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

06-12-2025 16:09 UTC-8

Mccloskey's Hand is Good

Gabrielle Barredo

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Wilbern Hoffman raised to 1,600 on the button and got called by Martin Mccloskey in the small blind and Julio Belluscio in the big blind.

The dealer fanned out K♠7♠4♣. Hoffman continued with 3,500 after the blinds checked. Mccloskey called but Belluscio had seen enough and folded.

On the 5♣ turn, Mccloskey check-called Hoffman's 10,000 bet. Both players checked the 5♦ river.

"I think I got counterfeited," said Mccloskey, before turning over his hand to show K♥4♦. Hoffman replied, "Nope," then folded his hand as the dealer pushed the chips towards Mccloskey.

Player	Chips	Progress
Julio Belluscio	57,000 57,000	57,000

Martin Mccloskey	54,000 54,000	54,000
Wilbern Hoffman	50,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Julio Belluscio Martin Mccloskey Wilbern Hoffman

06-12-2025 16:17 UTC-8

Prager Cracks Kings

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Jacob Wilson

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Michael Vela raised to 2,000 from early position, and got calls from Joshua Prager in the hijack, Anselmo Villareal in the cutoff, and David Roepke on the button. Undeterred by all the previous action, Robert Flanders then ripped in his stack of 16,400 from the small blind. Big blind John Morgan considered getting in there, but eventually folded, as did Vela. Prager reshoved to isolate, and did so effectively as the two remaining players folded, and the dealer called for showdown.

Robert Flanders: K♥K♠ All in
Joshua Prager: A♦10♥

The 10♣10♠6♥ flop was brutal for Flanders, even more so as Morgan laughed and announced: "I folded king-ten of diamonds, that would've been a b****." Not only did Flanders now realize that he only had one out, but also that Prager had managed to find the only two remaining tens in the deck to take the lead. After the 9♦4♣ runout was dealt, Vela let the table know that he had folded an ace, as Flanders left the tournament area.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Morgan	136,000 115,500	115,500
Joshua Prager	95,000 46,000	46,000
Michael Vela	60,000 60,000	60,000
David Roepke	35,700 35,700	35,700
Anselmo Villareal	20,100 20,100	20,100
Robert Flanders	Busted

Tags: Anselmo Villareal David Roepke John Morgan Joshua Prager Michael Vela Robert Flanders

06-12-2025 16:19 UTC-8

Taylor Raises the River

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Roxanne Johnson

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Stuart Taylor raised from the hijack position and received a call from Joseph Mole in the small blind and Kevin Pruett in the big blind. The flop was K♥7♠Q♥ and everyone checked.

On the turn 2♥, both of the blinds checked again, and Taylor put out the delayed continuation-bet of 3,300 and received a call from Mole only.

On the river 3♣, Mole checked once more, and Taylor put out 9,000. Mole folded, and Taylor scooped the chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joseph Mole	57,000 57,000	57,000
Kevin Pruett	38,000 38,000	38,000
Stuart Taylor	37,000 16,600	16,600

Tags: Joseph Mole Kevin Pruett Stuart Taylor

06-12-2025 16:29 UTC-8

Claunch Wins Multiway Pot

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Joseph Berg

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Adam Kievman raised to 1,600 from under the gun and was called by Gerald Claunch in early position, Matthew Salsberg in the cutoff, and Richard Cox in the small blind.

Action checked to Claunch on the 7♦9♠6♠ flop. He bet 13,000, Salsberg and Kievman folded, and Cox made the call.

Both players checked on the 10♠ turn card.

The river was the 2♠. Cox checked before Claunch went all in. After taking a moment, Cox folded and flashed the 8♣, mentioning that he was not a big fan of that river card

Player	Chips	Progress
Gerald Claunch	92,100 92,100	92,100
Matthew Salsberg	76,000 76,000	76,000
Richard Cox	51,700 51,700	51,700
Adam Kievman	41,000 41,000	41,000

Tags: Adam Kievman Gerald Claunch Matthew Salsberg Richard Cox

06-12-2025 16:31 UTC-8

Trip Aces for Two

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Roxanne Johnson

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Jonathan Kedj raised from early position to 2,100, Kevin Pruett called from middle position, and Steve Jelinek also came in for the call from the cutoff. The flop dealt out was A♥2♦A♣, Kedj and Pruett checked to Jelinek, who bet out 2,100. Both players called.

On the turn 3♣, both of the out-of-position players checked and Jelinek fired out 5,000. Kedj made the call and Pruett folded.

The river 9♠ had Kedj check again, and Jelinek put out 15,000. Kedj called and saw that he was outkicked as Jelinek turned over A♦K♥. Kedj showed the ace of spades and mucked the other card.

Player	Chips	Progress
Steve Jelinek	78,000 78,000	78,000

Kevin Pruett	57,000 19,000	19,000
Jonathan Kedj	35,000 35,000	35,000

Tags: Jonathan Kedj Kevin Pruett Steve Jelinek

06-12-2025 16:35 UTC-8

Jain Stands Firm Against Heavy Pressure from Di Donato

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Gabrielle Barredo

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Giovanni Di Donato opened for 1,200 in the cutoff and got a caller in Ramana Epparla on the button. Chander Jain, in the small blind, decided to three-bet to 6,300. Di Donato went beyond and four-bet to 18,000 pushing Epparla out of the pot. Jain called.

The expensive flop came 2♠A♣6♣. Jain fired 8,000 and Di Donato made it 18,000 again. Jain flat called.

With pressure mounting on the A♠ turn, Jain went all in for 135,000, sending Di Donato into the tank. Visibly frustrated, Di Donato surrendered his hand and the huge pot to Jain.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ramana Epparla	198,000 53,000	53,000

Chander Jain	96,000 25,000	25,000
Giovanni Di Donato	29,000 13,000	13,000

Tags: Chander Jain Giovanni Di Donato Ramana Epparla

06-12-2025 16:40 UTC-8

Pappas Doubles Up, Remains Short

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Gabrielle Barredo

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Action was picked up with short-stacked Clifford Pappas and Robert Borick with their chips and hands all-in.

Clifford Pappas: J♣10♠ All in
Robert Borick: 7♠7♦

The board ran 10♦10♣9♦6♣4♦ doubling Pappas up in the process.

Player	Chips	Progress
Robert Borick	80,000 80,000	80,000
Clifford Pappas	18,000 18,000	18,000

Tags: Clifford Pappas Robert Borick

06-12-2025 16:40 UTC-8

Yotsushika Cracks Merritt's Aces with Flopped Flush

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Gabrielle Barredo

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Ariel Abbatiello opened to 1,200 in late position and got a three-bet of 2,800 from cutoff player Rickie Merritt. Kazuhiko Yotsushika called from the small blind and so did Abbatiello when action went back to him.

The flop came 9♥7♥6♥. When action was checked to him, Merritt fattened the pot with a 3,500 bet. Yotsushika went beyond and made it 8,000 making pre-flop raiser Abbatiello fold. Merritt called.

Yotsushika kept the pressure with a 11,000 bet on the Q♣ turn and Merritt called again. Finally on the river 3♣, Yotsushika, relentless, fired 16,500. The moment Merritt called, Yotsushika showed Q♥J♥ for a flush on the flop. Frustrated, Merrritt mucked open faced showing A♥A♠.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kazuhiko Yotsushika	67,000 7,000	7,000
Ariel Abbatiello	52,000 52,000	52,000
Rickie Merritt	35,000 1,500	1,500

Tags: Ariel Abbatiello Kazuhiko Yotsushika Rickie Merritt

Level: 6

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800

06-12-2025 16:42 UTC-8

Sigman Doubles With Set

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Jacob Wilson

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Michael Ruter and Tyler Sigman got their stacks in on a board reading J♠5♦6♥

Tyler Sigman: 5♥5♣ All in
Michael Ruter: Q♣Q♥

Ruter's overpair had been outflopped by Sigman's flopped set, and the queen he was looking for didn't come in the form of the 2♥ turn or 10♦ river. Sigman got a much-needed double up, as Ruter was left with fumes.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tyler Sigman	36,300

Michael Ruter	6,100

Tags: Tyler Sigman Michael Ruter