[us-] PokerStars US NAPT for ALL US Wallpaper June 25 - 12

2025 World Series of Poker

Day: 2
Event Info

2025 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
52
Prize
$252,386
Event Info
Buy-in
$800
Prize Pool
$1,995,700
Entries
2,851
Level Info
Level
40
Blinds
800,000 / 1,600,000
Ante
1,600,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
162
Players Left
1

Event #95: $800 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack

Day 2 Completed

Mariano Balfagon Hits The Big Time Winning First WSOP Bracelet in $800 Deepstack for $252,386

Level 40 : Blinds 800,000/1,600,000, 1,600,000 ante
Mariano Balfagon
Mariano Balfagon

Event #95: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack at the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) has concluded here at The Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas. The event attracted a field of 2,851 runners, generating a total prize pool of $1,995,700 with $252,386 being awarded to the champion.

162 players bagged up from Day 1 of the tournament to fight it out on Day 2 for the title and take home the coveted World Series of Poker bracelet along with the first-place prize.

Mariano Balfagon navigated his way through the day to capture the majority of the $1,995,700 prize pool and his first World Series of Poker bracelet along with a prize of over 20 times his previous best-ever live cash result. After entering heads-up play with a more than three-to-one chip lead, Balfagon was able to close out the victory against Andrew Ahn under the lights of the Horseshoe Las Vegas.

$800 Deepstack Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Mariano BalfagonArgentina$252,386
2Andrew AhnUnited States$168,122
3Nan ChenUnited States$122,705
4Alon EldarIsrael$90,413
5Jon TurnerUnited States$67,262
6Wesley FeiChina$50,526
7Kevin ChoiUnited Kingdom$38,328
8Lei YuChina$29,364
9Gustavo AndolheBrazil$22,722

Winner's Reaction

Balfagon has been playing poker for approximately 20 years and competing at the World Series for seven years. His largest previous score was $11,431 according to The Hendon Mob, but today's win will be more than twenty times that amount.

"I’m feeling really good and really happy. It was a dream of mine to end up with a bracelet, and now I have fulfilled that dream."

“Now I will look at buying into some slightly higher buy-in events and the main event next year. I will now just enjoy the money and do some travelling, enjoy life, and keep on playing poker!”

Balfagon didn’t have a set strategy for the final table, but is aware that a major hand against Alon Eldar set him up for the win, and he realised that it was within his grasp after winning this hand.

Balfagon would like to thank his best friend who was on the rail today for him to give him support and advice, and said, “I would not have been able to do this without him there on the rail for me.”

Mariano Balfagon
Mariano Balfagon

Day Two Play

Balfagon cruised through the day, gradually building his stack, and started to push on when less than 20 players were remaining. He got a huge boost to his stack by busting Mariyan Stoychev when his queen-nine cracked Stoychev’s jacks. He then eliminated Yang Li when his ace-seven held against Li’s king-seven.

Final Table Action

Balfagon started the final table in second spot and pushed on right from the off.

He took the chip lead in a massive pot against Jon Turner and never really looked back from this point. Balfagon busted Gustavo Andolhe in ninth spot when his king-ten outdrew Andolhe’s ace-six. He continued to build his stack at the final table and got an added bonus when he sniffed out Alon Eldar’s bluff.

Alon Eldar
Alon Eldar

With one of the top contenders at the final table in Jon Turner taken out in fifth spot, Balfagon continued to pile on the pressure and took a massive chip lead when he eliminated Eldar in fourth place.

This chip lead grew when he then took out Nan Chen in third place to take the tournament heads up with Andrew Ahn.

Heads-Up Play

Heads-up play was brief, with Balfagon entering the match at a more than three-to-one advantage. Ahn never got any momentum, and the final hand saw Balfagon’s five-two crack Ahn’s queens.

This concludes coverage of Event #95: $800 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack. Stay tuned to PokerNews for more from the 2025 World Series of Poker.

Tags: Alon EldarAndrew AhnGustavo AndolheJon TurnerKevin ChoiLei YuMariano BalfagonNan ChenWesley FeiYang Li

Andrew Ahn Eliminated in 2nd Place ($168,122)

Level 40 : Blinds 800,000/1,600,000, 1,600,000 ante
Andrew Ahn
Andrew Ahn

Andrew Ahn raised from the button to 3,200,000 and received a call from Mariano Balfagon in the big blind. The flop came out with 424, and Balfagon checked. Ahn bet 4,000,000, and Balfagon moved all in for 18,000,000 effective, and Ahn called.

Andrew Ahn: QQ All in
Mariano Balfagon: 52

Ahn was ahead with his queens heading to the turn, which was the J, but the river 2 brought Balfagon trips for the win.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mariano Balfagon ar
Mariano Balfagon
114,000,000
28,000,000
28,000,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Andrew Ahn us
Andrew Ahn
Busted

Tags: Andrew AhnMariano Balfagon

[com] Run It Once Summer Sale 728x90 June 16 - July 17

Level: 40

Blinds: 800,000/1,600,000

Ante: 1,600,000

[us-] PokerStars US NAPT for ALL US 728x90 June 25 - 12

Nan Chen Eliminated in 3rd Place ($122,705)

Level 39 : Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Nan Chen
Nan Chen

Mariano Balfagon raised on the button to 3,000,000, Nan Chen shoved roughly 9,000,000 from the small blind, Balfagon snap-called.

Nan Chen: A6 All in
Mariano Balfagon: QQ

The board ran out 89754, and Chen was eliminated in third place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mariano Balfagon ar
Mariano Balfagon
89,600,000
28,100,000
28,100,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Andrew Ahn us
Andrew Ahn
23,400,000
6,400,000
6,400,000
Profile photo of Nan Chen us
Nan Chen
Busted

Tags: Mariano BalfagonNan Chen

Ahn Doubles Through Chen

Level 39 : Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Andrew Ahn
Andrew Ahn

Mariano Balfagon raised from the button to 3,000,000, and Nan Chen called from the small blind.

Andrew Ahn then three-bet all-in from the big blind for a total of 13,100,000. Balfagon folded, and Chen didn't take long to make the call.

Andrew Ahn: KQAll in
Nan Chen: 33

The flop rolled off of AQ5 to send Ahn into the lead, and when the Q came on the turn, he needed to avoid a three for a full double-up. The J peeled off on the river, and Ahn was shipped the pot for a full double-up and more.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mariano Balfagon ar
Mariano Balfagon
61,500,000
5,500,000
5,500,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Andrew Ahn us
Andrew Ahn
29,800,000
15,800,000
15,800,000
Profile photo of Nan Chen us
Nan Chen
18,500,000
16,700,000
16,700,000

Tags: Andrew AhnMariano BalfagonNan Chen

[us-] PokerStars US NAPT for ALL US 728x90 June 25 - 12

Chen Wins a Big Flip Versus Ahn

Level 39 : Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante

Nan Chen moved all in from the small blind for 17,600,000, and Andrew Ahn stated, "Let's go." The cards were tabled, and the race was happening.

Nan Chen: 33 All in
Andrew Ahn: AQ

The board dodged all of the Broadway cards Ahn would require when it ran out with K2879, and a pair of threes brought out a cheer from Chen.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Nan Chen us
Nan Chen
35,200,000
24,300,000
24,300,000
Profile photo of Andrew Ahn us
Andrew Ahn
14,000,000
20,900,000
20,900,000

Tags: Andrew AhnNan Chen

Alon Eldar Eliminated in 4th Place ($90,413)

Level 39 : Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Alon Eldar
Alon Eldar

Alon Eldar called 1,200,000 in the small blind, Mariano Balfagon checked in the big blind.

The flop came 6K4, Eldar bet 1,200,000, Balfagon raised to 4,500,000, Eldar called.

The action did not slow down on the 3 turn as Eldar decided to check-shove 16,000,000 after Balfagon bet 7,500,000, Balfagon snap-called.

Alon Eldar: KJ All in
Mariano Balfagon: 64

Eldar was eliminated when the 5 was dealt on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mariano Balfagon ar
Mariano Balfagon
67,000,000
25,700,000
25,700,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Alon Eldar il
Alon Eldar
Busted

Tags: Alon EldarMariano Balfagon