Event #54: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-18-2025 18:27 UTC-7

Spurlin Doubles Up Helderman

Tim Baker

Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Catching the action on a flop of 3♠8♠5♦. After some betting and raising, Sebastiaan Helderman and Jordan Spurlin got all of their chips into the middle, with Helderman being the player at risk.

Sebastiaan Helderman: A♠10♠7♦3♦ All in
Jordan Spurlin: 8♦6♥6♠4♠

Both players had flush draws, but Helderman had the bigger one. The Q♠ came on the turn to give Helderman the nuts and leave Spurlin drawing dead. The inconsequential 4♥ appeared on the river, and Helderman doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jordan Spurlin	120,000
Kyle Knecht	95,000 70,000	70,000
Sebastiaan Helderman	60,000 60,000	60,000
Oskar Prehm	55,000
Jacob Baumgartner	50,000
Scott Franklin	45,000

Kelly Kim	33,000
Chase Fujita	20,000

Tags: Jordan Spurlin Sebastiaan Helderman

06-18-2025 18:18 UTC-7

King's Nuts Knock Out Two Players

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Jacob Wilson

Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Ngoc Nguyen found himself all in preflop, contesting a side pot worth 19,000 with two other players. Anthony Hu and Caleb King had their own side pot, of 35,000, when the three saw a flop of 7♦10♥5♥. Hu shoved for 41,000, and King called before his opponent's chips were even in the middle.

Ngoc Nguyen: A♦K♦8♥6♥ All in
Anthony Hu: J♥J♣9♦9♠ All in
Caleb King: A♥Q♥Q♠2♣

Hu had an overpair and a gutshot, however King had a better overpair. Nguyen was open-ended with hearts, but King also had better hearts. King's Queens were in the lead, and lost it instantly on the 4♠ turn, giving Nguyen the nuts. The 3♥ river gave the lead back to King, who scooped.

Player	Chips	Progress
Caleb King	194,500 194,500	194,500
Ngoc Nguyen	Busted
Anthony Hu	Busted

Tags: Anthony Hu Caleb King Ngoc Nguyen

06-18-2025 18:03 UTC-7

Could Seidel Claim His 11th Bracelet?

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Tim Baker

Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Seated on Table #277 in seat two is the old school poker legend, Erik Seidel, with a stack of around 35,000.

Seidel is one of the most consistent and successful players in poker history. With over $48 million in career earnings, he ranks among the top 20 on the all-time money list and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2010.

In December 2023, he earned his 10th WSOP bracelet by winning the $50,000 Super High Roller at WSOP Paradise, joining the ranks of Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Phil Ivey as the only players in the double-figure region of bracelets.

Seidel's Ten Bracelets

1992 – $2,500 Limit Hold’em – $168,000
1993 – $2,500 Omaha 8 or Better – $94,000
1994 – $5,000 Limit Hold’em – $210,000
1998 – $5,000 Deuce-to-Seven Draw – $132,700
2001 – $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em – $411,300
2003 – $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha – $146,100
2005 – $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em – $611,795
2007 – $5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Championship – $538,835
2021 (Online) – $10,000 Super MILLION$ High Roller – $977,842
2023 (Paradise) – $50,000 Super High Roller – $1,704,400

Seidel has had two cashes this series, and is playing almost every event he can. Will he be able to claim his eleventh career bracelet come Friday in this event?

Player	Chips	Progress
Erik Seidel	35,000 14,000	14,000

Tags: Doyle Brunson Erik Seidel Johnny Chan Phil Ivey

Level: 9

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

06-18-2025 17:58 UTC-7

Williams Looks for First PLO Bracelet

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Jacob Wilson

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

David Williams may be known for his runner-up finish in the 2004 WSOP Main Event, however since that defeat he's been a real player in the World Series, as he's consistently cashed over the years. That being said, he only has the one bracelet to his name, having cashed in a $1,500 Seven Card Stud event, but he is still in the hunt for a win in either of the game's two most practiced disciplines.

With almost 1,400 players standing in his way, will this seasoned pro finally earn a bracelet with less than seven cards in his hand?

Player	Chips	Progress
David Williams	25,000 19,000	19,000

06-18-2025 17:45 UTC-7

Weisman Unable to Retain Title

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Jacob Wilson

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Reigning champion Dylan Weisman has not been able to go back-to-back, as he has already busted before Day 1's dinner break. After registering in Level 5, his first bullet only had him on the felt for just over an hour. The next lasted only 16 minutes, as he entered and left for the second time without progressing from Level 6. His third and final bullet, again, lasted merely more than an hour, as he exited with no possibility of an extra reentry.

The double bracelet winner won't be too upset, however, as there are still plenty of PLO events scheduled that he'll have his eye on.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dylan Weisman	Busted

Tags: Dylan Weisman

06-18-2025 17:43 UTC-7

Cichy Gets the Perfect Runout

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Tim Baker

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Arriving at the table to see Hunter Cichy was all-in and at risk for his last 10,000 with Kevin Kent trying to bust him.

Hunter Cichy: A♠K♠10♠9♥ All in
Kevin Kent: A♦K♦5♠5♦

Cichy managed to find the perfect runout on the board of 4♦3♥Q♣A♥J♠ as he improved to Broadway to earn the double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kevin Kent	65,000
Hunter Cichy	20,000

Tags: Kevin Kent Hunter Cichy

06-18-2025 17:36 UTC-7

Notable Chip Counts

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Tim Baker

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Siarhei Chudapal	165,000 140,000	140,000
Ren Lin	110,000 110,000	110,000

Bryce Yockey	100,000 100,000	100,000

Elliott Kampen	95,000 95,000	95,000
Punnat Punsri	91,000 56,000	56,000

Michael Wang	85,000 85,000	85,000

Tim Vanloo	80,000 80,000	80,000
Christopher Vitch	61,000 61,000	61,000

Daniel Heimiller	60,000 60,000	60,000

Jordan Glazer	55,000 55,000	55,000
Chongxian Yang	50,000 50,000	50,000
David Funkhouser	45,000 45,000	45,000

Juha Helppi	40,000 15,000	15,000

Barny Boatman	38,000 10,000	10,000

Christian Harder	35,000 35,000	35,000
Danny Tang	30,000 30,000	30,000

Lou Garza	25,000 18,000	18,000

Jim Collopy	25,000 25,000	25,000

Erik Seidel	21,000 21,000	21,000

Martin Zamani	20,000 20,000	20,000

David Williams	6,000 6,000	6,000

06-18-2025 17:25 UTC-7

One Pair Good Four Stoessl.

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Jacob Wilson

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

One pair being good at showdown is a rare sight in PLO. It's even rarer when it happens in a three-way all-in, and that pairs happens to be one of the lowest, however that was the sequence that allowed Daniel Stoessl to triple up.

Stoessl potted it from under the gun, to 2,800, and received callers in Jarred Jaffee and Alejandro Avendano. Steve Sebbag then made it 6,100 on the button. Stoessl shoved, Avendano reshoved, and Sebbag made the call.

Daniel Stoessl: A♥K♥Q♦4♦ All in
Alejandro Avendano: K♠10♥7♥5♠ All in
Steve Sebbag: A♠K♦10♣3♠

The board ran out 4♥J♣9♥6♠9♦ and after some deliberation trying to find out who had what, it was revealed that Stroessl, using his ace and his four, had connected the most with the board, as he laughed while taking in the pot. Sebbag's ace-king used as kickers were enough to send Avendano out.