Event #3: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

05-28-2025 16:00 UTC-8

Setup for Stacks

Robert Jones

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Atanas Malinov raised to 1,200 from the cutoff. Christopher Conrad called from the small blind, and from the big blind, Sergio Giha bumped up the price to 5,000. Both players called.

The flop came K♥7♠2♥ and Conrad checked. Giha bet 4,000, Malinov mucked, and Conrad called.

The turn was the 4♣, and after another check from Conrad, Giha fired 11,000.

Conrad was now ready to play for it all and rifled his remaining 30,900 chips into the middle. Giha called after some deliberation and was shown the bad news.

Sergio Giha: A♠K♣
Christopher Conrad 7x7x

An inconsequential river peeled off, but Giha was already counting out the 31,000 heading over the Conrad.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christopher Conrad	90,000 90,000	90,000
Sergio Giha	7,000 7,000	7,000

Tags: Atanas Malinov Christopher Conrad Sergio Giha

05-28-2025 16:00 UTC-8

Palmer's Kings Get the Verdict Over Lawhead

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

With around 30,000 in the middle on a 2♥8♣4♦ flop, Benjamin Palmer bet 8,000 from early position and David Lawhead called from the cutoff.

A 3♣ hit the turn and Palmer showed no signs of slowing down as he bet 13,000. Lawhead called once again.

When the 10♣ fell on the river, Palmer grabbed all of his 31,100 chips and pushed them across the line, sending Lawhead into the tank. Lawhead had around 65,000 remaining in his stack and needed around a minute before he decided to put Palmer at risk.

"Kings," said Palmer as soon as Lawhead called, who then flipped K♦K♣. Lawhead didn't seem happy, probably by the fact that he turned over Q♥Q♠ for pocket queens, which the dealer soon turned over and mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Benjamin Palmer	135,000 93,000	93,000
David Lawhead	35,000 55,000	55,000

Tags: Benjamin Palmer David Lawhead

05-28-2025 15:00 UTC-8

Gafford Wins a Flip Against Moorman

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Chris Moorman opened the cutoff and Bradley Gafford made a three-bet from the small blind. Moorman then four-bet to 10,200, Gafford shoved 30,000, and Moorman called.

Bradley Gafford: Q♦Q♣ All in
Chris Moorman: A♦K♣

Gafford was flipping for his tournament life and his pocket queens managed to keep him alive as the 10♥J♥2♠8♦3♥ runout earned him a double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bradley Gafford	61,000 61,000	61,000

Chris Moorman	50,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Bradley Gafford Chris Moorman

05-28-2025 14:39 UTC-8

Hunt Gets Hunted

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Robert Jones

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Matthew Hunt opened the action from middle position to 1,300. Joshua Jacobson called from the button, and Uri Reichenstein completed from the big blind.

Three ways to a flop of A♣9♠6♥ and action checked around.

The J♦ turn incited a bet from Reichenstein to the tune of 3,700 chips. Hunt agreed while Jacobson got out of the way.

Chaos ensued on a K♣ river as Reichenstein bet out 9,000. This was followed by a raise from Hunt forcing Reichenstein to make a decision for his remaining 32,000 chips and his tournament life. Unfazed, Reichenstein entered the tank for a few moments and elected to make the call.

Matthew Hunt: Q♣J♠
Uri Reichenstein: A♠10♥

An elite-level hand by both players, but in the end, Hunt's attempt to force Reichenstein out of this pot was sniffed out.

Player	Chips	Progress
Uri Reichenstein	87,000 2,000	2,000
Matthew Hunt	27,000 27,000	27,000

Tags: Joshua Jacobson Matthew Hunt Uri Reichenstein

05-28-2025 14:07 UTC-8

Troutt with Top Top Against Leonard

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Robert Jones

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

We picked up this hand on the flop with 8,500 chips in the middle; and heads-up action between Michael Troutt and Patrick Leonard both in middle position. The board read Q♦10♦3♥, and Troutt elected to bet 1,800. Leonard would raise to 4,000, Troutt obliged.

When the 4♥ hit the turn, action paused with a check from Troutt and a check-back from Leonard.

With the 6♥ bringing a potential flush on the river, the action was on Troutt who decided 7,000 was the price of admission. Leonard pondered for a moment, but in the end, made the call, and was shown the bad news.

Michael Troutt: A♣Q♠

Holding top pair top kicker, Troutt chipped up to a healthy 87,000 chips during the 400 big blind level.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Troutt	87,000 87,000	87,000
Patrick Leonard	40,000 40,000	40,000

Tags: Michael Troutt Patrick Leonard

05-28-2025 12:54 UTC-8

Multi-Way Madness

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Robert Jones

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Dean Baranowski from the cutoff, Viktor Blom from the button, and Ankit Ahuja from the small blind all called the 800 chip raise from Jared Ward in middle position. Clemen Deng, in an attempt to slim the field, re-raised to 5,300. This was an unsuccessful attempt, as only Ward elected not to see three.

Going four ways to a flop of 6♦5♥4♥ with roughly 17,000 in the middle. Action checked to Blom who made it 8,600 to go. Next to act, Ahuja sent his remaining 31,500 chips into the middle, putting himself at risk. Action folded back around to Blom, who made the call.

Ankit Ahuja: 6♣6♥
Viktor Blom: A♥2♥

Blom did not have to wait as the 8♥ was peeled off on the turn. The river would not save Ahuja, and his flopped top set would send him to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Viktor Blom	112,000 112,000	112,000
Jared Ward	90,000 5,000	5,000
Dean Baranowski	45,000 45,000	45,000
Clemen Deng	45,000 45,000	45,000
Ankit Ahuja	Busted

Tags: Ankit Ahuja Clemen Deng Dean Baranowski Jared Ward Viktor Blom

05-28-2025 12:29 UTC-8

Seven is Always Coming

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Robert Jones

Level 2 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Jared Ward opened from middle position to 800, Ankit Ahuja called from the button, and Cesar Del Pino bumped the price of admission to 3,600 from the small blind. The other two players called.

Slightly over 15,000 in the middle as these players saw a flop of 7♦5♣4♥. Del Pino fired a bet of 4,200 after quite a bit of deliberation. Both players called once again.

The 2♠ on the turn was followed by a 19,200 chip bet from Del Pino, putting himself at risk.

No complaints from Ward, who raised for all of his chips as well. Ahuja released.

Jared Ward: 7♣7♠
Cesar Del Pino: A♣Qx All in

Unfortunately for Del Pino, he was drawing very slim and was more than likely going to the rail versus Ward's top set, unless a 3x was the river card.

It was not, and Ward concluded the tournament for Del Pino.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jared Ward	85,000 85,000	85,000
Ankit Ahuja	47,000 47,000	47,000
Cesar Del Pino	Busted

Tags: Ankit Ahuja Cesar Del Pino Jared Ward

05-28-2025 11:59 UTC-8

Ostapchenko Flops the Nuts Against Stoloff

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kai Cocklin

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Andrew Ostapchenko opened from under the gun to 1,300, and Anton Smirnov called in the hijack. Allison Stoloff also came along from the cutoff.

They went to a flop of 5♠4♦3♣ where it checked to Stoloff, who fired out 2,300. Ostapchenko then check-raised to 10,000, Smirnov folded, and Stoloff snap-called.

A 10♠ hit the turn and Ostapchenko, with around 55,000 in his stack, bet 20,000. Stoloff wasn't so quick to act this time and after around thirty seconds, she called.

When the 8♦ fell on the river, Ostapchenko gathered a large stack of chips and threw 33,000 into the pot, leaving himself around 2,000 behind. Stoloff then went into the tank for around two minutes, contemplating the decision with her stack of around 50,000. Eventually, she called.

Ostapchenko then showed the nuts with 7♥6♥ for a straight, and Stoloff mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Ostapchenko	135,000 135,000	135,000

Allison Stoloff	17,000 17,000	17,000

Tags: Allison Stoloff Andrew Ostapchenko Anton Smirnov

05-28-2025 11:57 UTC-8

Blind vs. Blind Battle

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Robert Jones

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Picking up action as Uri Reichenstein from the small blind, and Seunghyun Nam from the big blind headed to a flop of 8♣4♠2♠ with 15,000 chips in the middle.

Reichenstein check-called a bet of 3,800 from Nam.

A potential straight and flush became worries for both players as the 7♠ peeled off on the turn. Action checked around.

The 2♣ river was followed by a very small 3,000-chip bet from Reichenstein. After some deliberating, Nam decided not to make any moves and released.

Player	Chips	Progress
Uri Reichenstein	60,000 10,000	10,000
Seunghyun Nam	40,000 40,000	40,000

Tags: Seunghyun Nam Uri Reichenstein

05-28-2025 11:49 UTC-8

Williams Forcing River Decisions

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Robert Jones

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

After a raise from Jeremiah Williams sitting on the button and a re-raise to 2,500 from Daniel Strelitz seated in the small blind, Williams called, and they were heads up to a flop.

With a little over 5,000 in the middle, these players saw a flop of A♥10♣10♠. Strelitz elected to bet 1,200 and was raised by Williams to 4,200. Strelitz completed, and they were off to a turn.

The pressure would not cease from Williams on a 4♠ turn, as he fired 11,000 after a check from Strelitz. Strelitz elected to call once again.

After the 2♣ river peeled off, and a check from Strelitz, Williams was to act. He took virtually no time before he decided to put Strelitz all in. Strelitz found a quick fold, deciding this relentless aggression was too much to handle during the early stages of level one.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jeremiah Williams	72,500 16,500	16,500
Daniel Strelitz	27,500 27,500	27,500

Tags: Daniel Strelitz Jeremiah Williams