Event #44: $10,000 Big O Championship Day 2 | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-15-2025 14:44 UTC-8

Zekster's Boat Sends Two to the Rail

Tim Baker

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Igor Zektser limped from the cutoff and Gary Friedman raised the 16,000 out of the smal blind with just 1,000 behind. John Hennigan called from the big blind, but Zekster limp-raised to 64,000. Friedman put in his last 1,000, and Hennigan made the call also.

Once Hennigan saw the flop come down 8♦8♠A♠, he jammed for his last 35,000. Zekster instantly called and the cards were revealed.

Gary Friedman: Q♠4♦3♣3♠2♦ All in
John Hennigan: A♦6♣4♥3♦2x All in
Igor Zektser: A♥A♣K♣5♥2♥

Zekster had flopped aces full and would eliminate two players if he could fade the low draw coming in. The remainder of the board ran out Q♦9♥ and Zekster won the pot, busting both Hennigan and Friedman.

Player	Chips	Progress
Igor Zektser	290,000 186,000	186,000

John Hennigan	Busted

Gary Friedman	Busted

Tags: Gary Friedman Igor Zektser John Hennigan

06-15-2025 14:36 UTC-8

Prize Pool & Payouts

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Tim Baker

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

With 402 entries recorded in Event #44: $10,000 Big O Championship, the prize pool totaled $3,738,600.

There will be 61 players paid, with a min-cash being worth $20,049, while the eventual champion will walk away with $784,353. 

Place	Prize	Place	Prize
1	$784,353	10–11	$44,825
2	$522,878	12–15	$35,963
3	$360,711	16–23	$29,454
4	$253,276	24–31	$24,635
5	$181,069	32–39	$21,052
6	$131,841	40–61	$20,049
7	$97,806
8	$73,950
9	$57,008

06-15-2025 14:26 UTC-8

Vongxaiburana Scores a Double Knockout

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David Salituro

Level 13 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

After two limps in front of him, Veerachai Vongxaiburana raised to 22,000 in the hijack and both Ari Engel under the gun and Dennis Weiss in middle position called.

The flop came 9♦8♠4♠ and Engel moved all in for 41,000. Weiss also stuck in his last 45,000, and Vongxaiburana called to put both players at risk.

Ari Engel: A♥5♣4♥3♣2♠ All in
Dennis Weiss: A♣7♥6♠4♣2♦ All in
Veerachai Vongxaiburana: A♦J♠9♥8♦2♣

Vongxaiburana was ahead with top two pair as the Q♥ turn and K♦ river failed to improve either Engel or Weiss, sending both of them to the rail.

"I thought the break might slow you down," a tablemate said to Vongxaiburana.

"I've been up and down," Vongxaiburana replied.

Player	Chips	Progress
Veerachai Vongxaiburana	450,000 237,000	237,000

Dennis Weiss	Busted

Ari Engel	Busted

Tags: Ari Engel Dennis Weiss Veerachai Vongxaiburana

06-15-2025 13:51 UTC-8

Genova Cracks Yeh's Aces For a Scoop

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David Salituro

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Joseph Genova three-bet to 24,000 in the small blind and Andrew Yeh called under the gun.

The flop came 8♣3♥4♣ and Genova moved all in for 130,000. Yeh snap-called.

Joseph Genova: A♠5♠3♣2♣2♥ All in
Andrew Yeh: A♣A♦8♦5♦4♦

Yeh was ahead with his aces, while Genova had straight and flush draws as well as the nut low. The Q♣ turn gave him his flush, while he secured the scoop on the J♠ river to double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Yeh	420,000 15,000	15,000

Joseph Genova	320,000 142,500	142,500

Tags: Andrew Yeh Joseph Genova

06-15-2025 13:37 UTC-8

Williams Gets Scooped

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Tim Baker

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

David Williams got his last 35,000 into the middle on a flop of A♦4♦9♣, with Ryan Conrad making the call to try and bust him.

David Williams: K♦J♦7♦5♦3♣ All in
Ryan Conrad: A♠9♠7♠5♠2♦

Williams had a flush draw and straight draw against Conrad's top two pair. The 4♣ turn and 7♣ river didn't improve Williams to the winner as Conrad scooped holding two pair for the high, and a better seven-five low.

Williams immediately reentered and is now seated with a fresh stack of 60,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ryan Conrad	130,000 36,500	36,500
David Williams	60,000 19,000	19,000

Tags: David Williams Ryan Conrad

06-15-2025 13:29 UTC-8

Guagenti Hits the Rail

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Tim Baker

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Three players saw the flop come down 8♦A♣K♠. Matt Livingston checked from the small blind and Nick Guagenti bet 12,500 from middle position. Paul Volpe folded from the hijack, but Livingston raised to put Guagenti all in for his last 50,000. Guagenti quickly called and the cards were revealed.

Nick Guagenti: A♦Q♦7♠3♠2♥ All in
Matt Livingston: K♦K♥J♥7♦5♥

Guagenti's top pair was behind Livingston's set, but Guagenti did have a low draw working for him. However, the rest of the board came 9♥Q♠, and Guagenti was out.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Livingston	330,000 64,500	64,500
Paul Volpe	170,000 42,000	42,000

Nick Guagenti	Busted

Tags: Matt Livingston Nick Guagenti Paul Volpe

06-15-2025 13:20 UTC-8

Hellmuth Wants Chen's Action

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David Salituro

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

James Chen limped in on the button and Phil Hellmuth raised to 15,000. "I want action," Hellmuth said as Chen called.

The flop came 9♠6♠2♥ and Hellmuth moved all in for 48,500. "Alright, you asked for it," Chen said as he called.

Phil Hellmuth: A♦K♥10♠7♠2♦ All in
James Chen: A♠Q♣9♣8♠5♣

The board ran out 3♦Q♥ and Chen finished with two pair and a low to scoop the pot and send Hellmuth to the rail.

"If he's going to give me chips all day, I want back at this table," Hellmuth said as he immediately went to reenter.

"Do it now. There's a seat open," tablemate Ray Fishman added.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Chen (US)	450,000 40,000	40,000

Phil Hellmuth	60,000

Tags: Phil Hellmuth James Chen (US)

06-15-2025 13:16 UTC-8

Buckley Triples Up

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Tim Baker

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

On a flop of Q♣2♥9♣, Justin Liberto bet 13,000 from the big blind and Cary Katz called from under the gun. George Abdallah called from the next seat, before Adrian Buckley jammed for 42,500 from the button. Liberto shoved for around 110,000, which got Katz to fold, but Abdallah called for his remaining 29,000.

George Abdallah: K♦J♥J♠10♦9♥ All in
Adrian Buckley: A♣Q♦J♣6♠3♥ All in
Justin Liberto: Q♠J♦10♠9♦6♣

Buckley managed to scoop the pot after the rest of the board ran out 5♥7♣, improving Buckley to the nut-nut. Buckley tripled up, while Abdallah headed to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Cary Katz	300,000 206,500	206,500

Adrian Buckley	150,000 5,000	5,000

Justin Liberto	70,000 10,000	10,000

George Abdallah	Busted

Tags: Adrian Buckley George Abdallah Justin Liberto

06-15-2025 12:57 UTC-8

Milgrom Shows Vongxaiburana the Goods

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David Salituro

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Nicolas Milgrom bet 4,000 from the cutoff on a flop of A♣J♠K♦ before Veerachai Vongxaiburana raised to 27,500 in the big blind. Milgrom called and the A♥ fell on the turn.

Vongxaiburana then bet 70,000 and Milgrom snap-called for his last 69,500. Milgrom showed A♠A♦Q♣J♥J♣ for quads and Vongxaiburana didn't even wait for the dealer to turn over the 9♣ river before his cards hit the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Veerachai Vongxaiburana	280,000 11,500	11,500

Nicolas Milgrom	210,000 106,000	106,000

Tags: Nicolas Milgrom Veerachai Vongxaiburana

06-15-2025 12:44 UTC-8

Sklar Acts Out of Turn, Then Busts to Madsen

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David Salituro

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Jeff Madsen bet 17,000 from the big blind on a board of J♥3♥2♥A♠ and Richie Sklar called under the gun.

The river was the 6♣ and Madsen reached for chips as Sklar quickly pushed the rest of his stack over. Madsen told him he hadn't acted yet and confirmed with the dealer that Sklar's bet would be binding if he checked. Madsen then checked and Sklar's bet stood as a pot to 68,000, and Madsen repotted as Sklar splashed in his last few chips.

Madsen showed A♥Q♦6♥6♦4♥ for the nut flush and a low, while Sklar showed A♣10♥8♥2♦2♠ before heading to the rail.