The WSOP has moved the final 3 tables to the streamed featured tables area, which means our live reporting will have to be delayed by around 2.5 hours to match the Live Stream, per the WSOP media guidelines. We apologize for the inconvenience.
In the 977th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas by a pair from the UK in Grosvenor Poker's Katie Swift and Philip "The Tower" Heald.
The quartet discusses the recent high-profile bet between Phil Hellmuth and Shaun Deeb, one involving the former's son, Phillip "P3" Hellmuth III, and the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. Deeb stands to win $14,000 max, while Hellmuth could potentially win $10,000,000! It's an extremely long shot, but what do you think?
From there, the crew looks at a pair of game-changing hands. In the first, Dario Sammartino shared on social media that an automatic shuffler has apparently sorted the cards, which resulted in two very similar hands, and in the other, a dealer error resulted in the final two players in the COLOSSUS being dealt the wrong cards in the first hand of heads-up play. No one noticed in real time, and the tournament ended as a result.
Other topics include changes to the Poker Hall of Fame, The Tower advocating for Barny Boatman and John Duthie to be inducted, and a look ahead to Grosvenor Poker's famed GOLIATH, which will run July 23-August 2. Finally, don't forget to order your Think Jerky here!
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.
Sean Rafael raised to 105,000 from under the gun and Venkat Chivukula was the only caller from the next seat.
Rafael bet 40,000 on the 5♥3♥J♥ flop and Chivukula immediately raised to 105,000. Rafael put in the call to see at least one more card.
Both players checked the 7♣ turn and 9♠ river. Rafael turned over A♠Q♣J♣7x for two pair, and Chivukula furiously slammed his cards into the muck.
David Benyamine made it 105,000 from early position and only Venkat Chivukula wanted to play from the button.
Benyamine fired a continuation-bet of 50,000 on the 5♥10♦Q♦ flop and Chivukula came along with a call.
The 7♥ turn and 7♦ river checked through, and Benyamine took down the pot with A♣A♥8♥3♣ for pocket aces.
Aaron Mermelstein raised to 105,000 from middle position. Yuri Dzivielevski three-bet to 350,000 from the small blind. The big blind folded and Mermelstein, with 60,000, behind made the call.
Aaron Mermelstein: K♥10♦6♥5♦ 
Yuri Dzivielevski: J♦J♣7♣2♦
Mermelstein got off to a great start as he flopped two pair on the 7♦10♠K♠ board. He improved to a full house when the 10♥ landed on the turn, leaving Yuri Dzivielevski drawing thin.
The 6♦ river was no help to Dzivielevski, and Mermelstein secured the double-up.
Jeremy Ausmus limped in from under the gun, and Jason Koon raised to 135,000 on the button. Ausmus called and then jammed for 335,000 when he saw the Q♠6♥J♦ flop. Koon stuck in the call.
Jeremy Ausmus: K♠Q♦J♠3♦
Jason Koon: K♥K♣7♦4♥
Ausmus was ahead with two pair against the overpair of Koon. Ausmus improved to a full house after the rest of the board ran out A♣J♥, and he doubled through Koon.
After the hand, Koon expressed his feelings about PLO right then with, "This game is so frustrating at times."
A couple of hands later, Ausmus checked from the big blind on the turn of a board showing 3♥2♦J♣4♦ with about 215,000 in the pot. Koon checked behind from the hijack, and the K♦ completed the board.
Ausmus checked, and Koon bet around 220,000. Ausmus thought for a while before sticking in the call.
Koon immediately mucked his cards, allowing Ausmus to win the pot without showing. The two pots in quick succession pushed Ausmus above the seven-figure mark.
Action went three-ways to a flop of A♥2♥8♠ in a hand between Venkat Chivukula in middle position, Chris Hunichen in the cutoff, and David Benyamine in the small blind.
With about 500,000 in the pot, Benyamine led out for 275,000 and only Chivukula continued to the 5♥ turn. Both players checked to the 5♠ river, where Benyamine checked again.
Chivukula slid out a bet of 500,000 and after a brief moment of thought, Benyamine mucked.
Joao Simao raised to 85,000 from under the gun, and Jason Koon called in the big blind.
Simao fired out a bet of 110,000 when the flop came 10♠Q♦6♣, and Koon made the call. Simao fired out another bet of 150,000 when the 6♠ hit the turn.
However, Koon decided to raise to 420,000. Simao was in the tank for around 20 seconds before he clicked the raise to 700,000.
Koon, who was clearly surprised by the bet, eventually mucked his cards.
Action went heads-up to a flop of 5♥6♣6♥ in a hand between Santhosh Suvarna on the button and Veselin Karakitukov in the big blind.
With about 800,000 already in the middle, the rest of the money quickly went in, with Karakitukov at risk for his remaining 265,000.
Veselin Karakitukov: A♥Q♦Q♠10♦
Santhosh Suvarna: K♠J♦4♦3♠
Karakitukov's queens remained best as the board ran out 3♣5♦, earning him the double-up.
Level: 16
Blinds: 15,000/30,000
Ante: 30,000
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