moving into Day 2.

With Foust eliminated, there was only one player left before the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Raymond Franklin	286,000 235,500	235,500
Aaron Foust	Busted

Tags: Aaron Foust Raymond Franklin

05-28-2025 01:49 UTC-8

McCann Bursts Bubble with Rivered Straight

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Gabrielle Barredo

Level 16 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Action was picked up with Hergi Muci all-in for 23,000 and at risk against Keegan Mccann. While waiting for the showdown, McCann assured Muci that he was probably good as he only looked at one card before making the call. "If you have an ace, you're good."

But Muci replied in the negative, evoking surprise from McCann, "No? I have a king."

Ending the suspense of what both players held, the tournament director asked for the hands to be tabled.

Hergi Muci: J♥J♦ All in
Keegan McCann: K♣5♦

Muci's jacks held on the flop 6♥4♠7♣ but gave McCann more outs with an added open-ended straight draw. Almost assured of a double up, Muci cheered when the J♣ dropped improving his hand further with a turned set.

The tables turned when the river 8♠ was dealt, completing McCann's straight, leaving Muci surprised as he left the floor one spot short of a payday.

Player	Chips	Progress
Keegan Mccann	489,000 489,000	489,000
Hergi Muci	Busted

Tags: Hergi Muci Keegan McCann

05-28-2025 01:49 UTC-8

Players Bag Signaling End of First Day

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Erick Torres

Level 16 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

The first day of the $500 Industry Employees event has concluded. The remaining 138 players have made it into the money.

Stay tuned for a recap here at PokerNews.

05-28-2025 02:49 UTC-8

End of Day 1 Chip Counts (full)

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Josh Noy

Level 16 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Shaun Colquhoun	895,000

Andrew Vodinh	686,000 270,000	270,000
John Vournas	593,000 188,000	188,000
Rick Muniz	515,000 433,000	433,000
Konstantin Polin	507,000 507,000	507,000
Keegan Mccann	489,000
Miguel Cardenas	460,000 353,000	353,000
Keith Williams	394,000 394,000	394,000
Angelo Perez	385,000 385,000	385,000
Austin Hortaleza	365,000 155,000	155,000
Jordan Russell	365,000 365,000	365,000
Claudio Elizalde	360,000 360,000	360,000
Philip Restivo	359,000 257,000	257,000
Stacy Kimbrel	356,000
Pedro Green	354,000 354,000	354,000
Connor Richards	351,000 325,000	325,000
Eric Zavodnik	347,000 32,000	32,000
Phovieng Keokham	338,000 137,000	137,000

Thomas Stokes	338,000 213,500	213,500
Timothy Ferreira	318,000 318,000	318,000
James Derosa	308,000 133,000	133,000
Matthew Morris	305,000 121,000	121,000
Roger Molnar	302,000 302,000	302,000
Erik Mason	301,000 301,000	301,000
Louis Grasse	300,000 300,000	300,000

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