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

06-09-2025 13:01 UTC-8

Puetz Takes from Jaka

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Joseph Berg

Level 19 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Faraz Jaka raised to 25,000 from under the gun and was called by Christopher Puetz on the button.

The dealer spread a 7♥9♠2♣ flop, Jaka bet 58,000, and Puetz made the call.

Action checked through on the 3♦ turn and 7♠ river. Jaka tabled Q♥8♥, which was the inferior holding to Puetz's A♣J♣.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christopher Puetz	860,000 731,000	731,000
Faraz Jaka	470,000 24,000	24,000

Tags: Christopher Puetz Faraz Jaka

06-09-2025 13:05 UTC-8

Player	Chips	Progress
Todd Butts	Busted
Miguel Lopes	Busted
Mengqi Chen	Busted
Timothy Su	Busted
Daniel Lazrus	Busted

Thomas Cazayous	Busted

Jareth East	Busted
William Parisi	Busted
Gregory Porter	Busted
John Nugent	Busted
Casey Hatmaker	Busted
Wagner Ripper	Busted
Joshua Brower	Busted
Taylor Black	Busted

Players are on a Break

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Roxanne Johnson

Level 19 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Players are on a 15-minute break, with 104 players returning to battle.

Level: 20

Blinds: 8,000/16,000

Ante: 16,000

06-09-2025 13:26 UTC-8

Vahabi Eliminated in a Three-Way Pot

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Roxanne Johnson

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

In a three-way all-in in Aaron La was under the gun and shoved his chips in for his last 75,000, Yaroslav Ohulchanskyi moved all in from middle position with 1,300,000 in chips. Finally, Mehrdad Vahabi made the call for his chips from the big blind, which were worth 222,000.

Aaron La: K♦K♣ All in
Mehrdad Vahabi: K♥J♥ All in
Yaroslav Ohulchanskyi: Q♦Q♣

The flop came out with 10♥6♦7♦8♥4♣ and kings held for La, while queens won the side pot for Ohulchanskyi, and Vahabi was eliminated.

La laughed and stated, "I guess that was a good pep talk during the break".

Player	Chips	Progress
Yaroslav Ohulchanskyi	1,400,000 910,000	910,000
Aaron La	340,000 212,000	212,000
Mehrdad Vahabi	Busted

Tags: Aaron La Mehrdad Vahabi Yaroslav Ohulchanskyi

06-09-2025 13:36 UTC-8

Wilson's King-High Secures Double-Up

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Sava Krink

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

Paul Runcan put Brock Wilson to the test with an all-in shove on the button, and after a moment, Wilson made the call in the small blind.

Brock Wilson: K♠9♣ All in
Paul Runcan: J♣9♠

The board ran out 4♦5♣8♠7♥2♠, missing both players entirely. With king-high holding up, Wilson's hand stayed best, and he secured a much-needed double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paul Runcan	808,000 444,000	444,000
Brock Wilson	154,000 27,000	27,000

Tags: Brock Wilson Paul Runcan

06-09-2025 13:36 UTC-8

lioi Persuades Malkin to Call

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Joseph Berg

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

Eran Malkin raised to 32,000 from the cutoff. Mihai Ilioi then moved all in for 166,000 from the button and was at risk. The rest of the table folded, leaving Malkin with a decision to make. "Think about if you lose, you'll be in trouble," Ilioi told his neighbor. "I will show you and you will be happy," he shouted jovially. After some time, Malkin was persuaded to call and was behind.

Mihai Ilioi: J♣J♠ All in
Eran Malkin: K♣8♣

The board ran out 5♠Q♦3♥Q♣A♥ securing a much needed double up for Ilioi.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mihai Ilioi	370,000 244,000	244,000
Eran Malkin	230,000 40,000	40,000

Tags: Eran Malkin Mihai Ilioi

06-09-2025 13:43 UTC-8

Merrick Cripples Stuewe

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Roxanne Johnson

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

Andrew Merrick moved all in from early position for 217,000, and Connor Stuewe made the call from late position with the bigger stack.

Andrew Merrick: A♥K♥ All in
Connor Stuewe: K♣Q♣

The board gave both players a pair with [4cTdTs6Ks], but Merrick's kicker would win the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Merrick	458,000 192,000	192,000
Connor Stuewe	59,000 285,000	285,000

Tags: Andrew Merrick Connor Stuewe

06-09-2025 13:53 UTC-8

Life Outside Poker: Embattled Poker Pro Brad Booth Vows to Make Amends

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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 25th episode, Connor speaks with embattled poker pro Brad Booth about learning poker from his grandfather, climbing up stakes in Canada, living at the Bellagio and playing in Bobby's Room, bluffing Phil Ivey and getting cheated on Ultimate Bet.

Booth, who the poker community hasn't heard from for several years, opened up about his absence and going missing in 2020, as well as his gambling addiction and various poker debts to players like Doug Polk that he says he plans to make right.

"I got caught up in all of it and all I can try and do is make right now," he told PokerNews of his poker debts.

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 Brad Booth by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel.

Learn More About Life Outside Poker!

Tags: Brad Booth Connor Richards Doug Polk Phil Ivey

06-09-2025 13:54 UTC-8

Hartshorn Doubles Quinn

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Sava Krink

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

Travis Hartshorn kicked off the action from the cutoff with a raise to 35,000. Edward Quinn was sitting in the small blind, when he decided to go all in for 364,000. With the action back to Hartshorn, he asked for a count and then decided to call.

Edward Quinn: A♦Q♣ All in
Travis Hartshorn: 7♠7♣

The flop and turn looked good for Hartshorn sevens as it showed 10♠2♦5♦9♠, but the dealer turned the Q♠ on the river, giving Quinn the better pair and a full double-up.