Event #66: $50,000 Poker Players Championship Day 2 | 2025 World Series of Poker

Jun 25, 2025

Martini Falls to Seiver

Ryan Lashmar

Level 7

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

2-7 Triple Draw

Scott Bohlman opened from the hijack, Scott Seiver three-bet from the small blind, Julien Martini four-bet from the big blind and both opponents called. Seiver drew two, Martini drew one and Bohlman drew two.

After the first draw Seiver checked and Martini bet, leaving just a few chips behind. Bohlman raised, Seiver called, Martini three-bet, Bohlman called and Seiver called. Seiver and Bohlman then drew one each while Martini stood pat.

Martini bet again when checked to after the second draw, leaving just a few chips behind. Seiver bet, Martini called and was all-in, and Bohlman called.

For the final draw, Seiver stood pat, Martini broke his hand and drew one, and Bohlman drew one. Seiver and Bohlman then checked after the final draw.

Bohlman ended up with 9x9x5x3x2x for a pair of nines, and Martini had ended up with Qx7x5x3x2x for a queen-low. Seiver turned over 7x6x5x4x2x for number four to eliminate Martini and win the pot.

Tags: Julien Martini Scott Bohlman Scott Seiver

Jun 25, 2025

Mizrachi Puts Mercier in the Grinder

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Connor Richards

Level 7

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

No-Limit Hold'em

Michael Mizrachi opened to 7,500 from under the gun and Jason Mercier called on the button.

Mizrachi continued for 8,000 on the flop of J♥7♣Q♦ and Mercier called. Mizrachi sized up to 31,500 on the 5♣ turn and Mercier again called.

The 5♠ river completed the board and Mizrachi upped the ante with an overbet of 500,000 to put Mercier all in for his stack off 300,000.

"Why so much?" Mercier said as he entered a four-minute tank. "What's the next game?"

"Can I go to the bathroom while he thinks?" Mizrachi asked the dealer. "I don't want him to get a read on me."

Mercier eventually folded and speculated that Mizrachi had pocket queens.

Tags: Jason Mercier Michael Mizrachi

Jun 25, 2025

Aces Up for Tong

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 7

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

Seven Card Stud

Kristopher Tong: J♣2♣/9♣2♠A♦A♠/3♣
Mike Matusow: XxXx/4♦7♦K♣K♠/Xx
Chino Rheem: XxXx/2♥J♦Q♠3♠ - folded on sixth street

Mike Matusow completed, Kristopher Tong called and Chino Rheem defended from the bring in.

Action checked around to Matusow, who bet on fourth and fifth street, receiving calls from both opponents each time.

On sixth street Tong bet after pairing his ace. Matusow called and Rheem folded.

Matusow called one more bet from Tong on seventh street. Tong showed two pair, aces and deuces which was enough to win the hand.

Tags: Chino Rheem Kristopher Tong Mike Matusow

Jun 25, 2025

Alioto and Ashton Chop One

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Brett Slezak

Level 7

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

Dario Alioto: K♦J♥4♦ / J♦9♣9♥9♠
Matthew Ashton: 6♥5♠2♥ / 8♦4♠7♠9♦
James Obst: XxXx / 3♦7♥2♣J♣ - folded on sixth street

Action picked up on fourth as Alioto checked, Ashton bet, and both opponents called. Fifth street checked through.

Alioto led with open trips on sixth, Ashton raised, Obst folded, Alioto made it three bets, Ashton four-bet, and Alioto called.

Another bet went in on seventh as Ashton showed his straight with a 7-low and Alioto showed his full house, and the pot was chopped.

Tags: Dario Alioto James Obst Matthew Ashton

Jun 25, 2025

Hunichen Catches an Unwanted Straight Against Funkhouser

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David Salituro

Level 7

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

2-7 Triple Draw

Chris Hunichen and David Funkhouser went heads-up to the second draw when Funkhouser drew two and Hunichen one. Hunichen then bet and Funkhouser called.

Funkhouser again took two, while Hunichen drew one. Hunichen bet again and Funkhouser called.

Hunichen could only show 6x5x4x3x2x for a straight, while Funkhouser turned over Qx9x6x4x2x to win the pot.

Arthur Morris was the latest player to join the field.

Tags: Chris Hunichen David Funkhouser

Jun 25, 2025

Martini Pays Off Seiver

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 7

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

Scott Seiver:A♣4♣/7♥7♦5♠8♦/A♦
Julien Martini: XxXx/2♦9♦9♣6♥/Xx
Phil Ivey: XxXx/A♥Xx - folded on fifth street

Phil Ivey completed and received calls from Scott Seiver and Julien Martini in the bring-in.

Seiver bet fourth street and Martini called while Ivey folded. Martini then check-called bets from Seiver on fifth through seventh streets.

Seiver showed two pair, aces and fours for the high and an eight-low for the low to scoop the pot.

Tags: Julien Martini Phil Ivey Scott Seiver

Jun 25, 2025

Vengrin Shows Tong Kings

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David Salituro

Level 7

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

No-Limit Hold'em

Kristopher Tong bet 20,000 from the hijack on a flop of 7♦5♦5♠ and Matthew Vengrin called in the small blind.

Both players checked the Q♣ turn. Vengrin then led out for 70,000 on the J♠ river and Tong quickly called.

Vengrin showed K♠K♦ and Tong mucked.

Tags: Kristopher Tong Matthew Vengrin

Jun 25, 2025

Reigning Main Event Champ Jonathan Tamayo on New WSOP Rules & Folding Pocket Queens

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Connor Richards

Level 7

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

Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.

In the 30th episode, Connor talks with 2024 WSOP Main Event champion Jonathan Tamayo about growing up in Humble, Texas, studying hotel management at Cornell University, graduating during the 2008 recession, running deep in the 2009 and 2015 Main Events, his friendship with fellow Main Event champion Joe McKeehen, winning the biggest-ever WSOP Main Event for $10 million, and his first purchase as world champion.

Tamayo also spoke about his infamous fold with pocket queens late in the 2024 Main Event, which he says cost him $120,000 in equity, and gave his thoughts on new rules implemented at the 2025 WSOP in the wake of "LaptopGate," as well as the Main Event structure and Phil Hellmuth's proposed boycott that he has since rescinded.

Check Out the Latest Life Outside Poker Podcast!

Tags: Connor Richards Joe McKeehen Jonathan Tamayo

Jun 25, 2025

Eslami Knows Something We Don't

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Brett Slezak

Level 7

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

2-7 Triple Draw

Kristopher Tong raised from the cutoff, Ali Eslami three-bet from the button, and Tong called.

Tong took two and check-called a bet after Eslami took one.

Tong drew two again and Eslami took one. Tong checked, Eslami bet, Tong raised, Eslami made it three bets, and Tong called.

Tong took some time before he elected to draw one and Eslami surprisingly took one as well. Tong checked to Eslami, who bet, and Tong snap-called. Eslami tabled 7x5x4x3x2x for a wheel to take a big one off Tong as he became one of the largest stacks in the room.

Tags: Ali Eslami Kristopher Tong

Jun 25, 2025

Couden Folds Out Lindgren

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Connor Richards

Level 8

Limit Flop/Draw: 4,000-8,000, 8,000-16,000 Limits
Stud Games: 2,000 Ante, 2,000 Bring-In, 8,000 Completion, 8,000-16,000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 4000/6000 Ante, 2000-4000 Blinds

No-Limit Hold'em

Erick Lindgren opened to 7,000 in the hijack and Nick Schulman called in the cutoff as Joey Couden called on the button.

Lindgren and Schulman both checked on the flop of 5♥2♣J♣ and Couden bet 12,500. Lindgren called and Schulman folded. Both players then checked on the K♦ turn.

Lindgren checked once more on the 6♣ river and Couden bet 38,000. Lindgren folded.

"That's the worst fold of this tournament!" Lindgren said.

Tags: Erick Lindgren Joey Couden Nick Schulman