Maksim Pisarenko opened the action with a raise to 22,000 and found callers in Viktor Vladov in the hijack and David Mclaws in the small blind. Hal Hammaker, sitting in the big blind with just 2,000 left after posting, moved all in for his tournament life.
The flop came 5♦4♦2♦, and after a check from Mclaws, Pisarenko bet 28,000. Vladov got out of the way, and Mclaws quickly called.
On the 3♦ turn, Mclaws checked again and Pisarenko tossed in another 28,000, which Mclaws called without much hesitation.
Both players checked the 6♠ river and went to showdown. Mclaws showed A♣K♠ for a straight on the board, likely thinking he had at least a chop. But Hammaker flipped over A♦6♦ for a stunning straight flush, nuts.
With the bubble looming, Hammaker found the miracle and secured a crucial quadruple-up to keep his Main Event hopes alive.
Mark Dickner asked the floor if the bubble received a package to the WSOP Paradise Main Event before tossing in his last 5,000 from early position. Thomas Boivin then raised to 20,000 in early position, but Kelvin Kerber moved all in in the hijack and Boivin folded.
Mark Dickner: 5♥3♥
Kelvin Kerber: K♥J♣
Dickner was actively rooting for his own elimination as the flop came K♣Q♥10♣ to give Kerber top pair. Dickner picked up a flush draw on the 8♥ turn, but he missed the 2♣ river and raised his arms in the air in celebration after being eliminated on the bubble.
Marco Dickner Bubble Elimination
In another section, Mathew Frankland was all-in for 51,000 on a flop of 4♦5♣9♦ and a pot of 55,000. Michael Miravi, his heads-up opponent, made the call.
Mathew Frankland: 10♦9♥
Michael Miravi: K♦K♥
Frankland had hit top pair on the flop, but couldn't beat Miravi's pocket kings. The A♣7♦ runout didn't help Frankland at all, making him one of the players who busted on the bubble.
Mathew Frankland
Sachin Joshi was forced all-in with his stack of 4,000 in the small blind. Julien Mariani put in a raise to 16,000 from early position before the player on his direct left three-bet to 40,000. The action folded to the big blind, who elected to cold-call. Mariani also called.
The dealer burned and turned three, providing a 3♥4♥3♣ flop. The player in the big blind checked, but Mariani decided to take over the betting lead, placing a wager of roughly 65,000. The rest folded.
Sachin Joshi: 9♠6♣
Julien Mariani: K♦6♦
There was no help for Joshi on the 8♦ turn, and while he made a pair on the 6♥ river, Mariani had made the same pair with a superior kicker, resulting in Joshi's elimination from the Main Event.
There were three players eliminated in one hand on the stone bubble; therefore, a poker flip would be required to determine who would be the bubble boy. The winner of the flip would win a $30,000 package into the $25,000 WSOP Paradise Super Main Event in The Bahamas, which boasts a $60 million guaranteed prize pool.
Mathew Frankland, Marco Dickner, and Sachin Joshi were all eliminated on the stone bubble and proceeded to Table 448 to take part in the flip. Each player received two cards, and they were tabled before any community cards were dealt.
Sachin Joshi: 10♣2♠
Marco Dickner: 9♠9♦
Mathew Frankland: Q♥4♣
The flop came 6♥5♦3♣, and Dickner was still in the lead with his pair of nines despite both of his opponents picking up straight draws to go with their one overcard. The 3♠ paired the board on the turn but didn't change anything. However, the 2♣ peeled off on the river, which gave Frankland a straight.
Frankland was declared the stone-bubble boy, but the three players will split the two payouts for a total of $30,000 (each player will receive $10,000). Frankland earned the very first entry into the WSOP Paradise $25,000 Super Main Event taking place in December 2025.
Mathew Frankland Wins $25,000 Super Main Event seat
Cornelius Walker opened to 16,000 from middle position and Will Kassouf three-bet to 47,000 from middle position. Action folded back to Walker, who counted out his stack and then announced he was all in for a bit over 300,000.
"I have a Royal Flush draw," Kassouf said. "Big suited ace..."
It didn't take long for the clock to get called, which Kassouf thought was unreasonably fast.
The floor came over and Kassouf pled he had a real decision. The floor gave him a minute and Kassouf showed the A♥ after a bit of tanking before letting his hand go.
Heads-up on a flop of 10♥10♠6♠, Darren Elias bet 16,000 from middle position and Tom Middleton called in the big blind.
Elias bet another 30,000 on the 2♥ turn and Middleton again called. The river was the 9♠ and Middleton moved all in, having Elias' remaining 120,000 covered.
Elias quickly folded and Middleton took down the pot.
Action was picked up as Stephen Wangler, and Konstantin Generalov were all in against Hao-Shan Huang.
Stephen Wangler: Q♦J♣
Konstantin Generalov: K♦Q♠
Hao-Shan Huang: A♠10♦
The flop was great for Huang as it came 8♦K♥A♣, but the K♠ on the turn put Generalov into the lead, and he held as the 4♣ was dealt on the river. Wangler was unfortunately eliminated from the main event.
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