Dan Heimiller J♠5♠7♠ / 4♠9♣9♠J♣
Chino Rheem: XxXx / 5♦3♣9♥J♦ / Xx
Dan Heimiller completed and Chino Rheem called from two spots over. Heimiller check-called a bet on fourth street before leading out with open nines on fifth street. Rheem called and the same action took place on sixth street.
On seventh street, Rheem raised Heimiller's bet. The latter quickly called and tabled a flush to leapfrog his opponent in the chip counts.
Seven Card Stud is one of the most historic, yet difficult, variants of poker. Year after year, the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship is the least attended championship event at the World Series of Poker. The explanation is clear: the game is tremendously difficult.
A total of 127 entries were tallied for Event #25: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship, up from the 104 runners in 2024, but just nine remain in contention for the WSOP gold bracelet and the first-place prize of $295,008. Today, one of those nine will stand alone as the champion.
After a long Day 2 that included 37 hands of hand-for-hand and wrapping up at 1:30 a.m., Chino Rheem leads the final nine into the unofficial final table with a stack of 1,351,000. Rheem has a storied career with memorable deep runs in the Main Event and two second-place finishes in WSOP events. The only thing missing from his resume is a bracelet, but he will have the opportunity today to secure his first.
Following the late-night exit of Daniel Negreanu in 11th, George Alexander was eliminated on the final hand of Day 2 as the remaining players will combine at a single table at 1 p.m. local time for battle.
Daniel Negreanu - 11th Place Finisher
Coming into the final day in second is China’s Qiang Xu with 1,275,000. Xu has one bracelet to his name coming last year in an $800 No-Limit Hold’em Event. Despite his relative inexperience in mixed games, Xu proved that he belongs in such a strong field.
Rounding out the podium in third place is Adam Friedman with 1,038,000, who was the chip-leader after Day 1. A former winner of this event in 2022, Friedman showcased his aggressive playing style on Day 2 as his stack yo-yo’ed up and down but finished strong as he chases his sixth bracelet.
Adam Friedman
Start of Day 3 Chip Counts
Rank
Player
Country
Chip Count
Big Bets
1
Chino Rheem
United States
1,351,000
27
2
Qiang Xu
China
1,275,000
26
3
Adam Friedman
United States
1,038,000
21
4
Mike Matusow
United States
999,000
20
5
Dan Heimiller
United States
996,000
20
6
Paul Volpe
United States
684,000
14
7
Dave Rogers
United States
512,000
10
8
Nick Guagenti
United States
435,000
9
9
Mori Eskandani
United States
338,000
7
Others still in contention include poker boom legend Mike Matusow (999,000), who explained to PokerNews at the end of Day 2 how a potential win would affect his legacy, newly-minted three-time bracelet winnerDan Heimiller (996,000), and Poker Hall of Famer Mori Eskandani (338,000).
Michael Matusow
Also involved for Day 3 are three-time bracelet winner Paul Volpe (684,000), Dave Rogers (512,000), who competed at the $100,000 buy-in Super High Roller Bowl Mixed Games a couple months ago, and high-stakes mixed-game regular Nick Guagenti (435,000), seeking his third bracelet.
Nick Guagenti
Unofficial Final Table Seat Draw
Seat
Player
Country
Chips
Big Bets
1
Daniel Heimiller
United States
996,000
20
2
Paul Volpe
United States
684,000
14
3
Chino Rheem
United States
1,351,000
27
4
Mori Eskandani
United States
338,000
7
5
Adam Friedman
United States
1,038,000
21
6
Mike Matusow
United States
999,000
20
7
Nick Guagenti
United States
435,000
9
8
Dave Rogers
United States
512,000
10
9
Qiang Xu
China
1,275,000
26
The stakes for today’s final table extend beyond the money, as the prestige and respect associated with this title transcend the dollars to be won. The final nine have the opportunity to cement their legacy by winning one of the most difficult bracelets of the summer, and the pressure could not be higher.
Remaining Payouts
Place
Prize
1
$295,008
2
$196,662
3
$135,828
4
$96,502
5
$70,587
6
$53,201
7
$41,357
8
$33,190
9
$27,528
Play resumes at 1 p.m. local time in the Horseshoe Event Center. Action will begin in Level 19 with an ante of 5,000 and limits at 25,000/50,000 with an average stack of 850,000, or 17 big bets. This is relatively deep for a limit tournament, so a grueling and intense Day 3 is expected. Levels will be 90 minutes in length through to the conclusion of the event.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates throughout the final table for Event #25: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship, and all other events at the 2025 World Series of Poker.
