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

07-10-2025 13:23 UTC-8

Hesse Makes Boivin Fold a House

Frank Visser

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

Alessandro Predaroli raised to 55,000 from early position with Q♠J♥. Joey Padron flatted his button with 10♦9♦, Thomas Boivin called in the small blind with J♠8♠, and Stephen Hesse defended his big blind with 9♣5♣.

The quartet of players checked through the 7♥7♦8♣ flop and K♥ turn. The 7♣ river then completed the board, which Boivin also checked. Hesse bet 160,000 with nine-high, and Predaroli and Padron quickly mucked their hands.

Boivin spent some time in the tank before he folded the best hand as Hesse got his multi-way bluff through.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stephen Hesse	1,990,000 165,000	165,000
Thomas Boivin	1,735,000 135,000	135,000
Alessandro Predaroli	1,415,000 5,000	5,000
Joey Padron	740,000 160,000	160,000

Tags: Alessandro Predaroli Joey Padron Stephen Hesse Thomas Boivin

07-10-2025 13:27 UTC-8

River Shove by Tran Folds Out Hirschfeld

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Erick Torres

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

The hand began when Thien Tran raised from early position to 60,000 and was called by Tyler Hirschfeld in the cutoff and Antonio Vargas on the button.

The flop fanned out 6♣J♣7♥. Tran bet out and was called by Hirschfeld while Vargas folded.

Tran kept up the pressure and bet 235,000 on the 5♦ turn. Hirschfeld came along with a call.

The 5♥ river did not deter Tran, who jammed for 410,000 on the last street. Hirschfeld tanked for a long time to the point that the clock was called. Hirschfeld took the entire clock before he mucked his hand with just seconds left.

Player	Chips	Progress
Thien Tran	1,300,000 300,000	300,000
Antonio Vargas	1,230,000 260,000	260,000
Tyler Hirschfeld	310,000 405,000	405,000

Tags: Antonio Vargas Thien Tran Tyler Hirschfeld

07-10-2025 13:27 UTC-8

Kaslov Tries to Secure an Extra $5,000, Instead Finds a Double

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David Salituro

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

Steven Kaslov raised to 55,000 in early position, Chahn Jung three-bet to 160,000 in the small blind, and Kaslov called.

The flop came 8♥7♠5♦ and Jung bet 200,000, enough to put Kaslov all in for his last 130,000. With the tournament clock showing 414 players remaining, and the next pay jump coming at 413, Kaslov waited for several minutes for the clock to tick down one more player.

"You guys don't mind over there, do you?" Kaslov asked his tablemates, who each gave him a thumbs up.

"I don't care. I have enough chips," Jung replied.

The clock finally went down to 413 players and Kaslov was guaranteed a pay jump from $35,000 to $40,000 before he stuck in his last chips.

Steven Kaslov: 6♥5♥ All in
Chahn Jung: 10♥10♦

"Come on, one time baby," Kaslov pleaded with the dealer as he had a pair and straight draw. The 3♣ turn was no help, but Kaslov made his straight on the 9♣ river to double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chahn Jung	1,800,000 15,000	15,000
Steven Kaslov	600,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Chahn Jung Steven Kaslov

07-10-2025 13:29 UTC-8

That's a Win for Nguyen

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Tim Baker

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

Hieu Le made it 50,000 under the gun and only Thi Xoa Nguyen called out of the big blind.

Nguyen started out with a check on the Q♦8♣K♠ flop, prompting Le to place out a bet of 50,000. Nguyen called.

Nguyen check-called another bet from Le when the 4♥ came on the turn, this time for 155,000.

Upon seeing the 2♥ hit the river, Nguyen opted to lead out for 300,000. Le deliberated briefly but ultimately folded and relinquished the pot to Nguyen.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arsenii Karmatckii	3,500,000 370,000	370,000
Thi Xoa Nguyen	2,850,000 700,000	700,000
Hieu Le	2,100,000 200,000	200,000
Ben Jackson	1,800,000 550,000	550,000
Nishant Sharma	1,500,000 660,000	660,000
Min-Sung Lee	1,400,000 350,000	350,000
Xingwei Chen	1,300,000 360,000	360,000
David Gradic	1,000,000 15,000	15,000
Joseph Ozimok	850,000 700,000	700,000

Tags: Hieu Le Thi Xoa Nguyen

07-10-2025 13:30 UTC-8

Taylor Doubles to Leave Arbaugh Short

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Ryan Lashmar

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

With two players seeing a board of 2♣J♣5♣4♥ and 190,000 in the middle, Brian Arbaugh checked from the big blind and Esther Taylor bet 90,000 from the hijack. Arbaugh called.

Arbaugh checked the 10♥ river and Taylor bet 580,000, leaving just 35,000 behind. Arbaugh called again.

Arbaugh had top pair with K♠J♥ but Taylor had the nut-flush with A♣6♣ to effectively double up through Arbaugh, who was left with under ten big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
Esther Taylor	1,570,000 725,000	725,000

Brian Arbaugh	235,000 775,000	775,000

Tags: Brian Arbaugh Esther Taylor

07-10-2025 13:30 UTC-8

Viox Halts Luis' Ducks

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Kai Cocklin

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

Damien Luis raised to 50,000 with 2♥2♠ in the hijack and Chris Viox called out of the big blind with A♦Q♠.

Both saw a flop of 3♦J♦Q♦, where Viox check-called a bet of 30,000 from Luis to the K♣ turn. Viox checked again and Luis fired 205,000 with his Ducks. Viox then check-raised to 475,000, and Luis had no option but to fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chris Viox	1,580,000 295,000	295,000

Damien Luis	915,000 285,000	285,000

Tags: Chris Viox Damien Luis

07-10-2025 13:31 UTC-8

A Hegedus for the Rest of Us

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Connor Richards

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

Leonardo Valenzuela opened to 55,000 in the cutoff, and Jonathan Wolter called on the button before Gergo Hegedus three-bet to 225,000 in the small blind. Valenzuela folded, and Wolter called.

Hegedus then bet 175,000 on the Q♣5♠2♣ flop, and Wolter folded.

At the same table, Matt Affleck has around 875,000 after besting his 542nd-place finish in last year's Main Event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gergo Hegedus	3,000,000 600,000	600,000
Jonathan Wolter	2,700,000 580,000	580,000
Matt Affleck	875,000 25,000	25,000
Leonardo Valenzuela	600,000 165,000	165,000

Tags: Gergo Hegedus Jonathan Wolter Leonardo Valenzuela Matt Affleck

07-10-2025 13:33 UTC-8

Gotarra Flushed Away by Azoulay

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Christian Zetzsche

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

On a flop of 9♥8♦2♥, Antoni Gotarra bet 90,000, and Jonathan Azoulay then raised it to 350,000 with the far larger stack. Gotarra went into the tank near a pay jump and eventually moved all in for Azoulay to call instantly.

Antoni Gotarra: Q♣Q♦ All in
Jonathan Azoulay: A♥10♥

The turn was a blank with the 4♦, but the Q♥ river put the final dagger in Gotarra's Main Event run, which he had qualified for with an initial investment of only one euro. Other players at the table were discussing his tanking on the pay jump, and Azoulay nodded, "I understand it ... I knew it was coming."

Player	Chips	Progress
Jonathan Azoulay	3,840,000 390,000	390,000
Antoni Gotarra	Busted

Tags: Antoni Gotarra Jonathan Azoulay

07-10-2025 13:34 UTC-8

Cold Welcome for Kottler

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Frank Visser

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

Jeremy Kottler, the new addition to the feature table, raised to 50,000 in the hijack with A♣Q♥. Joey Padron called with J♥J♣ in the cutoff, after which the 5♠10♥2♥ flop was dealt.

Kottler continued for 40,000, which Padron raised to 150,000. Kottler called to the 2♠ turn, which he checked over to Padron. Padron continued firing for 260,000.

After some thought, Kottler laid down his ace-high, forfeiting the pot to his neigbor.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jeremy Kottler	2,700,000 380,000	380,000
Isaac Haxton	2,420,000 270,000	270,000

Yuchen Chen	2,420,000 55,000	55,000
Stephen Hesse	1,980,000 10,000	10,000
Thomas Boivin	1,735,000
Alessandro Predaroli	1,365,000 50,000	50,000
Fabrice Bigot	1,330,000
Joey Padron	1,000,000 260,000	260,000
Stephen Chidwick	500,000 80,000	80,000

Tags: Jeremy Kottler Joey Padron

07-10-2025 13:35 UTC-8

Merson and Montes Both Turn Flushes

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Kai Cocklin

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

Greg Merson limped in with A♦3♦ from the hijack, and Santiago Montes checked Q♦5♦ in the big blind.

Both players flopped a flush draw on the J♠K♦J♦ flop, where Montes check-called a bet of 25,000 from Merson.

The 7♦ on the turn completed both players' flush draws, and Montes again went into check-call mode after Merson fired 50,000.

A 7♥ on the river double-paired the board, and Montes checked it over, then Merson bet 200,000.

"So sick. Jack?" asked Montes as he mulled it over. Eventually, he called and saw the bad news that Merson had a bigger flush.

"Could have been a much bigger pot. I was betting way bigger on [different] rivers," said Merson.

"That river saved me a lot of chips," Montes mentioned later on.

Player	Chips	Progress
Greg Merson	2,250,000 325,000	325,000

Dmitrii Perfilev	2,040,000
Chris Viox	1,570,000 10,000	10,000

Santiago Montes	1,370,000 325,000	325,000
Damien Luis	915,000
Corey Skogrand	675,000
Steven Touitou	530,000 60,000	60,000
Rory Monahan	370,000
Josselin Gardes	235,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Greg Merson Santiago Montes