Event #80: $800 Summer Celebration | 2025 World Series of Poker

Jul 04, 2025

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

Connor Richards

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

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in the wake of "LaptopGate," as well as the Main Event structure and Phil Hellmuth's proposed boycott that he has since rescinded.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

Jul 04, 2025

Please Stay

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Gabrielle Barredo

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Levon Kesaplyan opened to 175,000 and received an all-in shove from Jihoon Kim in the big blind for around 480,000. With action back to him, Kesaplyan called.

Jihoon Kim: 6♠6♥ All in
Levon Kesaplyan: Q♠10♠

Kim started chanting, "Please stay" as the board was dealt. The flop came 9♣4♥K♠ giving Keasplyan more outs with a straight draw. Kim's chants became slightly more desperate as the runout continued with 9♥8♣.

And with his sixes holding, Kim let out a cheer for the chance to continue his tournament run.

Tags: Jihoon Kim Levon Kesaplyan

Jul 04, 2025

Line Sends Vila to the Rails

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Gabrielle Barredo

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Steve Vila bet to 200,000 in the small blind on a flop of 4♥10♦K♦ and a pot of around 250,000. Baptiste Line from the big blind announced all-in and Vila had him covered and called.

Steve Vila: 10♣8♠ All in
Baptiste Line: K♥5♥

The runout J♣7♦ didn't improve Vila's hand sending him to the rail.

Tags: Baptiste Line Steve Vila

Jul 04, 2025

Field Shrinking Fast

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Sava Krink

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Read full

Jul 04, 2025

Chips Are Blooming

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Jerome Solomon

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Levon Kesaplyan three-bet all in on the button. Sean Bloom, who started the hand with a raise from under the gun, called all in for 460,000.

Sean Bloom: 10♠10♥ All in
Levon Kesaplyan: A♦J♥

Bloom's pair held through the runout 5♣3♠4♠7♥K♣ and he got the double-up.

Tags: Levon Kesaplyan Sean Bloom

Jul 04, 2025

Bayindir Doubles Through Thiemer

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Sava Krink

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Frederik Thiemer opened the action from late position, and it folded around to Caglar Bayindir in the small blind. Bayindir responded with a raise to around 650,000, and after a short pause, Thiemer moved all in. Bayindir quickly called, putting his tournament life on the line.

Caglar Bayindir: A♥K♠ All in
Frederik Thiemer: A♠Q♠

Bayindir was well ahead preflop, and the board ran out K♥2♥3♦8♣5♦, improving him to top pair and securing the full double. His 930,000 stack climbed back into healthy territory, while Thiemer was left with just a handful of chips.

Tags: Caglar Bayindir Frederik Thiemer

Jul 04, 2025

Quad Deuces for Steeves

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Nick Vazquez

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Vaughn Steeves raised to 350,000 under the gun, leaving one red 5,000 chip behind. Julien Montois called on the button, and Soo Hyun Chang called for all of his chips in the big blind.

The flop came A♥2♥A♣, and Steeves bet his last chip. Montois called, and all three players showed their hands.

Soo Hyun Chang: 8♠8♣ All in
Vaughn Steeves: 2♠2♦ All in
Julien Montois: Q♣Q♦

The turn was the 9♣ and the river was the 2♣, meaning Steeves made quads and Chang was eliminated.

Tags: Vaughn Steeves Soo Hyun Chang Julien Montois

Jul 04, 2025

A Star-Spangled Wave Goodbye

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Jerome Solomon

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

With the national anthem indicating the start to the main even playing in the background, Ronald Weaver called Tiffany Williamson's all-in.

Tiffany Williamson: A♣J♠ All in
Ronald Weaver: 9♦9♣

As the music continued, with everyone in the room standing, the dealer laid out the runout 4♠4♥3♦J♣9♥.

Williamson jumped ahead when she hit a pair of jacks on the turn, but just as the song got to "banner yet wave," Weaver hit a set on the river for a full house.

Tags: Ronald Weaver Tiffany Williamson

Jul 04, 2025

Recent Bust Outs

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Sava Krink

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Jul 04, 2025

Happy Song Doubles

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Gabrielle Barredo

Level 25 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Shuo Song open-shoved in middle position for 475,000. With action to him, Ross Villanueva announced all-in from the button making the blinds fold after.

Shuo Song: K♣J♣ All in
Ross Villanueva: Q♦Q♥

The window card instantly gave Song new life when the flop dropped K♦A♠6♣. The runout 4♠3♣ didn't help Villanueva to take back the lead. Song, smiling, scooped the pot for a double up.

Tags: Ross Villanueva Shuo Song