2025 World Series of Poker

Luo Ramps Up the Aggression

Robert Klein was making a bit of a comeback, but Xixiang Luo took down two decent pots in a short space of time to once again be on the brink.

8♣10♣6♥
8♠7♦J♣

Klein fired 1,200,000 on the first flop and Luo potted to 4,800,000. Klein folded.

7♠K♦J♣
5♠5♦7♣

Not long after, the action repeated itself as Klein bet 1,200,000 and Luo potted again. Klein was forced to muck again, leaving him with around six antes in his stack.

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Klein Picks Up a Pot

2♦7♦5♠K♦
6♠A♠2♣3♣

There were 1,000,000 chips in the middle when Robert Klein bet 500,000 from the big blind and Xixiang Luo called on the button. Klein continued his aggression with a bet of 2,000,000 when the turn cards were dealt, Luo folded.

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So happy for my boy trash can Rob. Hopefully he takes it down

Luo Continues to Climb

The last three pots haven't seen a showdown, but two of them went Xixiang Luo's way as he continues his march toward a third WSOP bracelet.

Robert Klein has become the short stack and has around seven antes to work with.

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Dinner Break

Players are on a 60-minute dinner break.

Play will resume at around 7:40 p.m.

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Smith Won’t Go Down Lightly

9♥3♠7♠2♥9♦

4♣9♠4♥8♣10♦

Xixiang Luo was second to act and bet 500,000. Brian Smith then shoved for 1,050,000 and when it got back to Luo, he called.

Brian Smith: 10♣7♣6♠4♠ All in
Xixiang Luo: K♥J♣6♦4♦

Smith found a great runout as his managed to scoop and double up to get back in contention.

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Luo Still On Top; Klein Short-Stacked

7♦2♥3♥9♠

K♣7♣Q♦4♥

Second to act, Xixiang Luo bet 500,000 on the flop and Samuel Stranak was the only one to call.

When the turn hit, Stranak check-folded when Luo potted it to 2,000,000.

J♣5♣3♣

3♥5♠K♥

Shortly after, Robert Klein managed to pick up some valuable antes after he potted to 1,000,000 first to act and everybody else folded.

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Good Runout for Smith

—

Q♦8♥K♠10♣J♣

A♣5♠10♦9♦K♥

Samuel Stranak made it 375,000 from the cutoff on the flop and only Brian Smith called.

"What do you need?" asked Stranak.

The turns and rivers were both checked through and Smith said, "They were bad runouts for my hand,", before he showed J
♠10♠9♠5♥for a straight on top and two pair on bottom.

Stranak looked at his cards for a while before he said, "Nope, they were good runouts for you,", before he mucked.

Bjorn Verbakel Eliminated in 6th Place
($53,824)

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6♦8♦8♣A♦Q♥

A♣K♥10♦9♣7♣

Bjorn Verbakel was first to act and shoved 900,000, and when it got to Brian Smith, he made it 1,900,000. Danny Wong was behind and shoved, and Smith quickly called off his stack of around 5,000,000.

Bjorn Verbakel: J♣10♥8♥3♥ All in
Brian Smith: Q♦J♦9♠7♠ All in
Danny Wong: K♣K♠8♠4♠

Smith had flopped a flush draw on the top along with the nuts on the bottom, and improved to a flush on the top turn. The rivers changed nothing and Smith scooped a monster pot to send Verbakel out in sixth.

Lou Really Applying the Pressure

—

J♦5♣5♦J♥A♥

A♣Q♦9♣4♥8♣

There were 750,000 chips in the pot and it checked to Xixiang Luo who bet 400,000 on the flop from the hijack, Robert Klein called in the cutoff. Luo did not slow down when the turn cards were dealt and he bet 1,500,000, Klein called again.

Luo fired again when the river cards were dealt putting Klein all in for his tournament life, after a short while Klein decided to fold. Luo picked up his cards and exposed the J♣to the table.

Ian Matakis Eliminated in 7th Place
($40,410)

—

A♠A♥Q♥7♣K♦

K♣10♦K♠10♠A♣

There were 1,050,000 in the middle and action checked on the flop. Action checked to Ian Matakis on the turn and he bet 1,050,000 from the hijack. Danny Wong called on the button not realising Matakis had roughly 400,000 behind as he went to turn over his hand and a player stopped him.

Matakis decided to check when the river cards were dealt and Wong after a few seconds put Matakis all in, Matakis called. Matakis tabled K♥7♥5♣2♥ but Wang tabled A♦Q♣J♦9♥ making him a full house on the top board and a straight on the bottom board.

Matakis Chops with Klein

—

K♥10♦4♦Q♦7♦

6♠4♠5♦8♥6♥

The flop checked around and when it got to Ian Matakis on the turn, he shoved for 1,050,000, exactly the size of the pot. Only Robert Klein called.

Ian Matakis: A♦10♥9♥3♦ All in
Robert Klein: A♥9♦7♣5♥

Matakis had a flush on the top and Klein had a straight on the bottom. The rivers changed nothing, and the two chopped the pot.

Biggest Pot of the Tournament Ends in a Chop

—

3♦5♠Q♥10♦5♣

K♣K♠7♠4♠8♦

It got to Brian Smith and he fired out 550,000 on the flop. Xixiang Luo then check-raised on the button to 2,490,000, and Smith just called.

When the turn hit, Smith moved all in for around 3,000,000, and Luo quickly called.

Brian Smith: A♦K♦10♥2♦ All in
Xixiang Luo: K♥7♣3♥2♠

It was the biggest pot of the tournament so far and both had a chance to scoop it. When the rivers hit, it was honors even as Smith claimed the top with a pair of tens, and Luo took the bottom with a full house.

Lou Blasting Away

—

3♣4♣3♦5♠

A♥5♥3♠K♦

There were 840,000 chips in the middle and action was on Xixiang Luo who was in early position and he bet 375,000, Robert Klein in the hijack called and Brian Smith called on the button.

Luo did not slow down when the turns were dealt as he bet 1,700,000 chips into Klein and Smith, Klein quickly folded, but Smith went into the tank and after a short while he decided to fold but not before showing an A♦ and a 3♥.

Jacob Baumgartner Eliminated in 8th Place
($30,756)

—

6♠4♠K♣2♠3♣

A♠7♦8♠5♦8♦

There were 960,000 in the pot when Jacob Baumgartner announced "all in" on the flop for 445,000 in early position, Xixiang Luo on his direct left clicked it to 900,000 and Danny Wong pushed his remaining 2,635,000 into the middle. Luo asked for a count and folded once the dealer confirmed the amount.

Jacob Baumgartner: K♠6♦5♣3♥ All in
Danny Wong: A♥A♣Q♠5♠

Baumgartner thanked Wong for the protection on the flop but unfortunately for Baumgartner he was eliminated by Wong's top set on the bottom board and flush on the top. Baumgartner wished every luck when leaving and also said "man, what a spot to get back in it".