Event #26: $25,000 High Roller | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-09-2025 12:40 UTC-8

Frankland Gets Value

Josh Noy

Level 20 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Joe McKeehen opened to 240,000 in early position and Mathew Frankland defended his big blind to see the 3♦7♣6♦ flop.

Frankland led out for 200,000, with McKeehen making the call. Frankland fired again on the 2♦ turn, this time for 360,000.

McKeehen took a moment before calling, and the dealer flipped over the A♣ river.

Frankland counted out a bet of 1,350,000 and slid it forward. McKeehen took some more time before sticking in a call. Frankland tabled 7♠6♣ for two pair, taking down a sizeable pot as McKeehen mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mathew Frankland	7,200,000 1,750,000	1,750,000
Joe McKeehen	1,970,000 2,130,000	2,130,000

Tags: Joe McKeehen Mathew Frankland

06-09-2025 12:42 UTC-8

Ostapchenko Catches Simao Speeding

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Stewart Morrison

Level 20 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Joao Simao raised in the cutoff to 250,000 before Andrew Ostapchenko, on the button, three-bet to 400,000, which only Simao called.

The duo saw a flop of A♦K♣9♣ and when Simao checked, Ostapchenko continued for 300,000. Simao sprang into action, though, check-raising to 850,000. Ostapchenko looked him up and down before calling.

The turn 6♠ didn't deter Simao as he continued for 900,000. This time, though, Ostapchenko put the hammer down, moving all in.

Simao wasted no time in returning his cards to the dealer face down as Ostapchenko pulled in a big pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Ostapchenko	8,000,000 3,000,000	3,000,000

Joao Simao	2,400,000 1,800,000	1,800,000

Tags: Andrew Ostapchenko Joao Simao

06-09-2025 12:53 UTC-8

Lee Takes the Lead

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Josh Noy

Level 20 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Anatoly Nikitin opened to 240,000 in early position and found a call from Chang Lee on the button. The 6♠6♦7♠ flop saw Nikitin continued for 225,000.

After taking a moment, Lee slid out a raise to 850,000. That was enough to claim the pot, as Nikitin slid his cards into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chang Lee	8,750,000 2,150,000	2,150,000

Anatoly Nikitin	1,890,000 760,000	760,000

Tags: Chang Lee Anatoly Nikitin

06-09-2025 12:58 UTC-8

McKeehan Leaves Nikitin on Fumes

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Josh Noy

Level 20 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

After Punnat Punsri opened to 240,000 in the cutoff, Anatoly Nikitin and Joe McKeehen got their stacks into the middle from the blinds. Punsri folded and the hands were turned up.

Joe McKeehen: A♥Q♣ All in
Anatoly Nikitin: A♣3♣

Nikitin had McKeehen slightly covered, and was left with less than one big blind after the 10♥J♥7♥5♣K♠ runout gave McKeehen the double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Punnat Punsri	5,200,000 880,000	880,000

Joe McKeehen	3,480,000 1,510,000	1,510,000

Anatoly Nikitin	80,000 1,810,000	1,810,000

Tags: Anatoly Nikitin Joe McKeehen Punnat Punsri

06-09-2025 13:03 UTC-8

Nikitin Survives with Deuces

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Josh Noy

Level 20 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Anatoly Nikitin moved his last 80,000 into the middle and was at risk when Masato Yokosawa raised to 240,000 on the button. The rest of the table got out of the way, leaving Nikitin at risk heads up.

Anatoly Nikitin: 2♠2♣ All in
Masato Yokosawa: A♦7♣

"I've won a tournament with one big blind, this is half," Nikitin told the table before the flop was dealt. Nikitin's deuces held through the K♣8♥10♦4♣4♥ runout, as Nikitin survived and raked in the chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Masato Yokosawa	4,100,000 620,000	620,000
Anatoly Nikitin	420,000 340,000	340,000

Tags: Anatoly Nikitin Masato Yokosawa

06-09-2025 13:06 UTC-8

Kings Into Aces

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Stewart Morrison

Level 20 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Elijah Berg opened in the hijack to 275,000 but met some resistance in the form of a Brandon Wittmeyer three-bet to 950,000 from the small blind.

Berg responded with a four-bet jam for 2,850,000, which Wittmeyer wasted no time in calling.

Elijah Berg: A♠A♦ All in
Brandon Wittmeyer: K♠K♦

A sorry situation for Wittmeyer, a long way behind and both suits covered too, extinguishing any hopes of a four-card flush.

The board ran out safe for Berg, coming 2♠2♦10♥6♥10♦, giving him a full double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Elijah Berg	6,000,000 2,800,000	2,800,000
Brandon Wittmeyer	1,900,000 800,000	800,000

Tags: Brandon Wittmeyer Elijah Berg

06-09-2025 13:09 UTC-8

Break Time

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Josh Noy

Level 20 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

The remaining 13 players have been sent on a 15-minute break.

06-09-2025 13:21 UTC-8

Updated Chip Counts

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Josh Noy

Level 20 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Chang Lee	8,850,000 100,000	100,000

Andrew Ostapchenko	8,350,000 350,000	350,000

Mathew Frankland	6,400,000 800,000	800,000
Elijah Berg	6,000,000
Punnat Punsri	5,630,000 430,000	430,000

Byron Kaverman	5,350,000 1,350,000	1,350,000

Masato Yokosawa	5,335,000 1,235,000	1,235,000
Orpen Kisacikoglu	4,450,000 50,000	50,000

Joe McKeehen	2,830,000 650,000	650,000

Chin Wei Lim	2,500,000 400,000	400,000

Brandon Wittmeyer	1,900,000

Joao Simao	1,115,000 1,285,000	1,285,000

Anatoly Nikitin	490,000 70,000	70,000