Event #88: $50,000 High Roller Day 1 | 2025 World Series of Poker

07-09-2025 19:43 UTC-8

Eslami Gains at Nguyen's Expense

Dan O'Hair

Level 8 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Christopher Nguyen opened to 16,000 first to act and called a three-bet of 40,000 from Ali Eslami, who was in the hijack.

Nguyen check-called a 27,000 bet from Eslami on the Q♣A♣6♣ flop and then both players checked on the 9♠ turn.

Nguyen checked a final time on the 8♦ river and Eslami fired 106,000 into the middle. Nguyen laid his hand down and Eslami added to his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christopher Nguyen	510,000 131,000	131,000

Ali Eslami	500,000 73,000	73,000

07-09-2025 20:00 UTC-8

Seidel Falls To Salem

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Liam Gannon

Level 8 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Erik Seidel moved all in for 45,000 from the hijack and in the small blind, Nassem Salem called.

Erik Seidel: A♣10♠ All in
Naseem Salem: K♥K♦

The board ran out 5♦10♥3♣4♦Q♣ and the kings were good for the pot to eliminate the nine-time WSOP bracelet winner from the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Naseem Salem	445,000 217,000	217,000
Erik Seidel	Busted

Tags: Erik Seidel Naseem Salem

07-09-2025 20:07 UTC-8

Redemption for Morris

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Brett Slezak

Level 8 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Vladimir Minko opened to 16,000 from under the gun before Arthur Morris, who had just sat down for his second attempt of the day, three-bet to 55,000 on his immediate left. In the hijack, Jason Palker jammed for his remaining 119,000. It folded back to Morris who snap-called.

Jason Palker: K♠J♣ All in
Arthur Morris: A♠Q♠

Palker held live cards but was still behind the ace-high of Morris. It quickly got desperate for Palker on the A♦8♥5♦ flop as Morris paired his ace. Nothing changed on the 2♣2♥ runout as Palker was sent to the rail by Morris.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vladimir Minko	621,000 183,000	183,000
Arthur Morris	455,000 455,000	455,000
Jason Palker	Busted

Tags: Arthur Morris Jason Palker Vladimir Minko

07-09-2025 20:17 UTC-8

Miracle River for Soverel

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Brett Slezak

Level 8 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Jason Koon opened to 16,000 from early position before Sam Soverel three-bet to 48,000 from the cutoff, and Koon called.

On the A♠Q♠2♣ flop, Koon checked in flow to Soverel who bet 36,000. Koon then check-raised to 110,000, and Soverel called.

The turn brought the 3♣ as Koon led all-in for 269,000 effective as the covering stack, and Soverel grimaced as he quickly put in the call.

Sam Soverel: A♦K♦ All in
Jason Koon: A♥Q♦

Koon flopped top two pair and was primed for the elimination as Soverel had just three outs. However, the K♥ magically appeared on the river as Soverel was able to survive as Koon falls below seven figures for the first time in several levels.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sam Soverel	874,000 574,000	574,000

Jason Koon	865,000 405,000	405,000

Tags: Jason Koon Sam Soverel

07-09-2025 20:22 UTC-8

Furuse Flips Well Against Wilson

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Liam Gannon

Level 8 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Action was picked up in a pot where Kazuomi Furuse was all in and at risk from under the gun for 390,000 up against Brandon Wilson from the button.

Kazuomi Furuse: J♥J♣ All in
Brandon Wilson: A♣K♣

The board ran out 9♥8♠4♣J♠J♦ and the quad jacks was good for Furuse to take down the pot at the expense of Wilson.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kazuomi Furuse	800,000 342,000	342,000
Brandon Wilson	176,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Brandon Wilson Kazuomi Furuse

07-09-2025 20:29 UTC-8

Wilson Shoves on Vaitiekunas

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Dan O'Hair

Level 8 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Brandon Wilson opened to 16,000 from the hijack and was called by Paulius Vaitiekunas in the big blind.

Vaitiekunas checked to Wilson, who continued for 11,000 on the 2♥Q♠5♠ flop. Vaitiekunas check-raised to 28,000 and, undeterred, Wilson announced he was all in for a bit under 200,000 total.

Vaitiekunas quickly laid his hand down and Wilson collected the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paulius Vaitiekunas	950,000 61,000	61,000

Brandon Wilson	230,000 54,000	54,000

Tags: Paulius Vaitiekunas Brandon Wilson

07-09-2025 21:00 UTC-8

Casino Royale! into the Chip Lead

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Brett Slezak

Level 9 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Martin Kabrhel opened the cutoff to 20,000 before Yuri Dzivielevski three-bet to 75,000 on the button. It folded back to Kabrhel who put out a four-bet to 245,000. Dzivielevski then shoved as the covering stack and Kabrhel called off for 894,000.

Martin Kabrhel: K♥K♣ All in
Yuri Dzivielevski: A♥K♠

It was a cooler scenario with Kabrhel having the best of it. The Q♦Q♣4♠ flop gave Dzivielevski a backdoor straight draw, but the board ran out 9♦J♥ and Kabrhel held on to become the chip leader in a massive pot during the final frame of play

Player	Chips	Progress
Martin Kabrhel	1,813,000 913,000	913,000

Yuri Dzivielevski	235,000 749,000	749,000

Tags: Martin Kabrhel Yuri Dzivielevski

07-09-2025 21:03 UTC-8

Foxen Leaves Yang With Crumbs

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Dan O'Hair

Level 9 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Kristen Foxen opened to 22,000 from early position and Chongxian Yang defended his big blind.

Yang check-called a 10,000 bet from Foxen on the J♠A♦8♣ flop and then both players checked on the K♦ turn.

The 8♠ completed the board and Yang checked a final time. Foxen overbet the pot for 100,000 and Yang looked her up after a bit of thought.

Foxen turned over Q♥8♥ for trip eights and Yang mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kristen Foxen	965,000 140,000	140,000

Chongxian Yang	15,000 153,000	153,000

Tags: Chongxian Yang Kristen Foxen

07-09-2025 21:04 UTC-8

Peters Cannot Fold Out Hamada

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Liam Gannon

Level 9 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Action was picked up on the river in a massive pot between David Peters in the hijack and Shoichiro Hamada in the big blind.

Hamada checked over to Peters on the board reading 9♥8♦A♦A♠K♠ and Peters bet 358,000 of his total stack of 359,000. Hamada went into the tank and burned two time extensions, eventually deciding to call.

Peters turned over 10♣8♣ for a missed straight draw, which was no good against Hamada's A♥3♠ for three aces.

"Wow you had to earn that one," tablemate Phong Turbo Nguyen said.

After being left with one chip, Peters was eliminated shortly after.

Player	Chips	Progress
Shoichiro Hamada	1,180,000 514,000	514,000
David Peters	Busted

Tags: David Peters Phong Turbo Nguyen Shoichiro Hamada

07-09-2025 21:09 UTC-8

Foxen Has the Better Eight

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Brett Slezak

Level 9 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Alex Foxen opened the cutoff to 22,000 and Pavel Plesuv defended his big blind.

The 9♠9♣8♦ flop checked through to the 3♣ turn which saw Plesuv check again before Foxen announced a bet of 24,000. Plesuv then check-raised to 85,000, and Foxen put in the call before the Q♥ river checked through.

Pavel Plesuv: 10♣8♠
Alex Foxen: K♣8♥

Both players had paired their eight but Foxen's kicker played as a modest pot was pushed in his direction.