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

05-28-2025 16:00 UTC-7

Gafford Wins a Flip Against Moorman

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 15:53 UTC-7

Ausmus Playing Over 100,000 Stack

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Barry Russell

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

There were roughly 29,000 chips in the pot on a board of 4♥9♠7♥K♥6♥. Edward Pak bet 16,000 from middle position and got quickly called by Jeremy Ausmus in the small blind. Pak tabled Q♣9♣ and Ausmus showed 9♦9♥ and took the pot.

Ausmus now playing a stack over 200 big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jeremy Ausmus	110,000 110,000	110,000

Edward Pak	34,000 34,000	34,000

Tags: Edward Pak Jeremy Ausmus

05-28-2025 15:50 UTC-7

Massey Takes it Down

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Stewart Morrison

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Patrick Leonard raised to 1,100 in middle position, Aaron Massey three-bet to 3,000 in the cut off. Action folded back to Leonard, who called.

Seeing a K♠8♦3♥ flop, Leonard played in flow and checked to Massey who continutation-bet for 1,400. Leonard had other plans though and check-raised to 4,700. Massey called.

Both players chose to check the A♣ turn.

The river rolled off the 4♦ and Leonard led out for 3,200. Massey decided this wasn't enough and raised to 14,200.

Leonard took his time considering his options, but ultimately folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aaron Massey	59,000 59,000	59,000
Patrick Leonard	21,000 19,000	19,000

Tags: Aaron Massey Patrick Leonard

05-28-2025 15:47 UTC-7

Rivera Doubles Through Gardner

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Kai Cocklin

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

With around 30,000 chips in the pot on a 4♠7♠8♠5♥4♣ board, Jorge Rivera had his remaining stack of 19,700 in the middle and was put at risk by Jason Gardner.

Rivera held 7♦6♦ for a straight, which was enough to earn him the double-up as Gardner's cards were already in the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jorge Rivera	70,000 48,000	48,000
Jason Gardner	30,000

Tags: Jason Gardner Jorge Rivera

05-28-2025 15:44 UTC-7

Nice Pot for Ferguson

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Barry Russell

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Action was picked up with 12,000 already in the pot on a board of K♥9♦Q♠6♠, as Charles Pinckernell bet 4,000 from under the gun. Jorge Rivera called in middle position, and Natalie Ferguson raised to 12,000 from the cutoff. Pinckernell folded, but Rivera made the call.

The river brought the 6♥, and both players checked. Ferguson tabled K♠Q♦ for top two pair and scooped the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Natalie Ferguson	84,000 84,000	84,000
Charles Pinckernell	42,100 42,100	42,100
Jorge Rivera	22,000 22,000	22,000

Tags: Charles Pinckernell Jorge Rivera Natalie Ferguson

05-28-2025 15:39 UTC-7

Hunt Gets Hunted

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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 15:36 UTC-7

Selected Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Joseph Frei	320,000 80,000	80,000
Shundan Xiao	140,000 16,500	16,500
Joshua Zimmerman	130,000
Sumit Deb	100,000
Matthew McEwan	90,000
Jesse Kertland	85,000
Uri Reichenstein	85,000 25,000	25,000
Paul Roy	80,000

05-28-2025 15:34 UTC-7

Johnson Takes it Down

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Stewart Morrison

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

With roughly 15,500 chips in the middle, Masato Yokosawa in the cut off, and big blind Marco Johnson saw a K♥6♦10♠ flop.

Johnson, first to act, flicked in a 5,000 chip, Yokosawa came along for a call.

The turn 10♣ paired the board but didn't slow Johnson down, who again chose to bet, this time for 12,500.

This was enough to get the job done as Yokosawa folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Marco Johnson	57,000 57,000	57,000

Masato Yokosawa	36,000 36,000	36,000

Tags: Marco Johnson Masato Yokosawa

05-28-2025 15:26 UTC-7

Castro Collects From Passing Go

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Kai Cocklin

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

With around 22,000 sitting in the pot on a 2♦4♣Q♦8♥ board, Harvey Castro checked from under the gun, and Nicholas Go knuckled back from the cutoff.

A 6♦ fell on the river, and Castro reached for his stack before he fired out 8,100. Go had exactly 26,000 remaining, and within a few seconds, he moved them all into the pot. Castro went into the tank and counted out his own stack before eventually making the call.

"You win," said Go as he rolled over A♠7♦ for a bluff. Castro then showed A♣Q♣ for top pair to take the pot and eliminate Go.