Event #55: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

Jun 18, 2025

Poker Hall of Famer John Hennigan Bags Big Stack After Day 1 of Event #55: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship

Chad Holloway

Level 10 : Limits 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Limit Flop: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000-3,000, 3,000-6,000, 1,000 Ante

On Wednesday, the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe & Paris Casino in Las Vegas continued with Day 1 of Event #55: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship. The field swelled to 176 players, but after 10 levels of play, it had been whittled down to 91. That number will grow, though, as late registration is open until ~2:15 p.m. local time on Day 2.

Bagging up the big stack was Poker Hall of Famer John Hennigan, who was followed by Chris Vitch as the only player above the 300,000 mark. Others to bag big were Marco Johnson (274,000), Justin “Boosted J” Smith (208,500), Mike “The Mouth” Matusow (208,000), and Scott Seiver (206,500).

Top Ten Chip Counts

Rank	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Bets
1	John Hennigan	United States	350,500	44
2	Christopher Vitch	United States	342,500	43
3	Ryan Miller	United States	294,500	37
4	Daniel Strelitz	United States	288,000	36
5	Marco Johnson	United States	274,000	35
6	Dave Stann	United States	240,500	30
7	Walter Chambers	United States	233,500	29
8	Matt Grapenthien	United States	211,000	27
9	Justin Smith	United States	208,500	26
10	Mike Matusow	United States	208,000	26

Some other players to make it through were Brad Owen (196,500), Poker Hall of Famers Huck Seed (190,000) and Todd Brunson (189,000), Chad Eveslage (152,500), Shaun Deeb (140,500), Benny Glaser (138,000), and “Texas” Mike Moncek (98,000).

Unfortunately, not everyone was so lucky on Day 1. Among those to try and fall were Calvin Anderson, Viktor Blom, Anthony Zinno, Allen Kessler, Jeff Madsen, Adam Friedman, Yuval Bronshtein, Eddie Blumenthal, Gershon Distenfeld, David Baker (both Bakes & ODB), and Nick Schulman.

Day 2 of the tournament will start at 1 p.m. local time on Thursday, with the plan to play eight more levels. PokerNews will once again be on-site to capture all the action, so be sure to join us then for updates straight from the tournament floor.

Tags: Adam Friedman Allen Kessler Anthony Zinno Benny Glaser Brad Owen Calvin Anderson Chad Eveslage Chris Vitch Daniel Strelitz Dave Stann David Baker Eddie Blumenthal Gershon Distenfeld Huck Seed Jeff Madsen John Hennigan Justin Smith Marco Johnson Matt Grapenthien Mike Matusow Mike Moncek Nick Schulman Ryan Miller Scott Seiver Shaun Deeb Todd Brunson Viktor Blom Walter Chambers Yuval Bronshtein

Jun 18, 2025

Big Huni Bounces $1,000,000 Bounty Winner Buckley

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Chad Holloway

Level 10 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Limit Flop: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000-3,000, 3,000-6,000, 1,000 Ante

Stud Hi-Lo

Chris Hunichen: 3♠5♣ / 4♥Q♥2♥10♠ / Q♣
DJ Buckley: 7♦4♠ / 6♣2♦9♥2♠ / J♠ All in

Chris "Big Huni" Hunichen brought it in, and Minnesota's DJ Buckley, who last year drew a $1,000,000 bounty in the Mystery Bounty event, completed. Hunichen called and then check-called a bet on fourth.

Hunichen bet out after taking the lead on fifth and then Buckley checked sixth after taking the lead.

Hunichen bet and Buckley called off his last 5,000 with what turned out to be a pair of deuces and a low draw. He was actually ahead of Hunichen, who didn't have a pair and was drawing to a low of his own.

Hunichen showed first after he received the Q♣ on seventh for a pair of queens, and it wound up being good as Buckley failed to improve with the J♠.

Tags: Chris Hunichen DJ Buckley

Jun 18, 2025

Alioto Doesn't Have Any Mor Chips

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Chad Holloway

Level 10 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Limit Flop: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000-3,000, 3,000-6,000, 1,000 Ante

Omaha Hi-Lo

Dario Alioto limped under the gun, and Tom Koral called from the cutoff. Nicolas Barthe came along from the button, Tom McCormick did the same from the small blind, and then Ofi Mor exercised his option from the big by raising to 6,000.

All of his opponents called and it was five-way action to the flop of 7♥10♣A♥.

McCormick checked, Mor bet, and Alioto raised, which prompted Koral to get out of the way. Barthe then called, as did McCormick, and Mor put in the additional 3,000 to see the K♣ turn.

Three checks saw Barthe bet 6,000, and three calls ensued including Alioto calling off for his last 5,000, which created a 3,000 side pot.

McCormick then checked the 6♦ river, Mor bet 6,000, and Barthe called. McCormick thought for a long time but eventually released his hand.

Dario Alioto: A♣4♥2♥8♠ All in
Nicolas Barthe: Q♣J♣9♠4♠
Ofir Mor: A♦2♦2♠3♥

Barthe had the high, Mor the low, and Alioto was ousted from the tournament.

Tags: Dario Alioto Nicolas Barthe Ofir Mor Tom Koral Tom McCormick

Jun 18, 2025

Hollywood Takes from Distenfeld, Who Busts Shortly Thereafter

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Chad Holloway

Level 9 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Limit Flop: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000-3,000, 3,000-6,000, 1,000 Ante

Omaha Hi-Lo

"Hollywood" Dave Stann raised from middle position and bracelet winner Gershon Distenfeld, who donates all his WSOP cashes to charity, called from the small blind.

The latter check-called a bet of 3,000 on the A♠2♦4♦ flop and then both players checked the 10♦ turn.

When the 9♠ completed the board on the river, Distenfeld bet 6,000 and Stann paused for a few beats before making the call.

"Not much," Distenfeld admitted before showing his [ahkdhc5h] for just a pair of aces. Stann then tabled the A♦4♥K♠6♣ for two pair and the win.

Distenfeld was left with a short stack and went bust not long after.

Tags: Dave Stann Gershon Distenfeld

Jun 18, 2025

Eveslage Scoops a Big One

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 9 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Limit Flop: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000-3,000, 3,000-6,000, 1,000 Ante

Stud Hi-Lo

Chad Eveslage: A♥Q♥/Q♣2♣Q♠10♠/8♥
Cary Katz: 3♠4♠/7♣A♠10♦A♣/4♦
Scott Seiver: XxXx/6♣7♥6♠7♠/Xx
Mark Klecan: XxXx/5♣ - folded bring in

Cary Katz completed, Chad Eveslage raised and Scott Seiver called.

Action checked around to Seiver who bet fourth street. Both opponents called.

Eveslage bet fifth and sixth streets, receiving calls from both opponents each time. All three players then checked seventh street.

Katz had aces up but Eveslage showed trip queens to win the hand.

Tags: Cary Katz Chad Eveslage Mark Klecan Scott Seiver

Jun 18, 2025

Eslami Not Left with Much Breathing Room

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Chad Holloway

Level 8 : 1,300/2,500, 2,500 ante

Limit Flop: 1,300-2,500, 2,500-5,000 Limits
Stud Games: 700-2,500, 2,500-5,000, 500 Ante

Omaha Hi-Lo

Nicolas Barthe raised under the gun, and Ali Eslami called from the small blind. Tom Koral came along from the big blind and it was three-way action to a flop of 5♣7♣K♦.

Two checks saw Barthe continue for 2,500 and both his opponents called.

After the K♠ paired the board on the turn, two checks put action on Barthe and he bet 5,000. Only Eslami called, leaving himself just 3,000 behind, and the 7♦ double paired the board on the river.

Eslami checked and then folded after Barthe bet for a final time.

Tags: Ali Eslami Nicolas Barthe Tom Koral

Jun 18, 2025

Pezzin Fills Up on Distenfeld

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Chad Holloway

Level 8 : 1,300/2,500, 2,500 ante

Limit Flop: 1,300-2,500, 2,500-5,000 Limits
Stud Games: 700-2,500, 2,500-5,000, 500 Ante

Stud

Gershon Distenfeld: XxXx / K♠7♥K♣Q♣ / Xx - mucked
Qiang Xu: XxXx / 8♠9♠J♣3♥ / Xx - folded on seventh
Pat Pezzin: 10♦J♦9♣5♦ / 9♦9♥10♥

On fifth street, WSOP gold bracelet winner Gershon Distenfeld was showing a pair of kings and bet 5,000, which both Qiang Xu and Pat Pezzin called.

The action repeated itself on sixth street and the Distenfeld checked on seventh. Xu did the same and Pezzin bet 5,000. Distenfeld called, Xu folded, and Pezzin rolled over nines full of tens. It was good as Distenfeld had little recourse but to send his hand to the muck.

Tags: Gershon Distenfeld Pat Pezzin Qiang Xu

Jun 18, 2025

Anderson Doubles Through Fuchs

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 7 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Limit Flop: 1,000-2,000, 2,000-4,000 Limits
Stud Games: 500-2,000, 2,000-4,000, 500 Ante

Razz

Calvin Anderson: 8x5x/7x4x8x10x/6x
Carol Fuchs: Ax6x/3x3x4xKx/6x
Jerry Wong: XxXx/Jx - folded bring in

Carol Fuchs completed with a three and Calvin Anderson called showing a seven.

Anderson bet fourth, fifth, and sixth street, committing his last 4,600 chips on sixth to put himself all-in. Fuchs called the whole way with a covering stack.

Anderson had a ten-low on sixth street while Fuchs was drawing to a six-low. Fuchs caught a second six on seventh street and Anderson improved to an eight-low to double up.

Tags: Calvin Anderson Carol Fuchs Jerry Wong

Jun 18, 2025

"I Really Thought I Had Three-Quarters"

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Chad Holloway

Level 7 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Limit Flop: 1,000-2,000, 2,000-4,000 Limits
Stud Games: 500-2,000, 2,000-4,000, 500 Ante

Omaha Hi-Lo

The short-stacked Allen Cunningham limped under the gun and Jason Palafox did the same from the cutoff. Daniel Idema then raised from the big blind, both his opponents called, and the flop came down A♥2♥5♠.

Idema checked, Kessler bet 2,000, and Palafox folded. Idema called and then both players checked the 6♠ turn, which brought about the 4♥ on the river.

Idema bet and Kessler raised all in for 6,800. Idema didn't seem excited but called with his 3♣2♠A♦Q♣ and Kessler turned over 3♦2♣6♣5♦.

"I get three-quarters," Kessler said as the dealer started to break down the stacks. However, after a few beats, Lucas Zwingmann-Gocht noted that it was actually a chopped pot as both players had a wheel for the low and a six-high straight for the high. Even Idema didn't notice.

"I really thought I had three-quarters," Kessler said as he was pushed his half of the pot, thus extending his tournament life.

Meanwhile, Palafox went bust a short time later.

Jun 18, 2025