Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
Day 3 Completed
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
Day: 3
Event Info
2025 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$1,208,025
Entries
910
Level
33
Limits
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
0
Entries
16
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 910
Filter
Level 33
: Limits 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
The first mixed game event of the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas began on Wednesday, May 28. Some 910 entrants came out to play over the course of the initial registration period, creating a prize pool of $1,208,025 that was divided up among 137 players.
Only 16 players came into the final day with a chance to grab that bracelet, the first open event title to be awarded this year, and after nine and a half hours, a winner was crowned in Event #4: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better.
Tournament players from Florida know and have known David Shmuel for many years on the felt. With 19 recorded first places on Hendon Mob in various different game types, Shmuel has made his presence known at the casinos up and down the Sunshine State. Now adding a 20th title to his ever-growing trophy collection, joining the ranks of WSOP bracelet winners by defeating Joe Ford and collecting a career-high cash of $205,333.
“Omaha Hi-Lo is my favorite game,” the new champion said, surrounded by a supportive rail of friends and family. “It’s the game I actually started playing back in 1994. It’s a more relaxing game than hold’em and more fun to play. Two cards can get a little boring. Don’t get me wrong, hold’em is a great game, but I think mixed games are more fun.”
“I don’t have any immediate plans with the money,” Shmuel said when asked about his new score of over $200,000. I just want to have some fun with the wife and travel. That’s the main thing.”
After bagging the biggest stack on Day 1 and the second-biggest stack on Day 2, Shmuel sat with eyes on him for the majority of the tournament. None of that bothered Shmuel, who had set some goals prior to focus on.
“I was very focused and I had it in my mind that I was going to go deep, because last year in the PLO8 I finished in 17th. I said this year I was going to get deeper, and I focused more. I never was all in during the tournament, made the right decisions, and got lucky.”
Surrounding him as he won the bracelet was a large group of family and friends that included his wife.
“It’s important to have a group of friends around you. You talk about them with situations, you support them, they support you, and that’s the idea of playing poker. It’s to have people around you, trying to enjoy it with them.”
“I told my wife I don’t have a plan, I go day by day,” Shmuel said in reference to his summer plans. “I finish this one, I go on to the next one, and I don’t have a spreadsheet.”
With that, the new WSOP bracelet winner collected his new piece of jewelry and exited the tournament area.
Day 3 Action
It did not take long for the eliminations to begin as just minutes into the day, the near simultaneous eliminations of Jon Kyte (16th-$7,897) and Dennis Morrison (15th-$9,688) occurred on separate tables. After that, it was WSOP bracelet winner Matt Grapenthien (14th-$9,688) who was unable to spin up his short stack and fell short in his quest for a second bracelet. Austin Marks (13th-$9,688) and Martin Matranca (12th-$9,688) became the next eliminated players and the last ones to collect under five figures for their finish.
Eric Polirer (11th-$12,112) could not spin up his stack and found himself going to the payout cage earlier than hoped. After that it would be another situation of near simultaneous eliminations as WSOP bracelet winner Christopher Vitch (10th-$12,112) and Kevin Pier (9th-$15,423) both fell on separate tables. With that, the final table was set and Vitch’s elimination ensured that a new player would join the ranks of WSOP bracelet winners.
Final Table Action
It only took a few minutes for the first elimination to take place as Joseph Bertrand started the final table with just over one small blind to begin. He moved his final chips in and would flop a low draw in a multiway pot with Ilia Krupin and start-of-day chipleader Melvin McCraney. The board did not fall favorably for him, and Krupin began his ascent up the leaderboard with his flopped flush while Bertrand took home $20,001 for his eighth-place finish.
From one player’s ascent to another’s descent, McCraney’s start-of-day reign as chip leader faced quite a bit of turbulence at the final table. After several pots going the ways of Ford, Shmuel, and Krupin, respectively, McCraney found himself all in on the button in a three-way pot with Ford and Patrick Stacey. His pair of jacks did not hold up against Ford’s hand as he flopped three sevens, and McCraney collected $26,403 for his seventh-place finish.
By his own admission, Stacey had a swingy day, and that continued at the final table. After winning a few pots early, Stacey’s chips went into the stacks of Ford and Krupin as the day progressed. His final hand came when he got his last chips in against Krupin, pairing his five to make sixes-up on the flop to improve, but being counterfeited by the turn, which gave Krupin aces-up with a king. No help was brought to Stacey and he finished in sixth place, collecting $35,471.
Krupin’s ascent was halted by Shmuel in several big pots that Shmuel scooped, and Krupin was the next one out in fifth place. His final hand came when he got all of his chips in when he rivered a flush, only for Gregory Wood to river the nut flush. Wood got a boost to his stack while Krupin collected $48,480 for his efforts.
Wood collected his payout of $67,392 shortly after, despite the boost he got from eliminating Krupin. He and Ford saw a flop where Wood flopped top two pair and Ford flopped top set. They bet until Wood had his entire stack in the middle, and he failed to catch up on the following streets against Ford, finishing in fourth place.
At this point, Shmuel had padded a healthy lead against the field with Ford in second and Darren Taylor in a distant third place. A few scoops going the other way left him on fumes, and Taylor’s third-place finish came as a result of his flopped low draw and straight draw being counterfeited by Shmuel’s wheel. Shmuel took the lead into the heads-up match while Taylor collected $95,253 for his efforts.
This was the second time that Ford made the final table of this particular event, having finished in fourth place 12 years ago. He finished higher this time around, but was unable to overcome the chip deficit against Shmuel. As the match went on, Ford found himself forced all in for his last blind, and Shmuel found ace-ace-king-king to go against him. Despite Ford pairing one of his cards on the flop, aces-up proved fruitful for Shmuel as he raked in the pot. Shmuel claimed his first WSOP bracelet while Ford finished the tournament in second place for $136,855.
That concludes coverage of the $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo at the 2025 WSOP. Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for all of the exciting coverage during the summer here in Las Vegas!
Level 33
: Limits 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Before looking down at his cards, Joe Ford told David Shmuel that he was likely all in. Shmuel quickly checked his holding and announced a raise, which Ford called to leave himself at risk.
Joe Ford: Q♠8♥4♠2♠ 
David Shmuel: A♠A♥K♠K♦
Ford was unable to make up any ground on the 9♣9♠4♦J♣2♦ runout. The players shook hands as Ford's tournament came to an end in the runner-up position.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
22,700,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 33
: Limits 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Joe Ford raised on the button, and David Shmuel called in the big blind. The 9♣J♠7♦ flop saw both players check, and the dealer flipped over the 7♥ turn.
Shmuel led out with a bet and Ford called. Shmuel fired again on the 6♦ river, earning another call from Ford.
"Full house," Shmuel told his opponent while tabling K♥7♠6♣5♥.
"Nice hand," Ford replied while sending his cards into the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,200,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
500,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
Level 33
: Limits 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Joe Ford raised on the button, and David Shmuel made the call in the big blind. Shmuel checked the J♠9♠6♦ flop, and Ford fired in a bet.
Shmuel then check-raised, and the call was made. Shmuel led out on the 10♥ turn, with Ford announcing a raise. The call was quickly made, and the dealer flipped over the Q♦ river.
Shmuel bet and Ford slid in the call.
"Ace-king," Shmuel said as he showed down A♠K♠J♥6♠ for Broadway. Ford slumped in his chair as he saw the bad news, tabling K♥Q♠8♠7♥ for an inferior straight.
"I had the nuts on the turn," explained Ford as Shmuel took a commanding chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,100,000
4,650,000
|
4,650,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,600,000
4,700,000
|
4,700,000 |
Level 33
: Limits 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Joe Ford raised the button and in the big blind, David Shmuel called.
The flop rolled out Q♥9♦3♠ which saw both players check to the turn K♦ where Shmuel bet and Ford called.
Shmuel bet the river 8♠ and Ford called.
"King three?" asked Ford as he pulled his hand high off the ground.
"King eight," responded Shmuel as he tabled A♠K♣8♥7♠ for kings and eights, leaving Shmuel to grow his chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,450,000
2,000,000
|
2,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
6,300,000
2,000,000
|
2,000,000 |
Level 33
: Limits 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
David Shmuel raised on the button and Joe Ford called in the big blind.
The flop rolled out 4♣10♦3♠ and Ford bet, getting a quick call from Shmuel.
On the turn 5♥, Ford bet a second time and Shmuel called once more with both players checking the river 3♥.
Ford turned over A♦10♣6♦4♠ for tens up with a six-low, good for both halves of the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
14,450,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
8,300,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
Level 33
: Limits 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
David Shmuel raised on the button, and Joe Ford called in the small blind.
Ford checked the 3♦10♣Q♠ flop, with Shmuel sliding out a bet. The call was made and the 2♠ hit the felt, with both players checking through to the K♣ turn.
Ford checked again and Shmuel bet. Ford quickly announced a check-raise, earning a call from his opponent. Ford turned over A♥Q♥J♦5♠ for a straight, taking down the pot and gaining ground on Shmuel.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,450,000
2,200,000
|
2,200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
9,300,000
2,200,000
|
2,200,000 |
Level 33
: Limits 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,650,000
1,850,000
|
1,850,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
7,100,000
2,300,000
|
2,300,000 |
Level 33
: Limits 300,000/600,000, 0 ante
Blinds: 150,000-300,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Limits: 300,000-600,000
Alan Keating had an opportunity to prove to the high-stakes tournament grinders — notably, Daniel Negreanu — that he can hang in their arena. But the Hustler Casino Live fan favorite bowed out in the second round of Event #7: $25,000 Heads-Up Championship on Friday at the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
Keating, known primarily for his high-stakes cash game appearances, has over $200,000 in career WSOP earnings but hasn’t recorded a WSOP cash since 2013. Recently, he’s been publicly challenged by several high-stakes pros—including Negreanu — to step outside the comfort of the private cash game scene and compete against the game's elites.
It seems Negreanu was on Keating’s mind when he registered for the event. When PokerNews caught up with him and asked about his motivation for playing, Keating said, “It’s a heads-up tournament, and I saw Negreanu was on the list,” adding that he thought to himself, “Alright, here’s my chance to find him in his streets.”
