Event #40: $5,000 Seniors High Roller Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-12-2025 19:17 UTC-8

Thompkins' Jacks Wins

Gabrielle Barredo

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

The hand was underway when Scott Allacher raised to 2,000 and got a three-bet from Eric Thompkins in the small blind to 5,800. Jeremy Dresch, under the gun, called. Allacher folded his hand leaving the two players heads-up.

The dealer fanned out 2♠6♦4♣ and Thompkins continued with 9,000. Dresch stayed on.

Thompkins and Dresch checked both the 6♠ turn and 7♦ river. Thompkins showed J♦J♠ and took the pot down.

Player	Chips	Progress
Eric Thompkins	126,000 126,000	126,000
Jeremy Dresch	70,000 13,800	13,800

Tags: Eric Thompkins Jeremy Dresch Scott Allacher

06-12-2025 19:17 UTC-8

Baxter Building Pots

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Roxanne Johnson

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

David Berman raised from under the gun to 2,500, Stanley Webb called from the hijack, David Lewis called from the cutoff, and it folded around to Billy Baxter in the big blind, who popped it up with a three-bet to 11,000. Everyone wanted to see the flop and called.

The flop was 9♣5♥10♠, and all the participants checked.

On the turn K♦, Baxter led out with a bet of 40,000, and everyone folded. Baxter tabled A♦K♥.

Player	Chips	Progress
Billy Baxter	224,000 29,500	29,500

David Berman	67,000
David Lewis	46,000 3,000	3,000
Stanley Webb	35,000

Tags: Billy Baxter David Berman David Lewis Stanley Webb

06-12-2025 19:28 UTC-8

Heimiller Doubles Up With Ochos

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Joseph Berg

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Daniel Heimiller is off to a great start at the 2025 World Series of Poker, having won his third bracelet in Event #6: $1,500 Seven Card Stud. He hopes to capitalize on that momentum in Event #40 and was involved in a notable hand.

Michael Graffeo raised to 2,200 from the cutoff. Daniel Heimiller then three-bet to 6,200 from the small blind. Michael Graffeo responded by going all in, having Daniel Heimiller covered. Daniel Heimiller called for 29,300 and was ahead.

Daniel Heimiller: 8♥8♦ All in
Michael Graffeo: 3♥3♣

The dealer ran out a board 5♦9♦10♠Q♣Q♦, securing a much-needed double-up for Heimiller.

Player	Chips	Progress
Daniel Heimiller	61,000 38,000	38,000

Michael Graffeo	7,500 7,500	7,500

Tags: Daniel Heimiller Michael Graffeo

06-12-2025 19:29 UTC-8

Abbatiello Picks Off Yotsushika

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Jacob Wilson

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

On a board reading Q♦2♠J♦3♥7♥ Kazuhiko Yotsushika had thrown out an almost pot-sized bet, as he put 25,000 into 28,500.

Ariel Abbatiello, the only other player still in the hand, was in a tough spot as he took over a minute in deciding what to do. Eventually, he placed in 25,000 chips, and Yotsushika snap-mucked. Abbatiello then placed his own cards into the middle, and was awarded the pot without having to reveal them.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ariel Abbatiello	132,500 80,500	80,500
Kazuhiko Yotsushika	67,700 700	700

Tags: Ariel Abbatiello Kazuhiko Yotsushika

06-12-2025 19:38 UTC-8

Buckingham Finds a Way to Get There

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Jacob Wilson

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Lee Markholt raised to 2,200 under the gun, and Bobby Buckingham flatted on the button. Richard Malone then shoved from the small blind, having only 5,100. Markholt then decided to isolate by raising to 14,500. Buckingham called yet again, and once each pot was sorted out the players all saw a flop.

The dealer put out J♠10♣3♦ and Markholt decided against a continuation-bet, and checked over to Buckingham, who instantly shoved his 60,000 remaining chips, and Markholt let his cards go.

Richard Malone: A♠Q♣ All in
Bobby Buckingham: 7♥6♥

Buckingham scooped the side pot with only seven high, and managed to take in the main pot at the same time, as the 6♠4♠ runout gave him a pair of sixes, knocking Malone out of the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bobby Buckingham	106,600
Lee Markholt	79,000 29,000	29,000
Richard Malone	Busted

Tags: Bobby Buckingham Lee Markholt Richard Malone

06-12-2025 19:40 UTC-8

Full House versus Full House

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Gabrielle Barredo

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Action was already ongoing with 22,400 in front of Sanjeev Kapoor who was seated on the button. Danny Panagatos in cutoff raised to 73,500. Kapoor called.

The flop came Q♥3♠3♦. Kapoor went all-in and Panagatos snap-called.

Sanjeev Kapoor: J♥J♣ All in
Danny Panagatos: K♣K♦

The 3♣ turn gave both players a full house with the board but with Panagatos getting the better one. The inconsequential 6♥ river was dealt. Panagatos scooped the big pot as Kapoor left the tournament floor.

Player	Chips	Progress
Danny Panagatos	272,000 272,000	272,000
Sanjeev Kapoor	Busted

Tags: Danny Panagatos Sanjeev Kapoor

06-12-2025 19:41 UTC-8

Tens Get Cracked

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Roxanne Johnson

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Jean Kabbaj raised from early position to 2,000, David Michaud called from the hijack, and William Stewart three-bet from the small blind to 8,000. Kabbaj made the call, and Michaud made the fold.

The flop came out with Q♦5♥K♥, and Stewart put all of his chips in for effective 9,500, and Kabbaj called.

Jean Kabbaj: Q♣J♣ All in
William Stewart: 10♦10♠

The turn K♥ and the river 3♣ did not bring any help to Stewart, and two pair for Kabbaj gave him a nice boost.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jean Kabbaj	52,000
David Michaud	41,000
William Stewart	27,300

Tags: David Michaud Jean Kabbaj William Stewart

Level: 8

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

06-12-2025 20:03 UTC-8

Gelman announces a Ten

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Roxanne Johnson

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Herbert Gelman raised from middle position to 2,800 and received a call from Scott Lychwick in the big blind. The flop arrived with 4♣6♥2♣, and Lychwick checked, while Gelman continued for 3,700. Lychwick made the call.

On the turn 10♥ and Lychwick checked again, and quickly called Gelman's bet of 7,200.

The river 4♦ is where Lychwick took some action and bet 7,000, and Gelman flat called.

Gelman announced, "I have a ten," and flipped over J♦10♠.

Lychwick stated, "I knew I was in trouble," and showed A♠K♠ as Gelman's two pair won the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Herbert Gelman	67,000 67,000	67,000
Scott Lychwick	46,000 46,000	46,000

Tags: Herbert Gelman Scott Lychwick

06-12-2025 20:07 UTC-8

Phil Ivey Records First Cash at 2025 WSOP, and He's Big-Stacked in $100K High Roller

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Jon Sofen

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Phil Ivey's slow start to the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) appears to have ended.

The 11-time bracelet winner not only recorded his first cash of the summer. He's among the big stacks in Event #38: $100,000 High Roller with 15 players remaining. Thomas Boivin and Ben Heath are also at the top of the leaderboard, all battling to win the gold bracelet and the $2,649,158 first-place prize.

Read the Full Story Here

Tags: Phil Ivey