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

06-24-2025 14:45 UTC-8

Breck Fills Up in Four-Way Pot; Gorodinsky Has a Mixed Record in This Event

David Salituro

Level 1

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

Seven Card Stud

Brian Breck: XxXx/4♠Q♠4♦K♥/Xx
Maximilian Schindler: XxXx/7♣3♠10♣3♥/Xx
Justin Liberto: XxXx/9♦7♦5♣10♠/Xx
Dario Alioto: XxXx/Q♦10♦5♦ - folded on fifth street

Justin Liberto bet on fourth street and was called by Maximilian Schindler, Brian Breck, and Dario Alioto.

Breck then bet on fifth and Schindler and Liberto called, while Alioto got out of the way. Breck bet again on sixth and both opponents called.

Breck bet on seventh and Liberto folded, but Schindler came back with a raise. Breck then reraised and Schindler called.

Breck showed K♠7♠4♦ for a full house and Schindler mucked.

At another table, Mike Gorodinsky and Brian Yoon were still discussing their earlier No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw hand where Gorodinsky folded to Yoon's raise.

"Ever since he found out I folded an eight he's been wilting in his seat," Gorodinskky said.

"You're still going to be talking about it on Day 4," Daniel Negreanu added.

"Brian is going to be yelling at me from the rail," Gorodinsky said.

"I don't think I've ever made Day 3 of this event," Yoon replied.

"I think I've done everything in this event. I've been the first to bust, twice. I've bubbled. I've bubbled the final table. And I've won," Gorodinsky added.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maximilian Schindler	380,000 25,000	25,000
Brian Breck	350,000 40,000	40,000
Dario Alioto	280,000 10,000	10,000

Justin Liberto	205,000 95,000	95,000

Tags: Brian Breck Brian Yoon Dario Alioto Justin Liberto Maximilian Schindler Mike Gorodinsky

06-24-2025 14:57 UTC-8

Player	Chips	Progress
Erick Lindgren	393,000 3,000	3,000

Maximilian Schindler	391,500 11,500	11,500
Christian Roberts	380,500 500	500

David Benyamine	380,000 35,000	35,000

Brian Breck	340,000 10,000	10,000
Mike Gorodinsky	335,000 20,000	20,000

Ryan Hoenig	335,000 55,000	55,000

Maxx Coleman	330,000 30,000	30,000

Dan Smith	328,000 12,000	12,000

Eric Persson	327,000 13,000	13,000
Michael Rocco	326,500 16,500	16,500

Ali Eslami	326,500 3,500	3,500

Johannes Becker	316,000 16,000	16,000

Yuri Dzivielevski	311,500

Aaron Katz	305,000 40,000	40,000

Chad Eveslage	304,500 4,500	4,500

Brian Rast	300,000

Christopher Vitch	299,000 24,000	24,000

Chris Hunichen	299,000 1,000	1,000

Eric Wasserson	291,500 8,500	8,500

John Hennigan	290,500 9,500	9,500

Matthew Ashton	290,000 10,000	10,000

John Monnette	289,000 6,000	6,000

Bruno Fitoussi	284,000 14,000	14,000
Dario Alioto	282,500 2,500	2,500

Trips in Hand No Problem for Portaro

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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

Omaha Hi-Lo

Action picked up on the K♥7♥4♠ flop four-ways as two bets went in from each player.

On the 8♦ turn, Josh Arieh led from the small blind, Bruno Fitoussi folded in the big blind, Bruno Portaro called in early position, and Ryan Hoenig called on the button.

Arieh checked on the 2♣ river, Portaro bet, Hoenig called, and Arieh called.

Bruno Portaro: A♥3♠3♥3♣
Ryan Hoenig: 7♣6♠4♣2♠

Portaro had the nut low while Hoenig's two pair was good for the high, and Arieh mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Josh Arieh	375,000 15,000	15,000

Ryan Hoenig	350,000 15,000	15,000

Bruno Portaro	280,000 16,000	16,000
Bruno Fitoussi	270,000 14,000	14,000

Tags: Bruno Fitoussi Bruno Portaro Josh Arieh Ryan Hoenig

06-24-2025 15:08 UTC-8

Livingston Bets Out Eslami

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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

No-Limit Hold'em

Ali Eslami raised to 3,500 on the button and Alex Livingston called in the big blind.

The flop came 9♥9♠A♥ and Eslami continued for 2,500. Livingston then raised to 10,000 and Eslami called.

Both players checked the J♥ turn and Livingston then bet 38,000 on the K♠ river. Eslami quickly folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Eslami	310,000 16,500	16,500

Alex Livingston	270,000

Tags: Alex Livingston Ali Eslami

06-24-2025 15:08 UTC-8

It's Britney, Vitch

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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

Brian Breck raised on the button and Christopher Vitch defended his big blind. Vitch checked on the flop of 5♠K♣J♣ and Breck bet. Vitch called. Vitch check-called again on the 7♥ turn and Q♦ river.

"I missed everything," Breck said as he showed A♥Q♣3♣2♣, which was good to win with a pair of queens as Vitch slid his cards to the muck.

"You didn't miss everything," Matthew Valeo quipped as Breck took in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian Breck	350,000 10,000	10,000
Christopher Vitch	275,000 24,000	24,000

Tags: Christopher Vitch Matthew Valeo Brian Breck

06-24-2025 15:09 UTC-8

Eslami Makes Becker Break

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Frank Visser

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 Triple Draw

Johannes Becker raised in the hijack, John Monnette called on the button, and Ali Eslami defended his big blind. Each player drew two cards, after which Eslami led out.

Becker raised, folding out Monnette. Eslami called before drawing one card on the second draw, with Becker staying pat behind. After the draw, Eslami check-raised Becker's bet. Becker called, Eslami stood pat on the final draw, and Becker went into the tank.

Eventually, he decided to break his hand and drew one card. Eslami fired a bet after the draw. Becker grabbed calling chips, but changed his mind and tossed his cards into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Eslami	358,000 48,000	48,000

Johannes Becker	292,000 24,000	24,000

John Monnette	283,000 6,000	6,000

Tags: Ali Eslami Johannes Becker John Monnette

06-24-2025 15:11 UTC-8

Benyamine Rivers the Nuts

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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

Brian Yoon opened from the button and David Benyamine defended from the big blind.

The flop came Q♠9♠A♥. Benyamine checked, Yoon bet, Benyamine check-raised and Yoon called.

Both players checked the 4♣ turn leading to the J♦ river. Benyamien bet and Yoon called.

Benyamine tabled a Broadway straight with A♠K♣10♠8♦ to win the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Benyamine	445,000 65,000	65,000

Brian Yoon	233,500 36,500	36,500

Tags: Brian Yoon David Benyamine

06-24-2025 15:13 UTC-8

"Jungleman" Makes His Entrance

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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

Two-time champion Dan "Jungleman" Cates was among the players to join the field right after the break.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dan Cates	300,000 300,000	300,000

Jeremy Ausmus	300,000 300,000	300,000

Thomas Taylor	300,000 300,000	300,000
Aaron Kupin	300,000 300,000	300,000
Chino Rheem	300,000 300,000	300,000
Ben Yu	300,000 300,000	300,000

Young Ko	300,000 300,000	300,000
Nacho Barbero	300,000 300,000	300,000

Jon Kyte	300,000 300,000	300,000

06-24-2025 15:15 UTC-8

Rheem Fills Up on Seventh Street

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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

Stud Hi-Lo

Chino Rheem: 4♠J♥/J♠J♦3♦10♣/4♣
Viktor Blom: XxXx/A♦7♦8♣9♥/Xx

With two players seeing fifth street Chino Rheem bet and Viktor Blom raised. Rheem called.

Rheem check-called a bet from Blom on sixth street before both players checked seventh. Rheem showed jacks full of fours and Blom mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chino Rheem	345,000 45,000	45,000
Viktor Blom	230,000 44,500	44,500

Tags: Chino Rheem Viktor Blom

06-24-2025 15:15 UTC-8

Breck Scoops Multi-Way

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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

Omaha Hi-Lo

Action picked up to the turn with the board reading K♥6♠2♠3♣. Brian Breck bet from under the gun, Kevin Gerhart called on his direct left, and Matthew Valeo called in the big blind.

On the 9♦ river, Breck bet again and both opponents called. Breck tabled A♣7♥3♠2♣ for bottom two pair and ace-seven for the low. Neither opponent could salvage half, and Breck collected the entire pot.