Event #45: $500 SALUTE to Warriors
Day 1 Started
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 / 3,937
Filter
(1)
Welcome back to PokerNews, the official media partner of the 2025 World Series of Poker and home of live updates from all bracelet events.
Today will see the start of Event #45: $500 Salute to Warriors No-Limit Hold'em at 10 a.m. local time here at Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas, with starting stacks of 50,000 and blinds of 100/200/200 with 40-minute levels. This event is open to all participants, and $40 of each entry will be donated to the U.S.O. and other veterans organizations.
Day 1 will play for 17 levels, with 20-minute breaks every three levels and a 75-minute dinner break after Level 12 around 7 p.m. Registration remains open for late arrivals until the start of Level 10 (about 5 p.m.).
Day 2 will pick back up at 11 a.m. Monday and will play for 15 to 17 levels, depending on how things are going, with 15-minute breaks every three levels and a 60-minute dinner break after Level 26 around 5:30 p.m. Day 3 will play down to a winner with 15-minute breaks every three levels and a to-be-determined dinner break.
Last summer, the Salute to Warriors event drew 4,517 runners and raised over $180,000 for veterans. The UK's Ben Collins took down the event for $207,486 from the $1,851,970 prize pool and his first WSOP bracelet.
“It’s just surreal," said Collins. "All along the way you think about holding the bracelet, you get the support from everyone which then keeps you going as you get further… to actually do it, is just ridiculous.”
| Year | Entries | Winner | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4,517 | Ben Collins | United Kingdom | $207,486 |
| 2023 | 4,303 | Steven Genovese | United States | $217,921 |
| 2022 | 3,209 | James Todd | United States | $161,256 |
| 2021 | 1,738 | Eric Zhang | United States | $102,465 |
| 2019 | 1,723 | Susan Faber | United States | $121,161 |
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50,000
Table 110Seat 6
Level: 1
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 200
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
The tournament has officially started with 1,095 entrants to start the day.
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
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.
He then introduced Cedric Johnson, the head of Salute, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting veterans in need. Johnson expressed his gratitude to the players for their generous contributions to the cause.
Tim Mullin, Director of the United Service Organizations (USO), followed with a brief presentation, accompanied by members of the National Guard, and concluded with the playing of the national anthem.
To officially commence the event, a special guest was invited to deliver the traditional "Shuffle Up and Deal" announcement: Robert Zoucha, who oversees audio and visual operations for the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Zoucha honorably served for thirteen years as a combat cameraman in the United States Air Force.
59,100
9,100
Table 110Seat 6
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
For Bob Zoucha, an Air Force veteran with nearly two decades of service, this tournament is different from all the others at the WSOP.
“This one is special, because it's for my fellow veterans,” Zoucha said, as he rushed to his table to play the first hand. “I was honored they asked me to do that.”
Zoucha, who was honored to make the “Shuffle up and Deal” announcement to start the tournament, has played in the event since its inception. He cashed in 2022, and has bigger hopes this year.
“Now I just need to see some veterans meet me at the final table,” he said.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
50,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
Level: 2
Blinds: 200/300
Ante: 300
Level 2
: Blinds 200/300, 300 ante
Steven Genovese looked like almost every other player at his table. He isn't just any old player.
Genovese won the Salute to Warriors event in 2023. He'd kind of like that to go untold, at least at the table.
"I'm trying to go incognito," he said.
Genovese garners a different reaction at his home games these days. Of course, a new level of respect is to be expected when you show up to a regular weekly affair sporting a WSOP bracelet.
"Yeah, the boys treat me a little different," Genovese said. "I got my little 15 minutes of fame, locally. It was fun."
Genovese missed last year's WSOP because of heart bypass surgery. He is healthy now and hoping to be in the hunt for another bracelet.
"I'm feeling good, but they say don't eat red meat ... that's hard."
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
54,000
54,000
|
54,000 |
|
||
Let's go!