Event #27: $1,500 Big O Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-07-2025 14:16 UTC-8

A Cash Game Author Dabbles in Tournaments

Claudio Elizalde

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

PokerNews had the opportunity to chat with poker author, coach, and Big O/Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo specialist, Greg Vail, just before the start of the tournament.

Vail recently released the fourth installment of his Scoop! book series that focuses on the fundamental strategies and professional outlook needed to succeed in Big O and PLO8 cash games.

Vail, who hardly plays tournaments is quoted saying, "I'm a fish in tournaments, I'm used to being 1,000 big blinds deep...". This gleams insight to why it's important to Vail to sit at the very start of the tournament, when players have the most big blinds available to them in relation to the average stack depth.

Player	Chips	Progress
Greg Vail	27,500 2,500	2,500

Tags: Greg Vail

06-07-2025 14:05 UTC-8

Saved by the Bell; Girouard Shows the Goods

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Micah Bell flagged down PokerNews to relay a hand that had quite the epic run out.

Bell check-called a pot-sized bet on a flop of K♦Q♠4♣.

The pot swelled when the same action occurred on the K♠.

When the Q♣ rolled off on the river, Bell made a tremendous lay down with K♥5♣4♠4♦3x, tabling it for the table to see.

Steven Girouard showed the Q♥Q♦4♥XxXx for rivered quads and proved to Bell that he saved himself half a starting stack by laying down his kings full of fours.

Player	Chips	Progress
Steven Girouard	36,500 36,500	36,500
Micah Bell	9,500 9,500	9,500

Tags: Micah Bell Steven Girouard

06-07-2025 14:04 UTC-8

How WSOP Champ Beat Improbable Odds to Win a $1 Million Bonus Check

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Jon Sofen

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

ClubWPT Gold, a new sweeps coin poker site, offered up a juicy promotion, giving qualifying players a shot to earn $1 million on top of a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet victory. The odds of winning said promo, before the series began, seemed about as likely as Martin Kabrhel being silenced.

Michael Lavin proved again on Friday that improbable does not mean impossible when he took down Event #20: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em SHOOTOUT for $267,373, beating out 1,299 entrants. But that isn't the main story.

Read the Full Story Here

Tags: Michael Lavin

06-07-2025 13:56 UTC-8

Electronic Devices, Player Bans & More: 6 Key 2025 WSOP Rule Changes You Must Know

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Gaelle Jaudon

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has released its updated tournament rules for 2025, and whether you're a seasoned pro or a first-time entrant, it's essential to understand the key changes.

While most of the rules remain consistent with past editions, several noteworthy updates have been made to improve game integrity, pace, and player behavior. There are six important rule changes and clarifications you need to know before taking your seat.

Read the Full Story Here

Level: 2

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 200

06-07-2025 13:40 UTC-8

A New Generation of Mixed Game Players

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 1 : Blinds 100/100, 100 ante

Tyler Phillips, a name that might not yet be recognized in the mixed game community, was also seen sitting down in the first level of Event #27: $1,500 Big O.

With over $1,400,000 in career earnings, Phillips is no stranger to deep runs but only recently started a new emphasis on mixed games. He started off the summer with some momentum, receiving the bronze in Event #6: $1,500 Limit Stud for $47,660 and a sixth place finish only days after in Event #12: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Lowball for $20,944.

According to a conversation Phillips had with PokerNews live reporter, Ryan Lashmar, Phillips has spent less than two years putting an emphasis on the various mixed games and this appears to be the first summer that it has become his central focus.

Phillips may be a name to watch on the quest to the bracelet.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tyler Phillips	25,000 25,000	25,000

Tags: Tyler Phillips

06-07-2025 13:27 UTC-8

Reichenstein Wants to Donate Some More

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Kai Cocklin

Level 1 : Blinds 100/100, 100 ante

Uri Reichenstein likes to play a wide range of poker variants, though he didn't last too long in the Big O.

On a full board of 6♠A♥J♥4♣6♦, all of the chips were in the middle in a pot with Jiyang Gan. Reichenstein showed A♦6♣5♦5♠4♦ for a full house. Gan, however, showed A♣A♠2♥2♦2♠ for a bigger boat and the nut low to scoop the pot.

"Don't forget to bust me, dealer. So I can donate to someone else," were Reichenstein's final words as he left the table.

The good news for Reichenstein is that he wasn't the first person to be eliminated, that honor goes to Teresa Jasinski.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jiyang Gan	50,000 50,000	50,000
Uri Reichenstein	Busted
Teresa Jasinski	Busted

Tags: Jiyang Gan Teresa Jasinski Uri Reichenstein

06-07-2025 13:20 UTC-8

Early Birds in the Field; The Champ is Here

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 1 : Blinds 100/100, 100 ante

After winning the $1,500 Big O gold bracelet here at World Series of Poker in 2024, Michael Christ made mention that the hardest part of the three-day tournament were the long hours.

It seems that the quest for glory wouldn't allow him a late start, as he was in his seat right at the start of the tournament. With two re-entries available to all players today, this might give him the best opportunity to defend the title. Only time will tell.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Christ	25,000 25,000	25,000

Erick Lindgren	25,000 25,000	25,000

Joshua Thatcher	25,000 25,000	25,000
Greg Vail	25,000 25,000	25,000
Barry Greenstein	25,000 25,000	25,000

Yuval Bronshtein	25,000 25,000	25,000

Ken Aldridge	25,000 25,000	25,000
Adam Nattress	25,000 25,000	25,000
Viktor Blom	25,000 25,000	25,000
Jackson Spencer	25,000 25,000	25,000