Event #30: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-08-2025 16:37 UTC-8

Papastavrou Gets Paid; Riess Out

Dan O'Hair

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 900 ante

Jason Papastavrou opened to 1,800 on the button and was called by Hye Park in the small blind and Yehuda Buchalter in the big blind for a three-way pot.

Park and Buchalter drew one and Papastavrou stood pat.

It was then checked to Papastavrou, who bet 5,000. Park folded and Buchalter called after a bit of contemplation.

Papastavrou showed 9x7x6x4x2x and Buchalter sent his hand into the muck.

At another table, 2013 Main Event Champ Ryan Riess was eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Papastavrou	66,000 9,000	9,000
Hye Park	56,000 3,400	3,400
Yehuda Buchalter	50,000
Ryan Riess	Busted

Tags: Jason Papastavrou Ryan Riess Yehuda Buchalter Hye Park

06-08-2025 16:37 UTC-8

Negreanu Doesn't Last Long, Quickly Fires Again

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 900 ante

Daniel Negreanu had just taken his seat in the tournament when he went heads-up against Jonathan Krela with around 20,000 already in the pot.

Krela bet 13,000 from middle position and Negreanu moved all in for 51,100. Krela took a minute before calling to put Negreanu at risk.

"Pair of deuces," Negreanu announced, and Krela showed 9x6x5x4x3x to win the pot and send Negreanu to the rail.

"Alright, kill me so I can rebuy," Negreanu told the dealer, not even bothering to get up from his seat.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jonathan Krela	130,000
Daniel Negreanu	60,000

Tags: Daniel Negreanu Jonathan Krela

06-08-2025 16:32 UTC-8

Rizzo Gets There to Triple, Elias Takes Out Massman

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 900 ante

Leonardo Rizzo had his last 10,000 in the middle from the hijack, Robert Massman was all in for 30,000 from the cutoff, and Darren Elias put both players at risk in the big blind.

Elias stood pat, while Massman and Rizzo both drew one. Elias turned over 10x8x7x5x3x, while Massman had 8x7x3x2x showing and Rizzo had 8x6x5x4x.

Massman caught a Jx on his last card and tossed it into the muck, while Rizzo peeled a 10x to make a 10-8-6 and best Elias's 10-8-7 to win the pot and triple up. Elias took the side pot to send Massman to the rail.

"Back in the game," Rizzo said.

Player	Chips	Progress
Darren Elias	130,000 17,000	17,000

Leonardo Rizzo	35,000 25,000	25,000
Robert Massman	Busted

Tags: Darren Elias Leonardo Rizzo Robert Massman

06-08-2025 16:26 UTC-8

Suzuki Picks Off Rizzo to Double

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 300/600, 900 ante

Heads-up after the draw, Ryutaro Suzuki bet 6,500 from the hijack before Leonardo Rizzo moved all in from the cutoff. Suzuki quickly called for 33,500.

Rizzo showed 9x8x6x5x4x, but Suzuki had 7x6x5x3x2x to win the pot and double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ryutaro Suzuki	75,000 24,000	24,000

Leonardo Rizzo	10,000 10,000	10,000

Tags: Leonard Rizzo Ryutaro Suzuki

06-08-2025 16:08 UTC-8

Seiver Picks Off Livingston

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 300/500, 800 ante

Alex Livingston raised to 1,000 under the gun and Scott Seiver three-bet to 3,500 in the small blind. Livingston called and they each drew one.

Seiver checked to Livingston who bet 8,500. Seiver took off his headphones, took a sip from his coffee, and muttered to himself for a few seconds before committing the chips.

Livingston mucked and Seiver flashed a 10-7 as the defending champion took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Scott Seiver	70,000 5,000	5,000

Alex Livingston	45,000 15,000	15,000

Tags: Alex Livingston Scott Seiver

06-08-2025 16:02 UTC-8

Kassela Gets Away With an "Old Man's" Bluff

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 300/500, 800 ante

David Lin raised to 1,100 under the gun and Jean-Robert Bellande three-bet to 4,500 in middle position. Frank Kassela called in the cutoff, while Lin put in a four-bet to 12,500. Both Bellande and Kassela called.

Lin stood pat, while Bellande and Kassela drew one. Action then checked to Kassela who splashed in 25,000. Lin quickly folded, as did Bellande.

"Thank God," Kassela said, showing a pair of deuces.

"See, old people bluff, too," tablemate Philip Sternheimer said.

"I've been known to bluff every now and then. It's okay, I can handle it. I'm just glad I'm still here, I'll take being called old," Kassela replied.

Player	Chips	Progress
Frank Kassela	90,000 24,000	24,000

Jean-Robert Bellande	80,000 25,400	25,400

David Lin	60,000 16,200	16,200

Tags: David Lin Frank Kassela Jean-Robert Bellande

06-08-2025 15:48 UTC-8

Sammartino Pairs as Betil Doubles

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 300/500, 800 ante

Bariscan Betil raised to 1,300 in the hijack and Dario Sammartino three-bet to 5,500 in the small blind. Betil then four-bet to 14,000 and Sammartino called.

Both players drew one and Sammartino moved all in. Betil snap-called for 27,100.

Sammartino turned over 7x7x6x4x2x, saying he caught another seven, while Betil had 8x7x4x3x2x to double up.

"Eight or seven?" tablemate Jon Kyte asked Betil, who replied he caught the seven. "It's funny that you both hit sevens," Kyte added.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bariscan Betil	82,000 47,000	47,000
Dario Sammartino	25,000

Tags: Bariscan Betil Dario Sammartino

06-08-2025 15:22 UTC-8

Baxter Raises Morris

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 300/500, 800 ante

Adam Owen, Billy Baxter, and Arthur Morris all drew one and Morris then bet 2,000 from the cutoff.

Owen folded in the small blind, but Baxter raised to 6,000 in the big blind. Morris snap-called and Baxter showed 9x7x6x5x2x as the Poker Hall of Famer, who has six WSOP bracelets in this game, took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Billy Baxter	60,000 17,000	17,000

Adam Owen	55,000 55,000	55,000
Arthur Morris	40,000 7,000	7,000

Tags: Adam Owen Arthur Morris Billy Baxter

06-08-2025 14:48 UTC-8

Suzuki Lays Down to Taylor; Elias up Big Early

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Dan O'Hair

Level 2 : Blinds 200/400, 600 ante

Thomas Taylor opened to 1,000 from under the gun and was three-bet to 3,500 by Ryutaro Suzuki in the hijack. Action folded back to Taylor who called.

Taylor drew one and Suzuki stood pat. Taylor then led out for 8,000 and Suzuki laid his hand down.

Meanwhile, Darren Elias has gotten off to a great start and appears to be the current chip leader with approximately 135,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Darren Elias	135,000 30,000	30,000

Ryutaro Suzuki	55,000 55,000	55,000

Thomas Taylor	50,000 2,000	2,000

Tags: Darren Elias Ryutaro Suzuki Thomas Taylor

06-08-2025 14:15 UTC-8

Elias Takes From Bromfman Twice

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David Salituro

Level 2 : Blinds 200/400, 600 ante

Darren Elias three-bet to 7,500 in the small blind and Pedro Bromfman called in the cutoff.

Both players drew one and Elias bet 12,000. Bromfman tanked for nearly a minute before folding.

The next hand, Bromfman and Elias again went heads-up past the draw when Bromfman bet 8,500 from the hijack. Elias then raised to 26,000 on the button.

Bromfman called this time and Elias showed 8x7x5x3x2x to win the pot.

Jean-Robert Bellande has recently joined this table that also includes Ben Lamb. "Is Ben on his second bullet yet?" Bellande asked.

"He's only been here for 11 minutes. Give him 15, at least," Frank Kassela replied.