Event #32: $50,000 High Roller Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-09-2025 12:24 UTC-8

Cold Deck Leaves Mateos on the Rail

Adam Lamers

Level 2 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Adrian Mateos and Alexandros Theologis became involved in a preflop raising war, where all the chips went into the middle preflop. Mateos found himself at risk with a starting stack of around 300,000.

Adrian Mateos: A♠A♦ All in
Alexandros Theologis: K♠K♣

It was a clash of the two best starting hands, but Mateos looked poised for an early double-up. However, the flop of K♥6♦5♠ gave Theologis a set of kings and a big lead. The 2♥ on the turn and the 9♠ on the river were no help for Mateos, who was sent to the rail in the early going.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alexandros Theologis	675,000 675,000	675,000
Adrian Mateos	Busted

Tags: Adrian Mateos Alexandros Theologis

06-09-2025 13:26 UTC-8

Kings Cracked to Boot Kulev

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Connor Richards

Level 3 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Alex Kulev was all in from early position for just 6,000 against the bigger-stacked Michael Gathy in the big blind.

Alex Kulev: K♣K♦ All in
Michael Gathy: A♥5♥

Gathy took the lead on the flop of 2♦A♠Q♠ and Kulev couldn't pull ahead as the board finished out 10♥7♣ to make him the second elimination of the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Gathy	420,000

Alex Kulev	Busted

Tags: Michael Gathy Alex Kulev

06-09-2025 13:55 UTC-8

If You Chase Straight and Flushes, You Arrive on Planes and Leave on Buses

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Adam Lamers

Level 3 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Brandon Steven raised it up from middle position and Cary Katz called from the small blind. The flop came Q♠10♠6♣ and Katz check-called a bet from Steven.

The turn brought the 7♣ with around 50,000 in the middle now. The two players got all of their chips in the middle with Katz being at risk for around 250,000.

Katz: K♠8♠ All in
Brandon Steven: Q♥Q♣

Steven flopped a set of queens but Katz still had outs with a straight and flush draws. However, the 8♦ on the river was only a consolation prize for Katz who was forced to reenter.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brandon Steven	645,000 345,000	345,000
Cary Katz	Busted

Tags: Brandon Steven Cary Katz

06-09-2025 15:58 UTC-8

Green's Aces Get Run Over

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Adam Lamers

Level 5 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

With around 45,000 in the middle, a completed board of K♠8♠7♠9♥7♣ was spread across the felt. The action was on Richard Green who was first to act and he shipped all in for 105,000, more than twice the size of the pot.

Brock Wilson was faced with a decision and used a time bank before flicking in the call. Green flipped over A♥A♦ but Wilson showed 10♥7♥ for trip sevens, sending Green to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brock Wilson	400,000 118,000	118,000
Richard Green	Busted

Tags: Richard Green Brock Wilson

06-09-2025 16:36 UTC-8

Whole Lotta Roser

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Connor Richards

Level 6 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Cary Katz opened to 16,000 from under the gun and Jovan Kenjic three-bet jammed a stack of 182,000 from the next seat. Jack Roser called on the button and Katz folded.

Jovan Kenjic: A♦Q♠ All in
Jack Roser: 7♠7♦

The flop landed 7♥J♥8♦ to give Roser a commanding lead with a set and the 5♥ turn had Kenjic drawing dead before the A♠ river confirmed his elimination.

After the hand, Katz said he folded pocket tens.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jack Roser	850,000 125,000	125,000
Cary Katz	350,000 135,000	135,000

Jovan Kenjic	Busted

Tags: Cary Katz Jack Roser Jovan Kenjic

06-09-2025 16:44 UTC-8

Sturm Disposes of Kornuth

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Adam Lamers

Level 6 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Leon Sturm raised to 16,000 in middle position and Chance Kornuth three-bet to 54,000 from the blinds. Sturm called and they went heads-up to a flop of J♣8♣4♥.

Kornuth started with a check and Sturm fired out a bet of 31,000. Kornuth check-raised to 77,000 but Sturm stuck around for the 5♦ on the turn. Kornuth jammed all in for 144,000 and Sturm used a time bank before making the call.

Kornuth flipped over Q♠9♠ for just a straight draw while Sturm held J♦9♦ for top pair. The K♠ completed the board and Kornuth hit the rail with just queen-high.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leon Sturm	727,000 373,500	373,500

Chance Kornuth	Busted

Tags: Chance Kornuth Leon Sturm

06-09-2025 17:13 UTC-8

Lingham is On the Fritz

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Connor Richards

Level 6 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

In a four-way pot on a board of 2♣8♦4♦, Laszlo Bujtas bet 42,000 from early position and Manuel Fritz called behind him before Vinny Lingham raised all in for around 235,000 from the button.

Jason Koon and Bujtas folded and Fritz called off with a stack of around 150,000.

Manuel Fritz: 9♥9♠ All in
Vinny Lingham: 10♣8♠

Fritz had the better pair, but the board finished out Q♠10♠ to give Lingham the winner and Fritz hit the rail as Koon started singing "V-V-V-Vinny and the Jets."

"I didn't expect him to have an overpair," Lingham said.

"It was barely an overpair," commented Joao Vieira.

"What does GTO say?" Lingham asked as he thought through the hand.

"It says hit that fu**in' river!" laughed Koon.

Player	Chips	Progress
Laszlo Bujtas	800,000
Vinny Lingham	700,000 270,000	270,000
Jason Koon	560,000 36,000	36,000

Manuel Fritz	Busted

Tags: Jason Koon Joao Vieira Laszlo Bujtas Manuel Fritz Vinny Lingham

06-09-2025 17:58 UTC-8

It's Nacho Day

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Adam Lamers

Level 7 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Lander Lijo raised to 20,000 from under the gun and Nacho Barbero defended his big blind. The flop came 6♠4♦2♦ and Barbero checked to Lijo who bet 35,000. Barbero check-raised to 85,000 and Lijo just called.

The turn brought the 10♥ and Barbero slid out a stack of 175,000, leaving just 10,000 behind. Lijo announced all in and Barbero called it off.

Nacho Barbero: 9♥9♦ All in
Lander Lijo: J♥J♣

Barbero's pair of nines were out-classed by Lijo jacks and the 3♥ was not going to save him, sending him to the rail late on Day 1.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lander Lijo	1,260,000 296,000	296,000
Nacho Barbero	Busted

Tags: Lander Lijo Nacho Barbero

06-09-2025 19:22 UTC-8

Lin Falls to Ausmus

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Connor Richards

Level 8 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Jeremy Ausmus open-jammed a short stack and Ren Lin called off with less in the small blind.

Ren Lin: K♠Q♣ All in
Jeremy Ausmus: A♠4♥

"King and Lady Gaga," Lin told his opponent before the board ran out 3♥9♦8♠10♣4♦ to mark his elimination.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jeremy Ausmus	250,000

Ren Lin	Busted

Tags: Jeremy Ausmus Ren Lin

06-09-2025 19:53 UTC-8

Vieira Makes Quads to Bust Lingham

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Adam Lamers

Level 8 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Picking up the action on the flop with the board reading K♥9♠4♥, a little over 200,000 was in the middle with three people still alive in the hand. Vinny Lingham jammed all in for 540,000 which sent Orpen Kisacikoglu into the tank for over a minute before he eventually folded. Joao Vieira, on the other hand, snap-called and the cards were tabled.

Vinny Lingham: A♦A♣ All in
Joao Vieira: 4♣4♦

Vieira flopped a set of fours to leave Lingham shaking his head in disbelief. The turn was the 4♠ and Vieira made quads to end Lingham's night on the last hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joao Vieira	1,300,000 975,000	975,000

Vinny Lingham	Busted

Tags: Vinny Lingham Orpen Kisacikoglu Joao Vieira