Friday, June 30, 2023 2:45 PM Local Time
Fadoul Flops Massive Draw and Gets There
Three players created a pot of about 10,000 and the flop came . Michael Vela checked, and a player bet 4,500 before David Fadoul raised to 10,000.
Vela check-raised by dropping a stack of reds across the line for about 70,000 and the original bettor quickly folded as Fadoul snap-called his stack of 24,000.
David Fadoul:
Michael Vela:
Vela flopped two pair but Fadoul had an open-ended straight draw and a flush draw. The turn was a brick but the river improved Fadoul to a flush to double through Vela.
| Michael Vela | 111,000 | 111,000  |
| David Fadoul | 63,500 | 63,500 |
Friday, June 30, 2023 2:45 PM Local Time
Just This One Time
Horseshoe Sections - Level 4: Blinds 300/500
A player in middle position raised to 1,000 and was called by the player directly to his left. Lexy Gavin-Mather then raised to an even 5,000 from the blind.
The initial raiser called and the player in between folded. Heads up they saw a flop of . This time Gavin-Mather downsized to 3,600 and was called yet again.
The turn brought the and she fired for a larger 12,500. At this point in the hand, the gentleman in middle position asked Gavin-Mather, "Do you have a big hand?" Gavin-Mather didn't offer any information, despite maintaining a friendly demeanor.
"Alright..." said her opponent as he picked up his hand and swished two queens back and forth before throwing them in the muck, "I fold my pair of queens to you."
Lexy Gavin-Mather then went on to say, "Okay, just because PokerNews is here..." and showed her to the table, going on to say, "That was my only bluff today...".
Her tablemates chimed in that they weren't so sure of that and continued to play on.
| Lexy Gavin-Mather | 41,500 | 1,500 |
Friday, June 30, 2023 2:39 PM Local Time
Chaykowski Wins Without His One Time
Action was joined with the board showing . Kris Chaykowski, the cutoff, moved all in for 13,700. He received two callers - a player in early position, and a player in middle position who called all in for less. All three players' cards were turned over, with the player in early position having both of his opponents covered.
Middle Position:
Kris Chaykowski:
Early Position:
Chaykowski moved ahead on the turn, and the river gave him the pot, with the player in middle position being eliminated. As he was stacking his chips, he mentioned to the table that he didn't have to use his one time. "I didn't even ask for an ace," he said.
| Kris Chaykowski | 52,200 | 52,200 |
| James Tomblin | 46,000 | 46,000 |
Friday, June 30, 2023 2:33 PM Local Time
Hari's Turtle Offers Him All the Luck
Horseshoe Section - Level 4: Blinds 300/500
Early position raised to 1,100 and two players called to the flop.
The flop came and all three players were quick to check.
When the peeled off on the turn, Krishna Hari led out for 2,600 from the big blind. Only the late position player called.
The river was the and Hari fired for 5,400. He received a quick call from his opponent who showed . Hari revealed to take the pot with a flush. After the hand, Hari mentioned that "his turtle card protector was to thank for his luck."
| Krishna Hari | 46,800 | 46,800 |
Friday, June 30, 2023 2:24 PM Local Time
PN Podcast: Guest Vlogging Sensation Masato Yokosawa
On the latest PokerNews Podcast episode, Chad Holloway and Jesse Fullen continue The Chad & Jesse Poker Show straight from the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
They are joined by renowned Japanese vlogger Masato Yokosawa, AKA "World Wide Yokosawa." While players in the United States might think folks like Brad Owen and Andrew Neeme has the biggest vlog followings in the world, that distinction actually belongs to Masato, who regularly clears 600K views on each of his vlogs!
The Japanese vlogging sensation opens up about his start in poker, what inspired him to start a vlog, and how he's managed to turn it into a smashing success with the help of a creative team. He also talks about his desire to win a WSOP gold bracelet, how Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth are perceived in his home country, and what the future looks like for poker in Japan.
Chad and Jesse then do a new "Calling the Clock" segment in which they offer quick two-minute dialogues for topics on "The Board."
Listen to the New PokerNews Podcast Here!
Friday, June 30, 2023 2:19 PM Local Time
The Colossus Field Is... Well, Really Big
The tournament clock shows 6,169 entrants so far for today's action. With late registration still open, it remains to be seen if today's field can top the 8,467 entrants from Day 1d of the $300 Gladiators of Poker held earlier this year.
Friday, June 30, 2023 2:11 PM Local Time
Selected Chip Count Updates
| Tom Simanek | 165,000 | 165,000 |
| Peter Stenseth | 148,000 | 148,000 |
| John Espada | 117,800 | 6,800 |
| Malissa Zapata | 104,200 | 38,900 |
| Allen Cunningham | 51,800 | 12,800 |
| Allen Kessler | 45,300 | 45,300 |
Friday, June 30, 2023 2:10 PM Local Time
Flierl Takes it on the River
Five players saw a turn of and the small blind led for 2,300. Gregory Flierl was next to act and put in a raise to 6,500 and only the small blind made the call.
The completed the board and the small blind check-folded to a bet of 10,000 from Flierl.
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:52 PM Local Time
Thompson Jams the River
On the turn of , there were about 10,000 chips in the middle and Deborah Thompson check-raised a bet of 1,100 to 5,000. Her opponent went in the tank for about three minutes before making the call.
The hit the river and Thompson piled up her stack, pushing it into the middle for about 42,000 and her opponent quickly mucked while showing . Thompson didn't show as she gave her cards back to the dealer and collected the pot.
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:48 PM Local Time
Colquhoun Gets There in a Bad Way
Horseshoe Sections - Level 3: Blinds 200/400
It folded to Shaun Colquhoun on the button and he raised it to an even 1,000. Alan Thomas in the big blind made the call.
Heads up. the dealer slid the into play. Thomas checked and Colquhoun continued with a bet of 2,500. Thomas made the call and they saw the on the turn. Faced with another check, Colquhoun bet 3,000 and again received a call.
The river peeled the and, again, Thomas tapped the table. Colquhoun bet a single red chip, setting the price to 5,000. This time he was faced with a raise as Thomas kicked it up to 12,000 and he called.
Colquhoun saw the bad news when Thomas rolled the for the rivered flush and Colquhoun showed the for the rivered straight and even a diamond blocker to boot, but it wasn't enough to win the pot.
| Alan Thomas | 66,000 | 66,000 |
| Shaun Colquhoun | 43,000 | 3,000 |
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:42 PM Local Time
Espada Gets Zapata to Fold
Malissa Zapata raised to 1,300 from the hijack, with John Espada defending his big blind.
The flop came and Espada checked before calling Zapata's bet of 2,000. Both players then checked the turn.
The river brought the . Espada led out, tossing in 6,000. Zapata considered her options for a few moments before finding a fold.
| John Espada | 111,000 | 111,000 |
| Malissa Zapata | 65,300 | 65,300 |
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:40 PM Local Time
Huggard's Aggression Pays Off
Horseshoe Sections - Level 3: Blinds 200/400
Middle position bet for 1,000, and the following player made the call. Peter Huggard raised to 3,800 from late position, and found one caller to the flop.
The flop came , and the early player checked to Huggard. He continued for 5,200, and received a fold to scoop the pot.
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:37 PM Local Time
Brown Quintuple's
Jeff Brown shoved his 2,600 all-in from early position and was called by four players.
The dealer spread a flop of , and the action checked to the cutoff who bet 3,500. Only one player check-called.
The hit the turn and the player first to act check-called another bet of 4,500.
When the completed the board, the cutoff fired another bet of 8,000 once checked to, and his opponent folded.
Both hands had to be tabled for the main pot, and the cutoff showed , while Brown dragged the pot with , making trip nines.
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:35 PM Local Time
2023 WSOP Hands of the Week: Royal Flush Over Quads; KK < KK & 4-of-a-Kind for Seidel
Erik Seidel
The 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) kicked off back on May 30, and now bracelet winners are being minted every day. The PokerNews Live Reporting Team has been busy capturing all the action in our live updates, and they've witnessed some hands go down that proved to be either entertaining, game-changing or just flat out brutal.
Among those to play big hands were Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel, Thomas Eychenne, Shannon Fahey, and Robert Williamson III. There were some truly bad beats in big spots that you don't want to miss.
Click here for our full "Hands of the Week" recap!
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:27 PM Local Time
Thomas the Train
Horseshoe Sections - Level 3: Blinds 200/400
On a board reading , Evan Thomas was facing a bet of 4,000 and decided to go all in for his remaining 13,500. His opponent didn't seem to like it much but settled on a call anyway.
Evan Thomas:
Opponent:
Looked like Thomas was in good shape as he just had to dodge another spade. The turn was the and the river bricked out the , securing the double for Thomas with his three queens.
One of Thomas' tablemates couldn't help but chirp up, "You were ahead the whole way! No problem!"
| Evan Thomas | 31,000 | 31,000 |
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:26 PM Local Time
Colossus Players Bringing the Flair
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:24 PM Local Time
Shepek Takes it Down
Horseshoe Sections - Level 3: Blinds 200/400
Rhonda Shepek bet for 1,100 and received a call from the following player. Middle position raised to 3,200 and both other players made the call to the flop.
The flop came , and Shepek led out for 6,700. Her opponent folding stating that they had "ace-queen," while Shepek scooped the pot.
| Rhonda Shepek | 70,400 | 70,400 |
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:22 PM Local Time
Ace on the River for Whitaker
Stephen Whitaker was all-in before the flop for 15,200 and there were two opponents.
The dealer fanned a flop of and the player first to act bet 10,000. Geoffrey Bowlsby made the call, creating a side pot.
Before the turn came, the player first to act jammed his remaining 10,500 across the line and Bowlsby made the call after seeing the .
Stephen Whitaker:
All-in Player:
Geoffrey Bowlsby:
"Ace of clubs!" Called out Whitaker, and the dealer must have been listening as the landed river, sending the main pot to him.
| Stephen Whitaker | 48,000 | |
| Geoffrey Bowlsby | 7,500 | -30,500  |
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:22 PM Local Time
Bowers' Bigger Pocket Pair Leads to Deeper Pockets
Action was checked to Drake Bowers on the button on a flop of , and he bet 9,000. The small blind made the call.
The turn came , and action was again checked to Bowers. He moved all in for 14,500, and after a few moments was called.
Drake Bowers:
Small Blind:
Bowers had the lead, and was doubled up when the hit the river.
| Drake Bowers | 64,500 | 64,500 |
Friday, June 30, 2023 1:10 PM Local Time
A Round of Counts
| Harman Jassal | 121,000 | 6,000 |
| Allison Bullock | 63,000 | |
| Vincent Sanchez | 42,000 | -3,000 |
| Geoffrey Bowlsby | 38,000 | -4,000 |
| Shawn Alli | 34,400 | -4,600 |
| Melanie Weisner | 34,000 | |
| David Folsom | 32,400 | -28,600 |
| Gene Quinn | 20,700 | -12,500 |
| Jeffrey Zhang | 12,100 | -20,900 |
| Leor Wasserman | 6,800 | |