Event #61: $500 No-Limit Holdem Freezeout Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-23-2025 17:04 UTC-7

Top Chip Counts after Break

Erick Torres

Level 12 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Eric Olson	392,200 199,300	199,300
Ryan Brown	344,000 197,000	197,000
Todd Rivers	328,000 328,000	328,000

Russell Morse	300,000 300,000	300,000
Jonathan Hewston	290,000 5,000	5,000
Anthony Kastelic	290,000 290,000	290,000
Joshua Zapalac	256,000 256,000	256,000
Michael Baldwin	244,500 44,500	44,500
Michael Sabini	244,500 167,500	167,500
Nicholas Rigby	243,000 243,000	243,000

Level: 12

Blinds: 1,000/2,500

Ante: 2,500

06-23-2025 16:56 UTC-7

Antonio Payne

113,500

Table 569Seat 3

06-23-2025 16:44 UTC-7

"It's Now or Never"

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Erick Torres

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Chip leader Eric Olson is having a tremendous start to the tournament, and he's doing so while dealing with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS for short.

Olson shared with PokerNews that he used to attend the World Series of Poker, but stopped coming once he began to have kids. Olson, a proud father, shared that his six kids, Sophie, MeiLi, Tristan, Bryce, Scarlett, and Rini, prompted him to take a break from the game of poker, but after his children grew up, he began to play more as he had additional free time.

The desire to play at the WSOP was urged on by his ALS diagnosis. Olson has lived with ALS for four years, and stated that "It's now or never" in regards to playing at the WSOP.

Olson stated that his wife, Andrea, has been very supportive of him coming out and playing his first event of the summer. He plans to play more as the summer progresses, but for now, finds himself one of the top stacks in the room in a deep field.

Olson related that he's "loving" his start to the tournament, and he won't be alone if the cards keep going his way. "I've got a bunch of friends to cheer me on," said Olson.

Tags: Eric Olson

06-23-2025 16:29 UTC-7

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Chuck Sklar

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

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06-23-2025 16:28 UTC-7

Kabrhel Bluffs It All Off

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Myles Phago

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Martin Kabrhel sat down and immediately got involved in pots and dropped to about 14,000 before he got involved in an interesting hand.

Martin Askes raised from early position to 4,500, and action was folded to Kabrhel, who called from the big blind.

The flop came K♦6♥3♠, and both players checked as they did on the 5♠ turn.

The 5♥ then came on the river and Kabrhel bet out for 6,500 leaving himself just 3,000 behind.

'Not Like That' came Kabrhel's now trademark heckle to Askes as he was in the tank along with various other Kabrhel comments.

Askes was in the tank for about five minutes before he announced that he was all-in. Kabrhel instantly mucked his cards, and Askes decided to rub salt into the wound and flipped over K♣K♠. 'You Bluffed Right Into The Nuts Martin!' exclaimed Askes, playing up to his Aussie supporters on the rail!

Player	Chips	Progress
Martin Askes	103,000 103,000	103,000
Martin Kabrhel	3,000 3,000	3,000

Tags: Martin Askes Martin Kabrhel

06-23-2025 16:25 UTC-7

Time for a Kit Kat

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Myles Phago

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

The players are now on their third break of the day, and play will resume in 30 minutes at 4:55 p.m.

06-23-2025 16:21 UTC-7

Lee's Jacks Hold to Send Rajwade Packing

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Myles Phago

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Barry Fleishman raised to 4,500 from middle position only to see Sikander Rajwade three-bet all in from late position for his last 16,800. Brent Lee in the small blind four-bet jammed all in for 41,000. Fleishman went into the tank and eventually folded.

Sikander Rajwade: A♦Q♦ All in
Brent Lee: J♦J♣

No help for Rajwade on the 4♦8♥9♣ flop and when the J♥ came on the turn to give Lee a set, it also gave Rajwade a gutshot straight draw to stay alive, but no miracle when the Q♥ came on the river and Rajwade was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brent Lee	84,000
Barry Fleishman	58,000
Sikander Rajwade	Busted

Tags: Barry Fleishman Brent Lee Sikander Rajwade

06-23-2025 16:20 UTC-7

Full House for Setoguchi

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Erick Torres

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

The chips went in preflop when Masataka Setoguchi went all-in for his final 18,500 and was at risk against John Clements, who had him covered.

Masataka Setoguchi: 8♥8♦ All in
John Clements: 10♦10♣

Setoguchi found one of his two immediate outs when the flop fanned out 9♥3♠8♠. His hand held when the K♥ turn and the 9♠ river improved him to a full house.