Event #45: $500 SALUTE to Warriors
Day 1 Completed
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #45: $500 SALUTE to Warriors
Day: 1
Event Info
2025 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
Buy-in
$500
Prize Pool
$1,614,170
Entries
3,937
Level
41
Blinds
1,500,000 / 3,000,000
Ante
3,000,000
Entries
3,937
Players Left
625
Players Left 1 / 3937
Filter
Level 17
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Day 1 of Event #45: $500 Salute to Warriors No-Limit Hold'em at the 2025 World Series of Poker, hosted at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, logged 3,937 entries. The impressive turnout generated a substantial prize pool of $1,614,170, with first place being $187,937, and helped raise significant funds for veterans.
After a full day of play, only 625 players remained. The final 591 players will receive a minimum payout of $1,000.
The event welcomed players of all backgrounds, with $40 from each buy-in benefiting the United Service Organizations (USO) and other charities dedicated to supporting veterans. Jack Effel, Vice President of the World Series of Poker (WSOP), delivered a heartfelt speech reflecting on the significance of the tournament and emphasizing the profound impact the donation will have on veterans. Effel also announced that the bracelet for this event is special due to its red, white, and blue stones.
The award for the top chip count at the end of the night went to three American players: Ofer Saha at (1,145,000). Second in chips was Arnaldo Gordon (1,100,900). Rounding out the top three was Christopher Cornell (1,090,000).
$500 Salute to Warriors Day 1 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ofer Saha | United States | 1,145,000 | 95 |
| 2 | Arnaldo Gordon | United States | 1,100,900 | 92 |
| 3 | Christopher Cornell | United States | 1,090,000 | 91 |
| 4 | Danserban Borlan | Romania | 1,080,000 | 90 |
| 5 | Joseph Couden | United States | 1,080,000 | 90 |
| 6 | Daniel Muniz | United States | 1,070,000 | 89 |
| 7 | Ran Yi | Canda | 1,066,000 | 89 |
| 8 | Harry Johnson | United States | 999,000 | 83 |
| 9 | Pete Chen | Taiwan | 984,000 | 82 |
| 10 | Andres Vasquez Fajardo | Columbia | 903,000 | 75 |
Several veterans bagged chips at the end of the night and will return for Day 2 action and Glenn Stout (219,000) is among them. Stout served in Germany for three years during the first Gulf War, where he held the rank of First Lieutenant. After his military service, he remained active with the American Legion in Palatine, Illinois. Stout plans to stay in town for a week to participate in multiple events, including the Seniors Event, where he previously finished 162nd. He also captured a WSOP Circuit ring in Hammond, Indiana.
Joining him is Joseph Reyes (653,000), a Vietnam War Special Forces veteran. Reyes served in one of the most challenging roles, often tasked with typing condolence letters to families who lost loved ones, a process made even more difficult by the era’s manual typewriters. He once completed seven letters consecutively without error, a remarkable accomplishment. Reyes also earned the Soldier of the Month award from a field of 28,000 soldiers and was promoted to Buck Sergeant. He developed his love for poker as a child while playing with his father and uncles, and he has already participated in about six events in this series, with plans to enter several more.
Earnest Holthusen (231,000) also punched his ticket to Day 2. Holthusen served in the Marines during the Vietnam War but was seriously injured after seven months of service. Following a nine-month recovery in the hospital, he eventually found his way to the poker table. Holthusen began playing in college and now focuses exclusively on tournaments.
Some notable players that will return to battle for the top cash prize tomorrow are Victoria Livschitz (350,000), with over two million in poker earnings, two-time bracelet winner and 25K Fantasy draft pick Joey Couden (1,080,000), two-time bracelet winner Barry Shulman (729,000), and two-time bracelet winner Pete Chen (984,000).
| Rank | Prize | Rank | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $187,937 | 36-44 | $4,850 |
| 2 | $125,034 | 45-53 | $4,036 |
| 3 | $92,221 | 54-62 | $3,391 |
| 4 | $68,619 | 63-71 | $2,878 |
| 5 | $51,511 | 72-80 | $2,468 |
| 6 | $39,015 | 81-89 | $2,138 |
| 7 | $29,818 | 90-98 | $1,871 |
| 8 | $22,998 | 99-143 | $1,654 |
| 9 | $17,901 | 144-188 | $1,479 |
| 10-11 | $14,063 | 189-233 | $1,336 |
| 12-13 | $11,152 | 234-287 | $1,219 |
| 14-17 | $8,927 | 288-341 | $1,125 |
| 18-26 | $7,214 | 342-395 | $1,050 |
| 27-35 | $5,887 | 396-591 | $1,000 |
Play resumes Monday, June 16, at 11 a.m. local time for Day 2. Play will begin in Level 18 with blinds at 6,000/12,000, with a 12,000 big blind ante. They will 15 to 17 levels, depending on how things are going. There will be 15-minute breaks every three levels, and a 60-minute dinner break will occur after Level 26, at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time.
PokerNews will be on-site to provide complete coverage of all the Day 2 action, so be sure to follow along and see which warriors battle their way to Day 3.
Level 17
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,145,000
1,145,000
|
1,145,000 |
|
||
|
1,100,900
1,100,900
|
1,100,900 |
|
1,090,000
531,000
|
531,000 |
|
1,080,000
78,000
|
78,000 |
|
1,080,000
255,000
|
255,000 |
|
||
|
1,070,000
1,027,000
|
1,027,000 |
|
1,066,000
209,000
|
209,000 |
|
999,000
543,000
|
543,000 |
|
984,000
704,000
|
704,000 |
|
903,000
903,000
|
903,000 |
|
890,000
369,000
|
369,000 |
|
||
|
889,000
889,000
|
889,000 |
|
871,000
871,000
|
871,000 |
|
866,000
61,000
|
61,000 |
|
|
866,000
576,000
|
576,000 |
|
857,000
857,000
|
857,000 |
|
851,000
134,000
|
134,000 |
|
847,000
694,000
|
694,000 |
|
|
847,000
847,000
|
847,000 |
|
823,000
823,000
|
823,000 |
|
|
809,000
809,000
|
809,000 |
|
|
801,000
769,000
|
769,000 |
|
|
799,000
799,000
|
799,000 |
|
|
795,000
795,000
|
795,000 |
|
758,000
758,000
|
758,000 |
Level 17
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Play has finished for the night in Event #45 $500 SALUTE to Warriors. Stay tuned here at PokerNews for a recap of Day 1 action.
Level 17
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Nicholas Wai went through a roller coaster of emotions in a hand near the end of the night when he got all in and was at risk against Jordan Lewis.
Nicholas Wai: A♣A♦
Jordan Lewis: Q♦10♦
Wai got it in good against Lewis, but the hand became a much closer race after the Q♠4♦7♦ flop gave Lewis top pair and a flush draw. Lewis improved to a flush on the K♦ river, edging one step closer to cracking aces right before players bagged for the night.
However, fortunately for Wai, the 9♦ peeled off on the river to bring the aces back in front with a flush to double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
497,000
497,000
|
497,000 |
|
371,000
235,000
|
235,000 |
Level 17
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
The tournament structure called for Day 1 play to last until 15 percent of the field remained, or Level 17, whichever is later.
Tournament director has decided to end at Level 17. Dealers are dealing final five hands and surviving players will bag their chips for the night and return Monday at 11 a.m. local time. In the Horseshoe Ballroom (Red and White).
Level 17
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Gerald Schnierer and Andrew Marks clashed in a hand preflop that saw all the chips go in the middle with Schnierer at risk.
Gerald Schnierer: 3♠3♦
Andrew Marks: K♦K♥
Marks had Schnierer in dire straits, and the flop did not bring any additional equity for Schnierer when it fanned out J♥4♥Q♠. The 9♣ turn offered no solace for Schnierer, but the 3♥ river flipped over, much to the amazement of the table that let out an audible reaction. As if a two outer was not a bad enough beat for Marks, another player claimed they folded a three, making it possibly the last three in the deck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
460,000
460,000
|
460,000 |
|
130,000 |
Level: 17
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 10,000
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Desperately needing something positive to happen with his chips dwindling, Angelo Campanile pushed all in from the button and got a call from John Kurfman in the big blind.
Angelo Campanile: A♦Q♦
John Kurfman: K♥J♥
Campanile had the edge going into the runout 9♣7♦10♣A♣A♠, but Kurfman flopped a double-gutter straight draw that never got home thanks to running aces.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
153,000 | |
|
118,000
118,000
|
118,000 |
Level 16
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
280,000 | |
|
|
263,000 | |
|
214,000
155,500
|
155,500 |
|
|
185,000 | |
|
|
155,000 | |
|
152,000 | |
|
|
110,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
|
|
40,000 |
