On a flop 6♣Q♠A♠, Kaifan Wang checked in the small blind before calling a bet worth 1,200,000 from Alejandro Ganivet. Wang called.
Both checked on the 8♠ turn and a 10♥ came on the river. Wang fored 6,500,000 into the pot and after some thinking, Ganivet called, showing 10♠8♥ for two pair. Wang mucked J♦10♦.
Josh Reichard opened to 1,600,000 from hijack and got two callers in Alejandro Ganivet in cutoff and Kaiwan Fang in the big blind.
The flop came 9♠4♥9♦. With action passed to him, Reichard fired another 1,800,000 into the pot. Ganivet called but Wang got out of the way.
The turn 5♥ dropped and Reichard, relentless, shot out another 6,200,000 and Ganivet, unfazed, stayed on.
Finally, the river 7♥ was dealt and Reichard placed in 7,400,000 sending Ganivet to a long tank. It was so long that the floor was called for clock.
Ganivet went on a short panic when he was told he only had 5 seconds to the stall. But all the players agreed to give him 30 seconds because of the size of the pot.
On the last second, he made the call. Reichard showed Q♣9♣ prompting Ganivet, visibly frustrated, to throw his hand to the muck pile.
Atanas Kodinov opened for 1,600,000. Alejandro Gavinet shoved all-in and Kodinov snap-called risking his tournament life.
Atanas Kodinov: K♠K♥
Alejandro Gavinet: A♥9♠
Although Kodinov was ahead, Gavinet took the lead immediately on the flop when it came A♠5♠4♦ The runout 2♣Q♠ didn't change anything sending Kodinov to the rails
Jeffrey Tanouye opened to 1,600,000 from under the gun and Javier Swett moved all in for his remaining 3,900,000 stack. Tanouye made the call and the players flipped their hands.
Javier Swett: 7♠7♥
Jeffrey Tanouye: A♣J♣
Swett was looking to hold, but the J♠5♣9♣ flop put Tanouye ahead.
It was the end of the line for Swett when the dealer placed the 2♠ turn and 6♦ river.
Kaifan Wang opened to 1,600,000 in late position and got a three-bet from Josh Reichard to 4,600,000. Manuel Pochat, in the small blind, decided to shove all-in for 16,100,000.
Wang asked for a count, then he went into deep thought. After a few seconds, he announced all-in as well for 24,400,000. With action back to him, Reichard asked for a count of Wang's chips. He then started calling off what possible hands each player could have.
He went into deeper thought, looking at his chips. Finally, he jammed the stack in his hand for a call heading to a three-way showdown.
Manuel Pochat: A♠7♠
Kaifan Wang: A♦K♦
Josh Reichard: J♥J♠
Reichard was ahead potentially eliminating two players. The flop came 2♠3♠7♦ maintaining Reichard's lead and leaving Wang to hit one of his overcards. Pochat still had hope with a flush draw on the flop.
The turn J♣ strengthened Reichard's hand with a set, leaving Wang drawing dead but making Pochat still pray for a spade to come. The river 10♦ ended it all as Reichard remained in the lead and ending both Wang' and Pochat's tournament run.
The eight remaining players are now gone for one hour dinner break. Play will resume at 6:50 p.m. at blinds of 500,000/1,000,000 with a 1,000,000 ante.
Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.
In the 30th episode, Connor talks with 2024 WSOP Main Event champion Jonathan Tamayo about growing up in Humble, Texas, studying hotel management at Cornell University, graduating during the 2008 recession, running deep in the 2009 and 2015 Main Events, his friendship with fellow Main Event champion Joe McKeehen, winning the biggest-ever WSOP Main Event for $10 million, and his first purchase as world champion.
Tamayo also spoke about his infamous fold with pocket queens late in the 2024 Main Event, which he says cost him $120,000 in equity, and gave his thoughts on new rules implemented at the 2025 WSOP in the wake of "LaptopGate," as well as the Main Event structure and Phil Hellmuth's proposed boycott that he has since rescinded.
Brad Owen, one of poker’s most popular vloggers and a WPT Global Ambassador, is officially taking his shot in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship, the biggest and toughest mixed-game event of the summer.
From selling action at a markdown to bringing new eyes to the mixed-game world, find out why this is “the dream he didn’t know he had” and how he plans to represent his massive fanbase on poker’s biggest stage.
