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

06-24-2025 16:26 UTC-8

Arieh, Portaro Chop Up Hunichen

David Salituro

Level 2

Limit Flop/Draw: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 3,000 Completion, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 1500/2500 Ante, 1000-1500 Blinds

Stud Hi-Lo

Josh Arieh: XxXx/3♥7♥A♠4♥/Xx
Bruno Portaro: XxXx/10♦K♠9♣J♥/Xx
Chris Hunichen: XxXx/A♦8♦3♠5♠/Xx

Josh Arieh bet on fifth street and Chris Hunichen and Bruno Portaro both called.

Arieh bet again on sixth and both opponents called. Arieh then bet on seventh and was again called.

Arieh showed 7♠6♦4♠ for two pair and a low, while Portaro turned over 10♥10♣5♥ for trips. Hunichen mucked and Arieh and Portaro chopped the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Josh Arieh	440,000 55,000	55,000

Chris Hunichen	430,000 80,000	80,000

Bruno Portaro	180,000 106,000	106,000

Tags: Bruno Portaro Chris Hunichen Josh Arieh

06-24-2025 16:21 UTC-8

Gerhart Pips Schindler

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 2

Limit Flop/Draw: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 3,000 Completion, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 1500/2500 Ante, 1000-1500 Blinds

2-7 Single Draw

Dario Alioto opened to 3,500 from middle position and received calls from Maximilian Schindler on the button, Brian Breck in the small blind, and Kevin Gerhart in the big blind. Breck and Gerhart drew two each, while Alioto and Schindler each took one.

After the draw, action checked around to Schindler, who bet 12,000. Only Gerhart called.

Schindler had a nine-low with 9x8x7x6x3x, but Gerhart had a better nine-eight-seven with 9x8x7x4x2x to win the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maximilian Schindler	483,000 118,000	118,000
Dario Alioto	330,000 47,500	47,500

Brian Breck	305,000 5,000	5,000
Kevin Gerhart	270,000 25,000	25,000

Tags: Brian Breck Dario Alioto Kevin Gerhart Maximilian Schindler

06-24-2025 16:17 UTC-8

Sammartino Takes From Ruben

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Brett Slezak

Level 2

Limit Flop/Draw: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 3,000 Completion, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 1500/2500 Ante, 1000-1500 Blinds

Razz

Brad Ruben: XxXx / 6x10x3xJx / Xx
Dario Sammartino: 8x7x3x / 2x10xAxQx

Ruben completed from early position and Sammartino called in late position. Fourth street checked through.

Sammartino check-called on fifth and he called a bet from Ruben on sixth.

On seventh, Ruben checked to Sammartino who peeked his cards and bet, which Ruben called. Sammartino tabled his hole cards to show an eight-seven which was good to drag a modest pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dario Sammartino	290,000 290,000	290,000
Brad Ruben	270,000 270,000	270,000

Tags: Brad Ruben Dario Sammartino

06-24-2025 16:11 UTC-8

May Our Chambers Be Full

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Connor Richards

Level 2

Limit Flop/Draw: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 3,000 Completion, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 1500/2500 Ante, 1000-1500 Blinds

Omaha Hi-Lo

Walter Chambers raised from under the gun and Dan Smith called in the small blind.

Smith checked on the flop of 3♦10♦8♠ and Chambers bet. Smith called. Both players then checked on the 4♥ turn. Smith bet on the 10♠ river and Chambers called.

Smith showed A♥A♠10♥9♠ for trips tens and it was good to beat the AxQxQx8x of his opponent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dan Smith	400,000 40,000	40,000

Walter Chambers	335,000 28,000	28,000

Tags: Dan Smith Walter Chambers

06-24-2025 16:08 UTC-8

Smith Scoops a Three-Way Pot

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David Salituro

Level 2

Limit Flop/Draw: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 3,000 Completion, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 1500/2500 Ante, 1000-1500 Blinds

Omaha Hi-Lo

Three-handed on a flop of 10♦8♦8♠, Freddy Deeb bet from the small blind and Dan Smith called in the big blind. Chino Rheem then raised on the button and both Deeb and Smith called.

The turn was the 5♠ and Smith bet. Rheem and Deeb both stuck around to see the A♦ river, where Smith bet again. Only Rheem called this time.

Smith turned over A♥8♥6♦2♣ for a full house and a low, and Rheem mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chino Rheem	390,000 1,500	1,500
Dan Smith	360,000 44,000	44,000

Freddy Deeb	290,000 10,000	10,000

Tags: Chino Rheem Dan Smith Freddy Deeb

06-24-2025 16:08 UTC-8

Kluska Trips Up Taylor

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Brett Slezak

Level 2

Limit Flop/Draw: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 3,000 Completion, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 1500/2500 Ante, 1000-1500 Blinds

Stud Hi-Lo

Jason Kluska: J♥4♠3♠ / A♣K♦3♣3♥
Thomas Taylor: XxXx / 2♥9♥A♠6♦ / Xx

Kluska completed and Taylor called. Kluska led on fourth and Taylor called.

Fifth checked through before Kluska led again on sixth and Taylor came along.

Seventh checked through as Kluska revealed his trip threes which were good for the scoop.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Kluska	310,000 60,000	60,000
Thomas Taylor	305,000 5,000	5,000

Tags: Jason Kluska Thomas Taylor

06-24-2025 16:07 UTC-8

Third Barrel Does the Trick for Liberto

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 2

Limit Flop/Draw: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 3,000 Completion, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 1500/2500 Ante, 1000-1500 Blinds

Omaha Hi-Lo

Justin Liberto opened from the button, Scott Seiver called from the small blind and Matt Glantz defended from the big blind.

The flop came 8♦J♥5♥ and action checked a round to Liberto who bet. Both opponents called.

Liberto fired a second barrel when checked to on the 3♦ turn and once again both opponents called.

On the A♦ river action checked around to Liberto who bet once more. Both opponents folded and Liberto won the pot without showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
Scott Seiver	340,000 150,000	150,000

Justin Liberto	245,000 42,500	42,500

Matt Glantz	186,000 54,000	54,000

Tags: Justin Liberto Matt Glantz Scott Seiver

06-24-2025 16:02 UTC-8

Three-Time Champs Share a Table

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David Salituro

Level 2

Limit Flop/Draw: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 3,000 Completion, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 1500/2500 Ante, 1000-1500 Blinds

Razz

Brian Rast: XxXx/QxAx5x
John Monnette: XxXx/4xJx6x - folded on fifth street

"And at this table, we have the two three-time champions. Grinder who only plays one tournament a year, and Brian Rast. Of course Rast has a queen in Razz, because that's just how he plays," Daniel Negreanu said into his camera as he came over to film Michael Mizrachi taking his seat at the same table as Rast.

"I've cashed ten tournaments this year. I've only played ten. This is the only big one," Mizrachi said.

Meanwhile, john Monnette bet on fourth street and Rast called. Rast then bet on fifth and Monnette folded.

Bryce Yockey: XxXx/7x2x10x
Michael Mizrachi: XxXx/2x8x10x - folded on fifth street

Bryce Yockey then completed, Mizrachi raised, and Yockey called.

Yockey bet on fourth street and Mizrachi called. Both players hit a 10x on fifth and Yockey bet again. "Pair," Mizrachi said as he tossed his cards into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian Rast	330,000 30,000	30,000

Michael Mizrachi	280,000 280,000	280,000

Bryce Yockey	280,000 10,000	10,000

John Monnette	200,000 10,000	10,000

Tags: Brian Rast Bryce Yockey John Monnette Michael Mizrachi

06-24-2025 15:58 UTC-8

Hennigan Takes from Persson

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 2

Limit Flop/Draw: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 3,000 Completion, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 1500/2500 Ante, 1000-1500 Blinds

Seven Card Stud

John Hennigan: XxXx/9♣6♠7♦
Eric Persson: XxXx/5♠4♦J♥ - folded on fifth street

Eric Persson completed and John Hennigan called.

Persson bet fourth street and Hennigan called. On fifth street Persson checked, Hennigan bet and Persson folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jeremy Ausmus	390,000 90,000	90,000

Eric Persson	341,000 14,000	14,000
Ben Yu	327,000 27,000	27,000

Daniel Negreanu	319,000 6,000	6,000

Christian Roberts	318,000 62,500	62,500

John Hennigan	305,000 15,000	15,000

Tags: Eric Persson John Hennigan

06-24-2025 15:57 UTC-8

Arieh Gets One Through?

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Brett Slezak

Level 2

Limit Flop/Draw: 1,500-3,000, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Stud Games: 1,000 Ante, 1,000 Bring-In, 3,000 Completion, 3,000-6,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 1500/2500 Ante, 1000-1500 Blinds

Pot-Limit Omaha

Ryan Hoenig opened the cutoff to 3,000 and was called by Josh Arieh on the button, Bruno Fitoussi in the small blind, and Chris Hunichen in the big blind.

On the J♥4♦3♦ flop, the action checked to Arieh who bet 10,000 and was called by both Fitoussi and Hunichen, while Hoenig folded.

The A♣ turn checked through to the J♦ river which saw the action check to Arieh again. He fired for 40,000 into a pot of 43,500. Fitoussi folded after some deliberation and Hunichen snap-folded as Arieh showed just K♠K♥8♣ for a possible bluff.