Event #85: $600 Ultra Stack Day 1a | 2025 World Series of Poker

Player	Chips	Progress
Steven Stanton	3,185,000 3,185,000	3,185,000

Phillip Pope	2,210,000 2,210,000	2,210,000
Venkatara Ganne	2,190,000 2,190,000	2,190,000
Robert Laird	1,870,000 1,870,000	1,870,000
Eric Schutz	1,800,000 1,800,000	1,800,000
Brandon Elmore	1,700,000 1,700,000	1,700,000
Brian Phillis	1,685,000 1,685,000	1,685,000
Deborah Balderas	1,600,000 1,600,000	1,600,000
James Pixton	1,580,000 1,580,000	1,580,000
Jordan Dorigny	1,560,000 1,560,000	1,560,000
Bas de Laat	1,550,000 1,550,000	1,550,000
Faisal Mir	1,460,000 1,460,000	1,460,000
Jason Brown	1,445,000 1,445,000	1,445,000
Jorge Galiani	1,445,000 1,445,000	1,445,000
Joseph Daniels	1,355,000 1,355,000	1,355,000
Justin Arnwine	1,340,000 1,340,000	1,340,000
Justin Fawcett	1,320,000 1,320,000	1,320,000

Glenn Sorrells	1,250,000 1,250,000	1,250,000
Junji Nishiyama	1,240,000 1,240,000	1,240,000
Mickael Alleon	1,215,000 1,215,000	1,215,000
Yaniv Shushan	1,215,000 1,215,000	1,215,000
Keith Schiller	1,205,000 1,205,000	1,205,000
Peter Fox	1,202,000 1,202,000	1,202,000
Masataka Setoguchi	1,200,000 1,200,000	1,200,000
Anderson Costa	1,165,000 1,165,000	1,165,000

Player

Chips

Progress

3,185,000

2,210,000

2,190,000

1,870,000

1,800,000

1,700,000

1,685,000

1,600,000

1,580,000

1,560,000

1,550,000

1,460,000

1,445,000

1,445,000

1,355,000

1,340,000

1,320,000

1,250,000

1,240,000

1,215,000

1,215,000

1,205,000

1,202,000

1,200,000

1,165,000

Day 1a of Event #85: $600 Ultra Stack is concluded after 22 action-packed levels at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. The first of two flights attracted 2,718 entrants, of whom only 213 bagged chips at the end of the night. Those survivors will return to the action at 1 p.m. local time on July 8.

Steven Stanton was the owner of by far the biggest chip stack in the tournament at the end of Day 1a, bagging 3,185,000 after winning consecutive million-chip pots to close out proceedings.

Behind him, Phillip Pope (2,210,000) of Texas and Venkatara Ganne (2,190,000) both bagged up stacks within one small blind of each other. Pope has a WSOP Circuit ring to his name, having won the $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event in Tulsa in March 2019, a result that earned him $215,000. He has done his chance of adding a bracelet to his WSOP jewelry collection no harm at all with this fast start in Event 85.

Ganne also has a WSOPC ring. The New Jersey resident won it in November 2015; it came with a career-best prize worth $38,874.

Illinois' Robert Laird (1,870,000) completed the podium places.

Event 85: $600 Ultra Stack Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts

Rank	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	Phillip Pope	United States	2,210,000	55
2	Venkatara Ganne	United States	2,190,000	55
3	Robert Laird	United States	1,870,000	47
4	Steven Stanton	United States	1,860,000	47
5	Eric Schutz	United States	1,800,000	45
6	Brandon Elmore	United States	1,700,000	43
7	Brian Phillis	United States	1,685,000	42
8	Deborah Balderas	United States	1,600,000	40
9	James Pixton	United States	1,580,000	40
10	Jordan Dorigny	United States	1,560,000	39

Five bracelet owners progressed to Day 2 from this flight, most notably David Williams (1,160,000), the 2004 WSOP Main Event runner-up. Henrieto Acain (1,075,000), David Moses (995,000), Men "The Master" Nguyen (235,000), and Dieter Dechant (200,000) also progressed.

Others to look out for on Day 2 include Michael Acevedo (1,160,000), PokerStars' Caitlin Comeskey (870,000), and Jacob Baumgartner (775,000).

Day 1b shuffles up and deals at 10 a.m. local time on July 7. Players lock horns and butt heads for 22 levels, each spanning 30 minutes, with 20-minute breaks every four levels. PokerNews' traditional coverage of this event begins on Day 2 on July 8. We shall see you then.

Tags: David Moses David Williams Dieter Dechant Henrieto Acain Jacob Baumgartner Michael Acevedo Phillip Pope Venkatara Ganne