Event #66: $50,000 Poker Players Championship Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

Jun 25, 2025

Ivey Scores a Late Knockout

David Salituro

Level 6

Limit Flop/Draw: 3,000-6,000, 6,000-12,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,500 Ante, 2,000 Bring-In, 6,000 Completion, 6,000-12,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 3000/4500 Ante, 1500-3000 Blinds

Stud Hi-Lo

Gabriel Ramos: XxXx/A♥J♥4♣ All in
Phil Ivey: XxXx/7♠Q♠2♥

Phil Ivey completed, Gabriel Ramos raised, and Ivey called.

Ramos bet on fourth street and Ivey called. Ramos then bet on fifth, Ivey raised, and Ramos called all in.

Ivey finished with A♠6♠J♠Q♦ for a flush, and Ramos mucked A♦2♣5♠5♥ on his way to the rail on the last hand of the night.

Tags: Gabriel Ramos Phil Ivey

Jun 25, 2025

Smith Hits the Rail

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Brett Slezak

Level 6

Limit Flop/Draw: 3,000-6,000, 6,000-12,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,500 Ante, 2,000 Bring-In, 6,000 Completion, 6,000-12,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 3000/4500 Ante, 1500-3000 Blinds

Pot-Limit Omaha

Dylan Smith potted to 10,500 second-to-act before Yuri Dzivielevski potted to 36,000 from the button. In the small blind, James Obst four-bet pot, Smith called all-in for 32,500 total, and Dzivielevski folded.

Dylan Smith: K♦J♠10♦6♦ All in
James Obst: A♥K♥K♠6♥

The Q♥9♣2♦ flop gave Smith plenty of outs. However, the 6♣ turn and Q♣ river were of no help as Obst's kings held for the elimination.

Tags: Dylan Smith James Obst Yuri Dzivielevski

Jun 24, 2025

Rast Falls to Livingston

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 5

Limit Flop/Draw: 2,500-5,000, 5,000-10,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 2,000 Bring-In, 5,000 Completion, 5,000-10,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 2,500/3,500 Ante, 1,000-2,500 Blinds

Omaha Hi-Lo

Alex Livingston opened from early position, Johannes Becker three-bet from middle position and Alex Livingston, who had roughly 10,000 to start the hand, called and was all in from the big blind.

The flop came K♠4♥10♣. Livingston checked, Becker bet, Livingston check-raised and Becker called.

Livingston fired two more barrels on the 3♠ turn and 10♠ river with Becker calling each time.

Becker had kings up with A♦K♥8♣2♠ while Livingston had him beat with A♠Q♠J♠2♥ for the nut-flush. Rast could only show A♥9♠5♦2♦ and was sent to the rail.

Tags: Alex Livingston Johannes Becker

Jun 24, 2025

Glantz Stuns Wasserson on the River

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David Salituro

Level 4

Limit Flop/Draw: 2,500-5,000, 5,000-10,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 2,000 Bring-In, 5,000 Completion, 5,000-10,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 2,500/3,500 Ante, 1,000-2,500 Blinds

Pot-Limit Omaha

Matt Glantz raised to 8,000 in the hijack and Andrew Yeh called in the small blind. Eric Wasserson then three-bet to 32,000 in the big blind. Glantz four-bet to 104,000 and Yeh got out of the way, but Wasserson moved all in for 240,000 and Glantz snap-called.

Eric Wasserson: A♣A♥8♦6♥ All in
Matt Glantz: A♠A♦J♦J♠

"You can just run this one out," tablemate Scott Seiver told the dealer as both players showed aces and were poised to chop the pot. The flop came 3♠5♦5♣, but the 7♣ turn gave Wasserson outs to a straight.

"Oh, oh," Seiver said heading to the river, but it was Glantz who found a miracle with the J♥ to hit a set and send Wasserson to the rail.

"That's f**king impossible," Wasserson said as he pushed over his stack and made a speedy exit from the room.

Tags: Andrew Yeh Eric Wasserson Matt Glantz

Jun 24, 2025

Daher Sits Down, Immediately Scores a Knockout

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David Salituro

Level 4

Limit Flop/Draw: 2,500-5,000, 5,000-10,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 2,000 Bring-In, 5,000 Completion, 5,000-10,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 2,500/3,500 Ante, 1,000-2,500 Blinds

No-Limit Hold'em

Albert Daher had just taken his seat in the tournament when he went three-handed to a flop of 7♠3♥2♣. Matthew Valeo then bet 7,500 from early position and Daniel Negreanu called in the small blind, while Daher raised to 36,000 in the big blind. Only Valeo called.

The turn was the 2♦ and Daher bet 58,000. Valeo spent a minute in the tank before moving all in for 170,000, and Daher snap-called.

Daher showed A♦2♠ for trips. "That's a bad combo," Valeo said, turning over 5♠4♠ for a straight draw. The river was the 4♦ and Valeo was sent to the rail.

Tags: Albert Daher Daniel Negreanu Matthew Valeo

Jun 24, 2025

Young Ko the Next to Fall

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Brett Slezak

Level 3

Limit Flop/Draw: 2,000-4,000, 4,000-8,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 4,000 Completion, 4,000-8,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 2,000/3,000 Ante, 1,000-2,000 Blinds

Pot-Limit Omaha

Young Ko moved all-in fromr under the gun for around a pot-sized raise and was called by Ryan Hoenig to his direct left and Bruno Portaro in the small blind.

On the 9♥6♠4♥ flop, Hoenig bet 15,000 and Portaro called.

Portaro check-called another bet for 40,000 on the A♦ turn before the 4♦ river checked through.

Young Ko: A♥Q♣10♣6♣ All in
Ryan Hoenig: 10♠8♠8♥7♥
Bruno Portaro: K♣J♠9♦4♣

Hoenig had missed a wrap as Portaro filled up on the river. Ko had two pair, aces and sixes, and was ahead on the turn until Portaro filled up.

Tags: Bruno Portaro Ryan Hoenig Young Ko

Jun 24, 2025

The Grinder Scoops Negreanu

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 3

Limit Flop/Draw: 2,000-4,000, 4,000-8,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 4,000 Completion, 4,000-8,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 2,000/3,000 Ante, 1,000-2,000 Blinds

Stud Hi-Lo

Michael Mizrachi: 2♣5♠/4♣6♥10♦3♦/J♠
Daniel Negreanu: 2♠5♥/4♠A♠5♣A♦/7♥

Daniel Negreanu completed, Michael Mizrachi raised from the bring in and Negreanu called.

Negreanu bet fourth, fifth and sixth street. Mizrachi called on fourth and fifth before raising on sixth. Negreanu called.

On seventh street Negreanu checked and Mizrachi bet. Negreanu commented that he was making a very nitty call before calling.

Negreanu had a seven-low and two pair, aces and fives. Mizrachi had him beat with a six-low and six-high straight to scoop the pot.

Tags: Daniel Negreanu Michael Mizrachi

Jun 24, 2025

Dan Cates the First to Hit the Rail

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Brett Slezak

Level 3

Limit Flop/Draw: 2,000-4,000, 4,000-8,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 4,000 Completion, 4,000-8,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 2,000/3,000 Ante, 1,000-2,000 Blinds

Pot-Limit Omaha

Eric Wasserson potted to 7,000 under the gun and Matt Glantz called in the cutoff. In the big blind, Dan Cates repotted to 29,000 and both opponents called.

On the 8♠4♣2♦ flop, Cates jammed for his final 21,000, Wasserson folded, and Glantz snapped it off.

Dan Cates: A♦A♣9♣4♥ All in
Matt Glantz: 10♥8♦8♣7♥

Cates was in dire straits against the top set of Glantz. Cates picked up a gutter on the 5♠ turn but he could not be saved on the 10♠ river as he was first casualty for this year's PPC.

Tags: Dan Cates Eric Wasserson Matt Glantz