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

Jun 24, 2025

Eslami Raises Out Yockey

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

Stud Hi-Lo

Ali Eslami: XxXx/A♦8♥K♣
Bryce Yockey: XxXx/Q♣J♣2♣ - folded on fifth street

Ali Eslami bet on fourth street before Bryce Yockey raised. Eslami reraised and Yockey called.

Yockey then bet on fifth and Eslami raised again. Yockey took a few moments but eventually gave up his board this time as Eslami took the pot.

Tags: Ali Eslami Bryce Yockey

Jun 24, 2025

Chambers Gets There on the RIver in Three-Way Pot

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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

Limit Hold'em

Viktor Blom bet from the big blind on a board of 8♦6♦K♦J♣ and Aaron Katz under the gun and button Walter Chambers both called.

The river was the 7♦ and Blom checked to Katz who bet. Chambers then raised and Blom folded, but Katz called.

Chambers showed A♦7♣ for the rivered nut flush and Katz mucked.

Tags: Aaron Katz Viktor Blom Walter Chambers

Jun 24, 2025

Portaro Shows a Wheel

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Ryan Lashmar

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

2-7 Triple Draw

Bruno Portaro opened from the cutoff, Eric Persson called from the button and Matt Glantz three-bet from the small blind. Both opponents called. Glantz took two, Portaro took one and Persson took two.

After the first draw Glantz bet, Portaro called and Persson raised. Glantz called and Portaro called before all three players drew one.

Glantz checked after the second draw. Portaro bet, Persson called and Glantz called.

For the final draw, Glants drew one, Portaro stood pat and Persson drew one. The action then checked around to Portaro who bet and both opponents folded.

Portaro showed that he had 7x5x4x3x2x before dragging in the pot.

Tags: Bruno Portaro Eric Persson Matt Glantz

Jun 24, 2025

Benyamine Enters and Scoops a Huge One

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Brett Slezak

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

No Limit Hold'em

Brian Yoon opened the cutoff to 3,500 and was called by Cary Katz on the button and David Benyamine in the small blind. In the big blind, Daniel Negreanu three-bet to 15,500 and was called by all three opponents to create a pot of 64,000.

On the 7♦4♠4♥ flop, Negreanu continued for 16,000 and was called in no less than three spots as the four players went to a turn.

"Is this limit?" joked tablemate Mike Gorodinsky.

The 3♦ turn checked through to the 8♥ river which saw Benyamine lead for 25,000. Negreanu quickly folded, Yoon called, and Katz got out of the way. Benyamine tabled 6♦5♦ for a straight to drag the largest pot of the day so far.

Tags: Brian Yoon Cary Katz Daniel Negreanu David Benyamine

Jun 24, 2025

Shakerchi Bounces Back in Capped Pot

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Frank Visser

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

2-7 Triple Draw

Justin Liberto raised under the gun. Brian Breck called in the cutoff before Talal Shakerchi three-bet on the button. Liberto called, Breck four-bet, and Shakerchi capped the betting at five bets. Both Liberto and Breck called.

On the first draw, Liberto and Breck each drew two cards, while Shakerchi only needed one. The betting action checked to Shakerchi, who tossed in some chips. Liberto and Breck called, and the same drawing sequence took place on the second draw.

After it had checked to Shakerchi again, he bet. Liberto and Breck both stuck around with calls. On the final draw, Liberto drew one card, Breck still took two, and Shakerchi remained pat.

Liberto and Breck checked to Shakerchi once more, ultimately folding when Shakerchi flicked in a final bet.

Tags: Brian Breck Justin Liberto Talal Shakerchi

Jun 24, 2025

Seiver Gets It Back From Katz

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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

Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

Scott Seiver bet from the cutoff after the first draw and Mike Gorodinsky called on the button. Cary Katz then raised in the big blind and Seiver reraised. Gorodinsky got out of the way, but Katz put in another raise and Seiver called.

Both players stood pat and Katz checked to Seiver who bet. Katz called and took one, while Seiver stood pat.

Katz didn't even wait for Seiver to bet again as he instantly tossed his cards into the muck. Seiver pretended to put in a chip in before scooping up the pot.

Tags: Cary Katz Scott Seiver

Jun 24, 2025

Schindler Gets Paid With Number Four

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Ryan Lashmar

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

2-7 Triple Draw

Christopher Vitch opened from the hijack, Maximilian Schindler three-bet from the cutoff, Talal Shakerchi four-bet from the big blind and both opponents called. Shakerchi and Vitch took one each while Schindler drew two.

After the first draw Shakerchi bet and both opponents called. Once again Vitch and Shakerchi took one each and Schindler took two.

Shakerchi checked after the second draw. Vitch bet, Schindler called and Shakerchi called.

For the final draw all three players drew one. Shakerchi checked, Vitch bet and Schindler raised. Shakerchi folded and Vitch called.

Schindler tabled a seven-low with 7x6x5x4x2x to take down another decent pot.

Tags: Christopher Vitch Maximilian Schindler Talal Shakerchi

Jun 24, 2025

Katz Manifests His Win Over Seiver; Eveslage Destined to Win?

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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

Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

Cary Katz raised on the button, Scott Seiver reraised in the big blind, and Katz called.

"I'm definitely going to beat you in this hand," Katz said as he drew two. Seiver took one.

"You better not fold, then," Seiver replied, putting out a bet. Katz called and they both stood pat on the second draw.

"I'm trapping," Katz said as action was checked around and they stood pat again. Seiver then checked and Katz bet. Seiver called and Katz showed 8x6x4x3x2x to win the pot.

"Never a doubt in my mind. I manifested it," Katz said as he took the pot.

Chad Eveslage took his seat at this table while this hand was in progress. "Chad is destined to win this tournament. He registered but it didn't click, and it showed he had busted. What kind of omen is that?" tablemate Mike Gorodinsky said.

Tags: Cary Katz Scott Seiver

Jun 24, 2025

Negreanu's Nine is Best

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Brett Slezak

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

2-7 Triple Draw

Cary Katz raised from the small blind and Daniel Negreanu defended his big blind.

Both drew two and Katz led. Negreanu raised, and Katz called.

Katz now took one and check-called a bet as Negreanu stood pat.

On the final draw, Katz took one and the action checked through.

Cary Katz: 8x8x6x5x3x
Daniel Negreanu: 9x7x5x4x3x

Katz had outs to beat Negreanu's nine but he paired his eight on the end as the defending champion dragged a modest pot.

Tags: Cary Katz Daniel Negreanu

Jun 24, 2025

Persson Wastes No Time Getting Involved

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Brett Slezak

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

Stud Hi-Lo

Alex Livingston: XxXx / 10♠K♦9♥8♥ / Xx - folded on seventh street
Bruno Portaro: 9♦5♦3♦ / 9♣3♠K♥3♥
Eric Persson: A♥A♦4♦ / 2♣5♠7♣3♣

Livingston completed, Portaro called, Persson raised, and both called.

It checked to Persson on fourth who bet, and the exact same action followed on fifth with both opponents calling.

On sixth, Portaro led with open threes, Persson raised, Livingston called, Portaro made it three bets, and both opponents called.

Portaro led on seventh, Persson raised, Livingston folded, and Portaro called. Persson revealed his wheel for the low but Portaro had a full house for the high to get half.

Tags: Alex Livingston Bruno Portaro Eric Persson