Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship Day 5 | 2025 World Series of Poker

07-10-2025 12:01 UTC-8

Arai Ascends Further

Frank Visser

Level 20 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

In a massive pot of 1,200,000, Kohei Arai and Yulian Bogdanov were heads up on a flop of 8♥8♠4♣. Arai fired a bet of 240,000 from early position, which Bogdanov called on the button.

The K♦ turn saw Arai size up slightly to 300,000. Bogdanov spent some time in thought, but he eventually mucked his cards to forfeit the pot to Arai.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kohei Arai	4,325,000 740,000	740,000
Yulian Bogdanov	1,440,000 300,000	300,000
Matias Ruzzi	1,350,000 105,000	105,000
Yuhang Chen	1,050,000 185,000	185,000
David Elyashar	950,000 50,000	50,000
Viktor Blom	875,000 480,000	480,000
David Swift	860,000 60,000	60,000
Adrien Zychowski	775,000 375,000	375,000
Chad Bleznick	350,000 390,000	390,000

Tags: Kohei Arai Yulian Bogdanov

07-10-2025 12:02 UTC-8

First Break of the Day

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Erick Torres

Level 20 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Players are now on a 20-minute break. There are a total of 464 players left in contention. Blinds will resume at 10,000/25,000.

Below are some highlights from Level 20.

07-10-2025 12:32 UTC-8

A Sturm is Brewing

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Connor Richards

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Leon Sturm raised to 50,000 in middle position and Fraser MacIntyre three-bet in the hijack. Sturm called.

Sturm checked on the flop of 7♣6♣4♦ and MacIntyre continued for 80,000. Sturm check-raised to 190,000 and MacIntyre called.

Sturm then moved all in for around 400,000 on the K♠ turn and MacIntyre called.

Leon Sturm: 7♥6♥ All in
Fraser MacIntyre: 10♦10♠

Sturm was ahead with two pair and nothing changed on the J♥ river to earn the German prodigy a double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fraser MacIntyre	2,000,000 675,000	675,000
Leon Sturm	1,300,000 500,000	500,000

Tags: Fraser MacIntyre Leon Sturm

07-10-2025 12:38 UTC-8

Simon Doubles With Rags

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Frank Visser

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

After an apparent preflop mistake from Jesse Simon, he and Arie Kliper had created a pot of 375,000 going to the 9♣7♣5♠ flop. Simon then pushed all in for 230,000, which Kliper quickly called.

Jesse Simon: 9♥7♦ All in
Arie Kliper: A♥Q♥

Kliper was drawing to a chop after the 6♦ turn, but the J♠ river changed nothing. Simon apologized a few times for putting too many chips in preflop as he dragged the pot and doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arie Kliper	1,590,000 110,000	110,000
Jesse Simon	835,000 480,000	480,000

Tags: Arie Kliper Jesse Simon

07-10-2025 12:39 UTC-8

Owen Doubles Through Taylor

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Ryan Lashmar

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Brad Owen limped in from the small blind and Esther Taylor raised to 100,000 from the big blind. Owen shoved for 560,000 and Taylor called with a covering stack to put him at risk.

Brad Owen: A♠7♥ All in
Esther Taylor: K♣J♣

Owen was ahead with a pair of sevens against king-high on the 7♦5♦8♦ flop. The 4♦ turn brought in some chop outs but the 5♠ river was a brick and Owen doubled up at Taylor's expense.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brad Owen	1,145,000 585,000	585,000

Esther Taylor	855,000 580,000	580,000

Tags: Brad Owen Esther Taylor

07-10-2025 12:41 UTC-8

Blom Outflops Bleznick

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Chad Bleznick moved all in for 230,000 on the button and Viktor Blom called in the small blind.

Chad Bleznick: A♣7♦ All in
Viktor Blom: A♥2♥

Bleznick had Blom dominated until the flop brought J♣5♥2♠, giving Blom the lead with a pair of deuces. The rest of the board ran out J♦6♥ and Bleznick was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Viktor Blom	1,400,000 525,000	525,000
Chad Bleznick	Busted

Tags: Chad Bleznick Viktor Blom

07-10-2025 12:42 UTC-8

Kyriakides Exits in Brutal Fashion

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Erick Torres

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Kyle Taddei and Miltiadis Kyriakides got the chips in preflop with two premium hands in a classic race, with Taddei barely covering Kyriakides, who was at risk for 985,000.

Miltiadis Kyriakides: A♦K♦ All in
Kyle Taddei: Q♣Q♠

Kyriakides needed to improve to stay alive, and improve he did when the flop came K♠6♦4♥ to jump into the lead.

The 10♦ turn was safe for Kyriakides, but the river was much crueler as it came the Q♥ on the river, which elicited a reaction from both players as Kyriakides had an outburst of disappointment.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kyle Taddei	2,040,555 1,640,555	1,640,555
Miltiadis Kyriakides	Busted

Tags: Kyle Taddei Miltiadis Kyriakides

07-10-2025 12:59 UTC-8

Cheong Eliminated by Holtzman

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Christian Zetzsche

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

The camera crew rushed by when a short-stacked Joseph Cheong pushed all in from the cutoff for his last 180,000 and was called by Guy Holtzman in the big blind.

Joseph Cheong: 5♦4♦ All in
Guy Holtzman: Q♣J♦

The J♠J♣5♠ flop left Cheong needing a miracle to survive as he needed running fives for quads. He had already grabbed up his belongings and was gone by the time the turn showed 9♦ to make the 4♣ river a formality. Holtzman had extended his fist for a bump but was left hanging as Cheong had already reached the ropes of the tournament area on his way out.

Player	Chips	Progress
Guy Holtzman	1,550,000 245,000	245,000
Joseph Cheong	Busted

Tags: Guy Holtzman Joseph Cheong

07-10-2025 13:05 UTC-8

Chidwick Bluffs Off Some Chips

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Frank Visser

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Alessandro Predaroli was in the cutoff, raising to 55,000. Stephen Chidwick sat in the big blind and tossed in a call.

Predaroli bet 50,000 on the A♣10♥2♦ flop, which Chidwick check-raised to 215,000. Predaroli called, releasing the K♣ turn from the deck. Chidwick slowed down and checked, with Predaroli checking behind.

The 6♣ river then completed the board. Chidwick loaded 145,000 chips into his barrel and fired them at Predaroli, who quickly called. Chidwick could only show five-high with 5♦3♠, leaving Predaroli to take the pot with A♠8♣.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alessandro Predaroli	1,420,000 450,000	450,000
Stephen Chidwick	590,000 260,000	260,000

Tags: Alessandro Predaroli Stephen Chidwick

07-10-2025 13:09 UTC-8

Chen Caught Making a Big Move Against Chong

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 21 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Three players limped in as action went on Bryan Chen in the small blind. He raised to 130,000 and Kang Chong reraised to 300,000 under the gun. The table folded back around to Chen who moved all in for 770,000, and Chong called.

Bryan Chen: K♣J♠ All in
Kang Chong: A♣Q♣

The K♠ in the window was a welcome sight for Chen, but it was followed by A♥5♣ as Chong hit top pair. The A♦ turn improved Chong to trips, and Chen was already drawing dead by the 8♦ river and on his way to the exit.

"Gamble, gamble," Chong said as he raked in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kang Chong	2,500,000 1,260,000	1,260,000
Bryan Chen	Busted

Tags: Bryan Chen Kang Chong