button in Safari
Event #26: $25,000 High Roller
Day 2 Completed
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #26: $25,000 High Roller
Day: 2
Event Info
2025 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
$25,000
Prize Pool
$9,212,000
Total Entries
392
Level
25
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Entries
190
Players Left
18
Players Left 1 / 392
Filter
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
The penultimate day of Event #26: $25,000 High Roller 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em at the 2025 World Series of Poker has wrapped up, with 18 players set to return and battle tomorrow for the $1,949,044 top prize and the coveted WSOP bracelet, inside the Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas.
An additional 92 entries were added before late registration closed, bringing the field to a record-breaking 392 and generating a prize pool of $9,212,000. After ten 60-minute levels, Russia’s Anatoly Nikitin soared to the top of the counts with a stack of 5,550,000, and is the only player to cross the five-million-chip mark.
Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anatoly Nikitin | Russian Federation | 5,550,000 | 56 |
| 2 | Chin Wei Lim | Malaysia | 4,830,000 | 48 |
| 3 | Andrew Ostapchenko | United States | 4,605,000 | 46 |
| 4 | Orpen Kisacikoglu | Turkey | 4,550,000 | 46 |
| 5 | Byron Kaverman | United States | 4,525,000 | 45 |
| 6 | Punnat Punsri | Thailand | 4,370,000 | 44 |
| 7 | Mathew Frankland | United Kingdom | 3,815,000 | 38 |
| 8 | Rafael Mota | Brazil | 3,460,000 | 35 |
| 9 | Joao Simao | Brazil | 3,440,000 | 34 |
| 10 | Masato Yokosawa | Japan | 3,220,000 | 32 |
Following behind Nikitin with 4,830,000 chips is Malaysia’s Chin Wei Lim, who picked up a big chunk of his stack in two key hands. First, he squeezed extra value with pocket aces in a four-bet pot against Asher Conniff. Then, he sent Josh McCully to the rail after turning bottom two pair against McCully’s top pair.
Once registration closed after the first level, the payouts for this record-breaking event were revealed. With the top 59 making the money, a min-cash was worth $50,645. Two more levels passed before hand-for-hand play began, as the next player to bust would leave empty-handed. In the end, it was Noel Rodriguez who became the bubble boy, after his pocket kings got cracked by Brandon Wittmeyer’s set of sixes.
After the bubble burst, eliminations came quickly. Among those who cashed but won't be back for Day 3 are Alex Kulev, Brad Owen, Nick Petrangelo, ten-time bracelet winner and Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel. Also hitting the rail today were Ben Tollerene, Joey Weissman, Georgios Sotiropoulos, and six-time bracelet winner Jeremy Ausmus.
Still in contention for the title and set to return tomorrow are Thailand’s Punnat Punsri (4,370,000), Joao Simao (3,440,000), 2015 Main Event champion Joe McKeehen. Malaysia's Wai Kiat Lee (1955,000), Aliaksandr Shylko (1680,000), and three-time bracelet winner Jim Collopy (1,355,000) also will be here at the start of play tomorrow.
The final day of this three-day affair kicks off at noon local time on Monday, June 9, with players returning to blinds of 50,000/100,000 and a big blind ante of 100,000. Levels will remain 60 minutes long, and everyone coming back has secured at least $73,639 for their efforts. All eyes will be on the $1,949,044 top prize and the coveted gold bracelet that awaits the winner.
Remaining Payouts
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,949,044 |
| 2 | $1,299,333 |
| 3 | $894,265 |
| 4 | $626,823 |
| 5 | $447,613 |
| 6 | $325,757 |
| 7 | $241,701 |
| 8 | $182,902 |
| 9 | $141,218 |
| 10 - 11 | $111,294 |
| 12 - 15 | $89,566 |
| 16 - 18 | $73,639 |
Be sure to tune back into PokerNews tomorrow for all the latest updates, chip counts, eliminations, and drama direct for the tournament floor.
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
| Casino | Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event Center | Feature 001 | 2 | Mathew Frankland | United Kingdom | 3,815,000 | 38 |
| Event Center | Feature 001 | 3 | Elijah Berg | United States | 2,015,000 | 20 |
| Event Center | Feature 001 | 5 | Chang Lee | South Korea | 3,175,000 | 32 |
| Event Center | Feature 001 | 6 | Orpen Kisacikoglu | Turkey | 4,550,000 | 46 |
| Event Center | Feature 001 | 7 | Anatoly Nikitin | United States | 5,550,000 | 56 |
| Event Center | Feature 001 | 8 | Rafael Mota | Brazil | 3,460,000 | 35 |
| Event Center | Feature 002 | 1 | Punnat Punsri | Thailand | 4,370,000 | 44 |
| Event Center | Feature 002 | 2 | Andrew Ostapchenko | United States | 4,605,000 | 46 |
| Event Center | Feature 002 | 4 | Joseph Mckeehen | United States | 3,030,000 | 30 |
| Event Center | Feature 002 | 6 | James Collopy | United States | 1,355,000 | 14 |
| Event Center | Feature 002 | 7 | Waikiat Lee | Malaysia | 1,955,000 | 20 |
| Event Center | Feature 002 | 8 | Mamad Arani | United States | 2,100,000 | 21 |
| Event Center | Feature 003 | 1 | Joao Simao | Brazil | 3,440,000 | 34 |
| Event Center | Feature 003 | 2 | Masato Yokosawa | Japan | 2,725,000 | 27 |
| Event Center | Feature 003 | 3 | Brandon Wittmeyer | United States | 1,065,000 | 11 |
| Event Center | Feature 003 | 4 | Aliaksandr Shylko | Czech Republic | 1,680,000 | 17 |
| Event Center | Feature 003 | 6 | Chinwei Lim | Malaysia | 4,830,000 | 48 |
| Event Center | Feature 003 | 8 | Byron Kaverman | United States | 4,525,000 | 45 |
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
The $25,000 High Roller has reached the end of its ten scheduled levels, ending the night.
Listed below are the chip counts of the final 18 players; a recap of the day will follow shortly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
5,550,000
550,000
|
550,000 |
|
||
|
4,830,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
||
|
4,605,000
2,405,000
|
2,405,000 |
|
|
||
|
4,550,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
|
||
|
4,525,000
625,000
|
625,000 |
|
|
||
|
4,370,000
1,170,000
|
1,170,000 |
|
||
|
3,815,000
315,000
|
315,000 |
|
3,460,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
3,440,000
1,010,000
|
1,010,000 |
|
||
|
3,220,000
870,000
|
870,000 |
|
3,175,000
565,000
|
565,000 |
|
|
||
|
3,030,000
1,770,000
|
1,770,000 |
|
||
|
2,100,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
2,015,000
515,000
|
515,000 |
|
1,955,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
|
1,680,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
1,355,000
145,000
|
145,000 |
|
|
||
|
1,065,000
1,135,000
|
1,135,000 |
|
|
||
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Mamad Arani opened in the cutoff to 175,000, and action folded around to Seth Davies in the big blind.
After taking a moment to confirm the raise amount and then take stock of his stack, Davies moved all in for 770,000.
Arani pondered for a moment but decided to call.
Seth Davies: A♦9♦ 
Mamad Arani: J♠10♠
The flop 5♦J♦6♥ had a little something for everyone, importantly though Arani took the lead with his top-pair.
The turn 3♥ did nothing to affect proceedings, and the river 2♠ sealed Davies' fate.
Arani pulled in a nice stack as Day 2 was drawing to a close, and Davies headed to the payout desk.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,800,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Mitchell Hynam open-shoved his stack of 1,255,000 from the cutoff. It folded to Joao Simao in the button, who confirmed the number before making the call.
Mitchell Hynam: Q♥J♥
Joao Simao: A♥9♣
Hynam flopped a flush draw on 5♥6♥7♦, but hitting a pair would no longer be good as Simao paired his ace on the A♦ turn.
The K♦ river did not bring Hynam his desired heart, and he took his exit with only a few minutes left on the clock for Day 2.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,450,000
1,650,000
|
1,650,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Manuel Fritz jammed from the button for 700,000 and OIpen Kisacikoglu called from the big blind.
Manuel Fritz: A♣K♣
Orpen Kisacikoglu: A♦5♠
Fritz's Big Slick had Kisacikoglu dominated as the flop came down 4♥J♠6♠. The 7♠ dropped on the turn to give Kisacikoglu a flush draw. The river 4♠ completed Kisacikoglu's flush, and Fritz was eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,600,000
900,000
|
900,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
In a single-raised pot, Mathew Frankland checked from the big blind on a flop of 7♦10♥2♣. Chang Lee then placed a continuation-bet of 175,000 from the hijack, which Frankland called.
Both players checked the 9♠ turn, prompting Frankland to pile in a massive tower of chips on the 3♦ river. Lee's stack of 1,555,000 was put at risk, and he went deep into the tank.
After some time extensions, Lee decided to call off. Frankland could only show 5♠5♥, while Lee had hero called with A♦10♠ for top-top, raking in the massive double-up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,740,000
1,940,000
|
1,940,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,500,000
1,900,000
|
1,900,000 |
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Seth Davies raseid to 160,000 under the gun and Wai Kiat Lee jammed for 850,000 from the cutoff. When it got back to Davies, he made the call.
Wai Kiat Lee: Q♠Q♥
Seth Davies: J♣J♦
Davies was unfortunate to run into Lee's pocket queens. The runout came safe for Lee, as the dealer revealed 7♥7♣10♠2♣4♠, keeping Lee ahead the entire time.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,900,000
530,000
|
530,000 |
|
|
1,000,000
1,145,000
|
1,145,000 |
|
|
||
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Action folded to Joe McKeehen in the small blind, and after a little consideration, he raised to 260,000. Jim Collopy, in the big blind, called.
McKeehen continued with a bet of 200,000 on the 10♥6♣5♣ flop and Collopy again chose to call.
A flush completing A♣ hit the turn, but McKeehen had no intentions of slowing down, continuing again for 500,000. Again, Collopy called in order to see one more card.
The river J♥ didn't do anything to slow McKeehen down either as announced "all in".
Collopy asked for a count, which confirmed that he was the shorter of the two stacks.
The counting McKeehen's stack had given him some extra time to think, though, and once he got the information, he folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,800,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,500,000
315,000
|
315,000 |
|
|
||
