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

06-24-2025 15:24 UTC-8

Valeo Gets Some Back

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

Christopher Vitch: XxXx / 5x9xQxQx / Xx
Maximilian Schindler: XxXx / 5x9xKx10x / Xx
Matthew Valeo: 8x7x / Ax3x6x10x / Jx

Action picked up on sixth as Valeo led with the lowest board and both opponents called.

On seventh, Valeo bet dark and got paid by both opponents. Valeo revealed his hole cards to show an eight-seven which was the winner.

"That must feel nice," joked a tablemate.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maximilian Schindler	320,000 71,500	71,500
Matthew Valeo	290,000 73,000	73,000

Christopher Vitch	255,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Christopher Vitch Matthew Valeo Maximilian Schindler

06-24-2025 15:21 UTC-8

Champion on Champion Violence

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

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

Pot-Limit Omaha

Mike Gorodinsky opened to 4,000 in the hijack and said "no shot Daniel folds" as it folded to Daniel Negreanu in the big blind. Negreanu called.

"Look at the live reads you've picked up," said Cary Katz.

"It's not a live read, he's just been obliterating me," Gorodinsky replied.

Negreanu checked on the flop of A♠2♠K♥ and Gorodinsky bet. Negreanu called. Both players then checked on the 8♠ turn. The river brought the 5♥ and Negreanu bet 18,000 to bring a fold from the fellow PPC champion.

"He was a good boy! He didn't try it," Negreanu cheered.

"I didn't try it because I actually had a hand," replied Gorodinsky.

Player	Chips	Progress
Daniel Negreanu	325,000 63,500	63,500

Mike Gorodinsky	280,000 55,000	55,000

Tags: Cary Katz Daniel Negreanu Mike Gorodinsky

06-24-2025 15:19 UTC-8

Seiver Makes No. 2 on Lindgren

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

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

2-7 Triple Draw

Scott Seiver bet from the button after the second draw and Erick Lindgren called in the small blind.

Lindgren drew one, while Seiver stood pat. Seiver then bet and Lindgren called.

Seiver showed 7x6x4x3x2x and Lindgren mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Erick Lindgren	360,000 33,000	33,000

Scott Seiver	230,000 28,500	28,500

Tags: Erick Lindgren Scott Seiver

06-24-2025 15:15 UTC-8

Breck Scoops Multi-Way

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

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.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian Breck	390,000 40,000	40,000
Kevin Gerhart	245,000 33,500	33,500

Matthew Valeo	217,000 62,500	62,500

Tags: Brian Breck Kevin Gerhart Matthew Valeo

06-24-2025 15:15 UTC-8

Rheem Fills Up on Seventh Street

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

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 15:13 UTC-8

"Jungleman" Makes His Entrance

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

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 15:11 UTC-8

Benyamine Rivers the Nuts

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

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 15:09 UTC-8

Eslami Makes Becker Break

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

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 15:08 UTC-8

It's Britney, Vitch

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

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 15:08 UTC-8

Livingston Bets Out Eslami

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

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