Event #55: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship
Day 4 Started
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #55: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship
Day: 4
Event Info
2025 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 4
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$1,925,100
Entries
207
Level
28
Limits
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
4
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 207
Filter
(1)
The final four battled late into the night yesterday, but were unable to determine a champion in Event #55: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship. They will return today at 1 p.m. local time to determine the next World Series of Poker mixed-game master at the Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas.
Kristopher Tong begins as the overwhelming chip leader with 7,145,000 as he seeks his first career bracelet. The Texas native has come close a few times before, including a runner-up finish back in 2013 and a run to the final table of the PPC in 2023.
Like Tong, Maximilian Schindler is also looking for his first WSOP golden moment and is in second place with 2,680,000. At the bottom of the leaderboard are two players who are no strangers to the big stage.
Day 4 Seat Draw
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Bets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kristopher Tong | United States | 7,145,000 | 30 |
| 2 | Brad Ruben | United States | 1,305,000 | 5 |
| 3 | Maximilian Schindler | United States | 2,680,000 | 11 |
| 4 | Jason Mercier | United States | 1,295,000 | 5 |
Brad Ruben (1,305,000) already has a bracelet this summer and five in the last five years, one of just two players to do so this decade. Jason Mercier, whose six WSOP bracelets include one from this event in 2016, can join the seven-bracelet club if he manages to battle back from the short stack with 1,295,000. Ruben and Mercier will have to fight back from just five big bets at the start of the day, but as yesterday’s wild swings in momentum showed, anything is possible.
Final Table Remaining Payouts / Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $452,689 | ||
| 2 | $301,786 | ||
| 3 | $206,747 | ||
| 4 | $144,965 | ||
| 5 | Marco Johnson | United States | $104,089 |
| 6 | Alex Livingston | Canada | $76,581 |
| 7 | Scott Seiver | United States | $57,766 |
| 8 | Walter Chambers | United States | $44,703 |
| 9 | PJ Cha | United States | $35,515 |
The action picks up on Level 26 with limits of 120,000/240,000. The four finalists have locked up $144,965 for making it this far out of the 207-entry field, while the eventual champion earns $452,689.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for updates throughout the day until a new champion is crowned.
Level: 26
Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Level 26
: Limits 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
The remaining four players are back in their seats and Day 4 is underway.
Level 26
: Limits 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Stud Hi-Lo
Brad Ruben: XxXx/6♣Q♣6♥7♥/Xx
Jason Mercier: XxXx/10♥3♦A♦2♦/Xx
On the first hand of the day, Jason Mercier completed and Brad Ruben called.
Mercier bet on fourth street and Ruben called. Both players then checked on fifth.
Ruben opened the betting on sixth and Mercier called. Ruben then bet again on seventh and Mercier again called.
"Straight eight," Ruben announced, turning over 8♥5♥4♦ for a straight and a low.
"God!" Mercier yelled out in frustration as he threw his cards into the muck, leaving himself as a short stack right at the start of the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,100,000
795,000
|
795,000 |
|
||
|
500,000
795,000
|
795,000 |
|
||
Level 26
: Limits 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Limit Hold'em
Kristopher Tong raised on the button and made the call after Brad Ruben slid out a three-bet from the small blind.
Ruben led out on the 8♥A♠5♦ flop, with Tong making another call. The dealer flipped over the J♥ turn, and Ruben fired again.
Tong called to the 9♣ river, where both players checked it down. Ruben revealed 10♠10♥, taking down another early pot as Tong mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
6,450,000
695,000
|
695,000 |
|
||
|
|
2,850,000
750,000
|
750,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: Limits 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Limit Hold'em
Action folded to Jason Mercier in the small blind who raised. Kristopher Tong reraised, Mercier made it four bets, and Tong five-bet. Mercier, who started the hand with 605,000, called and left 5,000 behind.
"I bet 5,000 in the dark. Do you want to call it?" Mercier asked Tong, who put in the chip before seeing the flop.
Jason Mercier: A♥Q♦ 
Kristopher Tong: A♠J♠
Mercier had Tong dominated as the flop came 8♠10♥8♣, while the Q♣ turn improved Mercier to two pair. The river was the 6♣ and Mercier doubled up.
The next hand, Tong limped in from the small blind, Brad Ruben raised in the big blind, and Tong called.
The flop came J♣5♥6♠ and Ruben bet. Tong raised and Ruben called.
Tong bet on the 7♥ turn and Ruben called. The river was the Q♥ and Tong checked to Ruben, who bet.
"Bad start," Tong muttered to himself as he took a minute before folding.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,800,000
1,650,000
|
1,650,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,200,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,200,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: Limits 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Omaha Hi-Lo
Brad Ruben raised from under the gun, with Maximilian Schindler calling on the button and Kristopher Tong defending his big blind.
Tong led out with a bet on the 10♥10♣8♣ flop, and Ruben stuck in the call. Schindler got out of the way before the K♥ hit the turn.
Another lead from Tong was met with a call from Ruben, and the 4♦ river completed the board. Tong checked, making the call after Ruben fired one last bet.
Ruben showed A♦10♠6♥4♥ for a full house, claiming another sizeable pot as Tong mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,250,000
1,050,000
|
1,050,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,250,000
550,000
|
550,000 |
|
|
||
|
2,300,000
380,000
|
380,000 |
|
||
Level 26
: Limits 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Omaha Hi-Lo
Kristopher Tong raised in the small blind and Brad Ruben called in the big blind.
The flop came J♦7♥7♠ and Tong bet. Ruben called and the 9♣ fell on the turn. Tong bet again, but Ruben came back with a raise.
"Boat already?" Tong asked, as he took a minute before folding. Ruben then told him he had a straight.
"This guy's a bulldozer," Tong said. A tournament official then arrived at the table to color up some of Ruben's rapidly expanding stack.
"Racks and racks for all his hard work," Jason Mercier said.
"It wasn't really work. Just good cards," Ruben replied.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,400,000
1,150,000
|
1,150,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,500,000
750,000
|
750,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: Limits 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Stud Games: 30,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000, 30,000 Ante
Seven Card Stud
Jason Mercier: A♥A♦5♦ / K♦Q♠5♥10♠
Maximilian Schindler: 5♣4♠4♥ / 4♣9♥Q♦10♣
Jason Mercier completed with his king and made the call after Maximilian Schindler raised on his right. Mercier fired on fourth and fifth streets, with Schindler calling both bets.
Sixth street saw the rest of Mercier's stack hit the middle, with Schindler sliding in the call.
Schindler finished with a set of fours, while Mercier could only manage to find two pair. That brought an end to Mercier's tournament run in fourth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,850,000
550,000
|
550,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
