Event #68: $3,000 No-Limit Holdem | 2025 World Series of Poker

06-28-2025 18:51 UTC-8

Ilani Wins Three In a Row

Nick Becker

Level 36 : Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante

Ren Lin raised to 2,000,000 on the button and Ran Ilani three-bet to 6,500,000 in the small blind, forcing Lin to fold.

The next hand, Ilani raised to 2,000,000 on the button and Lin defended in the big blind. The flop came A♥K♥9♥ and Lin check-folded to a bet of 1,200,000 from Ilani.

The hand after that, Lin limped the small blind and Ilani checked in the big blind. The flop came 4♠9♠Q♦, Lin bet 1,000,000 and Ilani called.

On the A♥ turn, Lin sized up with a bet of 4,000,000 and Ilani called, bringing the 3♣ river which went check-check. Lin showed 10♣7♦ for ten-high while Ilani tabled 9♣7♥ for a pair of nines to scoop the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ran Ilani	45,000,000 13,100,000	13,100,000
Ren Lin	28,000,000 11,100,000	11,100,000

Yilong Wang	20,000,000 2,000,000	2,000,000

Tags: Ran Ilani Ren Lin

06-28-2025 18:35 UTC-8

Ilani Shifts the Tide; Lin Loses Some

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 36 : Blinds 500,000/1,000,000, 1,000,000 ante

Heads up blind versus blind, Ran Ilani and Ren Lin saw a flop of A♠8♥5♠ fan out on the felt. Lin check-called Ilani's bet of 1,400,000.

The turn snapped off the K♦ and Lin check-called 2,600,000.

When the river completed the 7♣, both players checked and Lin tabled K♠9♣, gesturing with his hand to claim the pot.

Ilani took a moment, joking with Lin and quickly flipped over his K♣10♥, just pipping his opponent to claim the pot. Ilani's rail burst into a coordinated cheer.

"You should have value bet river! Then you're professional...", said Lin after the rail had quieted down.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ran Ilani	36,000,000 5,000,000	5,000,000
Ren Lin	33,000,000 5,000,000	5,000,000

06-28-2025 17:39 UTC-8

Yuliyan Kolev Eliminated in 4th Place ($300,649)

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Jerome Solomon

Level 35 : Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

After five straight hands in which the blinds folded to a minimum raise, Yuliyan Kolev pushed all in with 9,000,000 chips in the cutoff.

After some consideration, Ran Ilani made the call from the button. The others at the table folded.

Yuliyan Kolev: K♦J♥ All in
Ran Ilani: 6♦6♠

Kolev had two overcards in the race but neither hit the board in a runout of A♣4♠10♣7♣2♦. Ilani's sixes held and he became the overall chip leader with only three players remaining.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ran Ilani	39,000,000 15,000,000	15,000,000
Yuliyan Kolev	Busted

Tags: Ran Ilani Yuliyan Kolev

06-28-2025 17:16 UTC-8

Kunal Patni Eliminated in 5th Place ($224,833)

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Jerome Solomon

Level 35 : Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

Facing a bet of 1,800,000 on a flop of 5♣A♠8♠, Kunal Patni decided to push all in with his last 5,000,000-plus chips. Ran Ilani, who easily covered him made the call.

Kunal Patni: 8♦6♦ All in
Ran Ilani: A♦7♦

Patni's pair of eights was not good enough on the flop and wouldn't be good enough in the end with the turn and river of K♣5♠ bringing no help. Ilani's aces took down the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ran Ilani	25,700,000 6,200,000	6,200,000
Kunal Patni	Busted

Tags: Kunal Patni Ran Ilani

06-28-2025 17:15 UTC-8

Seunghyun Nam Eliminated in 6th Place ($169,818)

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 35 : Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

It folded to Ren Lin in the small blind and he took inventory of Seunghyun Nam's stack before declaring all in.

"Just don't snap call." said Lin as Nam did just that, slamming a stack of blue chips in to indicate the call for his remaining 7,200,000.

Seunghyun Nam: A♠8♠ All in
Ren Lin: Q♠6♠

Nam was ahead but Lin picked up outs as the J♣9♠10♣ fanned out, followed by the 3♥.

The river was a dagger to Nam as it came the 8♥, giving Lin a straight and ending Nam's run.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ren Lin	28,200,000 7,100,000	7,100,000

Seunghyun Nam	Busted

Tags: Ren Lin Seunghyun Nam

06-28-2025 17:09 UTC-8

Fabrizio Gonzalez Eliminated in 7th Place ($129,563)

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Nick Becker

Level 35 : Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

Fabrizio Gonzalez open-shoved under the gun for 2,000,000 and Ren Lin reshoved on the button to isolate. Seunghyun Nam and Kunal Patni folded in the blinds.

Fabrizio Gonzalez: A♦9♠ All in
Ren Lin: A♣J♣

Both players paired their ace on the A♠K♦2♣ flop with Lin's jack kicker still in play.

There were no nines to be found on the 4♣ turn or 6♠ river, and the chip leader heading into Day 4 was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ren Lin	21,100,000 7,100,000	7,100,000

Yilong Wang	21,000,000 400,000	400,000

Ran Ilani	19,500,000 2,000,000	2,000,000
Yuliyan Kolev	15,000,000 2,000,000	2,000,000

Seunghyun Nam	8,000,000 200,000	200,000
Kunal Patni	5,550,000 2,250,000	2,250,000
Fabrizio Gonzalez	Busted

Tags: Fabrizio Gonzalez Kunal Patni Ren Lin Seunghyun Nam

06-28-2025 16:51 UTC-8

Kolev Cracks Kings to Double Up

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Nick Becker

Level 35 : 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

Action folded around to Fabrizio Gonzalez in the small blind who raised to 1,600,000. Yuliyan Kolev three-bet jammed in the big blind for 8,100,000 to put himself at risk and Gonzalez snap called.

Yuliyan Kolev: A♠Q♦ All in
Fabrizio Gonzalez: K♥K♣

The flop came 8♥Q♠9♣, with Gonzalez still in the lead with his pair of kings.

"Queen me," shouted Kolev as the dealer put out the A♣ turn. Although it wasn't a queen, it improved Kolev to two pair, aces and queens.

The river landed the 7♣, keeping Kolev's tournament hopes alive.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yuliyan Kolev	17,000,000 7,700,000	7,700,000

Fabrizio Gonzalez	2,000,000 9,700,000	9,700,000

Tags: Fabrizio Gonzalez Yuliyan Kolev

06-28-2025 16:46 UTC-8

Lin Chips Up; Gonzalez Tired of the Tanking

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 34 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Ran Ilani raised to 1,200,000 and Ren Lin responded with a raise to 10,500,000, leaving himself a few million behind.

Fabrizio Gonzalez grew agitated at Seunghyun Nam who was in the small blind, taking his time on his decision. Gonzalez called clock saying, "I know what you're doing, you're constantly looking at the clock.", indicating that Nam was slowing down the hand so that blinds would increase when he was on the button, as the level was about to go up. Nam mucked before the floor came over to count down the clock.

Lin and another player at the table chirped in saying that the player in the small blind hadn't taken an egregious amount of time by any means, instead pointing the finger at Ilani, who they accused of the same thing. Gonzalez went on to say he knew that Ilani wasn't calling and that he had given him plenty of time when he had real decisions.

"That's not nice, man", said Gonzalez who went on to say he'd be more vigilant about calling the clock on these two players in particular, going as far as asking the floor how long he'd have to wait to call clock. Floor said two minutes unless it became a constant issue, in which case they'd lower the threshold.

Ilani eventually mucked his hand, showing the A♦ but Gonzalez made mention that it didn't prove he had an actual decision.

Lin collected the pot and the next pitch began with Gonzalez reiterating his sentiments.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ran Ilani	21,500,000 2,800,000	2,800,000
Ren Lin	14,000,000 2,100,000	2,100,000

Fabrizio Gonzalez	10,500,000 1,200,000	1,200,000

Seunghyun Nam	4,300,000 9,400,000	9,400,000

Tags: Fabrizio Gonzalez Ran Ilani Ren Lin Seunghyun Nam

06-28-2025 16:38 UTC-8

Ilani Doubles Through Lin

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Nick Becker

Level 34 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Ran Ilani raised to 1,200,000 on the button and Ren Lin three-bet shoved in the big blind to put Ilani at risk. Ilani thought for a moment before making the call with 10,500,000 behind.

Ran Ilani: A♦Q♥ All in
Ren Lin: A♣J♣

The flop came 8♠K♥6♥ with Ilani's ace-queen still out in the lead. The turn landed the 4♦ and the river brought the A♥, earning Ilani the big double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ran Ilani	24,300,000 17,600,000	17,600,000
Ren Lin	11,900,000 7,600,000	7,600,000

Tags: Ran Ilani Ren Lin

06-28-2025 16:24 UTC-8

Jason Richard Eliminated in 8th Place ($99,859)

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Nick Becker

Level 34 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Action folded around to Jason Richard in the small blind who moved all in for 3,000,000 to put himself at risk. Fabrizio Gonzalez looked down at his cards in the big blind and made the call.

Jason Richard: 6♠2♠ All in
Fabrizio Gonzalez: A♦2♥

Richard picked up a little bit of help on the Q♦3♣5♣ flop with outs to a gutshot.

However, the K♦ turn and J♠ river were blanks and he was sent to the rail.