Event #40: $5,000 Seniors High Roller Day 3 | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-14-2025 16:42 UTC-8

Eskenazi Hits Trips to Double

Laura Fryer

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Scott Eskenazi opened to 125,000 from middle position and Chuanshu Chen re-raised to 250,000 in the hijack. Eskenazi moved all in and Chen made a quick call.

Scott Eskenazi: Q♠Q♣ All in
Chuanshu Chen: K♥K♣

Eskenazi needed to improve but the 9♠10♦10♣ flop didn't change much for either player.

His luck came on the Q♥ turn as he tripped up, and 8♣ river secured him the double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chuanshu Chen	4,200,000 1,000,000	1,000,000
Scott Eskenazi	1,400,000 500,000	500,000

Tags: Chuanshu Chen Scott Eskenazi

Level: 26

Blinds: 40,000/80,000

Ante: 80,000

06-14-2025 17:01 UTC-8

Ward Catches Epparla Out

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Jacob Wilson

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Ramana Epparla opened the action from under the gun, and was called in three places: Ernest Ward in the cutoff, small blind David "ODB" Baker, and big blind Joseph Mole.

On a flop of J♠J♦J♣ Epparla bet 150,000 into the field, after being checked to. Only Ward called. Both players checked the 8♠ turn, and Epparla bet out again on the Q♦ river, for 105,000. Ward snapped, and his 10♣10♥ was good against Epparla's A♦9♦

Player	Chips	Progress
Ramana Epparla	5,900,000 100,000	100,000

Joseph Mole	4,200,000 1,025,000	1,025,000
Ernest Ward	2,230,000 230,000	230,000
David "ODB" Baker	2,080,000 480,000	480,000

Tags: Ernest Ward Joseph Mole Ramana Epparla David Baker

06-14-2025 17:08 UTC-8

Gulas Chips Away at Argiero

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Laura Fryer

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Josef Gulas opened to 175,000 from middle position and Carmino Argiero called the big blind.

The flop came Q♠5♥Q♦ and Argiero checked. Gulas bet 125,000 and Argiero called.

A 7♥ was turned and both players checked to the A♦ river.

Argiero checked, Gulsa bet 600,000 and Argiero thought before making the call.

Gulas showed Q♥K♥ for trip queens, and Argiero mucked before saying "Ace, Nice hand."

Player	Chips	Progress
Josef Gulas	4,850,000 600,000	600,000
Carmino Argiero	2,250,000 1,850,000	1,850,000

Tags: Carmino Argiero Josef Gulas

06-14-2025 17:20 UTC-8

Curt Kohlberg Eliminated in 14th Place ($31,243)

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Barry Russell

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Curt Kohlberg shoved roughly 400,000 chips into the middle from the small biind, Stephen Bierman called in the big blind.

Curt Kohlberg: Q♦6♦ All in
Stephen Bierman: Q♥8♦

The flop came 5♥J♣Q♣, which gave both players a pair, but the 8♠ on the turn eliminated Kohlberg from the tournament before the 9♠ was dealt on the river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stephen Bierman	2,800,000 300,000	300,000
Curt Kohlberg	Busted

Tags: Curt Kohlberg Stephen Bierman

06-14-2025 17:35 UTC-8

Esposito Doubles; Chen Chips Away

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Laura Fryer

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Chuanshu Chen raised to 175,000 from the cutoff and John Esposito moved all in from the small blind for his remaining 640,000. Chen called and the players flipped their cards.

John Esposito: Q♥5♥ All in
Chuanshu Chen: A♥K♦

Esposito needed to hit to stay alive, and the 8♠6♥7♥ flop gave him plenty to work with. He shared some table talk and said, "It's a pretty good flop for this piece of **** hand", as it gave him an open-ended straight draw and backdoor flush draw.

The A♣ turn made Esposito stand, as it gave Chen top pair, but after seeing the 4♦ river, he let out a "Boom!".

Another player at the table said "wow, pretty good runout."

Although Chen lost the pot, he has been playing almost every hand and stealing a number of pot before any flops were dealt, still leaving him with a sizeable stack to play with.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chuanshu Chen	6,950,000 2,750,000	2,750,000
John Esposito	1,300,000 300,000	300,000

Tags: Chuanshu Chen John Esposito

06-14-2025 17:44 UTC-8

Ernest Ward Eliminated in 13th Place ($31,243)

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Jacob Wilson

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

David "ODB" Baker raised to 160,000 from middle position, and was called by Ramana Epparla in the cutoff. Big blind Ernest Ward then shoved for 880,000. Both of the other players called.

On a flop of Q♣6♠7♦ Baker bet 400,000 into a dry side pot, and Ramana Epparla made the call. The action was more bizarre on the turn, however, as the J♥ peeled off, and Baker bet again, this time for 500,000. As Epparla was tanking, he lifted up his cards, accidentally allowing Baker to see the A♣ on the bottom. Baker then let Epparla know that he'd seen the card, an after some more tanking, Epparla laid down his cards, and put his head in his hands showdown ensued.

Ernest Ward: K♦6♦ All in
David "ODB" Baker: 9♠9♥

Ward was in big trouble, and the 2♣ peeled off on the river, eliminating him. A player asked Epparla what he had folded, to which he replied "ace-queen"

Player	Chips	Progress
David "ODB" Baker	6,100,000 4,020,000	4,020,000

Ramana Epparla	4,650,000 1,250,000	1,250,000

Ernest Ward	Busted

Tags: David Baker Ernest Ward Ramana Epparla

06-14-2025 17:46 UTC-8

Players Are on Dinner Break

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Laura Fryer

Level 26 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

The remaining 12 players are now on a 60-minute dinner break.

Action will resume at approximately 7:45 p.m. local time.

Level: 27

Blinds: 50,000/100,000

Ante: 100,000

06-14-2025 18:53 UTC-8

Updated Counts After the Break

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Laura Fryer

Level 27 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Updates counts after the dinner break according to the WSOP+ app.

Player	Chips	Progress
David "ODB" Baker	7,600,000 1,500,000	1,500,000

Joseph Mole	6,800,000 2,600,000	2,600,000
Chuanshu Chen	6,200,000 750,000	750,000
Ramana Epparla	3,625,000 1,025,000	1,025,000

Stephen Bierman	3,515,000 715,000	715,000
Ron West	3,475,000 125,000	125,000
Carmino Argiero	2,700,000 450,000	450,000
Josef Gulas	2,335,000 2,515,000	2,515,000
Charles Mitchell	1,605,000 195,000	195,000
Peter Kiem	1,525,000 725,000	725,000
John Esposito	1,475,000 175,000	175,000

Scott Eskenazi	705,000 695,000	695,000