Event #66: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
Day 3 Completed
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #66: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
Day: 3
Event Info
2025 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
$50,000
Prize Pool
$5,082,500
Entries
107
Level
26
Limits
0 / 0
Ante
0
Entries
35
Players Left
17
Players Left 1 / 107
Filter
Level 18
Limit Flop/Draw: 25,000-50,000, 50,000-100,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
A marathon money bubble finally ended close to 3 a.m. local time as 17 players ensured themselves a payday and a shot at the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy after Day 3 of the $50,000 Poker Players Championship.
It took 69 hands of hand-for-hand lasting nearly four hours until Chris Klodnicki was eliminated on the bubble by Andrew Yeh’s turned flush to bring the long night to a close. A week ago, Yeh came tantalizingly close to capturing his second WSOP bracelet when he had Brian Rast down to a single bet in the $10,000 Razz Championship, only for Rast to mount a miraculous comeback. Yeh will get another shot as he ended up as the massive chip leader with 7,935,000.
Albert Daher, the Lebanese high roller who can usually be found playing the biggest cash games around the world, is in second with 5,150,000. He and Yeh will look to add their name to the trophy for the first time, but right behind them is someone whose name is engraved not once, but three times. Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi bagged up 3,565,000 and is in third place going for his unprecedented fourth title in this event.
Day 3 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds | Big Bets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew Yeh | United States | 7,935,000 | 317 | 79 |
| 2 | Albert Daher | Lebanon | 5,150,000 | 206 | 52 |
| 3 | Michael Mizrachi | United States | 3,565,000 | 143 | 36 |
| 4 | Ben Lamb | United States | 2,325,000 | 93 | 23 |
| 5 | Esther Taylor | United States | 2,010,000 | 80 | 20 |
| 6 | Christian Roberts | Venezuela | 1,745,000 | 70 | 17 |
| 7 | Marco Johnson | United States | 1,605,000 | 64 | 16 |
| 8 | Mike Matusow | United States | 1,545,000 | 62 | 15 |
| 9 | Erick Lindgren | United States | 1,500,000 | 60 | 15 |
| 10 | Justin Liberto | United States | 895,000 | 36 | 9 |
Ben Lamb (2,325,000) and Esther Taylor (2,010,000), not only the last woman remaining but the only one to even enter the event, round out the top five. Just one woman in the nearly 20-year history of this prestigious event has managed to make the final table, Melissa Burr in 2014; Taylor has a chance at becoming the second tomorrow.
Other players to survive the day included Christian Roberts (1,745,000), Marco Johnson (1,605,000), Mike Matusow (1,545,000), and Erick Lindgren (1,500,000). Further down the leaderboard are Justin Liberto (895,000), Bryn Kenney (890,000), Joao Vieira (775,000), Christopher Vitch (750,000), 2013 champion Matthew Ashton (285,000), and Ben Yu (95,000).
The day began with 35 players remaining out of 107 entries, and past champions Mike Gorodinsky and Phil Hui were among the first bustouts. All eyes were on Daniel Negreanu as he sought to defend the title he memorably won last year, but Phil Hellmuth snatched the crown away when he picked up queens in a Pot-Limit Omaha hand and Negreanu couldn’t improve on his way to the rail.
Hellmuth busted three spots off the money in a hand of Razz against Vitch. Last year’s runner-up Bryce Yockey, Dan Smith, Jeremy Ausmus, and Chris Brewer were also among the players to fall short of the money. Benny Glaser, enjoying an incredible WSOP so far with three bracelets, fell to Yeh’s turned flush on the soft bubble and the remaining 18 players settled in for the grueling war of attrition.
Klodnicki was the last to leave with nothing. The remaining 17 players are all guaranteed $100,000, with a spot at the seven-handed final table worth $175,096. The eventual champion takes home $1,331,322, the trophy, the WSOP gold bracelet, and, just as importantly, the prestige that comes with winning the toughest poker tournament on the calendar.
The action picks up tomorrow at 3 p.m. local time with 42 minutes remaining in Level 18. No-Limit and Pot-Limit blinds will be 10,000/25,000, while limits will be 50,000/100,000.
The road to the final table begins in earnest tomorrow, and PokerNews will be back following all the action and providing live updates.
Level 18
Limit Flop/Draw: 25,000-50,000, 50,000-100,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
7,935,000 | |
|
||
|
5,150,000 | |
|
3,565,000 | |
|
||
|
2,325,000 | |
|
||
|
2,010,000 | |
|
||
|
1,745,000 | |
|
|
||
|
1,605,000 | |
|
|
||
|
1,545,000 | |
|
||
|
1,500,000 | |
|
||
|
895,000 | |
|
|
||
|
890,000 | |
|
|
||
|
800,000 | |
|
||
|
775,000 | |
|
||
|
750,000 | |
|
||
|
285,000 | |
|
|
||
|
230,000 | |
|
95,000 | |
|
|
||
Level 18
Limit Flop/Draw: 25,000-50,000, 50,000-100,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
The 17 remaining players, who are now in the money, are bagging and tagging their stacks for the night.
Day 4 will get underway at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 27.
Full chip counts and a recap of the days action to follow soon.
Level 18
Limit Flop/Draw: 25,000-50,000, 50,000-100,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Chris Klodnicki, with 110,000, raised to 85,000 from under the gun. The action folded to chip leader Andrew Yeh, who three-bet to 200,000 from the cutoff. The button and blinds folded and Klodnicki called for his tournament life.
Chris Klodnicki: K♥J♦J♣8♥ 
Andrew Yeh: Q♣9♠7♠7♣
Klodnicki was narrowly ahead and remained so after the 6♦6♠5♠ flop, which gave Yeh a gutshot straight-flush draw.
Disaster struck for Klodnicki on the A♠ turn as Yeh improved to a flush. However, Klodnicki would remain alive on a jack or a six river.
The dealer turned over the 3♠ river, which confirmed Klodnicki as the last player to leave empty-handed.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,935,000
1,680,000
|
1,680,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Level 18
Limit Flop/Draw: 25,000-50,000, 50,000-100,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Ben Yu and Chris Klodnicki are still the two shortest stacks, with both players on the feature table.
They're playing PLO, with Klodnicki already paying his blinds and ante for the round. Yu is a hand away from being the big blind.
Matthew Ashton, on an outer table, also remains in the danger zone.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
255,000
245,000
|
245,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
155,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
120,000
480,000
|
480,000 |
|
|
||
Level 18
Limit Flop/Draw: 25,000-50,000, 50,000-100,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Pot-Limit Omaha
Ben Lamb raised to 85,000 in the hijack and Michael Mizrachi called in the cutoff, as did big blind Jon Kyte.
The flop came 9♦8♠3♠ and action checked to Mizrachi who bet 130,000. Both opponents called and the 4♦ fell on the turn.
Mizrachi then bet 500,000 and Kyte quickly folded, while Lamb also joined him in the muck and Mizrachi took the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,600,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,400,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
310,000
390,000
|
390,000 |
Level 18
Limit Flop/Draw: 25,000-50,000, 50,000-100,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Razz
Ben Yu: 5x3x / 4x2x7x8x / 2x
Christian Roberts: 6x3x / 8xQx9x / Xx
Christian Roberts called and Ben Yu completed. Roberts raised and Yu called to be at risk. Yu kept improving as the board ran out and had the winner on seventh street for a small double on the money bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,000,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
200,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
||
Level 18
Limit Flop/Draw: 25,000-50,000, 50,000-100,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Razz
Chris Klodnicki: XxXx / 7x9xQx8x / Xx
Ben Yu: XxXx / 9x8x6xJx / Xx
Mike Matusow: XxXx / QxKx - folded on fourth street
Mike Matusow was the bring-in, with short stack Chris Klodnicki calling first to act. Ben Yu, who slightly covered Klodnicki, also called.
Klodnicki remained as the low on fourth and bet. Only Yu called.
Yu then took the betting lead when he was dealt a six. He fired out a wager and Klodnicki stuck around with his Qx. On sixth street, Yu bet and Klodnicki called for his tournament life with his last 100,000.
Yu turned over his cards first. He had Ax5x and caught a 7x on seventh street to make 8-7-6-5-A.
Klodnicki needed to catch to avoid bubbling, and after peeling one card, he triumphantly turned all three over at once revealing Ax2x4x to make an 8-7-4-2-A to stay in contention.
Yu looked defeated, with his stack sitting at 80,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
600,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
80,000
335,000
|
335,000 |
|
|
||
Level 18
Limit Flop/Draw: 25,000-50,000, 50,000-100,000 Limits
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Stud Games: 10,000 Ante, 15,000 Bring-In, 50,000 Completion, 50,000-10,0000 Limits
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 25,000/35,000 Ante, 10,000-25,000 Blinds
Razz
Albert Daher: XxXx/3x2x7x7x/Xx
Joao Vieira: XxXx/Ax5xKx9x/Xx
Joao Vieira bet on fourth street and Albert Daher called.
Daher then bet on fifth and sixth as Vieira called down to seventh. Both players then checked and Vieira showed 9x7x3x for 9-7-5-3-A, but Daher had Qx9x4x for 9-7-4-3-2 to win the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,400,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
|
650,000
450,000
|
450,000 |
|
|
||
