Event #3: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em | 2025 World Series of Poker

05-31-2025 16:24 UTC-8

Normand Lays Down the Best Hand

Kai Cocklin

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Renji Mao limped in from the small blind with Q♣10♦ and Frederic Normand checked his option in the big blind holding Q♦5♦.

Both saw the 9♦5♣A♦ flop where Mao fired 160,000 and Normand called with his pair and flush draw. The 4♥ on the turn saw Mao check and after some time, Normand checked back.

A 7♥ completed the board and Mao reached for chips then fired out 450,000 as a bluff. Normand continued to riffle his chips as he contemplated the decision and eventually laid down the best hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Renji Mao	6,920,000 480,000	480,000

Frederic Normand	3,875,000 775,000	775,000

Tags: Frederic Normand Renji Mao

05-31-2025 16:35 UTC-8

Normand With the Aggression

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Barry Russell

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Antonio Galiana raised to 320,000 in the cutoff with A♠J♦, Frederic Normand called in the big blind with 9♠8♥. Galiana fired out a bet of 225,000 when the flop came 3♣3♥8♦ and Normand decided to check-raise to 805,000, Galiana thought about his option for a short while but he decided to fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Antonio Galiana	15,000,000 330,000	330,000

Frederic Normand	4,400,000 525,000	525,000

Tags: Antonio Galiana Frederic Normand

05-31-2025 16:38 UTC-8

Jacks For Normand

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Kai Cocklin

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Frederic Normand limped in from the small blind with J♥J♠ and Antonio Galiana looked down at 5♣4♠ in the big blind before he bumped it up to 560,000.

Normand then announced a three-bet to 1,350,000 and Galiana quickly got rid of his cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
Antonio Galiana	13,805,000 1,195,000	1,195,000

Frederic Normand	5,140,000 740,000	740,000

Tags: Frederic Normand Antonio Galiana

05-31-2025 16:43 UTC-8

Mao Vs Roberts

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Barry Russell

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Renji Mao raised to 320,000 in the cutoff with 10♠9♠, Christian Roberts called in the big blind with J♣5♣. Mao bet 275,000 when the action was checked to him on a flop of Q♣2♦5♠, Roberts with middle pair, just called.

With 1,430,000 in the pot, the A♣ on the turn induced more action from Mao as he bet 750,000 but got raised to 1,700,000, Moa folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christian Roberts	10,640,000 1,440,000	1,440,000

Renji Mao	5,175,000 1,745,000	1,745,000

Tags: Christian Roberts Renji Mao

05-31-2025 16:50 UTC-8

Roberts Decides to Give it Up

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Kai Cocklin

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Christian Roberts made it 320,000 to go on the button with J♠10♣ and Frederic Normand defended in the big blind with A♥9♠.

The flop came down 3♥3♦7♦ and after Normand checked, Roberts fired out 440,000. Normand took some time before he dropped in the call to see the 6♥ hit the turn. Again Normand checked, and Roberts elected to check back.

A 5♣ on the river missed both players and Normand checked it over. Roberts decided to give up and check it back, allowing the ace-high of Normand to take it down.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christian Roberts	9,800,000 840,000	840,000

Frederic Normand	6,000,000 860,000	860,000

Tags: Christian Roberts Frederic Normand

05-31-2025 16:58 UTC-8

Normand Takes the Chip Lead

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Barry Russell

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Frederic Normand called 80,000 in the small blind, Antonio Galiana raised to 560,000 in the big blind. Normand decided to three-bet to 1,600,000, Galiana asked "how much you playing?", Normand repsonds with "I started with like, 5.5". Galiana announced that he was all in, Normand snap-called.

Frederic Normand: A♠K♦ All in
Antonio Galiana: A♣J♥

The flop came Q♥3♣2♦, which was no help to Galiana, the 7♠ on the turn and the 8♠ on the river gave Normand the chip lead on this final table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Frederic Normand	12,120,000 6,120,000	6,120,000
Antonio Galiana	7,985,000 5,820,000	5,820,000

Tags: Antonio Galiana Frederic Normand

05-31-2025 17:03 UTC-8

Mao Picks Up Big Slick

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Kai Cocklin

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Renji Mao opened with A♦K♣ to 320,000 and Frederic Normand looked down at A♥9♣ in the small blind and took around a minute before he announced a three-bet to 1,240,000.

Mao rechecked his cards and shipped in his Big Slick for 4,775,000.

"How much total?" asked Normand. Upon receiving the count, he grabbed his cards and tossed them away.

Player	Chips	Progress
Frederic Normand	11,360,000 760,000	760,000
Renji Mao	6,335,000 1,160,000	1,160,000

Tags: Frederic Normand Renji Mao

05-31-2025 17:09 UTC-8

Chop Chop

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Barry Russell

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Renji Mao raised in the cutoff to 320,000 with K♣9♦, Christian Roberts called in the big blind with 10♥9♠. Mao continued with a bet of 300,000 on a flop of J♦7♣10♠, Roberts called. The 7♥ on the turn slowed down the action and it went check-check.

The 8♥ opened the door for Roberts to lead for 280,000 with a straight, Mao also with a straight just called and they chopped this pot up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christian Roberts	9,360,000 440,000	440,000

Renji Mao	6,450,000 115,000	115,000

Tags: Christian Roberts Renji Mao

Level: 30

Blinds: 100,000/200,000

Ante: 200,000

05-31-2025 17:16 UTC-8

Mao Slow-Plays Bullets, Normand Pays to See

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Kai Cocklin

Level 30 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Renji Mao picked up A♦A♠ in the small blind and limped in, and Frederic Normand checked with A♣2♥ in the big blind.

On the 4♥3♥8♦ flop, both players checked to the 8♠ turn and Mao bet 350,000. Normand called.

A 2♠ on the river gave Normand a pair and he had a decision to make as Mao bet 1,000,000. Normand mulled it over for quite some time before he slammed down a stack of chips and called.

Mao showed his bullets and dragged in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christian Roberts	9,260,000 100,000	100,000

Frederic Normand	9,210,000 2,150,000	2,150,000
Antonio Galiana	8,405,000 420,000	420,000

Renji Mao	7,805,000 1,355,000	1,355,000

Tags: Frederic Normand Renji Mao