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

2 days ago

Bates Leaves Balas on Crumbs

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

Donovan Bates raised from the cutoff and Dekel Balas called in the big blind.

On the J♦10♦8♠ flop, Balas led and Bates called.

Balas bet again on the A♠ turn and Bates called once more.

With just 30,000 behind, Balas checked the 5♣ river and Bates checked behind.

Dekel Balas: Q♦Q♣10♣7♦
Donovan Bates: A♦A♣5♥3♥

Balas was playing queens, while Bates had top set to scoop, leaving Balas with 30,000.

Balas got half three-ways the following hand, and then he scooped another one to get back to 180,000.

Tags: Dekel Balas Donovan Bates

2 days ago

Walter Raises Bates Twice

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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

Adam Walter: XxXx/6♥4♥
Donovan Bates: XxXx/A♦8♣ - folded on fourth street
Eddie Blumenthal: XxXx/7♦Q♣ - folded on fourth street

Donovan Bates completed and got calls from both Adam Walter and Eddie Blumenthal. He then carried on with a bet on the flop, but was raised by Walter. Both Blumenthal and Bates folded.

Omaha Hi-Lo

Donovan Bates limped in from the small blind and Adam Walter checked his option from the big. Bates bet on the A♦7♦2♥ flop and Walter raised. Bates folded again.

Tags: Adam Walter Donovan Bates Eddie Blumenthal

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

2 days 1 hour ago

Todd Ivens Eliminated in 8th Place ($23,540)

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Brett Slezak

Level 27

Limit Flop/Draw: 50,000-100,000, 100,000-200,000 Limits
Stud Games: 20,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 100,000 Completion, 100,000-200,000 Limits

Stud Hi-Lo

Todd Ivens: XxXx / 7♥3♦10♣8♠ / Xx All in
Nikolai Fal: XxXx / 4♦5♦10♦8♦ / Xx
Eddie Blumenthal: XxXx / 5♣2♥A♥A♦ / Xx

Blumenthal completed, Ivens raised, Fal cold-called from the bring-in, and Blumenthal called.

Ivens bet his final 70,000 on fourth and both called. Fifth street checked through on the side pot.

Blumenthal would check-call bets of sixth and seventh against Fal's four-flush board.

Fal tabled A♠Q♣7♦ for a flush and eight low. Blumenthal revealed K♣6♥4♣ for aces and a six low. Ivens had A♣5♠3♣ in the hole for threes and an eight low. Fal and Blumenthal chopped the entire pot, and Ivens was eliminated in eighth.

Tags: Eddie Blumenthal Nikolai Fal Todd Ivens

2 days 1 hour ago

Balas Getting Short

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Brett Slezak

Level 27

Limit Flop/Draw: 50,000-100,000, 100,000-200,000 Limits
Stud Games: 20,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 100,000 Completion, 100,000-200,000 Limits

Stud Hi-Lo

Dekel Balas: XxXx / 2♥3♦K♥6♠ / Xx
Eddie Blumenthal: XxXx / A♠6♣6♦8♥ / Xx

Blumenthal completed, Balas raised, and Blumenthal called. Blumenthal check-called on fourth.

Blumenthal then lead fifth with open sixes and Balas called. The same sequence occurred on sixth.

On seventh, Balas open-folded after seeing his last card, as he could not beat the sixes of Blumenthal, as he entered the danger zone.

Tags: Dekel Balas Eddie Blumenthal

2 days 1 hour ago

Vathanasin Leaves Ivens Short

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Jacob Wilson

Level 27

Limit Flop/Draw: 50,000-100,000, 100,000-200,000 Limits
Stud Games: 20,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 100,000 Completion, 100,000-200,000 Limits

Stud Hi-Lo

Nikolai Fal: XxXx/8♣10♦ - folded on fourth street
Mark Vathanasin: XxXx/4♦6♥8♥
Todd Ivens: XxXx/3♥9♦K♠

Nikolai Fal called Todd Ivens' bring in, before Mark Vathanasin completed. Both Ivens and Fal called to see fourth.

Vathanasin bet out when checked to on fourth, and Ivens called for a second time, but Fal made the fold.

Vathanasin bet yet again on fifth street, and Ivens went into the tank. He counted out his chips a few times, before eventually relinquishing his cards to the dealer.

Tags: Mark Vathanasin Nikolai Fal Todd Ivens

2 days 1 hour ago

Fal's Two Pair is Enough

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Brett Slezak

Level 27

Limit Flop/Draw: 50,000-100,000, 100,000-200,000 Limits
Stud Games: 20,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 100,000 Completion, 100,000-200,000 Limits

Stud Hi-Lo

Nikolai Fal: XxXx / 6♣8♣8♦4♦ / Xx
Dekel Balas: XxXx / 7♣2♠9♣A♦ / Xx

Fal limped next to the bring-in and Balas completed on his left, and Fal was the only caller.

Fal check-called on fourth, and then he led on fifth after making open eights.

On sixth, Fal check-called again and seventh street checked through.

"Only aces," announced Balas as Fal showed J♥J♣6♥ in the hole, and his jacks-up were enough for the win.

Tags: Dekel Balas Nikolai Fal

2 days 1 hour ago

Blumenthal Takes One Uncontested

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Brett Slezak

Level 27

Limit Flop/Draw: 50,000-100,000, 100,000-200,000 Limits
Stud Games: 20,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 100,000 Completion, 100,000-200,000 Limits

Stud Hi-Lo

Dekel Balas: XxXx / 8♦J♦7♥6♠ - folded on sixth street
Mark Vathanasin: XxXx / 4♦2♣K♠ - folded on fifth street
Eddie Blumenthal: XxXx / K♥9♣9♠6♦

Balas completed, Vathanasin called, Blumenthal raised, and both opponents called. Fourth street checked through.

On fifth, Blumenthal bet with open nines and only Balas called. Blumenthal bet again on sixth, and Balas let his hand go.

Tags: Dekel Balas Eddie Blumenthal Mark Vathanasin

2 days 1 hour ago

Justin Liberto Eliminated in 9th Place ($18,160)

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Jacob Wilson

Level 27

Limit Flop/Draw: 50,000-100,000, 100,000-200,000 Limits
Stud Games: 20,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 100,000 Completion, 100,000-200,000 Limits

Stud Hi-Lo

Justin Liberto: 10♠6♣A♥7♦/J♥7♠4♠
Soshi Yasoshima: 5♣2♣6♦J♠/7♥8♠2♦
Eddie Blumenthal: J♣2♠5♥Q♦/K♠K♥9♥

Justin Liberto completed, and Soshi Yasoshima called. Eddie Blumenthal then made it two bets to go, and Liberto moved all in. Both other players called, creating potential for a side pot. They then checked it down all the way to seventh, and cards were revealed. Liberto had no low, and a pair of sevens, which wasn't enough to stay alive. Blumenthal had kings for the high, and Yasoshima took the other half of the pot with his low.

Tags: Eddie Blumenthal Justin Liberto Soshi Yasoshima

2 days 2 hours ago