Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship Day 3 | 2025 World Series of Poker

07-08-2025 14:17 UTC-8

Barattini Cracks Tsujisaka's Aces

Brett Slezak

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Action picked up heads-up to the turn with a little under 70,000 in the middle in a hand between Juan Barattini from middle position and Tetsuya Tsujisaka from the hijack.

With the board reading 10♣6♣3♦9♠, Barattini checked to Tsujisaka who bet 30,000. Barattini responded with a check-jam for 96,000 effective as the slightly covering stack, and Tsujisaka snapped it off.

Tetsuya Tsujisaka: A♠A♥ All in
Juan Barattini: 6♠6♦

"Are you kidding me?" Tsujisaka lamented as he saw the bad news and he sheepishly revealed his aces.

Tsujisaka pleaded with the dealer "One time, baby!" as the 5♣ landed on the river which improved neither player, and Tsujisaka's Main Event dream was cut short holding pocket aces.

Player	Chips	Progress
Juan Barattini	315,000 41,000	41,000
Tetsuya Tsujisaka	Busted

Tags: Juan Barattini Tetsuya Tsujisaka

07-08-2025 14:13 UTC-8

Zulker Drills a One-Outer to Knock Out Hellmuth

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Michael Zulker opened to 6,500 from under the gun and Leon Sturm called from early position. Phil Hellmuth three-bet shoved for 93,000 from the hijack, Zulker called with a covering stack and Sturm mucked 8♠8♣.

Phil Hellmuth: A♠K♦ All in
Michael Zulker: Q♠Q♦

It was a classic race that Zulker was ahead of on the 3♠4♣J♣ flop. Hellmuth became a huge favorite after making top pair on the K♣ turn, leaving Zulker drawing to just one out given that the Q♣ was folded preflop. The Q♥ river gave Zulker his one out to a set, eliminating the 17-time bracelet winner from the Main Event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leon Sturm	508,500 40,500	40,500

Michael Zulker	244,500 107,000	107,000
Phil Hellmuth	Busted

Tags: Leon Sturm Michael Zulker Phil Hellmuth

07-08-2025 14:13 UTC-8

Toma Eliminated by Williams

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Over on table 520, a preflop raising war unfolded in which Tsugunari Toma and Benjamin Williams got their stacks into the middle for the following showdown.

Tsugunari Toma: 10♠10♥ All in
Benjamin Williams: Q♣Q♥

The A♠7♣3♥2♣A♣ board changed nothing and both stacks were counted. Williams' 231,000 covered and that spelled the end for Toma in the second level of the day.

Player	Chips	Progress
Benjamin Williams	415,000 132,000	132,000
Tsugunari Toma	Busted

Tags: Benjamin Williams Tsugunari Toma

07-08-2025 14:02 UTC-8

Fernandez' Two Pair No Good

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Stewart Morrison

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Action was multiway with roughly 20,000 in the middle and the incomplete board showing 5♠4♥8♠.

When the action checked to Luis Fernandez on the button, he elected to move all in for 14,000. Both the small blind and Gregory Katayama in the cutoff called.

The dealer then provided the A♦ turn, which both active players checked.

Katayama placed a bet of 27,000 on the J♥ river, but swiftly pulled it back when the small blind player folded.

When Katayama turned his cards over, revealing A♠J♠, Fernandez sat back in his chair and laughed. He then showed that he had been rivered, turning over A♣5♣ for a worse two pair.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gregory Katayama	215,000 93,000	93,000
Luis Fernandez	Busted

Tags: Gregory Katayama Luis Fernandez

07-08-2025 14:01 UTC-8

Cooler Flop Sees Zarnoch Take Out McCurdy

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Brett Slezak

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Yingge Yan opened from early position and was called by Heitor Saraiva in the hijack, Maxwell McCurdy in the small blind, and Corey Zarnoch in the big blind.

On the 6♥5♥2♠ flop, the action checked all the way to Saraiva who put out a bet before McCurdy check-raised to 35,000. In the big blind, Zarnoch would jam all-in. It folded back to McCurdy who snap-called for his remaining 74,000 total.

Maxwell McCurdy: 5♠5♣ All in
Corey Zarnoch: 4♥3♦

It was a cooler scenario as McCurdy flopped middle set but was behind the flopped straight of Zarnoch. The board ran out 10♦9♠ as McCurdy could not find his needed board pair, and was sent to the exit in brutal fashion.

Player	Chips	Progress
Corey Zarnoch	325,000 125,000	125,000
Heitor Saraiva	300,000 106,500	106,500
Yingge Yan	133,000 57,000	57,000
Maxwell McCurdy	Busted

Tags: Corey Zarnoch Heitor Saraiva Maxwell McCurdy Yingge Yan

07-08-2025 13:58 UTC-8

Ciltan Falls To Gabriel

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Liam Gannon

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Dan-Florin Ciltan raised all in from the cutoff for 39,000 and Thomas Gabriel called on the button.

Dan-Florin Ciltan: 9♥9♠ All in
Thomas Gabriel: A♥A♠

The board ran out J♦4♥J♥3♠J♠ and the jacks full of aces was good for the pot to eliminate Ciltan from the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Thomas Gabriel	451,000 208,500	208,500
Dan-Florin Ciltan	Busted

Tags: Thomas Gabriel Dan-Florin Ciltan

07-08-2025 13:53 UTC-8

Lee Goes Rabut Hunting

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Stewart Morrison

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

The action was joined with roughly 17,000 chips in the middle with Min-Sung Lee and Eric Rabut competing for it.

A flop of 4♦6♦6♠ had already been dealt, and Rabut had checked from the small blind. Lee, playing from the hijack, continued with a bet of 12,500 before seeing Rabut check-raise all in for 67,500.

After taking a minute or so to think, Lee made the call, putting Rabut at risk.

Eric Rabut: 7♠7♥ All in
Min-Sung Lee: 9♥9♦

There was no saving grace for Rabut on the K♠ turn or 3♣ river, leaving him to say his goodbyes and exit the tournament area.

Player	Chips	Progress
Min-Sung Lee	271,500 88,500	88,500
Eric Rabut	Busted

Tags: Eric Rabut Min-Sung Lee

07-08-2025 13:36 UTC-8

Wheeler Doubles to Leave Alexandre on Fumes

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 12 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Daniel Negreanu opened to 6,000 from early position and Jean-Francois Alexandre called from the cutoff. Jason Wheeler three-bet to 21,000 from the button and Negreanu folded 9♣7♣. Alexandre four-bet shoved, slightly covering Wheeler who started the hand with 123,500. Wheeler snap-called and was at risk.

Jason Wheeler: K♠K♣ All in
Jean-Francois Alexandre: J♦J♣

Wheeler's kings held up on the 4♣9♥K♥3♦10♦ runout and he doubled up, leaving Alexandre with just over one big blind. Alexandre was eliminated shortly afterward.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Wheeler	260,500

Daniel Negreanu	64,000

Jean-Francois Alexandre	Busted

Tags: Daniel Negreanu Jason Wheeler Jean-Francois Alexandre

07-08-2025 13:08 UTC-8

Hui Spikes the Turn to KO Guzman

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Dario Dussan Guzman shoved for 24,000 from early position and Loni Hui called from middle position with a covering stack to put him at risk.

Dario Dussan Guzman: K♣J♥ All in
Loni Hui: 8♥8♦

Guzman was a big favorite after making top pair on the 9♣4♦J♣ flop but Hui improved a set on the 8♠ turn. Guzman was drawing dead and made his exit after the A♣ river fell.

Player	Chips	Progress
Loni Hui	274,500 58,500	58,500

Dario Dussan Guzman	Busted

Tags: Dario Dussan Guzman Loni Hui

07-08-2025 13:07 UTC-8

Teusl Outkicked and Out the Door

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Sava Krink

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Action folded around to Jessica Teusl on the button, and she moved all in for her last 15,000. Joseph Henry made the call from the big blind to put her at risk.

Jessica Teusl: A♣9♣ All in
Joseph Henry: A♥6♠

Teusl had the better ace, but the board ran out A♦2♣4♦6♦Q♠, pairing Henry’s six and giving him two pair. With that, Teusl was eliminated, while Henry stacked up a few more chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Mann	560,000 171,500	171,500
Joseph Henry	225,000 44,000	44,000
Jessica Teusl	Busted

Tags: Jessica Teusl Joseph Henry