Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

05-28-2025 22:28 UTC-7

Ali Takes Three-Quarters of Three-Bet Pot

David Salituro

Level 12 : Limits 2,500/5,000, 0 ante

Blinds: 1,000-2,500
Limits: 2,500-5,000

Ihab Ali raised in early position and Steven Abitbol three-bet on the button. Steven Girouard and Marc Wolenik called in the blinds, while Ali also called to create a four-way pot to the Q♠2♥2♣ flop.

Ali then bet and only Abitbol called. Ali then put out bets on the 6♥ turn and 5♣ river as Abitbol called him down.

Ali turned over A♠10♣3♣2♦ for trips and a low, while Abitbol had A♦K♣7♥3♠ for the same low as Ali took the high and chopped up the low pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ihab Ali	120,000 120,000	120,000
Steven Abitbol	85,000 24,000	24,000
Andrew Brown	50,000 21,000	21,000

Huck Seed	25,000 7,000	7,000

Steven Girouard	20,000 23,000	23,000
Marc Wolenik	20,000 4,000	4,000

Tags: Ihab Ali Marc Wolenik Steven Abitbol Steven Girouard

05-28-2025 22:25 UTC-7

Prize Pool Confirmed

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Liam Gannon

Level 12 : Limits 2,500/5,000, 0 ante

Blinds: 1,000-2,500
Limits: 2,500-5,000

The prize pool has been confirmed as a total of 910 entrants came out to play this event today and generated a prize pool worth $1,255,117 to be divided up between the final 137 entrants.

Each of the players who cash will earn $3,027, with the winner of the tournament taking home $205,333 and the WSOP bracelet.

Place	Prize	Place	Prize
1	$205,333	16-23	$7,897
2	$136,855	24-31	$6,562
3	$95,253	32-39	$5,561
4	$67,392	40-47	$4,807
5	$48,480	48-55	$4,241
6	$35,471	56-63	$3,820
7	$26,403	64-71	$3,515
8	$20,001	72-79	$3,305
9	$15,423	80-87	$3,178
10-11	$12,112	88-137	$3,027
12-15	$9,688

05-28-2025 21:49 UTC-7

Iacofano Spikes the River to Bust Benso

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David Salituro

Level 11 : Limits 2,000/4,000, 0 ante

Blinds: 1,000-2,000
Limits: 2,000-4,000

Kevin Iacofano led out with a bet from the big blind on a board of Q♣10♠K♦6♠ and Nick Maimone called in the hijack. Sergio Benso then raised in the cutoff and Iacofano reraised. Maimone got out of the way, but Benso tossed in his last chips.

Benso had A♥K♠J♣9♥ for a flopped straight, while Iacofano showed A♦A♠J♠6♦ for the same straight and flush draw. The Q♠ river gave him his flush and Benso was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kevin Iacofano	70,000 70,000	70,000
Nick Maimone	11,000 11,000	11,000

Sergio Benso	Busted

Tags: Kevin Iacofano Nick Maimone Sergio Benso

05-28-2025 21:19 UTC-7

Owen On The Mixed Game Train

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Liam Gannon

Level 10 : Limits 1,500/3,000, 0 ante

Blinds: 1,000-1,500
Limits: 1,500-3,000

After a big win in a mixed game tournament at the tail end of last year, Brad Owen is tackling the summer with some new mixed game ideas in mind.

He now currently sits with an above average stack in the field as he hunts for his first WSOP bracelet.

https://twitter.com/TheBradOwen/status/1926694724456394841?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Player	Chips	Progress
Brad Owen	55,000 35,000	35,000

Tags: Brad Owen

05-28-2025 19:34 UTC-7

Brunson Calls Down Acoba as the Table Plays the Movie Game

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David Salituro

Level 8 : Limits 1,000/2,000, 0 ante

Blinds: 500-1,000
Limits: 1,000-/2,000

Todd Brunson bet from the big blind on a flop of Q♠10♣5♠ and picked up calls from Marielizette Acoba on the button and Nick Guagenti in the small blind.

While this hand was in progress, Kia Hooshmand was leading the table in a game where they name a movie and the rest of the table tries to guess what year it came out in. Hooshmand's first movie was The Ring, and Guagenti successfully guessed that it came out in 2002.

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Hooshmand continued, as guesses ranged from 1972 to 1974. "Nope, 1975, the year I was born," Hooshmand answered.

Meanwhile, action had checked to Acoba on the J♥ turn and she bet. Guagenti folded, but Brunson called to see the 2♣ river. Acoba then bet again and Brunson called.

Acoba showed A♠Q♥7♣3♦, but Brunson had Q♦J♦9♠7♦ for two pair to win the pot as Guagenti threw out the movie City Slickers for the table to guess.

Player	Chips	Progress
Todd Brunson	55,000 30,000	30,000

Nick Guagenti	40,000 1,000	1,000
Kia Hooshmand	22,000
Marielizette Acoba	15,000 10,600	10,600

Tags: Kia Hooshmand Marielizette Acoba Nick Guagenti Todd Brunson

05-28-2025 18:52 UTC-7

Spriggs is Sprigging Back

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Liam Gannon

Level 7 : Limits 800/1,600, 0 ante

Blinds: 400-800
Limits: 800-1,600

Rodney Spriggs raised in the hijack and both Larry Tobor in the small blind and Melvin McCraney in the big blind called.

Everyone checked the flop of 9♣8♣2♣ to the 2♥ turn where Tobor checked over to McCraney who bet and got two callers.

Action on the river 6♣ checked around to Spriggs who bet and Tobor folded while McCraney called.

Spriggs turned over K♠6♠3♣2♠ for twos full of sixes and McCraney tossed his hand into the muck.

"Oh no," lamented Tobor "you got my low out."

That earned a fist pump from Spriggs as the three-time WSOPC ring winner continued his upward climb after being down to just 2,300 in the early levels of the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Larry Tobor	76,000 76,000	76,000
Melvin McCraney	24,000 24,000	24,000

Rodney Spriggs	18,000 18,000	18,000

Tags: Larry Tobor Melvin McCraney Rodney Spriggs

05-28-2025 17:33 UTC-7

Mattison Makes Broadway to Bust Wend

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Limits 600/1,200, 0 ante

Blinds: 300-600
Limits: 600-1,200

Kevin Phillipson bet from the big blind on a board of 10♣Q♥10♥J♣ and Kenneth Wend called all in from under the gun. William Mattison then raised in the cutoff and Phillipson got out of the way.

Wend showed A♥A♠6♦2♦, but Mattison had A♣K♣5♣4♦ for a straight. The river was the K♦ and Mattison took the pot to send Wend to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
William Mattison	35,000 35,000	35,000
Kevin Phillipson	10,000 10,000	10,000
Kenneth Wend	Busted

Tags: Kenneth Wend Kevin Phillipson William Mattison

05-28-2025 17:15 UTC-7

Upright Frustrates Kessler on the River

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Limits 600/1,200, 0 ante

Blinds: 300-600
Limits: 600-1,200

Allen Kessler and Patrick Upright went to the turn on a board of 9♦Q♣5♥4♠ where Kessler bet from the cutoff. Upright called in the hijack.

The river was the 3♦ and Upright led out with a bet. "It can't be possible," Kessler said before tossing in the chips to call.

Upright then showed A♠A♥10♠2♥ for a rivered wheel. "You were drawing dead on the flop," Kessler said, tossing A♣Q♠Q♥4♥ into the muck as Upright scooped the pot.

Bracelet winner Dominick Sarle has also taken his seat at this table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dominick Sarle	40,000

Patrick Upright	35,000 10,000	10,000
Allen Kessler	13,000 14,000	14,000

Tags: Allen Kessler Patrick Upright

05-28-2025 16:36 UTC-7

Defending Champion Chen On The Uptick

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Liam Gannon

Level 4 : Limits 500/1,000, 0 ante

Blinds: 300-500
Limits: 500-1,000

Action was picked up on the turn in a pot between defending champion James Chen and Glenn Engelbert in the big blind with a board reading J♦9♣8♣A♦.

Chen bet when checked to and Engelbert called.

On the river 5♦, Chen bet once more when checked to and Engelbert sighed as he threw his cards into the muck.

The Pennsylvania player took down the pot as just a year ago, he beat out a field of 928 entrants to take down his first WSOP bracelet.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Chen (US)	30,000

Glenn Engelbert	18,000

Tags: Glenn Engelbert James Chen

05-28-2025 16:32 UTC-7

Adams Scoops Three-Way Pot

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Limits 500/1,000, 0 ante

Blinds: 300-500
Limits: 500-1,000

Three-handed on a flop of 9♣8♥2♣, Kathy Chang bet from the big blind before Jason Adams raised under the gun. Lewis Brant called in early position, while Chang also called.

The turn was the 7♥ and Adams bet again. Both opponents called to the Q♣ river as all three players checked it down.

Chang turned over 8♦7♦4♣3♣, but Adams had A♣J♠10♣3♥ for a straight and low to scoop the pot.