Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship Day 2abc | 2025 World Series of Poker

Jul 06, 2025

Shao Takes a Large Piece of Mercier's Stack

Gaelle Jaudon

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Ketan Shah raised to 2,500 and got called by Bob Shao on the button before Jason Mercier announced a three-bet to 11,400 in the big blind. Shah let it go but Shao called.

The flop revealed 9♠4♥2♣ and Mercier continued for 8,200, which Shao called. On the K♦ turn, Mercier bet again, this time for 19,600 and Shao tanked a minute before calling.

The Q♦ completed the board and Mercier looked at Shao's remaining stack before firing 75,000 in the middle, putting Shao at risk. Shao quickly called for his remaining stack of 56,300.

Mercier tabled A♥K♠ for top pair but Shao held 9♣9♥ for a flopped set of nines to claim the large pot and the double up.

Tags: Jason Mercier Ketan Shah Shao Takes

Jul 06, 2025

Angelov Freerolled Out of Main Event

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Frank Visser

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Boris Angelov, who finished fifth in the 2024 WSOP Main Event, jammed in his last 20,000 from the cutoff, and he was looked up by Derek Kwan on the button.

Boris Angelov: A♦K♣ All in
Derek Kwan: A♥K♥

Both players had the same hand, but Kwan obtained a flush draw on the J♦6♥Q♣2♥ turn. The 5♥ river completed his flush, crushing Angelov's dream of back-to-back final tables.

Tags: Boris Angelov Derek Kwan

Jul 06, 2025

All Heart, No Hearts

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Stewart Morrison

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Donovan Dean, playing from the cutoff, and big blind John Barr had already constructed a pot of roughly 50,000 by the time the turn was dealt.

The flop 10♠6♥2♥ was already out, and the dealer added the A♥ turn card to the board.

Barr led out with a bet of 25,000, but Dean seemingly wanted to play a bigger pot, putting in a raise to 69,000.

Action back to Barr, who took some time to consider all of his options. After a minute or so, he moved all in, covering his opponent. There were no theatrics from Dean, who immediately folded.

Barr then windmilled the Q♠ across the table, to show he didn't have a flush. Dean joined in the fun by exposing the K♠ from his hand, implying he was bluffing, too.

"Same hand [as me]?" Barr asked.

"I had king-jack, but I had the jack of hearts" was the response from Dean.

Barr ended the conversation by saying, "I had king-queen", which, in a way, meant he was value betting.

Tags: Donovan Dean John Barr

Jul 06, 2025

Is That a Tell?

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Jacob Wilson

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Brian Whiteman opened up the action with a raise to 2,500 from middle position. Heng Zhang came over the top from the cutoff by making it 7,500 before Richard Ham opted to jam from the big blind, for 26,500.

Action was back on Whiteman, who went into the tank and was clearly in a tough spot. On the other side of the table, Zhang was standing up and recording the table with his tablet-sized phone, despite preflop action not having completed. Whiteman looked at Ham, then at Zhang, and ended up deciding on a fold. Zhang kept recording and snap-called.

Richard Ham: A♣Q♥ All in
Heng Zhang: A♠A♥

It seemed that Ham already knew he was up against the goods, as he too was up and out of his chair before the cards were tabled. He couldn't find a miracle, only a needle on the 9♣3♥3♦J♣Q♠ runout.

Tags: Brian Whiteman Heng Zhang Richard Ham

Jul 06, 2025

Big Stacks Collide as Zegal Takes on Mizrachi

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David Salituro

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Matthew Hahm raised to 2,400 under the gun and Michael Mizrachi called on the button. Stanislav Zegal then three-bet to 11,200 in the big blind and only Mizrachi called.

The flop came Q♥10♥6♥ and Zegal bet 6,700. Mizrachi called to the J♦ turn, where Zegal bet another 32,300. Mizrachi quickly folded this time and Zegal took down the pot as both players currently sit on nearly 400,000.

Tags: Matthew Hahm Michael Mizrachi Stanislav Zegal

Jul 06, 2025

Anderson Wakes Up With a Monster to Bust Fleishman

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David Salituro

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Calvin Anderson raised to 2,500 under the gun and Barry Fleishman moved all in for 35,900 in early position. Kenneth Lin called on the button, but Anderson reshoved. Lin had around 70,000 remaining and took a minute before folding, later saying he had two jacks.

Barry Fleishman: 10♥10♣ All in
Calvin Anderson: K♦K♣

Fleishman had run into Anderson's kings and the flop came A♥K♥4♥ to give Anderson a set, while Fleishman picked up a flush draw. The A♠ turn removed all hope for Fleishman as Anderson improved to a full house, while the river was the 8♣ and Fleishman was sent to the rail.

Tags: Barry Fleishman Calvin Anderson Kenneth Lin

Jul 06, 2025

Merwin Scoops a Huge Double

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Stewart Morrison

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Steven Merwin raised to 2,500 on the button, and only Bryan Allen made the call, defending his big blind.

The dealer spread a 10♦4♦A♠ flop, and Allen checked in flow. Merwin continued with a bet of 3,000 and was met with a check-raise to 8,200. Merwin called, and the two took a turn.

Allen continued with a bet of 3,600 on the 10♥ turn, but it was his turn to get raised. Merwin put in a more substantial 18,000. Allen called to see one more card.

The 6♦ turned out to be an action river card, as Allen took back the betting lead, moving all in, covering his opponent.

"I thought I priced you out of the flush draw", was Merwin's immediate thought process. He took less than a minute to consider before saying "I have to call" and moving his remaining stack into the middle.

Allen turned over A♦9♥, for two pair, which could not beat the trips of Merwin, who turned over Q♥10♠.

Tags: Bryan Allen Steven Merwin

Jul 06, 2025

Damelian Leaves Kabrhel with Crumbs

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Adam Lamers

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Martin Kabrhel raised to 2,500 on the button and was called by Samuel Gagnon in the small blind. Roberto Damelian three-bet to 10,700 in the big blind and only Kabrhel called.

The flop came Q♠7♥2♥ and Damelian led out with a bet of 9,000 which Kabrhel quickly called. The turn was the A♠ and Damelian slowed down with a check. Kabrhel announced all in as the bigger stack and Damelian went into the tank. Two minutes had passed and Kabrhel called the clock. Damelian was down to his last two seconds before making the call for his stack of 32,100.

Roberto Damelian: K♠K♦ All in
Martin Kabrhel: 5♠4♠

Damelian had the best hand thus far but was fading straight and flush draws from Kabrhel. The river was the K♣ and Damelian improved to a set of kings to score a big double up and leave Kabrhel on crumbs.

Tags: Samuel Gagnon Roberto Damelian Martin Kabrhel

Jul 06, 2025

Fei Falls To Popovych

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Liam Gannon

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Wesley Fei opened to 2,500 in late position and Serhii Popovych called on the button and in the big blind, Dario Marinelli called.

The flop rolled out 3♣9♥Q♦ and Marinelli checked over to Fei who bet 2,500 and only Popovych called.

Fei checked the 10♠ turn over to Popovych who bet 4,000 and Fei called.

On the river A♠, Fei checked over to Popovych who bet 22,200. Fei responded by moving all in for 89,500 and Popovych went into the tank for a couple minutes. Everntually Fei called the clock and Popovych made the decision to call with eight seconds left on the clock.

Wesley Fei: J♣J♠ All in
Serhii Popovych: 9♠9♣

The set of nines was good for Popovych to eliminate Fei from the tournament.

Tags: Dario Marinelli Serhii Popovych Wesley Fei

Jul 06, 2025

Gorham Sends Spector Packing

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

James Gorham raised from under the gun and called a three-bet by Sean Spector in the big blind. The latter then fired three barrels on a board of K♣3♦2♥5♦A♦, all of which Gorham called. It was 20,000 to go on the turn and around 60,000 shove on the river.

"I don't like it but I call," Gorham immediately said and Spector tabled the A♠K♦ for the top two pair. Gorham had that beat with 2♠2♣ for a set of deuces.

In the next hand, Ilan Boujenah raised to 2,400 and received multiple callers including Gorham in the big blind. The J♥7♦5♣ flop saw Dimitrios Kilintaris bet 3,500 and Brian Andrews called. Gorham check-raised to 16,000 and Boujenah folded while the other two players called.

No more betting action followed on the 9♣ turn and 9♥ river for Gorham to reveal the 7♠5♥. Kilintaris had that beat with the A♣J♦ to claim the last pot before their table broke.

Tags: Brian Andrews Dimitrios Kilintaris Ilan Boujenah James Gorham Sean Spector