Event #27: $1,500 Big O Day 2 | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-08-2025 17:13 UTC-8

Zektser Pays Off Smirnov After Bad River

Ryan Lashmar

Level 20 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Anton Smirnov opened to 32,000 from middle position and received calls from Igor Zektser on the button, Michael Christ in the small blind and Viktor Blom in the big blind.

All four players checked the flop and turn leading to a final board of 6♦5♠3♥8♥7♦. Action then checked around to Smirnov who bet 96,000. Only Zektser called.

Zektser had 9♣5♥4♥3♠2♣ for a nine-high straight and four-deuce low. Smirnov tabled A♥J♦9♠5♣2♠ for the same straight and the nut-low to quarter his opponent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Viktor Blom	1,585,000 216,000	216,000
Michael Christ	1,455,000 848,000	848,000

Christopher Knapp	785,000 135,000	135,000
Anton Smirnov	650,000 133,000	133,000
Robert Mason	502,000 102,000	102,000
Igor Zektser	422,000 335,000	335,000

Shiva Dudani	315,000 87,000	87,000

Tags: Anton Smirnov Igor Zektser Michael Christ Viktor Blom

06-08-2025 17:07 UTC-8

Hayashi Eliminated; Pimentel Maintains Big Stack

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 20 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Jeffrey Hayashi put his remaining chips at risk on a flop of 10♣3♠5♣ and Pimentel obliged.

Jeffrey Hayashi: A♣J♠7♠5♦4♠ All in
Leandro Pimentel: A♥10♥8♠2♦2♥

The turn improved Hayashi with the J♥ but the 4♥ was a dagger, making Pimentel a wheel and sending Hayashi out of the tournament area.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leandro Pimentel	925,000 105,000	105,000
Jeffrey Hayashi	Busted

Tags: Jeffrey Hayashi Leandro Pimentel

06-08-2025 17:06 UTC-8

Krupin Raises Thatcher

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Liam Gannon

Level 20 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Action was picked up on the flop in a pot between Ilia Krupin in the big blind and Joshua Thatcher on the button.

Krupin had called a raise to 45,000 from Thatcher after Krupin bet on the flop of 7♥K♣4♣ board for the both of them to continue on to the turn.

On the turn 7♣, Krupin checked over to Thatcher who bet 75,000 and Krupin raised to 225,000.

Thatcher re-checked his hole cards before tossing his hand into the muck and Krupin was awarded the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joshua Thatcher	930,000 236,000	236,000
Ilia Krupin	593,000 166,000	166,000

Tags: Ilia Krupin Joshua Thatcher

06-08-2025 16:55 UTC-8

Greenstein Quarters Faure

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 20 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Stephane Faure opened to 35,000 from early position and Barry Greenstein called in small blind.

The flop came 5♣4♦2♠ and Greenstein check-called a 25,000 bet from Faure.

Greenstein check-called another bet from Faure on the 3♥ turn, this time for 50,000.

On the 6♥ river Greenstein led out with a 200,000 bet which Faure called.

Faure tabled A♠K♦10♦6♣3♠ for a wheel straight. Greenstein showed A♦J♠7♣3♣2♦ for the nut-low and a higher straight to take three quarters of the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian Hacker	1,035,000 541,000	541,000
Geoffrey Tomes	680,000 45,000	45,000
Gary Friedman	600,000 40,000	40,000
Martin Corpuz	590,000 50,000	50,000
Stephane Faure	585,000 55,000	55,000
Barry Greenstein	570,000 72,000	72,000

Joshua Ray	390,000 44,000	44,000
Matthew Schulte	181,000 59,000	59,000

Tags: Barry Greenstein Stephane Faure

06-08-2025 16:54 UTC-8

Leonard Eliminated; Sharma Chips Up

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 20 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Patrick Leonard started the action by raising to 40,000 under the gun. Only Shaurabh Sharma called from the big blind.

The flop rolled Q♦J♣4♠ and Leonard bet 105,000 when checked to. Sharma made the call.

The turn was the 3♥ and Sharma check-called Leonard's all-in bet for his last 255,000.

Patrick Leonard: A♥K♦Q♥3♦2♣ All in
Shaurabh Sharma: A♣K♣10♣7♥

Both players had the nut-low draw going to the river but Leonard was in better shape for the high with his pair of queens.

The A♦ was gin for Sharma as he made Broadway and Leonard was counterfeit with no low.

Player	Chips	Progress
Shaurabh Sharma	965,000 261,000	261,000
Patrick Leonard	Busted

06-08-2025 16:43 UTC-8

Life Outside Poker: Sam Greenwood Talks Battling Gambledore & High-Stakes Online Poker Cheating

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Connor Richards

Level 20 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.

In the 28th episode, Connor talks with Canadian high-stakes pro Sam Greenwood about getting into poker with his two brothers Lucas Greenwood and Max Greenwood, running up a bankroll in high school, traveling the world playing high-stakes tournaments, climbing Canada's all-time money list and battling with Vladimir "Gambledore" Korzinin at Triton.

Greenwood also talked about the state of online poker, how to deal with cheaters, being a dad and his new "Punt of the Day" blog where he breaks down key hands from high-stakes tournaments.

The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Sam Greenwood by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel.

Be sure to follow Sam Greenwood and Connor Richards on X.

Learn More About Life Outside Poker!

Tags: Connor Richards Lucas Greenwood Max Greenwood Sam Greenwood

06-08-2025 16:40 UTC-8

Full Chip Counts (full)

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Liam Gannon

Level 20 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Justin Liberto	1,548,000 62,000	62,000

Kevin Ho	1,537,000 262,000	262,000

Nicolas Milgrom	1,379,000 987,000	987,000

Viktor Blom	1,369,000 69,000	69,000
Cody Crouch	1,312,000 932,000	932,000
Joshua Thatcher	1,166,000 551,000	551,000
Lawrence Brandt	1,000,000 55,000	55,000

Stephen Hubbard	980,000 405,000	405,000
Joshua Biedak	949,000 18,000	18,000
Paul Clotar	926,000 591,000	591,000
Christopher Knapp	920,000 490,000	490,000
Joe Ford	900,000 655,000	655,000
Owais Ahmed	845,000 100,000	100,000

David Schwind	829,000 239,000	239,000
Leandro Pimentel	820,000 250,000	250,000
Paul Espinoza	779,000 99,000	99,000
Shaurabh Sharma	704,000 483,000	483,000
Michael Rodgers	666,000 16,000	16,000

Gary Friedman	640,000 533,000	533,000
Stephane Faure	640,000 279,000	279,000
Martin Corpuz	640,000 82,000	82,000
Geoffrey Tomes	635,000 80,000	80,000
Michael Christ	607,000 433,000	433,000

Kean Chin	605,000 456,000	456,000
Robert Mason	604,000 154,000	154,000