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

05-28-2025 20:22 UTC-8

Rizzo Wins a Flip

Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

There was an open before Erion Qoku three-bet from the button. Leonardo Rizzo then four-bet shoved from the small blind for 76,600 and once the action got back to Qoku, he called with a covering stack.

Leonardo Rizzo: 8♠8♣ All in
Erion Qoku: A♥Q♣

Rizzo was ahead with his Snowmen and the dealer wasn't about to let his bracelet dreams melt away as the 6♠3♦7♠J♠9♣ runout earned him a double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leonardo Rizzo	155,000 19,700	19,700
Erion Qoku	50,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Erion Qoku Leonardo Rizzo

05-28-2025 20:17 UTC-8

Huge Pot for Cazayous

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Barry Russell

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

There were approximately 32,000 chips in the middle on a board showing 10♣A♥9♣. Thomas Cazayous checked from middle position, and Asher Neaman, on the button, decided to overbet the pot to 55,000 when the K♥ hit the turn. Cazayous took his time before calling.

Action went check-check when the 7♣ fell on the river and Cazayous quickly tabled A♣2♣ and he took this massive pot. Cazayous nearly playing 300 big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
Thomas Cazayous	300,000 90,000	90,000

Asher Neaman	180,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Asher Neaman Thomas Cazayous

05-28-2025 20:08 UTC-8

Some Notable Chip Stacks

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Robert Jones

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Joseph Frei	390,000 65,000	65,000
Shawn Daniels	370,000 150,000	150,000

Ren Lin	235,000 45,000	45,000

Benjamin Palmer	225,000 25,000	25,000
Samuel Laskowitz	215,000 135,000	135,000
Asher Neaman	210,000 50,000	50,000
Thomas Cazayous	210,000 30,000	30,000

Justin Liberto	175,000 20,000	20,000

05-28-2025 20:08 UTC-8

Liu Walks as Pak Adds Some Chips

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Tian Liu bet 2,800 on a flop of 8♦2♣4♥ and Edward Pak raised to 12,500. Liu only had around 9,000 total and after a few seconds, put the rest of his chips in.

Tian Liu: J♥9♥ All in
Edward Pak: A♦8♣

Liu was short and needed to connect with one of his two overcards to stay alive. The Q♠ on the turn did add a gutshot, but the K♣ river was a brick, leaving Liu out the door and allowing Pak to add some extra chips to his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Edward Pak	130,000 96,000	96,000
Tian Liu	Busted

Tags: Edward Pak Tian Liu

05-28-2025 20:05 UTC-8

Riordan Shoves the Turn

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Barry Russell

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

There were roughly 35,000 chips in the pot on a board of 10♣6♦2♠8♥. John Riordan from middle position announced "all in" for 27,500 and got snap called by Michael Pempin on the button.

John Riordan: J♣J♦ All in
Michael Pempin: Q♥10♥

No luck for Pempin as the 4♣ hit the river and Riordan is playing a stack over 60,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Riordan	63,000 63,000	63,000

Michael Pempin	47,000 25,000	25,000

Tags: John Riordan Michael Pempin

05-28-2025 19:59 UTC-8

Eyzaguirre's Kings Crushed on the River

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Ricardo Eyzaguirre's stack had dwindled to around ten big blinds but he had a great opportunity to double up when he was put at risk by Armando Figueroa.

Ricardo Eyzaguirre: K♦K♣ All in
Armando Figueroa: A♦J♥

Eyzaguirre held pocket kings and was good through the 3♣7♦6♣ flop and the 3♦ turn. However, Figueroa screamed for an ace and got his reward as the A♣ hit the river, meaning Eyzaguirre was eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Armando Figueroa	40,000
Ricardo Eyzaguirre	Busted

Tags: Armando Figueroa Ricardo Eyzaguirre

05-28-2025 19:51 UTC-8

Yang Busts in Brutal Fashion

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Robert Jones

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Chongxian Yang open-shoved for 9,600, and action folded to Sohale Khalili who decided to give some action.

Sohale Khalili: K♦5♠
Chongxian Yang: A♣10♦

The flop ran out A♥J♥6♣ and Yang felt safe with top pair.

A 10♠ gave Yang two pair, but also gave Khalili an opportunity to send him home.

The sentence to the rail was secured with the Q♠ river. Khalili backdoored into the nuts.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sohale Khalili	58,000 20,000	20,000
Chongxian Yang	Busted

Tags: Chongxian Yang Sohale Khalili

05-28-2025 19:49 UTC-8

Surprise at Showdown

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Barry Russell

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

With roughly 27,000 chips in the pot on a flop of 10♥7♠5♦, Sandeep Pulusani checked from early position. Duy Duong, in middle position, also checked. Chao Duan, on the button, bet 5,400, and only Pulusani called.

The turn brought the 8♠ and the river the 4♣, with both players checking down to showdown. Duan looked surprised when Pulusani tabled Q♠Q♣, but his own K♦K♣ was good enough to take the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chao Duan	67,000
Sandeep Pulusani	40,000

Duy Duong	17,000

Tags: Sandeep Pulusani Chao Duan Duy Duong

05-28-2025 19:47 UTC-8

Leonard Making Moves

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Nicholas Teeuwen opened from under the gun and Patrick Leonard three-bet to 7,500 from middle position. Marko Grujic was in the hijack and cold four-bet to 15,000, which got Teeuwen to fold. Leonard called.

The flop came 5♥Q♠A♠ and Leonard check-called a bet of 4,000 from Grujic to the 8♥ turn, where both checked.

A J♥ fell on the river and Leonard stacked his chips into a single pile and slid them forward for a shove of around 40,000. Grujic released a huge puff of air as he was facing the bet and after around 30 seconds, he let his cards go.

Player	Chips	Progress
Marko Grujic	85,000 129,000	129,000
Patrick Leonard	80,000 80,000	80,000

Tags: Marko Grujic Nicholas Teeuwen Patrick Leonard

05-28-2025 19:40 UTC-8

Two Doubles Are Better Than One

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Stewart Morrison

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Joao Vieira found himself all in at risk twice in the space of a few hands.

First Vieira moved all in for 3,900 and only Ricardo Eyzaguirre in the big blind called.

Joao Vieira: Q♥8♥ All in
Ricardo Eyzaguirre: Q♣5♥

The board ran out 3♠A♣7♦6♠8♦ to give Vieira his first double.

Just a few hands later Vieira moved all in from early position for 9,300 before Michael Troutt isolated on the button to 15,000.

Joao Vieira: A♠2♠ All in
Michael Troutt: A♦7♦

Vieira would need some help this time, seeing his holding dominated by his opponent.

The 10♠10♥6♠9♥ board gave Vieira plenty of opportunities to win or at least split the pot, and the 2♣ river was exactly what Vieira was hoping for.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Troutt	60,000 15,000	15,000
Ricardo Eyzaguirre	32,500 32,500	32,500
Joao Vieira	21,000 21,000	21,000