2025 World Series of Poker

Nakai Doubles Through Ma

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Ryuta Nakai in early position jammed for 3,350,000. The current chip leader Xiaoyao Ma three-bet all-in, and Martin Kabrhel went into the tank. He stood up to have a better look at the payouts, asked questions to the floorman in charge of the final table and ultimately folded.

Ryuta Nakai: 7♠7♥ All in
Xiaoyao Ma: A♦K♠

Nakai's sevens held on 6♥8♠10♥4♠8♥ and he doubled up. Yuya Arito clapped for his friend and seemed more happy about this double up than Nakai himself.

Chad Thyzel Eliminated in 8th Place ($88,352)

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Xiaoyao Ma opened to 1,100,000 from the cutoff before Yuya Arito moved all in for 6,710,000 on the button. Chad Thyzel called for his last 480,000 in the big blind, with Ma getting out of the way.

Chad Thyzel: A♦Q♥ All in
Yuya Arito: A♣K♥

Arito's advantage grew on the 8♥K♠5♦ flop, connecting for top pair. The 7♦ turn and A♠ river completed the board, sending Thyzel out in eighth place.

Jeffrey Hong Eliminated in 9th Place ($68,194); Robert Cowen Eliminated in 10th Place ($53,570)

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Jeffrey Hong made it 5,000,000 from the cutoff with just 100,000 behind. Robert Cowen called for his last 2,575,000 from the small blind before Xiaoyao Ma shoved from the big blind with the covering stack. Hong called and the cards were flipped over.

Robert Cowen: 9♠9♣ All in
Jeffrey Hong: A♣K♣ All in
Xiaoyao Ma: J♦J♣

Ma had the chance to send the tournament down to eight players if his pocket jacks could hold up.

The flop came 6♥6♣6♠ to give Hong an extra out, but Ma was still ahead with a boat. The rest of the board came 7♠5♠ and Cowen and Hong were out, while Ma moved into the final table with an overwhelming chip lead.

David Shaw Eliminated in 11th Place ($53,570)

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Robert Cowen shoved for 480,000 from the cutoff and was called by David Shaw in the big blind.

Robert Cowen: A♦7♣ All in
David Shaw: A♥10♦

Cowen was on the edge of elimination on 6♣8♦3♠Q♥, but the 7♠ river saved him and he doubled up.

On the next hand, Cowen jammed again from the hijack. David Shaw in the small blind moved all-in for 365,000 and the big blind folded.

David Shaw: Q♦4♦ All in
Robert Cowen: A♣3♣

Cowen flopped two pair on 3♥A♥10♦4♥8♣, leaving no chance for Shaw who was eliminated in 11th place.

Rehman Kassam Eliminated in 12th Place
($42,843)

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Jeffrey Hong made it 600,000 from the hijack and Rehman Kassam jammed for 1,135,000 from the cutoff. When it got back to Hong, he called.

Rehman Kassam: 6♣6♥ All in
Jeffrey Hong: A♦4♦

Kassam was ahead with pocket sixes and stayed ahead on the 7♥4♣K♥ flop. However, the A♣ on turn put Hong in the lead with two pair. The J♠ appeared on the river and Kassam was out in 12th.

Nakai Doubles Through Arito

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Ryuta Nakai under the gun moved all-in for 2,000,000. Yuya Arito called from the small blind a Martin Kabrhel in the big blind folded.

Ryuta Nakai: A♠5♠ All in
Yuya Arito: 8♥6♥

To Kabrhel's surprise, Arito called with eight-high. "Is it even legal?" he asked. The board of J♦Q♦7♦2♠7♠ changed nothing and Nakai doubled up.

Dentan Wins a Small Battle of the Blinds

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Colin Dentan completed from the small blind and David Shaw checked out of the big blind.

Both players checked the 10♠5♣5♠ flop to see the 4♥ hit the turn. Dentan led out for 300,000, which prompted a fold from Shaw.

Kempe Benefits from Arito's Mistake

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Rainer Kempe made it 480,000 to go from under the gun. When it folded to Yuya Arito on the button, he announced raise and placed a T-500,000 chip out in front of him as he hadn't noticed Kempe's open. After the floor was called, it was determined that Arito's raise would have to be a minimum three-bet to 720,000.

After the blinds folded, Kempe four-bet to 2,950,000 with just a few chips behind. Arito thought it over for a few moments before folding and forfeiting the pot to Kempe.

Kassam Takes from Hong

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Rehman Kassam made it 400,000 to go from under the gun and only Jeffrey Hong called from the big blind.

Hong knuckled the action over to Kassam on the J♥4♠5♦ flop. Kassam put out a continuation-bet of 400,000, which forced Hong to fold.

Michael Acevedo Eliminated in 13th Place ($42,843)

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Martin Kabrhel limped from under the gun, with Chad Thyzel following suit on the button. Yuya Arito called in the small blind before Michael Acevedo moved all in for 2,305,000 in the big blind.

Kabrhel took some time before shoving his larger stack, with Thyzel and Arito quickly folding.

Michael Acevedo: A♦3♣ All in
Martin Kabrhel: A♥Q♦

Kabrhel's queen kicker held through the 4♣J♥7♦10♦4♠ runout, earning another bounty by sending Acevedo to the rail in 13th position.

Dragana Mackelprang Eliminated in 14th Place ($42,843)

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Michael Acevedo open-shoved from early position, and Dragana Mackelprang called all in from the cutoff. Every other player let go of their hand.

Dragana Mackelprang: A♣4♣ All in
Michael Acevedo: A♠K♣

Acevedo had Mackelprang all but dead on the K♦5♠A♦ flop. She couldn't find a backdoor win as the board ran out J♣2♠.

Davidi Kitai Eliminated 15th Place ($42,843)

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Davidi Kitai raised to 500,000 under the gun with just 90,000 behind. Jeffrey Hong called to see a flop from the big blind.

Hong checked the 8♥2♣A♦ flop and Kitai jammed for his last 90,000. Hong reluctantly called, and the cards were revealed.

Davidi Kitai: K♥3♦ All in
Jeffrey Hong: 6♠5♦

Neither player had a pair, which meant Kitai was in the lead with king-high. The 6♦ turn propelled Hong into the lead with a pair of sixes. The 7♥ hit the river, and Kitai headed to the rail in 15th.

Charles Shaverdians Eliminated in 16th Place ($34,896)

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Xiaoyao Ma shoved from the cutoff for roughly 5,000,000. Charles Shaverdians in the big blind went deep into the tank and called off his last 1,070,000.

Charles Shaverdians: K♦10♦ All in
Xiaoyao Ma: A♠K♣

Shaverdians' tournament came to an end on 3♠Q♣A♥6♠5♦ in 16th place for $34,896.

Justin Saliba Eliminated in 17th Place ($34,896)

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Robert Cowen moved all-in for 1,410,000 from the cutoff. The button and the small blind folded, but Justin Saliba in the big blind snap-called, being the player at risk for about 1,100,000.

Justin Saliba: A♠J♥ All in
Robert Cowen: K♠Q♥

This time, the board of 7♣3♦K♦8♠2♠ was no help for Saliba and he was eliminated.

Ryan Wolfson Eliminated in 18th Place ($34,896)

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Ryan Wolfson limped in the small blind, and Jeffrey Hong checked his big blind option. The dealer fanned out the J♠A♣6♠ flop, with Wolfson check-calling a bet of 120,000.

Wolfson checked again on the 7♦ turn, with Hong firing a bet of 350,000. One last check from Wolfson followed the 10♣ river, with Hong taking a moment before shoving his covering stack.

After taking some time of his own, Wolfson stuck in the call. Hong tabled J♥6♦ for two pair, while Wolfson could only show J♣9♠ to end his run in 18th place.