Event #39: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.
Day 3 Completed
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #39: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2025 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$1,150,943
Entries
867
Level
36
Limits
0 / 0
Ante
0
Entries
18
Players Left
1
Level 36
Limit Flop: 300,000-600,000, 600,000-1,200,000 Limits
Stud Games: 300,000-600,000 600,000-1,200,000 Limits, 200,000 Ante
Stud Games: 300,000-600,000 600,000-1,200,000 Limits, 200,000 Ante
Seven years ago, Andrey Zhigalov won his first-ever bracelet in the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. Today, after a twelve-hour day of limit poker, Zhigalov captured his second bracelet in the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas by taking down the record-breaking edition of the same tournament at the 2025 World Series of Poker. Zhigalov conquered the 867-entrant field of Event #39: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. and added $197,923 to his tournament winnings, the largest share of the $1,150,943 prize pool.
During a back-and-forth heads-up battle with Thomas Taylor, Zhigalov gained a huge edge when he made the nuts in razz, a wheel. Taylor had made the second nuts in the big pot, causing the majority of the chips to go in. Not much later, Zhigalov closed things out, leaving Taylor to make do with $131,916 and his second runner-up finish in as many years.
Event #39: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrey Zhigalov | Russian Federation | $197,923 |
| 2 | Thomas Taylor | Canada | $131,916 |
| 3 | Marcel Vonk | Netherlands | $91,545 |
| 4 | Tal Avivi | Israel | $64,607 |
| 5 | Travis Kubota | United States | $46,384 |
| 6 | Joseph Santagata | United States | $33,885 |
| 7 | Sachin Bhargava | United States | $25,198 |
| 8 | Stanislav Ivanov | Bulgaria | $19,078 |
Winner's Reaction
"This is my favorite tournament, and I was so proud to play on this final table again. I won the tournament in 2018 and tried to defend my title in 2019, but couldn't do it. It's a very special tournament for me, and it's a very good tournament with a very friendly atmosphere," Zhigalov shared after his victory.
Characteristic of the atmosphere Zhigarov cherished so much, both Zhigalov and Taylor were cheered on by sizable crowds during the epic heads-up match that lasted several levels. "I've had such nice friends," Zhigalov noted. "Actually, the guy who was third in 2018, he was railing for me here."
Zhigalov is somewhat of a poker anomaly, opting to focus solely on mixed games, stating that he finds no-limit hold'em "boring" and likes the variety that mixed games bring with them.
Poetically, Zhigalov won his favorite tournament in his favorite game: "I prefer all stud games, and feel most safe in razz, I've got a lot of experience [in it]." Regarding the deciding hand, he noted: "In a cash game, I would've played it differently. I think I will raise on fifth, but here I decided to save some chips and see what's going on on sixth. On sixth, we had the exact same hands. Then we both caught perfect on seventh, and that's the cooler."
Zhigalov's Road to Victory
Zhigalov started the day as the chipleader of the 18 returning players, but got off to a rough start. After Blaz Zerjav (18th - $7,562) and Ari Engel (17th - $7,562) were eliminated, Zhigalov had dropped to fifth in chips at the two-table redraw. At the final two tables, where the field lost Alex Livingston (15th - $9,260), and Hall of Famer Linda Johnson (10th - $11,561), Zhigalov chipped back up a bit, and he started the unofficial final table of nine players third in chips.
With eight players remaining, Zhigalov became the shortest stack at the table after leaving himself with two big bets after folding on sixth street in Razz. "I paired my seven, and I was too short to pay," Zhigalov shared regarding this vital moment.
Shortly after, Zhigalov was all in and at risk, drawing to a naked gutshot. He hit his gin card, however, staying alive in the tournament and kickstarting a meteoric rise up the ranks. Zhigalov eliminated Joseph Santagata in sixth place, and former chipleader Tal Avivi in fourth.
During the lengthy three-handed phase of the tournament, Zhigalov lost his chip lead, and Taylor started dominating. After knocking out Marcel Vonk in third, Taylor started the heads-up with over three-quarters of the chips in play. However, Zhigalov fought back, and the two exchanged the lead plenty of times over the next two and a half hours.
Eventually, as all other tournaments in the Horsehoe Event Center had already wrapped up, Zhigalov made his fateful wheel. Taylor was left with the stack Zhigalov had started the heads-up with, but with the high limits, he could not recover. A couple of hands after their final break, Zhigalov eliminated the final hurdle between him and his second bracelet, and immediately started celebrating his latest victory with his rail.
What's next for Zhigalov? "Mostly cash games, but I will play some more tournaments for sure," he answered. "Actually, I wanted to play the $1,500 Razz today, but ran too deep in this one so I could not register anymore."
Whatever bracelet event is next on Zhigalov's schedule, PokerNews is guaranteed to be on the floor to provide industry-leading live reporting. So be sure to check out our WSOP hub to not miss any of the action from your favorite events at the 2025 World Series of Poker.
Level 36
Limit Flop: 300,000-600,000, 600,000-1,200,000 Limits
Stud Games: 300,000-600,000 600,000-1,200,000 Limits, 200,000 Ante
Stud Games: 300,000-600,000 600,000-1,200,000 Limits, 200,000 Ante
Razz
Thomas Taylor brought it in, before Andrey Zhigalov completed. Taylor then raised, before Zhigalov came over the top again. Taylor gave it some thought before moving all in, and Zhigalov quickly made the call.
Thomas Taylor: 8x2x/10x7xAx3x 
Andrey Zhigalov: 5x4x/3x8x6x4x
Taylor was still live as he awaited his final card, but when Taylor turned over Ax he sealed the victory, and after Taylor tabled the 10x, he was officially eliminated in 2nd place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
21,675,000
3,475,000
|
3,475,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 36
Limit Flop: 300,000-600,000, 600,000-1,200,000 Limits
Stud Games: 300,000-600,000 600,000-1,200,000 Limits, 200,000 Ante
Stud Games: 300,000-600,000 600,000-1,200,000 Limits, 200,000 Ante
The first week of the 2025 World Series of Poker came out swinging with big bluffs, brutal beats, and more than a few moments that had the entire poker world talking.
Whether it was Nick Schulman dropping the coldest line of the summer, Michael "Texas Mike" Moncek shoving blind into four premium hands, or Christopher Zollo turning a meme-worthy alias into a legit bracelet run, the first seven days of poker's biggest festival did not disappoint.
Level: 36
Limit Flop: 300,000-600,000, 600,000-1,200,000 Limits
Stud Games: 300,000-600,000 600,000-1,200,000 Limits, 200,000 Ante
Level 35
The heads-up opponents have been sent on their final break of the night.
When they return, they will play one more level. If the tournament has not concluded by then, they will get the option to bag their chips or play another level.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
18,200,000
825,000
|
825,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,475,000
825,000
|
825,000 |
|
|
||
Level 35
Razz
Andrey Zhigalov: XxXxXx/10x4x2xQx
Thomas Taylor: XxXxXx/Kx4x2x10x
Andrey Zhigalov completed and Thomas Taylor called, and Taylor also called a bet on fourth street. On fifth street Zhigalov bet and called a raise from Taylor.
Zhigalov decided to check-call on sixth street.
On seventh street, Zhigalov led into Taylor before being met with a raise. Zhigalov took his time, before putting in the three-bet, which Taylor quickly snapped off.
Zhigalov however turned over A♠5♣3♦ for a wheel, to put a massive cooler on Taylor who tabled for A♦6♠3♣ for #2.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,725,000
10,075,000
|
10,075,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,300,000
10,725,000
|
10,725,000 |
|
|
||
Level 35
Omaha Hi-Lo
Andrey Zhigalov was on the button and raised. Thomas Taylor three-bet in the big blind, seeing Zhigalov toss in a call. Taylor slowed down on the 9♣Q♦10♥ flop, check-calling Zhigalov's bet.
Both players then knuckled the table on the 8♠ turn, and Taylor did so too on the 9♥ river. Zhigalov fired a bet, and Taylor snap-called.
Zhigalov confidently tabled A♦9♦7♦2♣ for trip nines, but Taylor had a straight with A♠J♦7♣2♦ and was awarded the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,025,000
1,525,000
|
1,525,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
6,650,000
1,525,000
|
1,525,000 |
|
|
||
Level 35
Limit Hold'em
Andrey Zhigalov raised on the button, seeing Thomas Taylor call in the big blind. Zhigalov placed a continuation-bet on the K♥8♦7♦ board, which Taylor check-raised.
Zhigalov quickly called, and the remainder of the 8♠Q♠ runout was checked down. Taylor could only show jack-high with J♦10♦, leaving Zhigalov to take the pot with A♥9♥ for ace-high.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,500,000
3,375,000
|
3,375,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
8,175,000
3,375,000
|
3,375,000 |
|
|
||
Level 35
Limit Hold'em
Thomas Taylor has won three straight pots in Limit Hold'em, to extend his lead. He was given a walk on his big blind, and raised twice from the button and Andrey Zhigalov, calling the raise but folding the continuation bet on the flop.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,875,000
4,475,000
|
4,475,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,800,000
4,475,000
|
4,475,000 |
|
|
||
