Event #45: $2,500 Mixed Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better; Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better | 2026 World Series of Poker

1 day 21 hours ago

Vathanasin Short Again

Brett Slezak

Level 29

Limit Flop/Draw: 75,000-150,000, 150,000-300,000 Limits
Stud Games: 40,000 Ante, 50,000 Bring-In, 150,000 Completion, 150,000-300,000 Limits

Omaha Hi-Lo

Mark Vathanasin limped from the hijack, Donovan Bates raised from the small blind, Adam Walter called in the big blind, and Vathanasin came along.

The K♥J♠4♦ flop checked through to the Q♦ turn which saw Bates lead. Walter folded and Vathanasin called.

The 9♠ river checked through and Bates announced two pair, showing A♥Q♣4♥2♠ for the winner with queens and fours.

Tags: Adam Walter Donovan Bates Mark Vathanasin

1 day 21 hours ago

Blumenthal Catches Walter's Bluff

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Brett Slezak

Level 29

Limit Flop/Draw: 75,000-150,000, 150,000-300,000 Limits
Stud Games: 40,000 Ante, 50,000 Bring-In, 150,000 Completion, 150,000-300,000 Limits

Omaha Hi-Lo

Adam Walter raised from the hijack and Eddie Blumenthal called in the big blind.

On the K♦J♥8♣ flop, Blumenthal check-called a bet from Walter.

The Q♦ turn checked through to the A♠ river as Blumenthal checked a final time as Walter quickly fired another bet. After a minute's tank, Blumenthal flicked in a chip to call.

Adam Walter: A♥7♣4♥3♥
Eddie Blumenthal: K♠Q♠7♥2♠

Blumenthal made the right call with kings and queens to collect another pot.

Tags: Adam Walter Eddie Blumenthal

1 day 22 hours ago

Vathanasin Doubles With Flush

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Jacob Wilson

Level 29

Limit Flop/Draw: 75,000-150,000, 150,000-300,000 Limits
Stud Games: 40,000 Ante, 50,000 Bring-In, 150,000 Completion, 150,000-300,000 Limits

Omaha Hi-Lo

Adam Walter opened from the cutoff, and Mark Vathanasin moved all in from the small blind. Walter made the call, and the two went off to a runout.

Mark Vathanasin: A♥K♥5♣3♠ All in
Adam Walter: A♦K♦7♥2♦

If Vathanasin could've chosen a flop, it probably would've been the 10♥2♥Q♣ that was put down. He flopped the nut flush draw, and his opponent's nut low cards were counterfeit. The 9♣ turn changed nothing, but the Q♥ river gave him the nut flush, as he doubled in a huge spot.

Tags: Adam Walter Mark Vathanasin

1 day 22 hours ago

Vathanasin Can't Scoop, but Survives

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Brett Slezak

Level 29

Limit Flop/Draw: 75,000-150,000, 150,000-300,000 Limits
Stud Games: 40,000 Ante, 50,000 Bring-In, 150,000 Completion, 150,000-300,000 Limits

Stud Hi-Lo

Mark Vathanasin: 3♠2♥ / 5♣6♠J♥7♠ / Xx All in
Eddie Blumenthal: A♠2♦ / K♦6♦10♥8♦ / Xx

Vathanasin completed, Blumenthal raised, Vathanasin made it three bets with just a few chips behind, and Blumenthal asked for the rest.

Going into seventh, Vathanasin had a made low, and he caught the 3♣ to make a pair. Blumenthal had no pair, but he caught the Q♦ on the end to complete his flush, and the pot was chopped.

Tags: Eddie Blumenthal Mark Vathanasin

1 day 22 hours ago

Play Resumes

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Brett Slezak

Level 29

Limit Flop/Draw: 75,000-150,000, 150,000-300,000 Limits
Stud Games: 40,000 Ante, 50,000 Bring-In, 150,000 Completion, 150,000-300,000 Limits

The final six players have returned from dinner and action is back underway.

Level: 29

Limit Flop/Draw: 75,000-150,000, 150,000-300,000 Limits
Stud Games: 40,000 Ante, 50,000 Bring-In, 150,000 Completion, 150,000-300,000 Limits

1 day 23 hours ago

Did Mike Holtz Have the Most Epic Bracelet Celebration Ever? | PokerNews Podcast Episode #974

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Matt O'Halloran

Level 28

Limit Flop/Draw: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

In a special 974th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Mike Holtz and Ben Ludlow come to you from the floor of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) and are joined by a special guest in 2006 WSOP Player of the Year Jeff Madsen.

With co-host Chad Holloway away for the week, the three discuss Holtz winning his second bracelet in Event #31: $1,500 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold’em. The two-time WSOP.com POY topped a field of 2,103 entries and defeated heads-up opponent Mei Seow to win a career-best $238,097 and his first live bracelet.

Holtz, who had a rowdy rail that included Ludlow and Madsen, also delivered one of the most epic bracelet win celebrations in recent memory.

Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! Oh, and be sure to check out the audio version of the PokerNews Podcast that is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops three times a week during the 2026 WSOP! You can expect a new episode every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Check Out the Latest PokerNews Podcast Episode

1 day 23 hours ago

Dinner Break

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Brett Slezak

Level 28

Limit Flop/Draw: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

The final six players are taking a dinner break with play set to resume at 8:38 p.m.

Action resumes in Level 29 with limits of 150,000/300,000 and an average stack of 3,425,000

1 day 23 hours ago

Vathanasin Survives Blind

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Brett Slezak

Level 28

Limit Flop/Draw: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

Omaha Hi-Lo

Eddie Blumenthal raised from the hijack and Donovan Bates called on his left. In the big blind, Mark Vathanasin blind put in his 245,000 stack, as Blumenthal and Bates tossed in the additional 5,000 to call.

On the 5♥4♣2♥ flop, Blumenthal led and Bates called.

Blumenthal the check-folded on the 4♥ turn as Vathanasin slowly turned his cards over one by one.

Mark Vathanasin: A♠5♦5♣2♣ All in
Donovan Bates: A♥A♦7♥6♣

Vathanasin picked up a premium blind, and his full house beat out the nut flush of Bates, who did secure the low on the 9♥ river as the pot was chopped, and Vathanasin survived.

Tags: Donovan Bates Eddie Blumenthal Mark Vathanasin

1 day 23 hours ago

Dekel Balas Eliminated in 7th Place ($31,100)

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Jacob Wilson

Level 28

Limit Flop/Draw: 60,000-120,000, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

Stud Hi-Lo

Dekel Balas was down to his last 180,000, before play switched from Omaha Hi-Lo to Stud Hi-Lo. In the first hand, he had to bring in, and was left with just 120,000. He was unlucky enough to catch the lowest card again the hand after, and this time he opted to complete all-in. Eddie Blumenthal raised, and everybody else folded.

Dekel Balas: A♦7♣/2♣10♦9♦4♠/Q♠
Eddie Blumenthal: 10♠10♥/4♦6♥Q♥5♦/8♠

Blumenthal's tens in the hole were enough all the way, as Balas' board ran out leaving him with just ace high. He had a draw to the low on sixth, but bricked, sending him to the rail in seventh.

Tags: Dekel Balas Eddie Blumenthal