Event #29: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-10-2025 20:55 UTC-8

That's Some Crazy (Beep)!

Gabrielle Barredo

Level 35 : Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

The song went raise, call, check down, repeat and Mark Darner was falling behind the beat until he only had about 2,600,000 behind.

David Mcgowan, on the button, open-shoved all in and Darner called.

Mark Darner: 9♥7♠ All in
David Mcgowan: K♣9♣

When he saw the hands, in frustration and resignation, he went, "I'm not even live." Mcgowan was ahead with king-high when the flop dropped 9♠8♦6♣.

Both players hit top pair but Mcgowan had the better kicker. There was still a bit of hope for Darner as he also had an open-ended straight draw. The 10♥ completed his straight on the turn.

The river J♣ was dealt prompting Darner to quietly say, "That's some crazy s**t," as he stayed alive in the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Mcgowan	46,000,000 16,500,000	16,500,000
Mark Darner	5,700,000 16,800,000	16,800,000

Tags: David Mcgowan Mark Darner

06-10-2025 21:00 UTC-8

Staging a Comeback

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Stewart Morrison

Level 35 : Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

David Mcgowan moved all in, covering his opponent's stack. Mark Darner made the immediate call and the cards were revealed.

Mark Darner: A♠10♦ All in
David Mcgowan: K♣8♠

The 10♠6♥7♦ flop kept Darner in the lead, but Mcgowan had outs.

The 2♦ turn and 10♣ river were no help though, and Darner doubled up again.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Mcgowan	390,000,000 344,000,000	344,000,000
Mark Darner	13,000,000 7,300,000	7,300,000

Tags: David Mcgowan Mark Darner

06-10-2025 21:00 UTC-8

Relentless from Darner

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Stewart Morrison

Level 35 : Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

Mark Darner raised his button and got a fold from David Mcgowan.

The next hand Mcgowan raised the button and Darner moved all in, prompting a fold from Mcgowan.

The following hand Darner limped the button, and Mcgowan raised to 3,000,000. Action was back on Darner, and he moved all in again, and again got the fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Mcgowan	34,000,000 356,000,000	356,000,000
Mark Darner	18,000,000 5,000,000	5,000,000

Tags: David Mcgowan Mark Darner

06-10-2025 21:01 UTC-8

Break

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Gabrielle Barredo

Level 35 : Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante

The players are on a 15-minute break.

Level: 36

Blinds: 300,000/600,000

Ante: 600,000

06-10-2025 21:33 UTC-8

Updated Chip Counts

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Gabrielle Barredo

Level 36 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

With the chip stacks very close, blinds and min-raises are going back and forth between David Mcgowan and Mark Darner.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Mcgowan	29,500,000 4,500,000	4,500,000
Mark Darner	22,500,000 4,500,000	4,500,000

Tags: David Mcgowan Mark Darner

06-10-2025 21:43 UTC-8

Darner Moves Ahead!

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Stewart Morrison

Level 36 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Mark Darner limped the button from a stack of 19,200,000. David Mcgowan then moved all in from the big blind and Darner snapped.

Mark Darner: 8♦8♠ All in
David Mcgowan: 6♥6♦

Darner, who was at a near 25/1 chip deficit not too long ago, was at risk but in good shape to double up.

The board of 7♣5♦7♠Q♥3♣ was no help to Mcgowan, and Darner took the pot as well as the chip lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mark Darner	39,500,000 17,000,000	17,000,000

David Mcgowan	12,500,000 17,000,000	17,000,000

Tags: David Mcgowan Mark Darner

06-10-2025 21:51 UTC-8

Mcgowan Gets It All Back

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Gabrielle Barredo

Level 36 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Mark Darner raised to 1,200,000 on the button and got called by David Mcgowan taking them to the flop.

Flop came J♦6♥2♣. After a check, Darner continued with another 1,200,000. Mcgowan called again.

Mcgowan checked the 9♦ turn. This time, Darner cranked up the heat and bet 4,500,000. Mcgowan wasted no time in announcing all in and Darner snap-called.

David Mcgowan: J♣9♠ All in
Mark Darner: A♥A♠

Mcgowan was looking at a potential double up. The 3♣ river was dealt putting Mcgowan back in the game.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mark Darner	28,000,000 11,500,000	11,500,000

David Mcgowan	24,000,000 11,500,000	11,500,000

Tags: David Mcgowan Mark Darner

06-10-2025 22:00 UTC-8

Darner Pulls Ahead Again

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Stewart Morrison

Level 36 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Mark Darner limped the button, and David Mcgowan raised from the big blind to 3,000,000, which Darner called.

The duo saw a flop of 10♠4♣Q♥. Mcgowan continued for 4,000,000, and Darner called.

Both players checked the 2♥ turn and Mcgowan checked again on the 3♦ river. This gave Darner the green light to take over the betting lead, doing so for 6,500,000.

The bet was for half of McGowan's remaining stack, and after giving it some thought, he elected to fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mark Darner	39,000,000 11,000,000	11,000,000

David Mcgowan	13,000,000 11,000,000	11,000,000

Tags: David Mcgowan Mark Darner

06-10-2025 22:16 UTC-8

It's Not Mcgowan's Time to Leave

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Gabrielle Barredo

Level 36 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Mark Darner open-shoved all-in on the button and David Mcgowan, with only around 5,000,000 behind, snap-called taking them to showdown.

David Mcgowan: K♥K♣ All in
Mark Darner: Q♥10♥

The room was so quiet you could here a pin drop when the flop dropped 10♦A♥X♥. Mcgowan's kings held. Darner, however, had caught a pair and a flush draw.

The turn 5♥ completed Darner's flush prompting Mcgowan to tap the table and get up from his seat when the river 7♥ fell on the river, giving him the higher flush.

There was an audible "Aw.." in the room as Mcgowan sat back down with a huge smile on his face. The next dealer had to say, "Isn't this fun?" encouraging the crowd to cheer.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mark Darner	41,000,000 2,000,000	2,000,000

David Mcgowan	10,900,000 2,100,000	2,100,000

Tags: David Mcgowan Mark Darner