Event #55: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship Day 3 | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-20-2025 16:12 UTC-8

Player Who Coolered Matusow at 2005 Main Event Final Table Runs Deep in WSOP Seniors

Jon Sofen

Level 21 : Limits 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Limit Flop: 20,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000, 10,000 Ante

Twenty years ago, Scott Lazar doubled up eventual champion Joe Hachem and coolered Mike Matusow at one of the most entertaining and memorable World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event final tables ever.

Two decades later, the 2005 sixth-place finisher in poker's most prestigious event ran deep in another WSOP event. This one, Event #48: $1,000 Senior's No-Limit Hold'em Championship, a tournament that attracted 7,575 entrants. Lazar, who spoke to PokerNews on a Day 3 break, busted in 31st place for $21,950, his second-largest tournament cash since his televised $1.5 million score.

Read the Full Interview Here

Tags: Scott Lazar

06-20-2025 16:23 UTC-8

Cha Survives With a Chop

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David Salituro

Level 21 : Limits 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Limit Flop: 20,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000, 10,000 Ante

Stud Hi-Lo

Alex Livingston: XxXx/4♠8♥7♠J♥/Xx
Scott Seiver: XxXx/5♠8♠10♠A♣/Xx
Kristopher Tong: XxXx/6♣9♠ - folded on fourth street
Marco Johnson: XxXx/2♦Q♠ - folded on fourth street

Kristopher Tong completed and was called by Alex Livingston, Scott Seiver, and Marco Johnson.

Livingston bet on fourth street and Seiver raised. Johnson and Tong folded, while Livingston called to fifth. He then bet and Seiver called.

Seiver opened the betting on sixth and Livingston called. Both players checked seventh and Livingston showed 2♥4♣10♦ for a low, while Seiver had 5♥4♦K♣ for a pair of fives to chop the pot.

The next hand, PJ Cha put in his last chips and was up against Maximilian Schindler and Jason Mercier.

PJ Cha: XxXx/9♦7♠10♣Q♠/Xx
Maximilian Schindler: XxXx/3♥4♦5♦9♣/Xx
Jason Mercier: XxXx/2♦2♠5♠6♦/Xx

Schindler and Mercier checked it down and Schindler showed 8♥7♦4♣ for a low, while Cha had 8♠7♣6♠ for a pair of sevens to chop the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maximilian Schindler	2,400,000 20,000	20,000

Jason Mercier	2,400,000 100,000	100,000

Kristopher Tong	2,200,000 50,000	50,000

Marco Johnson	1,300,000 120,000	120,000

Scott Seiver	1,275,000 45,000	45,000

Alex Livingston	700,000

PJ Cha	100,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Alex Livingston Jason Mercier Kristopher Tong Marco Johnson Maximilian Schindler PJ Cha Scott Seiver

06-20-2025 16:28 UTC-8

Seiver Shows His Flush

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Josh Noy

Level 21 : Limits 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Limit Flop: 20,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000, 10,000 Ante

Limit Hold'em

Scott Seiver raised in the hijack before Brad Ruben slid out a three-bet on the button. Seiver called and the 3♦4♣2♣ flop hit the felt.

Seiver checked to Rubin, who continued with a bet. The call was made to the 9♣ turn, where both players declined to bet.

Seiver then led the A♣ river, and Ruben called. Seiver tabled K♣J♥ for a king-high flush, good enough to take down the pot as Ruben mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Scott Seiver	1,600,000 325,000	325,000

Brad Ruben	560,000 160,000	160,000

Tags: Brad Ruben Scott Seiver

06-20-2025 16:36 UTC-8

Cha Wakes Up With Queens to Double

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David Salituro

Level 21 : Limits 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Limit Flop: 20,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000, 10,000 Ante

Limit Hold'em

Maximilian Schindler raised in the hijack, Kristopher Tong reraised in the small blind, and Schindler called.

Tong bet on the 8♠6♦4♥ flop and Schindler called. Tong then bet again on the 8♥ turn, and this time Schindler folded.

The next hand, Marco Johnson raised in the hijack and Tong reraised again on the button. Johnson called and the flop came K♣3♥2♣.

Tong then bet and Johnson folded. "Must be the infrared," Tong said as he flashed the K♠.

Scott Seiver and Walter Chambers then went heads-up in a blind versus blind battle to the turn with the board showing 9♦J♠8♥9♣. Chambers then led out with a bet and Seiver called.

Chambers bet again on the 7♠ river and Seiver took a minute before calling. Chambers turned over J♦10♥ for a straight and Seiver mucked.

The next hand, Kristopher Tong limped in and Alex Livingston attempted to three-bet. "I was going with my No-Limit iso size," Livingston said as he took back some chips. PJ Cha then put in his last 100,000 in the big blind and Livingston called.

PJ Cha: Q♥Q♦ All in
Alex Livingston: A♣10♥

Cha was ahead with his queens, and Livingston couldn't catch up on the K♠K♥7♥2♠2♦ board as Cha doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kristopher Tong	2,500,000 300,000	300,000

Maximilian Schindler	2,200,000 200,000	200,000

Walter Chambers	1,200,000 300,000	300,000

Marco Johnson	1,150,000 150,000	150,000

Alex Livingston	730,000 30,000	30,000

PJ Cha	250,000 150,000	150,000

Tags: Alex Livingston Kristopher Tong Marco Johnson Maximilian Schindler PJ Cha Scott Seiver Walter Chambers

06-20-2025 16:44 UTC-8

Livingston Takes the River

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Josh Noy

Level 21 : Limits 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Limit Flop: 20,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000, 10,000 Ante

Omaha Hi-Lo

Alex Livingston raised in early position, with Walter Chambers calling on his left and Marco Johnson defending his big blind.

Johnson checked the Q♥J♣9♠ flop, with Livingston firing a bet. Chambers then raised, with Johnson folding and Livingston making the call.

Both players checked the 9♣ turn, and Livingston led out on the A♥ river. Chambers quickly tossed his cards into the muck, and Livingston raked in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Marco Johnson	1,250,000 100,000	100,000

Walter Chambers	940,000 260,000	260,000

Alex Livingston	905,000 175,000	175,000

Tags: Alex Livingston Marco Johnson Walter Chambers

06-20-2025 16:50 UTC-8

Livingston Shows the Nuts in Massive Three-Way Pot

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David Salituro

Level 21 : Limits 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Limit Flop: 20,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000, 10,000 Ante

Omaha Hi-Lo

Maximilian Schindler raised in middle position and Jason Mercier reraised in the cutoff. Alex Livingston called in the small blind, but Schindler made it four bets. "Spice things up a bit," Schindler said.

"Why not?" Livingston replied as he and Mercier both called. The flop came Q♣8♥3♣ and Schindler continued with a bet. Mercier raised, Livingston reraised, and both opponents called.

Action checked to Mercier on the K♥ turn and he bet. Livingston and Schindler both called and the 9♣ fell on the river. Livingston then led out with a bet, Schindler folded, while Mercier called.

Livingston showed A♣A♠K♣2♣ for the nut flush and Mercier mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Mercier	1,900,000 500,000	500,000

Maximilian Schindler	1,900,000 300,000	300,000

Alex Livingston	1,800,000 895,000	895,000

Tags: Alex Livingston Jason Mercier Maximilian Schindler

06-20-2025 16:58 UTC-8

PJ Cha Eliminated in 9th Place ($35,515)

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Josh Noy

Level 21 : Limits 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Limit Flop: 20,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000, 10,000 Ante

Omaha Hi-Lo

On the final hand of Omaha Hi-Lo, Kristopher Tong raised in middle position. PJ Cha made the call in the small blind, with Brad Ruben coming along in the big blind.

The dealer fanned out the K♦5♦Q♥ flop, where Cha checked. Ruben bet, and both opponents called to the 9♠ turn.

Cha checked again, and Ruben slid out another bet. Tong folded before Cha check-raised all in. Ruben called and the hands were turned up.

PJ Cha: A♠10♥10♦2♠ All in
Brad Ruben: K♣J♠4♠2♦

Ruben was able to dodge Cha's flush and straight draws on the 8♣ river, holding with his pair of kings. Cha saw the last of his chips slide to the left, ending his run in ninth place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kristopher Tong	2,620,000 120,000	120,000

Brad Ruben	700,000 140,000	140,000

PJ Cha	Busted

Tags: Brad Ruben Kristopher Tong PJ Cha

06-20-2025 17:05 UTC-8

Johnson Makes an Eight Against Mercier

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David Salituro

Level 21 : Limits 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Limit Flop: 20,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000, 10,000 Ante

Razz

Marco Johnson: XxXx/5x4x8x8x/Xx
Jason Mercier: XxXx/3x6xKx10x/Xx

Marco Johnson completed, Jason Mercier raised, and Johnson called.

Johnson bet on fourth street and Mercier raised again. Johnson called to fifth, where he bet again. Mercier just called this time.

Johnson bet on sixth and Mercier called. Johnson bet once more on seventh, and Mercier stuck around and called.

Johnson turned over Ax8x2x for 8-5-4-2-A and Mercier mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Marco Johnson	1,700,000 450,000	450,000

Jason Mercier	1,300,000 600,000	600,000

Tags: Jason Mercier Marco Johnson

06-20-2025 17:07 UTC-8

Tong Takes the Pot

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Josh Noy

Level 21 : Limits 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Limit Flop: 20,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000, 10,000 Ante

Seven Card Stud

Kristopher Tong: A♠Q♠10♠ / J♥9♣Q♣6♦
Alex Livingston: XxXx / J♦4♥6♣10♥ / Xx
Jason Mercier: XxXx / A♦

Jason Mercier completed with his ace before Kristopher Tong raised. Alex Livingston made it three bets, with Mercier folding and Tong calling.

Tong and Livingston exchanged a quick bet and call on fourth. Livingston then called another bet from Tong on fifth, with action repeating on sixth street.

Both players checked it down on seventh, with Tong tabling his pair of queens. That was good to take down the pot, as Livingston mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kristopher Tong	1,965,000 655,000	655,000

Alex Livingston	1,380,000 420,000	420,000

Jason Mercier	1,225,000 75,000	75,000

Tags: Alex Livingston Jason Mercier Kristopher Tong

06-20-2025 17:09 UTC-8

Dinner Break

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David Salituro

Level 21 : Limits 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Limit Flop: 20,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000-40,000, 40,000-80,000, 10,000 Ante

The remaining eight players are going on a 60-minute dinner break. Action should resume around 7:10 p.m. local time.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kristopher Tong	1,965,000

Scott Seiver	1,675,000 75,000	75,000

Maximilian Schindler	1,655,000 245,000	245,000

Marco Johnson	1,600,000 100,000	100,000

Alex Livingston	1,380,000

Jason Mercier	1,225,000

Walter Chambers	1,040,000 100,000	100,000

Brad Ruben	820,000 120,000	120,000