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

06-09-2025 16:07 UTC-8

The First-Ever PokerNews Podcast Fantasy Draft for the 2025 WSOP feat. Joey Ingram & Christina Gollins

Chad Holloway

Level 22 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Before the 2025 World Series of Poker started, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz were joined by Joey Ingram and Christina Gollins on the PokerNews Podcast to host the show's first-ever Fantasy Draft!

After reviewing the scoring system and choosing team names, a draft was conducted and the stakes were set. The owner of the worst team will buy the winning three teams a nice Las Vegas dinner. Plus, fans can choose which team they're rooting for, and if that team wins, they'll be entered into a random giveaway.

Who was drafted early? Who was put on the bench? And who wasn't drafted at all?

Find out in this episode of the PokerNews Podcast:

06-09-2025 15:20 UTC-8

Play Paused Before PokerGo Stream Begins

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Josh Noy

Level 22 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

The final six players have been sent on a break with 13:54 remaining in Level 22.

Action will resume at 5:00 p.m. local time, with live reporting following on a one-hour delay to match the PokerGo stream.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Ostapchenko	19,920,000 7,270,000	7,270,000

Mathew Frankland	13,320,000 430,000	430,000
Chang Lee	12,885,000 285,000	285,000

Elijah Berg	5,815,000 285,000	285,000
Masato Yokosawa	4,670,000 230,000	230,000
Joe McKeehen	2,120,000 630,000	630,000

06-09-2025 15:17 UTC-8

Orpen Kisacikoglu Eliminated in 7th Place ($241,701)

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Stewart Morrison

Level 22 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Action folded round to Andrew Ostapchenko in the small blind, who, true to form on this final table, raised to 600,000.

Orpen Kisacikoglu took a stand and moved all in for 4,300,000, but it was poorly timed as Ostapchenko snap-called.

Orpen Kisacikoglu: A♣7♠ All in
Andrew Ostapchenko: A♠K♦

Kisacikoglu needed help, but help was not forthcoming. The board ran out a very safe J♣2♦8♥10♠5♥ for Ostapchenko, and he eliminated Kisacikoglu in 7th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Ostapchenko	19,920,000 7,270,000	7,270,000

Orpen Kisacikoglu	Busted

Tags: Andrew Ostapchenko Orpen Kisacikoglu

06-09-2025 15:17 UTC-8

Poker Player Penalized for 'Expletives' After Refusing to Color Up Deep in WSOP Event

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Jon Sofen

Level 22 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

A poker player was given a one-round penalty deep in a 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) event for swearing at a floor manager after refusing to color up.

Tyler Brown, a 2023 bracelet winner, is the player in question. He wasn't frustrated following a bad beat. The penalized poker pro was among the chip leaders at the time in Event #28: $600 Mixed No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha Deepstack with around 30 players remaining out of 1,499 entries on Monday.

Penalized Player Explains Why Here

Tags: Tyler Brown

06-09-2025 15:08 UTC-8

Byron Kaverman Eliminated in 8th Place ($182,902)

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Josh Noy

Level 22 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Mathew Frankland raised to 400,000 in early position before Byron Kaverman slid out a three-bet to 1,175,000 in the hijack. Action folded back around to Frankland, who made the call.

Frankland bet enough to put Kaverman all in after seeing the 5♦Q♦J♥ flop, and the call was made.

Byron Kaverman: A♥J♠ All in
Mathew Frankland: K♠Q♠

Both players flopped a pair, but Kaverman's jacks were behind. The 6♦ turn and 8♦ river left Frankland in front, sending Kaverman to the rail in eighth place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mathew Frankland	13,750,000 250,000	250,000
Byron Kaverman	Busted

Tags: Byron Kaverman Mathew Frankland

06-09-2025 15:02 UTC-8

In With the Worst, Out With the Best

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Stewart Morrison

Level 22 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Masato Yokosawa raised to 1,400,000 from middle position, leaving 800,000 behind. Action folded to Byron Kaverman on the button, who moved all in for roughly 3,800,000. Action folded back to Yokosawa, who committed the remainder of his stack.

Masato Yokosawa: A♠Q♦ All in
Byron Kaverman: A♦K♥

It wasn't the scenario Yokosawa was hoping for when the cards were turned over, but lady luck had his back. The flop coming Q♠6♦8♦ pushed him into the lead.

The 5♦ turn gave Kaverman a flush draw, but the 6♥ river offered no help, and Yokosawa doubled up to survive.

Player	Chips	Progress
Masato Yokosawa	4,900,000 2,700,000	2,700,000
Byron Kaverman	1,600,000 2,750,000	2,750,000

Tags: Byron Kaverman Masato Yokosawa

06-09-2025 14:48 UTC-8

Chin Wei Lim Eliminated in 9th Place ($141,218)

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Josh Noy

Level 22 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Chin Wei Lim moved his short stack into the middle from under the gun, and was at risk when Byron Kaverman called in the cutoff.

Chin Wei Lim: A♠6♦ All in
Byron Kaverman: A♥J♦

Lim could not improve on the Q♠5♠8♥A♦10♦ runout, hitting the rail in ninth place as Kaverman chipped up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Byron Kaverman	4,350,000 1,470,000	1,470,000

Chin Wei Lim	Busted

Tags: Byron Kaverman Chin Wei Lim

06-09-2025 14:43 UTC-8

Final Table Redraw

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Josh Noy

Level 22 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Seat	Player	Country	ChipCount	Big Blinds
1	Mathew Frankland	United Kingdom	13,500,000	68
2	Joe McKeehen	United States	2,750,000	14
3	Byron Kaverman	United States	2,880,000	14
4	Elijah Berg	United States	6,100,000	31
5	Chang Lee	South Korea	12,600,000	63
6	Andrew Ostapchenko	United States	12,650,000	63
7	Chin Wei Lim	Malaysia	985,000	5
8	Orpen Kisacikoglu	Turkey	4,550,000	23
9	Masato Yokosawa	Japan	2,200,000	11

Player	Chips	Progress
Mathew Frankland	13,500,000 2,600,000	2,600,000
Andrew Ostapchenko	12,650,000 450,000	450,000

Chang Lee	12,600,000 3,800,000	3,800,000

Elijah Berg	6,100,000 200,000	200,000
Orpen Kisacikoglu	4,550,000 50,000	50,000

Byron Kaverman	2,880,000 570,000	570,000

Joe McKeehen	2,750,000 900,000	900,000

Masato Yokosawa	2,200,000 1,250,000	1,250,000
Chin Wei Lim	985,000 1,065,000	1,065,000

06-09-2025 14:34 UTC-8

Joao Simao Eliminated in 10th Place ($111,294)

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Stewart Morrison

Level 22 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Joao Simao raised in the cutoff to 2,000,000, leaving roughly 100,000 behind. Next to act, Andrew Ostapchenko, moved all in, covering everyone at the table. The blinds folded and Simao put the remainder of his stack in.

Joao Simao: 10♠10♣ All in
Andrew Ostapchenko: 6♠6♦

Ostapchenko had two immediate outs and wasted no time in hitting one, the window card coming the 6♥ followed by 4♦5♦.

There was no turn in fortunes for Simao as the turn K♦ and river 9♥ failed to save him.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Ostapchenko	13,100,000 600,000	600,000

Elijah Berg	6,300,000 1,200,000	1,200,000
Orpen Kisacikoglu	4,500,000 1,150,000	1,150,000

Byron Kaverman	3,450,000 850,000	850,000

Joao Simao	Busted

Tags: Andrew Ostapchenko Joao Simao

Level: 22

Blinds: 100,000/200,000

Ante: 200,000