Event #98: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E.
Day 3 Completed
Event #98: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E.
Day 3 Completed
Despite the Main Event finishing after 20 hands of play early in the final day of the 2025 World Series of Poker, there was still significant money up for grabs. Day 3 of Event #98: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. saw 14 players return for the finale, with all eyes on the first-place prize of $883,841.
However, the one hoisting the bracelet by night’s end was Chad Eveslage, who proved yet again why he is one of the toughest players in the world in the mixed game scene after defeating the formidable Brian Rast heads up.
Eveslage bested a record-breaking field of 150 hopefuls to collect his fourth WSOP bracelet, with the first coming in 2022 in a $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em event, and the second and third coming in 2023 in the $1,500 and $10,000 Dealers Choice.
Eveslage also claimed the inaugural $100,000 buy-in Super High Roller Bowl Mixed Games back in March, and with this title added to his resume, it is clear why Eveslage is regarded as one of the very best in the world.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chad Eveslage | United States | $883,841 |
| 2 | Brian Rast | United States | $586,539 |
| 3 | Toby Lewis | United Kingdom | $399,763 |
| 4 | Nacho Barbero | Argentina | $280,030 |
| 5 | Ryan Miller | United States | $201,761 |
| 6 | Phil Ivey | United States | $149,643 |
| 7 | John Hennigan | United States | $114,350 |
| 8 | Chris Hunichen | United States | $90,110 |
Eveslage spoke with PokerNews following his victory with a sense of relief.
"I'm still kind of locked in and very exhausted from the World Series. I feel pretty excited, but I usually feel it more the next day instead of right after winning," Eveslage explained.
Eveslage is coming off a great year and this was the cherry on top, as Eveslage attributes his success to simply putting in the reps.
"I'm just playing a lot right now and feel pretty sharp. I got good friends that I can ask about hands with, which helps."
Eveslage was left on a super short stack late on Day 2, but he found a double on the second to last hand of the night, and he rode that momentum into Day 3.
"Four hands in I had 2.3 million [chips] after coming in with 460,000. I just coolered everybody on my first table, so I actually had a big stack relatively quick and then ran good when the blinds got big, and that's how you win," Eveslage admitted.
Eveslage was proud to have defeated poker legend Brian Rast heads-up, and he has nothing but respect for his play.
"My friends laugh at me becuase I think a lot of guys aren't very good, but I can't say that about Brian; he plays pretty much perfect."
"I just hope to play my best. I ran so good heads-up and it was sick, so I'm very happy."
14 players returned to the Horseshoe Event Center with a star-studded cast of Hall of Famers and mixed game experts, as Toby Lewis led the pack into the final day.
The eliminations came quick to start the day, with John Monnette, Robert Wells, Nick Guagenti, and Tomasz Gluszko all bowing out during the first level play.
Shortly after, the elimination of Hall of Famer David Oppenheim set up the final table of nine as the remaining players combined at a single feature table to go to battle.
Lewis came into the final table with a substantial chip lead, with Eveslage starting in second place and Ben Yu bringing up the rear.
Yu would be the first to fall after getting his short stack into the middle in Seven Card Stud. He had a pair of fours but could not improve against the aces of Lewis as he was the first casualty of the final table.
Chris Hunichen and Hall of Famer John Hennigan would then be eliminated in quick succession as Lewis extended his lead atop the counts.
The next elimination was none other than poker legend Phil Ivey in sixth place. A stretch of bad luck would leave him on a short stack, and he got the rest into the middle in Limit Hold'em with ace-four against the king-queen of Rast. Rast would spike a queen on the flop, and Ivey could not improve as he made a premature exit.
The final five would head to a dinner break before Ryan Miller fell in fifth place on the first hand back. He was involved in a Stud Hi-Lo hand with queens and low draw against the kings of Rast. However, Miller bricked on seventh street as he had to settle for fifth.
Nacho Barbero's stack rode a rollercoaster during four-handed play before he finally met his end. He flopped middle set in Omaha Hi-Lo and was all-in against the top pair and gutter of Lewis. However, Lewis would make his straight on the river to scoop as a frustrated Barbero hit the exit.
Toby Lewis, who spend the majority of the day atop the counts, would ultimately be eliminated in third place. Just days after his second-place finish in the $3,000 T.O.R.S.E., Lewis made another impressive run. He became short stacked after a few big hands and got the rest into the middle in Limit Hold'em with middle pair, but Eveslage paired one of his overcards on the turn, and Lewis was eliminated in third.
Eveslage would enter heads-up play with an almost 2:1 chip advantage over Rast, and he dominated from the very start. Rast became short-stacked after just fifty minutes but he was able to double to find some life. However, it would short-lived after a hand of Seven Card Stud spelled the end. Rast bet all-in on fifth street with a pair of fives but ran into the jacks of Eveslage. Neither player improved on their runouts, and Eveslage was able to celebrate his fourth bracelet!
That does it for PokerNews’ coverage of the 2025 World Series of Poker. Stay tuned as we continue to cover tournaments around the world and give all the updates from the poker world!
Seven Card Stud
Brian Rast: K♠4♦/5♥6♥5♣8♠/A♦
Chad Eveslage: Q♣J♥/2♣5♦J♦4♣/6♣
Chad Eveslage brought in, Brian Rast completed, and Eveslage called. Rast bet on fourth and fifth street, with the last bet putting him all-in. Eveslage called both times, creating a showdown.
Rast's fives were up against the jacks of Eveslage. Neither player improved on the subsequent streets, setting Rast's runner-up status in stone.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,500,000
2,200,000
|
2,200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Razz
Brian Rast: 8x2x / 10x8x2x3x / Xx
Chad Eveslage: Jx5x / 4x4x10x9x / Xx
Rast was all-in for 800,000 on third, at risk against Eveslage. Rast made a ten on sixth as Eveslage was drawing dead.
Rast picked up a couple more pots uncontested the following two hands as he gains some momentum
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
20,300,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,200,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
||
Omaha Hi-Lo
Brian Rast raised his button, and Chad Eveslage defended his big blind. Eveslage check-called Rast's bet on the Q♦9♥J♥ flop before both players checked the 6♦ turn.
Eveslage led out on 5♦ river. "I'm such a station," Rast muttered to himself as he pondered a call.
Eventually, he slammed in some chips. Eveslage revealed J♠9♣7♥2♦ for jacks and nines, and Rast stated he had sixes and fives with the king of diamonds as his cards hit the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,100,000
2,100,000
|
2,100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,400,000
2,100,000
|
2,100,000 |
|
|
||
Limit Hold'em
Brian Rast raised from the button, Chad Eveslage three-bet from the big blind, and Rast called.
Eveslage led the Q♦9♠6♠ flop, Rast raised, and Eveslage called.
The 5♣ turn checked through to the K♦ river which saw Eveslage lead and Rast quickly called. Eveslage tabled K♥9♥ for two pair which was good for the win as Rast falls below six big bets.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
19,000,000
2,150,000
|
2,150,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,500,000
2,150,000
|
2,150,000 |
|
|
||
Limit Hold'em
Chad Eveslage raised on the button, calling when Brian Rast three-bet his big blind. Rast continued with a bet on the 3♥2♥Q♥ flop, which Eveslage raised.
Rast called, after which the 5♥ was checked by both. Rast also checked the 7♦ river, and he called when Eveslage fired another bet.
Eveslage showed 8♦7♥ for a flush, and Rast's cards were never seen as they were added to the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,850,000
1,350,000
|
1,350,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,650,000
1,350,000
|
1,350,000 |
|
|
||
Omaha Hi-Lo
Chad Eveslage raised the button and Brian Rast defended his big blind.
On the 10♥9♠3♠ flop, Rast opted to lead and Eveslage called.
Rast led again on the 6♣ turn, and Eveslage laid it down after a small tank as Rast got a few chips back.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,500,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
7,000,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
|
||
Omaha Hi-Lo
Brian Rast limped his button, and Chad Eveslage checked his option in the big blind. Both players checked the 9♦10♠6♠ flop to the A♣ turn, where Eveslage led out with a bet.
Rast called to the 3♦ river, where Eveslage bet again. Rast quickly called, but his cards hit the muck when Eveslage tabled Q♠9♠5♣4♠ for a six-low and a pair of sixes.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,100,000
1,700,000
|
1,700,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
6,400,000
1,700,000
|
1,700,000 |
|
|
||
The heads-up match between Chad Eveslage and Brian Rast has begun.
The game is Omaha Hi-Lo and there is 41:44 remaining in Level 27 with limits of 300,000/600,000. Four hands of each game will be played.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
14,400,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
8,100,000 | |
|
|
||