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

06-15-2025 21:52 UTC-8

Pisarenko Backdoors into a Flush to Double

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Tim Baker

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Ilya Nikiforov raised to 32,000 from the cutoff and Maksim Pisarenko defended his big blind.

Pisarenko committed his remaining 80,000 on the A♣J♠8♦ flop and Nikiforov called.

Maksim Pisarenko: K♠J♦8♥5♦4♣ All in
Ilya Nikiforov: A♥9♦4♦4♥2♥

Pisarenko had two pair against the top pair of Nikiforov, who also had the better low draw. The A♦ turn put Nikiforov in the lead with trips. However, the K♦ dropped on the river and Pisarenko won the pot with a backdoor flush.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ilya Nikiforov	290,000 150,000	150,000
Maksim Pisarenko	250,000 200,000	200,000

Tags: Ilya Nikiforov Maksim Pisarenko

06-15-2025 21:58 UTC-8

Pisarenko Plays in Kessler's Honor

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David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Allen Kessler came by to watch this table as action went on Maksim Pisarenko. He slammed in all of his chips from the cutoff before the dealer correctly made him put in just 42,000. Nathaniel Wiesner then potted to 142,000 in the big blind and Pisarenko called.

"Allen, don't go. This is for you," a tablemate said going to the flop.

"If I have it, I go all in. If I don't, I fold. No bluffs," Pisarenko said as the flop came K♣5♦4♥. Wiesner then moved all in and Pisarenko called for an additional 100,000.

Maksim Pisarenko: A♦J♦9♥8♦2♥ All in
Nathaniel Wiesner: A♥A♠7♠5♥2♦

Wiesner was ahead with his aces as the 6♦ fell on the turn to give both players the low and Pisarenko a flush draw. The river was the K♦ and Pisarenko made his flush to secure three-quarters of the pot.

"Good job, buddy. Good job," a dejected Wiesner said as he handed over most of the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maksim Pisarenko	450,000 200,000	200,000

Nathaniel Wiesner	250,000 72,000	72,000

Tags: Maksim Pisarenko Nathaniel Wiesner

06-15-2025 22:01 UTC-8

Another Round of Bustouts

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David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Tyler Phillips	Busted
Kyle Miholich	Busted

Brad Ruben	Busted

Nicolas Milgrom	Busted

David Hipperson	Busted

06-15-2025 22:05 UTC-8

Fishman Hits the Rail

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Tim Baker

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Ray Fishman limped the button and Shawn Rice just called from the small blind. Christopher Demaci raised to 50,000 from the big blind, which Fishman called. Rice limp-raised to around 200,000, forcing Demaci out the pot. Fishman called and the cards were turned over.

Ray Fishman: A♦Q♣9♣8♦5♠ All in
Shawn Rice: A♥J♦10♦4♠2♥

The board ran out K♣4♣4♦K♠8♥ to give Rice the winner with trip fours, sending Fishman to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christopher Demaci	1,100,000 100,000	100,000
Shawn Rice	520,000 325,000	325,000
Ray Fishman	Busted

Tags: Christopher Demaci Ray Fishman Shawn Rice

06-15-2025 22:07 UTC-8

Vongxaiburana Gets Value From Chen in Lengthy Pot

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David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Three-handed on a flop of 9♥8♣5♠, Nathaniel Wiesner bet 120,000 from the hijack and Veerachai Vongxaiburana called under the gun, as did James Chen in middle position.

The turn was the 10♦ and Vongxaiburana led out for 300,000. Chen called, sending the action back on Wiesner. He tanked for nearly five minutes into the break as he flung his arms in the air in frustration, eventually deciding to fold and leave Vongxaiburana and Chen heads-up.

Vongxaiburana bet another 150,000 on the J♣ river and Chen then went into the tank. He also burned through several minutes of the break before calling as Vongxaiburana turned over A♣7♣6♥4♠2♦ for a straight. Chen mucked, saying he had a set of tens, as Vongxaiburana took down the pot that took up more than half of the break.

Player	Chips	Progress
Veerachai Vongxaiburana	2,700,000 1,300,000	1,300,000

James Chen (US)	520,000 480,000	480,000

Nathaniel Wiesner	115,000 135,000	135,000

Tags: James Chen (US)Nathaniel Wiesner Veerachai Vongxaiburana

06-15-2025 22:08 UTC-8

Break Time

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Tim Baker

Level 18 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Players are now on their last 15-minute break of the day.

Level: 19

Blinds: 8,000/16,000

Ante: 16,000

06-15-2025 22:23 UTC-8

Updated Chip Counts

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Tim Baker

Level 19 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

These chip counts were taken directly from the WSOP+ app.

Player	Chips	Progress
Veerachai Vongxaiburana	3,136,000 436,000	436,000

Matthew Woodward	1,610,000 90,000	90,000

Calvin Anderson	1,305,000 105,000	105,000

Christopher Demaci	1,204,000 104,000	104,000
Sam Soverel	1,165,000 165,000	165,000

Justin Liberto	1,080,000 180,000	180,000

Phil Hui	1,038,000 458,000	458,000

Quan Zhou	953,000 323,000	323,000
Sean Troha	841,000 341,000	341,000

Erik Seidel	747,000 173,000	173,000

Maksim Pisarenko	706,000 256,000	256,000

Marco Johnson	650,000 50,000	50,000

Arthur Morris	630,000 390,000	390,000
Shawn Rice	625,000 105,000	105,000
Evgeni Tourevski	624,000 76,000	76,000
Dylan Weisman	614,000 54,000	54,000

Viktor Blom	611,000 106,000	106,000
Lawrence Brandt	585,000 15,000	15,000

Dylan Wilkerson	512,000 112,000	112,000
Jeff Madsen	472,000 76,000	76,000

James Chen (US)	420,000 100,000	100,000

Ilya Nikiforov	385,000 95,000	95,000
George Alexander	323,000 97,000	97,000

Christopher Costa	296,000 24,000	24,000
David Williams	272,000 128,000	128,000

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06-15-2025 22:28 UTC-8

Johnson Flops the Joint to Bust Rotholz

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David Salituro

Level 19 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Shawn Rice and Noah Kelley both limped in before Hal Rotholz moved all in for 81,000 on the button. Marco Johnson then announced pot in the small blind, and Rice and Kelley got out of the way.

Hal Rotholz: A♣Q♥8♣3♣2♦ All in
Marco Johnson: A♥K♥K♦J♥6♣

Johnson flopped the nut straight on K♣Q♦10♦, and the rest of the board ran out 4♥5♥ to send Rotholz to the rail.

Igor Zektser, who won the $1,500 Big O event earlier this series, was also eliminated shortly after coming back from break.

Player	Chips	Progress
Marco Johnson	840,000 190,000	190,000

Shawn Rice	540,000 85,000	85,000
Noah Kelley	260,000 21,000	21,000
Hal Rotholz	Busted

Igor Zektser	Busted

Tags: Hal Rotholz Igor Zektser Marco Johnson Noah Kelley Shawn Rice

06-15-2025 22:34 UTC-8

Liberto Takes it Down on the River

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Tim Baker

Level 19 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

Justin Liberto made it 33,000 from early position with Sam Soverel calling on the button, and Sean Troha defending his big blind.

When it checked to Liberto on the 4♥Q♣5♥ flop, he bet 42,000, which only Soverel called.

Both players opted to check the K♥ turn to see the 9♣ appear on the river. Liberto bet 65,000, and Soverel tossed his cards away.

Player	Chips	Progress
Justin Liberto	1,200,000 120,000	120,000

Sam Soverel	980,000 185,000	185,000

Sean Troha	742,000 99,000	99,000

Tags: Justin Liberto Sam Soverel Sean Troha