Event #23: $1,500 Badugi
Day 3 Completed
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #23: $1,500 Badugi
Day: 3
Event Info
2025 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$708,885
Entries
534
Level
30
Limits
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
0
Entries
7
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 534
Filter
Level 30
: Limits 150,000/300,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 75,000-150,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Two years ago Aloisio Dourado found himself in a spot few poker players ever reach. Dourado was heads-up with a small lead over Shaun Deeb in the $1,500 eight-game mix event with what would have been his first WSOP gold bracelet on the line. That night Dourado had to settle for second place, after Deeb hit running cards to crack Dourado’s pocket queens and win his sixth bracelet, while denying Dourado his first.
Today at the 2025 World Series of Poker at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, Dourado found himself in familiar territory, heads-up for the bracelet with the chip lead in Event #23: $1,500 Badugi. This time Dourado made the most of the opportunity, defeating Dominick Sarle heads-up to win his first WSOP gold bracelet and $138,114 in the largest Badugi tournament ever held.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aloisio Dourado | Brazil | $138,114 |
| 2 | Dominick Sarle | United States | $92,058 |
| 3 | James Newberry | United States | $61,061 |
| 4 | Jonathan Glendinning | United States | $41,462 |
| 5 | David Margolis | United States | $28,838 |
| 6 | Anthony Arvidson | United States | $20,558 |
Winner's Reaction
“It means a lot to me” an emotional Dourado said following his victory. “I’m feeling very fortunate to be here, to be able to play and to be able to fly from Brazil three years in a row, trying to win a bracelet. I came second to Shaun Deeb two years ago in the eight-game mix, and was ready to come here and do it again. I made the final table and this time I was able to close it out and win it, so I’m very happy.”
The majority of Dourado’s live tournament results come from mixed game formats and he commented on how the lighter, friendlier atmosphere can be more inviting.
“I think that the atmosphere with No-Limit Hold’em, the bots that play, it’s not nice playing with ten robots who don’t speak, don’t smile, don’t do anything. It’s not inviting to play, for new players and old players. I really like the mixed games, especially the draw games.”
Dourado enjoyed enthusiastic support from his countrymen on the rail, who cheered him on each time he dragged in a pot at the final table.
“It helps a lot. I think it might have messed with my opponents head a little bit, no disrespect, I think that having a big Brazilian rail there made them a little shaky.”
Final Day Action
The third and final day began with just seven returning players from a field of 534. Dourado had the chip lead to start but Sarle and Matthew Schreiber were right behind him. Sarle took the chip lead in the early levels while Schreiber found no momentum and after paying off Dourado’s seven badugi he was left short stacked. Schreiber never recovered and soon after he became the first casualty of the day. Anthony Arvidson fell not long after to Sarle who extended his lead over Dourado, who was still his nearest rival.
With five players remaining Dourado won a pivotal hand from Sarle to narrowly reclaim the chip lead, after forcing Sarle to break a pat hand after the second draw. Sarle still bet after drawing one and then called a raise, only to see the bad news as Dourado tabled a five-badugi. Sarle and Dourado went back-and-forth for the chip lead multiple times before Sarle dispatched David Margolis in fifth to once again extend his lead over Dourado.
It didn’t take long for Dourado to catch back up after eliminating Jonathan Glendinning in fourth place. Following that hand, Dourado, Sarle and James Newberry were extremely close and it clearly anyone’s game to win. From this point on momentum was on Dourado’s side and he got paid off with big hands several times from both opponents.
Victory was in sight for Dourado, who had nearly two thirds of the chips in play with three players remaining, but Sarle began to mount an impressive comeback, winning three hands in quick succession from Dourado to start closing the gap. Newberry could not find similar success and was out in third soon after.
Dourado entered heads-up play with nearly a 3:1 chip lead over Sarle and he quickly chipped away at Sarle, extending that lead to over 5:1 in just a few hands. Sarle had to make a move and after making a jack-badugi on the third draw he got the rest of the chips in only to run into Dourado’s six-badugi. Dourado nearly jumped out of his seat and rushed over to his friends on the rail to celebrate the emotional victory.
That concludes the PokerNews coverage for this event but be sure to check out our live reporting hub for continuing coverage of the 2025 WSOP.
Level 30
: Limits 150,000/300,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 75,000-150,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Aloisio Dourado raised his button, which Dominick Sarle called in the big blind. Sarle drew one card on the first draw, and so did Dourado.
Sarle check-called a bet from Dourado before drawing one again on the second draw, this time seeing Dourado stand pat.
Sarle check-raised after the draw, and Dourado three-bet to put his opponent all-in. Sarle quickly called, staying pat, and Dourado immediately remained pat behind.
Sarle tabled J♣8♦6♠A♥ for a jack-badugi, but it was no good against the 6♣5♦4♥2♠ of Dourado. Sarle shook his opponent's hand, thanked the staff and dealers, and went to collect his runner-up payout.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
13,350,000
2,050,000
|
2,050,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Level 30
: Limits 150,000/300,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 75,000-150,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Dominick Sarle opened from the button and Aloisio Dourado defended from the big blind. Both players drew one.
After the first draw Dourado check-called a bet from Sarle, drawing one while Sarle stood pat once more.
Sarle continued with another bet when checked to after the second draw. Dourado check-raised and took the pot after Sarle folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
11,300,000
925,000
|
925,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,050,000
1,075,000
|
1,075,000 |
|
|
||
Level 30
: Limits 150,000/300,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 75,000-150,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Aloisio Dourado raised his button, and Dominick Sarle called in the big blind. They both took two cards on the first draw, and Sarle drew two cards again once he had check-called Dourado's bet.
Dourado stood pat, prompting Sarle to check-fold his hand after the second draw.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,375,000
725,000
|
725,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,125,000
575,000
|
575,000 |
|
|
||
Level 30
: Limits 150,000/300,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 75,000-150,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Aloisio Dourado opened to 300,000 from the button and James Newberry called from the small blind. Both players drew one.
Newberry bet after the first and second draw, with Dourado calling each time and both players drawing one each time.
With no draws remaining Newberry bet his last 200,000 and Dourado called.
Newberry had a three-card six with Q♠6♣4♥A♠ but Dourado had him beat with 8♦5♣4♦A♥ for a three-card five to eliminate Newberry in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,650,000
1,150,000
|
1,150,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,700,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 30
: Limits 150,000/300,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 75,000-150,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Aloisio Dourado raised on the button. Dominick Sarle defended his big blind, and both players drew one card on the first draw.
Sarle check-called Dourado's bet before the same draws took place, and he check-called again afterward. On the final draw, he still needed one card, while Dourado stood pat.
Sarle checked over to Dourado for a third time, but this time he folded once the Brazilian placed a bet.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,500,000
725,000
|
725,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,750,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,250,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
Level: 30
Blinds: 75,000-150,000
Limits: 150,000-300,000
Level 29
: Limits 120,000/240,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 60,000-120,000
Limits: 120,000-240,000
Limits: 120,000-240,000
The final three players are on their second 15-minute break of the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,775,000
145,000
|
145,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,450,000
370,000
|
370,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,125,000
225,000
|
225,000 |
Level 29
: Limits 120,000/240,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 60,000-120,000
Limits: 120,000-240,000
Limits: 120,000-240,000
Dominick Sarle limped in from the small blind, and Aloisio Dourado raised in the big blind. Sarle called, after which each player drew two cards.
Sarle check-called before and after the second draw, where they took one card each, and the players requested one new card from the dealer again on the final draw.
They then checked to showdown, and Dourado's 4♠3♥2♣Xx was enough to be awarded the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,920,000
370,000
|
370,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,080,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,350,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
