With limited media access to the new feature tables, PokerNews will provide updates where possible, alongside the results of the match-ups and the updated bracket as players are eliminated. Some matches will be streamed by the World Series of Poker, and our updates will follow the same delay as the live stream.
Down to his last 6,300 chips, Aliaksei Boika was forced all-in against Dario Sammartino
Aliaksei Boika: 10♠2♠
Dario Sammartino: 10♦4♥
Sammartino hit a pair of fours in the 3♥4♠7♠3♣A♥ runout for the knockout to end the longest match of the session.
The duo went past the listed 12 blind levels, and were bumped up to a new level by the floor just prior to the final hand.
Dario Sammartino completed on the button then Aliaksei Boika announced an all-in for around 150,000. Sammartino called, putting his tournament life at risk.
Dario Sammartino: A♥J♥
Aliaksei Boika: KxJ♣
Sammartino was ahead and his double up was sealed when the board ran 4♣6♦9♥10♠A♠. Sammartino scooped the pot towards his direction, leaving Boika with not even a small blind.
Level: 13
Blinds: 6,000/12,000
Ante: 0
Dario Sammartino completed from the button and Aliaksei Boika checked out of the big blind.
Both players checked a runout of 5♦8♣Q♦10♦A♣ all the way down and Sammartino won the hand with K♥4♦ for king-high.
Aliaksei Boika moved all in with 74,400 chips. Dario Sammartino called.
Aliaksei Boika: J♦J♥
Dario Sammartino: 5♦5♣
Boika's jacks held through a runout of A♦4♦6♠2♥7♥, putting the match back to just about where it started, more than four hours earlier.
On the button, Aliaksei Boika announced an all-in for 164,800 and Dario Sammartino made the call, putting his tournament life on the line.
Dario Sammartino: A♠2♦
Aliaksei Boika: K♠2♠
The flop showed 4♣Q♠A♣, which strengthened Sammartino's lead. His double-up was secured when the board completed with a 7♥ turn and a Q♥ river.
In the 968th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas for the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
To kick things off, they show footage from a recent police raid at Houston's Lucky J's Social Club in Texas. While it may have been reminiscent of the raid at The Lodge back in March, it's actually quite different, as the crew explains.
From there, they turn their attention to the WSOP, including a look at the brand new main stage arena that debuted on Friday. Hear from the new WSOP Countdown crew, including Jeff Platt, David Williams, Norman Chad, and Joe "Stapes" Stapleton. Plus, a tour of the WSOP shop featuring brand new merchandise and clothing that harkens back to the WSOP days of old.
Speaking of the WSOP, the first bracelet has been awarded, 90-year-old legend Perry Green made a deep run, and High Stakes Live is coming in June!
Other stories include Shawn Sheikhan getting out of prison, Daniel Negreanu and his wife are expecting their first child, and an entertaining live-stream from The Lodge featuring Doug Polk, Garrett Adelstein, and Alan Keating, the last two playing against each other for the first time. Oh, and you won't want to miss the tale of Big John Oakinson.
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.
Level: 12
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 0
Dario Sammartino limped in on the button, and Aliaksei Boika checked his option in the big blind.
Both players checked on the A♠7♠4♦, which gave Boika the green light to put a bet of 8,000 into the middle on the 2♦ turn. Sammartino called, and the 4♣ completed the board. Once again, both players checked.
Boika tabled 7♣6♥, and Sammartino mucked his hand, bringing the stacks back to level.
Dario Sammartino jammed the button and Aliaksei Boika called from the big blind.
Aliaksei Boika: K♣K♠
Dario Sammartino: K♥8♠
Sammartino had shoved into Boika's premium pair and was unable to find any help on the 6♦A♥3♣9♠4♦ runout, which meant Boika doubled up.
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