Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship Day 1a | 2025 World Series of Poker

07-02-2025 20:17 UTC-8

Five-Bet Takes it Down

Stewart Morrison

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Jay Lu started the action by raising to 1,200 before the player immediately to his left three-bet to 3,000. Scott Blumstein then four-bet to 9,300, and action folded back to Lu.

After making some enquiries about the entirety of Blumstein's stack, Lu opted to five-bet all-in for 62,700. The three-bettor got out of the way, and after some deliberation, Blumstein elected to fold too.

Player	Chips	Progress
Scott Blumstein	108,300 34,100	34,100

Jay Lu	78,300 78,300	78,300

Tags: Jay Lu Scott Blumstein

07-02-2025 20:53 UTC-8

Gerhart Doubles Up

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Liam Gannon

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Action was picked up on the flop in a pot between Laura Born in the big blind, Kevin Gerhart in the hijack and Ali Rabah on the button.

The board read 9♠8♥6♣ and action checked around to the Rabah who bet 1,500 and only Gerhart called.

On the turn 9♦, Gerhart checked over to Rabah who bet 4,500 and Gerhart called.

Gerhart checked the river 9♥ and Rabah jammed for 15,400 effective to see Gerhart call.

Kevin Gerhart: Q♠Q♥ All in
Ali Rabah: 2♦2♠

The WSOP bracelet winner found the double-up with nines full of queens to survive after what he described as his table was a "swingy day."

Player	Chips	Progress
Laura Born	60,000
Ali Rabah	53,400
Kevin Gerhart	49,800

Tags: Ali Rabah Kevin Gerhart Laura Born

07-02-2025 21:01 UTC-8

Kings Can't Hold, Bohdanov Eliminated

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Stewart Morrison

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Marco Poccia raised under the gun, which one player had called before action got to Renat Bohdanov. Bohdanov put in a three-bet to 4,500, to which Poccia responded with a four-bet to 13,000. Action folded back to Bohdanov, who moved all in for 31,300, which Poccia called.

Renat Bohdanov: K♠K♣ All in
Marco Poccia: A♦J♥

A promising situation in the Main Event soon turned to one of sorrow for Bohdanov. The dealer fanned out a flop of J♠J♣10♣, firing Poccia into the lead.

The turn 10♥ only served to improve Poccia to a full house, and the river Q♥ did not affect the outcome.

Player	Chips	Progress
Marco Poccia	133,200 133,200	133,200
Renat Bohdanov	Busted

Tags: Marco Poccia Renat Bohdanov

07-02-2025 21:01 UTC-8

Break

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Players are now on their fourth break of the day and will return in 20 minutes. The field currently stands at 914 entries, with 701 players remaining.

Here are some highlights from Level 4:

07-02-2025 21:36 UTC-8

Rayburn Building a Monster Stack

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

With two players seeing a board of 4♣8♣2♠6♦10♣ and around 40,000 in the middle, Sam Rayburn bet 22,000 from the big blind and Gilad Rubinsky called from the hijack.

Rayburn tabled K♣5♣ for the second-nut flush to take down the sizable pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sam Rayburn	263,000 80,600	80,600
Gilad Rubinsky	39,000 39,000	39,000

Tags: Gilad Rubinsky Sam Rayburn

07-02-2025 21:46 UTC-8

Matakis Doubles Through Yotsushika

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Dan O'Hair

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Kazuhiko Yotsushika raised to 1,200 from early position and was called by Ian Matakis in middle position and David Cabrera Polop on the button.

Action checked through on the 5♠10♥J♥ flop and then Yotsushika led out for 3,300 on the 3♠ turn. Matakis raised to 10,300, which got a fold from Polop and a call from Yotsushika.

The 10♦ paired the board on the river and Yotsushika stuck a green T-25,000 chip into the middle. Matakis called all in for a bit over 10,000 and Yotsushika could only show 9♣8♣ for a busted straight draw.

Matakis revealed 5♦5♥ for a full house and was awarded the double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Cabrera Polop	185,000
Ian Matakis	58,000 30,000	30,000

Kazuhiko Yotsushika	49,000 49,000	49,000

Tags: David Cabrera Polop Ian Matakis Kazuhiko Yotsushika

07-02-2025 21:53 UTC-8

Pardy Takes From Dean

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Liam Gannon

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Donovan Dean opened to 1,200 from late position and Vincent Napolitano called on the button. In the small blind, Jon Pardy raised to 4,600 and both Dean and Napolitano called.

"I should have just made it 4,500," Pardy joked after the fact as the change making took a little longer.

The flop rolled out A♣3♠8♦ and Pardy kept with the theme and bet 4,500 to see only Dean continue.

Pardy sized up to 13,000 on the 4♦ turn and Dean called once more, with both players checking the K♣ river.

At showdown, Pardy turned over A♠10♦ for a pair of aces with a ten and Dean mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jon Pardy	139,000 6,000	6,000

Vincent Napolitano	126,500 26,500	26,500
Donovan Dean	58,700 7,700	7,700

Tags: Donovan Dean Jon Pardy Vincent Napolitano

07-02-2025 21:57 UTC-8

Oden Picks Off a Massive Bluff to Double

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Takehiko Nakajima opened to 1,500 from early position, Miguel Coussement three-bet to 4,700 from middle position, Daniel Oden called in the cutoff and Nakajima folded.

The flop came 3♣7♦6♦. Coussement checked and Oden bet 4,700. Coussement check-raised to 17,000 and Oden called.

Coussement continued for 30,000 on the Q♦ turn and Oden called again. On the 7♥ river Coussement shoved, covering Oden who had 33,800 behind. Oden called off for his tournament life.

Coussement could only show a bluff with J♣8♣. Oden tabled the nut-flush with A♦K♦ to score the double-up through Coussement.

Player	Chips	Progress
Miguel Coussement	194,000 39,800	39,800
Daniel Oden	185,000 185,000	185,000
Takehiko Nakajima	88,500 88,500	88,500

Tags: Daniel Oden Miguel Coussement Takehiko Nakajima

07-02-2025 22:43 UTC-8

Khuri Leaves Ludlow Short

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Liam Gannon

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Action was picked up with cards on their backs in a hand between Radwan Khuri on the button and Ben Ludlow in the big blind, with Khuri all in for his last 60,700.

Radwan Khuri: A♣A♠ All in
Ben Ludlow: A♥K♠

The board ran out 3♠5♠6♠Q♣A♦ and the set of aces was good for Khuri to double at the expense of Ludlow.

Player	Chips	Progress
Radwan Khuri	122,300
Ben Ludlow	1,300 24,700	24,700

Tags: Ben Ludlow Radwan Khuri

07-02-2025 23:04 UTC-8

Kabrhel Doubles Late

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Liam Gannon

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Joseph Gao raised in first position to 1,200 and Roger Perez called in early position. Action folded around to Martin Kabrhel in the big blind.

"Double rainbow plus two," said Kabrhel as he put out 8,600. Gao responded with a raise 16,000 and Perez folded while Kabrhel went into the tank.

"If I go all in, what do you do?" he asked a silent Gao. After some more time talking and thinking, the clock was called on Kabrhel by another player at the table. Before the countdown could start, Kabrhel raised to 31,600, prompting Gao to shove for 82,700 effective and Kabrhel called immediately.

Martin Kabrhel: A♣A♦ All in
Joseph Gao: A♥K♠

"Good luck," Kabrhel said to Gao as the board ran out 3♣7♦10♣J♥9♥ to secure him the double.