The day began with 25 hopeful players, all of whom were guaranteed to walk away with $15,720 at Event #83: $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em Freezeout at the 2025 World Series of Poker at Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas. The action was fast and furious as all the players jockeyed for position and battled to hit the next pay jump.
The field was whittled down to the final four, and the play ended after level 35, leaving the players with mixed emotions as some wanted to continue playing. However, play will resume Sunday at 1:00 p.m. local time in the Horseshoe Event Centre.
The final four players will have their work cut out for them when they return tomorrow to battle for the title. Breno Drumond enters the final day with the chip lead, holding 18,500,000 in chips, equivalent to 31 big blinds. The remaining players are fairly short-stacked and will need to find timely double-ups to contend for the top spot.
Final Four Seat Draw
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breno Drumond | Brazil | 18,500,000 | 31 |
| 2 | Cary Katz | United States | 8,500,000 | 14 |
| 3 | Jaehoon Baek | South Korea | 5,800,000 | 10 |
| 4 | Preston McEwen | United States | 12,700,000 | 21 |
Drumond had an enthusiastic rail supporting him, waving flags, singing, and cheering throughout the night. Preston McEwen, who returns second in chips, also had a lively group behind him, especially vocal when he broke out the now-iconic “moose dance.” Cary Katz, coming back in third, was quietly cheered on by close friends and family. Jaehoon Baek, who enters the final day as the short stack, also had a calm but supportive rail by his side.
One of the key hands that helped Drumond build his lead came when he woke up with pocket aces against Stefan Lehner. With chips circulating frequently throughout the evening, tomorrow is shaping up to be anyone’s game. Each finalist brings a unique skill set to the table.
Retired drummer McEwen boasts over $2.5 million in career poker earnings, and recently secured a win at the WSOP Cherokee Circuit Event in the $600 Pot-Limit Omaha for $35,420. PokerGO founder Katz, a high-stakes regular with over $40 million in live earnings, brings a wealth of experience and a proven winning style. Representing Korea, Baek will be looking to make his mark and add a significant victory to his growing poker résumé.
Final Table Results & Remaining Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $449,245 | ||
| 2 | $298,690 | ||
| 3 | $213,800 | ||
| 4 | $155,010 | ||
| 5 | Gary Hasson | Belgium | $113,860 |
| 6 | Michel Molenaar | Netherlands | $84,730 |
| 7 | Pawel Brzeski | Poland | $63,910 |
| 8 | Razvan Belea | Romania | $48,860 |
| 9 | Mihai Manole | Romania | $37,860 |
Day 3 Action
The 25 players all carried their own poker story; some were previous bracelet winners, such as Lehner, who bowed out in 11th place ($29,750), Vitor Dzivielevsk, who ended his day in 20th position ($15,720), and [Removed:548] in 23rd place ($15,720), who is also an Original David Baker (ODB) pick.
The only remaining 25K Fantasy pick was Katz. Nicholas Verderamo was eliminated in 13th position ($23,710), and ODB pick Justin Zaki went out in 18th place ($15,720).
The top ten finalists brought a diverse mix of cultures and skill sets to the table, each carving their path to the final stage. Simon Lindel of Sweden was the first to exit, falling short in a hand against Michel Molenaar after entering the showdown with a short stack and running into a dominant hand.
Next to depart was Romanian standout Mihai Manole, who famously earned a Platinum Pass to the PokerStars Players NL Hold'em Championship in 2019. Fellow Romanian and online crusher Razvan Belea followed in eighth place, adding yet another deep run to his impressive record.
Finishing in seventh was poker coach and online crusher Pawel Brzeski of Poland, who saw his run end when his king-queen couldn’t improve against Molenaar’s pocket nines. Molenaar, a strong online player from the Netherlands, himself, went out in sixth. He transitioned to live play about five years ago and has already amassed nearly $2 million in earnings. This latest payout will further bolster his extensive poker résumé.
Rounding out the top five was Belgium’s Gary Hasson, who has over $1 million in career tournament winnings and added to his accolades with a fifth-place finish.
The day is scheduled to resume at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, July 6, at one of the feature tables in the Horseshoe Event Centre. Play will begin on Level 36 with blinds at 300,000/600,000/600,000, with 60-minute blind levels and breaks to be determined.
The PokerNews team will be on-site, providing live updates as the battle continues.
