Shannon Shorr’s red-hot 2025 run continued in Hollywood, Florida, as the Alabama pro won the $25,500 High Roller at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open for $352,873. The victory, his sixth of the year, came after a heads-up deal with Cherish Andrews, who earned $318,427.

The 44-entry event pushed the prize pool over $1 million, with the final table featuring Michael Macchia, Frank Russo, Jonathan Jaffe, and Nicholas Seward. Shorr eliminated multiple opponents en route to the title, including Russo in fourth with a two-pair hand and Macchia in third with a nut flush.

Andrews briefly held a massive 16-to-1 chip lead in heads-up play after her trip deuces topped Shorr’s top pair, but Shorr stormed back with four double-ups to retake the lead. The two ultimately agreed to a deal as registration closed for a nearby $10,000 event.

The win adds to Shorr’s already impressive 2025 haul, which includes four PokerGO trophies, a WSOP Circuit ring, and 11 final tables. His latest score boosts him to 4,570 points in the Card Player Player of the Year race, putting him in 12th place overall.

Final Table Results:

1. Shannon Shorr – $352,873 (420 POY points)
2. Cherish Andrews – $318,427 (350)
3. Michael Macchia – $154,300 (280)
4. Frank Russo – $108,700 (210)
5. Jonathan Jaffe – $87,000 (175)
6. Nicholas Seward – $65,500 (140)

Lebanon’s Nicolas Chouity has once again conquered the Mediterranean poker scene, capturing the 2025 Merit Poker Cyprus Dolce Vita Summer Series $3,300 La Notte Degli Assi Championship at Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. The former EPT Grand Final champion bested 1,023 entries to secure the $460,000 top prize from a prize pool exceeding $2.8 million. This was Chouity’s fourth-largest career score, boosting his lifetime tournament earnings to just under $6 million.

“Back in the day, I was 23 — now I’m 39. Naturally, I’m more mature. Before, I was more excited. I’m not saying I’m not happy now — but back then, it was a different experience,” Chouity told Merit Poker staff.

Final Day Highlights

• Early Knockout: Chouity’s K♣Q♥ outdrew Viacheslav Balaev’s J♦J♣ to send Balaev out in 8th place for $61,500.
• Pivotal Moment: In a huge preflop clash, Chouity’s J♥J♦ cracked Mehmet Deniz’s A♠A♥ with a river jack, eliminating Deniz in 4th for $156,000.
• Three-Handed Play: France’s “Ma” fell to Richard Broda’s 9♥9♦, setting up the heads-up duel.

Heads-Up Battle and Winning Hand

Chouity entered heads-up play with a commanding lead, but Broda fought back to briefly take the chip advantage. In the final hand:

• Broda: 7♦5♦
• Chouity: 8♦3♦
• Board: K♥Q♦6♦ | 2♦ | 8♠

Both players hit flushes on the turn, but Chouity’s was higher. Broda’s all-in move on the river was called, securing Chouity the title. Broda earned $307,000 as runner-up.

Final Table Results

Andrew Moreno recently appeared on his brother Johnnie Vibes’s video podcast to reflect on their performances during the 2025 World Series of Poker. In a candid moment shared on social media, Moreno said, “I’m losing this World Series, I’m winning this year. For the last two years, I’m losing. For the last three years, maybe I’m breaking even. For the last four years, I’m up a lot. How much do you want to zoom in, how much do you want to zoom out, and how much does it really matter? These are the things you tell yourself when you are losing.”

Those words hit differently now, just weeks later, as the 42-year-old tournament pro from Texas found his way back to the winner’s circle. Moreno topped a 386-entry field to win the $2,700 buy-in RunGood Poker Series Mission Million Dollar Main Event at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in California. For the victory, he earned $200,080 and another RunGood championship ring.

Another Milestone in a Decorated Career

The win pushed Moreno’s career tournament earnings past $5.5 million and marked his seventh recorded title. His biggest score remains the $1.4 million payday from his 2021 victory in the Wynn Millions main event.

Breaking Down the Action

The event ran from August 1-4, with the top 58 players sharing the seven-figure prize pool. Notable names making deep runs included Erick Lindgren (58th), Taylor Black (57th), Jacqueline Burkhart (19th), and defending champion Tyler Patterson (17th).

Moreno started the final day of play third in chips with 17 players left. He surged into the chip lead before the final table and maintained control from there. His first knockout came when he eliminated Dan Stavila in ninth place. Moreno’s A♦2♥ cracked Stavila’s A♠9♥ with a deuce on the river, sending Stavila out for $19,950.

Michael Persky, who made waves in 2023 with two WSOP Circuit main event wins—including one at Thunder Valley—was the next to go. His pocket queens ran into the pocket kings of Robert Grossglauser, who improved to kings full. Persky exited in eighth place for $26,350.

Grossglauser then eliminated two more opponents before running pocket jacks into Jackson Spencer’s kings. Soon after, he lost a preflop showdown with pocket fours against Moreno’s pocket sixes to finish fifth for $47,030.

Moreno Closes Strong

Jackson Spencer’s run ended in a blind-vs-blind clash. Moreno shoved from the small blind with 8♦4♥, and Spencer called with A♥K♣. Although ahead preflop, Spencer fell victim to trip fours when the board ran out 7♠4♣2♣4♦A♦. He took home $61,220 for fourth place.

Next, Joshua Prager moved in from the button with A♠10♥ and was called by Moreno holding A♠3♥ in the big blind. The board gave Moreno a wheel straight on the turn, and despite Prager holding a flush draw, he couldn’t catch up. Prager was eliminated in third for $89,620.

Heads-up play between Moreno and Hamed Valizadegan began with a double-up for the latter, but the momentum quickly shifted. The decisive hand came on a 7♥4♦3♠ flop where both players had top pair. Moreno’s J♥7♣ had Valizadegan’s 10♦7♦ out-kicked. The board ran out Q♣8♦, sealing the title for Moreno. Valizadegan earned $139,240 as the runner-up.

Final Table Results

Sixteen years after securing his first major live tournament victory at the 2009 World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open, Olivier Busquet has found his way back to the spotlight. On Thursday, Busquet captured the Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship, earning $255,135—his largest win at the venue since that WPT triumph.

With this latest victory, Busquet boosted his career live earnings to over $9.1 million. It also marked his first recorded live cash since January 2020, ending a long hiatus from the tournament scene.

The $2,700 buy-in event drew 685 entries, pushing the prize pool to $1,644,000—well above the $1 million guarantee. Busquet struck a heads-up deal with runner-up Abe Gordon, flattening the top payouts. Gordon walked away with $233,255.

This win also earned Busquet 1,260 Card Player Player of the Year points, presented by CoinPoker—his best finish since 2019.

A Tough Road to Victory

The 43-year-old former online heads-up specialist came into the final day as chip leader, but the path to victory was filled with proven talent. Second in chips was Colombian pro Farid Jattin, a six-time WSOP final tablist with four WPT final tables under his belt.

Also in the final six were:

• Matthew Beinner, with prior WSOP and WPT final tables
• Sridhar Sangannagari, also a WPT and WSOP finalist
• Ryan Dodd, a three-time WSOP final tablist

One by one, they fell to the momentum of Busquet. Dodd exited first after his A♦J♦ lost to Busquet’s pocket tens. Jattin couldn’t find traction and was eliminated with Q♠9♠ against Sangannagari’s A♠J♣.

Sangannagari’s run ended shortly after. He lost a key hand to Gordon, then shoved six big blinds with A♥10♣. Beinner called with A♣Q♠ and held on a board of K♠10♥2♦J♣7♠, sending Sangannagari out in fourth.

The Final Stretch

Three-handed play saw Busquet in control, holding nearly 72% of the chips in play. He made a bold ace-high calldown against Beinner on a 9♥5♠2♥6♠5♦ board, which turned out to be spot-on.

However, Gordon wasn’t ready to fold. After picking off a few pots, he eliminated Beinner in third place with A♠8♣ against Q♣J♠. The board ran out A♣K♥6♦Q♥8♠.

That set the stage for a heads-up deal. The two agreed to a chop, with Busquet taking the title and top payout.

A Welcome Return

“It feels great,” Busquet told Poker.Org’s Brett Slezak after the win. “I fell in love, got married, and now have a family. I’ve been playing a lot online, and this summer I played at the World Series. I wanted to play more tournaments and ran incredibly well here.”

With his passion for live poker reignited, Busquet hinted this is just the beginning of his comeback: “I’ll probably play more. I really enjoy live poker—the social aspect of it.”

Final Table Results

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Just weeks after the 2025 World Series of Poker Main Event wrapped up in Las Vegas, the action picked right back up as the WSOP Circuit made its second stop of the season at the Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, Oklahoma. Over the course of 12 intense days, the festival awarded 18 coveted WSOP Circuit rings and culminated in the $1,700 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event.

The headline of the series was written by Alex Cruz of Midland, Texas, who secured his first-ever live tournament victory by conquering a 968-player field. Cruz not only earned his first WSOP Circuit ring, but also took home a life-changing $241,412 payday and 912 points toward the Card Player Player of the Year race presented by CoinPoker.

“It felt like destiny,” Cruz told Poker.Org after lifting the trophy. “My friend told me he had a feeling I’d win this one — and so did I.”

A World Series of Poker Comeback Story

Cruz’s path to victory was anything but easy. Deep in the tournament, he found himself with the shortest stack at the final table. Down to just 10 big blinds with A♠7♠ versus Eliaan Pilo’s A♦Q♥, Cruz looked poised to exit. But a dramatic runner-runner flush runout brought him back from the brink.

Riding that momentum, Cruz doubled again — this time with pocket aces against Alex Rindone’s A♣Q♥ — to pull even in chips. From there, his climb continued.

Momentum Shift and a Final Table for the Ages

With each hand, Cruz chipped away at his opponents. He eliminated Pilo holding K♥2♦ against 10♥9♣ on an A♥K♠6♣A♠J♣ board and then caught a straight to knock out Peter Clive in third place. In that hand, Cruz was behind with J♦6♦ against Clive’s dominating K♦3♦ on a Q♥10♦9♦ flop. But the 8♠ river gave Cruz a miracle queen-high straight.

Heads-up play saw Cruz facing Rindone, who managed two quick double-ups. First, Rindone’s A♠10♠ held against Cruz’s A♦5♦, and then his pocket sixes beat Cruz’s A♠J♣. Still, Cruz maintained composure and chipped away steadily.

On the final hand, Cruz shoved with Q♦4♥ and Rindone called with J♥10♦. A clean runout of A♠6♣3♣8♦4♣ sealed Cruz’s win and his place in World Series of Poker Circuit history.

Familiar Faces and Notable Finishes

In an interesting coincidence, two players at the final table shared a unique career achievement. Jacob Thibodeau (7th place) and Ahmad Popal (9th place) both previously finished 74th in the WSOP Main Event — in 2019 and 2023, respectively.

As for Rindone, the runner-up performance marks his second major cash. He previously won a $900 PokerAtlas Tour event in Dallas in 2024, topping a 1,670-entry field.

Final Table Results – WSOP Circuit Choctaw Main Event

The excitement of the World Series of Poker continues to ripple through the poker world as fresh faces like Alex Cruz rise to the spotlight. With the WSOP Circuit back in full swing, poker fans can expect more breakout performances and unforgettable moments on the felt.

Norway’s Drea Karlsen cemented her status as the new queen of Tallinn after a commanding wire-to-wire victory in Ring Event #4: €350 NLH Queens at the WSOP Circuit stop in Estonia. Karlsen bagged €6,480, a coveted WSOPC gold ring, and a $5,000 Ticket to Paradise package to the Bahamas after dominating a 74-player field at Olympic Park Casino.

Starting the final day as chip leader, Karlsen never relinquished control. She bulldozed through the final table, eliminating six of her eight opponents—including a spirited final duel with Sweden’s Sindy Ygborn, who finished runner-up and received €4,150.

Karlsen’s final knockout came when Ygborn shoved with Q♦ 4♣, only to run into the Norwegian’s 6♥ 6♠. The board ran out 9♣ 4♥ K♠ 5♥ 7♥, giving both players a pair, but Karlsen’s sixes held strong to secure the title and her place in the WSOPC Tallinn winner’s circle.

The win marks Karlsen’s second major title of the year, having previously triumphed in a Queens event during OlyBet’s Showdown series in Vilnius. It was a fitting end to a memorable day in Tallinn, which also saw the €555 NLH draw a record-breaking field and the €1 million guaranteed WSOPC Main Event officially get underway.

Ring Event #4: €350 NLH Queens – Final Table Results

WSOPC Tallinn Main Event Heats Up

The €1 million guaranteed WSOPC Tallinn Main Event is officially underway, with Day 1a attracting 125 entries. Forty-seven players secured seats for Day 2, set for Friday. Two more flights are scheduled for Wednesday at 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. EEST, as players from across the globe chase a share of one of Northern Europe’s most prestigious titles.

With €161,595 already added to the prize pool, expectations are high for a massive turnout across the remaining flights, setting the stage for a thrilling weekend.

€555 NLH Shatters Estonian Records

Ring Event #3: €555 NLH will crown its champion today, but the event has already made history. A total of 744 entries created the largest €555 field ever recorded in Estonia, generating a prize pool that includes €62,100, a WSOPC ring, and a Ticket to Paradise package for the winner.

Latvia’s Raivis Pucurs leads the final day’s field. The Latvian has been on a heater in 2025, highlighted by a victory and several deep runs at OlyBet’s Showdown Voodoo Spring Edition in Riga.

Six WSOPC Rings on the Line Today

Wednesday brings a wave of action to Tallinn, with six WSOPC ring events either kicking off or playing down to winners.

Highlights include:

• Ring Event #6: €1,100 PLO4/5 – 29 players return to battle it out for the title.
• Ring Event #7: €5,000 NLH – One of the week’s premier high-roller events draws elite talent.
• Ring Event #8: €1,100 8-Game – Mixed-game players get their spotlight at 5 p.m. local time.

Meanwhile, satellites, side events, and buzzing cash games continue to fill the Olympic Park Casino, making WSOPC Tallinn a true summer poker festival.

Stay tuned as more champions emerge and the road to Paradise continues.

After four intense days of action at King’s Resort in Rozvadov, Czech Republic, China’s LuLei Hu captured the biggest win of his poker career in the 2025 Euro Poker Million main event. With a modest buy-in of just €590 ($694), Hu walked away with $435,622 following a heads-up deal, turning his investment into a payday more than 627 times the buy-in.

Hu topped a staggering field of 5,303 entries to claim the title, each final tablist also securing a coveted ticket to the €10,350 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event, set to begin October 3 at the same venue.

Hu Climbs from Short Stack to Champion

Hu entered the nine-handed final table third in chips but soon found himself as the short stack with five players remaining. A pivotal hand shifted the momentum. Holding 3♦3♣, Hu opened from under the gun. Germany’s “TeddyKGB” called in the cutoff with J♦9♦, and Italy’s Matteo Intiso came along from the button with K♥9♥.

The flop came K♣8♦3♥, giving Hu bottom set. He checked, prompting a bet from TeddyKGB, a call from Intiso, and a check-raise from Hu to 16 million. Only Intiso continued.

The 9♠ turn improved Intiso to top two pair, but Hu led for 21 million. Intiso shoved, Hu called, and the 10♠ river confirmed Hu’s massive double-up, vaulting him into contention.

Momentum Shift and Elimination Spree

Now in command, Hu began chipping up steadily. He eliminated TeddyKGB in fifth in a blind-versus-blind clash when J♣8♣ outflopped K♣J♥ on a board containing 8♦.

Shortly after, Fabio Giamberardini knocked out fellow Italian Intiso, whose K♣J♠ couldn’t improve against A♦6♠.

Romania’s Marius Moldoveanu busted in third. After Hu opened on the button with A♣Q♥, Moldoveanu jammed from the small blind with A♥10♣. The Q♠J♥10♦ flop gave both players a piece, but Hu held the advantage and stayed ahead through the 8♠ turn and 6♠ river.

Deal Struck, Trophy Secured

Before heads-up play began, Hu and Giamberardini agreed to a deal that left €64,000 and the trophy to play for. Hu held nearly a 2-to-1 chip lead.

The final hand saw Giamberardini min-raise the button with A♥6♦ before Hu moved all-in with 10♥7♣. The board ran out 7♦7♥4♠ 9♣ 10♦, giving Hu a full house and the victory in style.

Giamberardini earned €260,000 ($306,113) for his runner-up finish.

Final Table Results

The 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event came to a stunning conclusion on Day 10, when South Florida poker icon Michael Mizrachi fulfilled his own prediction—nearly to the minute. After telling Jeff Platt it would take “an hour” to finish the job, Mizrachi needed just one hour and five minutes to seize poker’s most coveted title.

With the $10 million payday, Mizrachi secured his eighth World Series of Poker gold bracelet, capping off a legendary summer that saw him also win the Poker Players Championship (PPC)—making him the first player ever to win both events in the same year.

“I played the best poker of my life,” Mizrachi said. “Especially in the PPC. I never gave up. It was fate.”

Hall of Fame Induction: A Historic Surprise

Shortly after clinching the title, Mizrachi received a surprise unlike any before on the World Series of Poker stage. A group of Poker Hall of Famers—including legends like Phil Ivey, Phil Hellmuth, Eli Elezra, and Jennifer Harman—walked on stage to induct him immediately into the Poker Hall of Fame, following a unanimous 33-for-33 vote.

“This is a battlefield promotion,” declared Phil Hellmuth. “Winning the Main Event, the Players Championship, and now the Hall of Fame—all in one summer. Phenomenal.”

Mizrachi was visibly emotional:

“I thought maybe next year, but to get in this year? I can’t explain the feeling.”

Comeback of the Century: From Three Big Blinds to $10M

Mizrachi’s run will be remembered as one of the greatest in World Series of Poker history. Early on Day 8, he was left with just three big blinds after a brutal cooler against John Wasnock. From that low point, Mizrachi won nine straight all-in confrontations, a statistical miracle with odds of just 0.275% (1 in 364). He survived with runner-runner flushes—twice—and steadily climbed back.

“You’ve got to win flips, lots of flips,” Mizrachi explained. “But next year, I’m not gonna bluff anymore,” he added with a smile.

Final Table Drama: From Four to Two in Just Two Hands

The final day began explosively. Mizrachi eliminated Kenny Hallaert and Braxton Dunaway on back-to-back hands to go heads-up with John Wasnock. Hallaert earned $3 million for fourth place, improving on his sixth-place finish from 2016. Dunaway took home $4 million, his second seven-figure WSOP cash after winning the 2023 Monster Stack.

Wasnock, a 50-year-old investment advisor from Washington, began the final table as chip leader and navigated his way to a $6 million runner-up finish.

“This has been one of the best experiences of my life,” said Wasnock. “Of course you want to win it, but I’m proud of how I played.”

Final Hand: Flush Beats Top Two

The final hand was a dramatic one. Mizrachi, holding 10♣3♣, completed his flush on the turn against Wasnock’s top two pair (A♠9♦). After a check-raise, Wasnock moved all-in and Mizrachi snapped him off. The 5♣ river sealed the deal.

The Grinder’s Resume Grows

With this monumental win, Mizrachi’s career tournament earnings surpassed $29.1 million. It marked his second multi-million dollar score in the Main Event—he finished fifth in 2010 for $2.3 million, the same year he won his first Poker Players Championship.

He also vaulted into:

• 9th place in the 2025 Card Player Player of the Year race (3,300 points)
• 1st place in the PokerGO Tour standings (2,250 points)

2025 World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table Results:

Michael Mizrachi’s 2025 WSOP run wasn’t just a win—it was a coronation. The Grinder defied the odds, rewrote the history books, and etched his name in poker immortality with one of the most legendary performances the World Series of Poker has ever seen.

Out of 1,384 entries in the 2025 World Series of Poker $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Six-Max event, only one could rise above the rest. That honor went to Lithuania’s Kasparas Klezys, who earned his first career WSOP gold bracelet along with the top prize of $280,214.

The win marks the second-largest score of Klezys’ live tournament career, trailing only his fourth-place finish in the 2023 WSOP Europe Main Event for $491,840. With this latest victory, Klezys now boasts four final-table appearances in bracelet events, and more than $900,000 in WSOP earnings across 56 cashes. His total live tournament earnings now approach $1.5 million.

The event generated a prize pool of $1,837,260, with 209 players making the money. Among the notable names who cashed were WPT champion and Millionaire Maker bronze medalist Joshua Reichard (24th), high roller standout Andrew Ostapchenko (9th), bracelet winner Jose ‘Nacho’ Barbero (8th), 2022 Wynn Millions champ Tony Sinishtaj (7th), and WPT champion Darryll Fish (6th).

Klezys made a dominant run at the final table, starting by busting Fish and then continuing to eliminate all four remaining players on his way to the title. He entered heads-up play against Jonathan Hanner with a commanding 6:1 chip lead.

In the final hand, Hanner was all-in preflop holding A♦ J♦ 10♦ 9♠ against Klezys’ A♥ Q♥ Q♠ Q♣. The board ran out 10♥ 4♥ 3♠ 6♠ 8♥, giving Klezys the nut flush to secure the win and the bracelet. Hanner walked away with $186,732 for his runner-up finish.

Final Table Results

After more than a decade of near-misses and high-stakes heroics, Cary Katz has finally captured his first World Series of Poker bracelet. The 55-year-old PokerGO founder emerged victorious in the 2025 WSOP $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout, topping a 1,299-entry field to claim $449,245 and long-overdue glory on poker’s biggest stage.

“It feels amazing. I just wanted to be present and enjoy every moment,” Katz said after sealing the win.

With this victory, Katz has now amassed over $41 million in recorded tournament earnings, securing his place among the most successful players in no-limit hold’em history.

Surprise Victory in Mid-Stakes No-Limit Hold’em Event

Known for competing in high roller tournaments, Katz’s first WSOP bracelet coming in a $2,500 no-limit hold’em event shocked many. Historically, his deep runs have come in nosebleed-stake games like the $100K High Roller or Big One for One Drop.

“This event wasn’t even on my schedule,” Katz admitted. “I was going to rest for the Main Event. But I had a good feeling, decided to late reg this freezeout, and I’m so glad I did.”

Katz’s instinct paid off. He outlasted some of the toughest competition in a stacked no-limit hold’em field, finally ending his run as one of poker’s most accomplished players without a bracelet.

WSOP $2,500 Freezeout: Tough Field, Big Prize Pool

This edition of the no-limit hold’em freezeout drew 1,299 entries, building a $2.89 million prize pool. Only 196 players made the money, with elite pros and multiple bracelet winners running deep:

• Phil Hui (92nd)
• Alex Livingston (60th)
• Boris Kolev (26th)
• Stefan Lehner (11th)

The final day was added due to extended play, with Katz sitting third in chips among four players returning for Day 4.

Katz’s Climb to Victory

Katz doubled up early on Day 4 after cracking pocket jacks with suited K-J to make a flush. That hand crippled Preston McEwen, who later exited in fourth place ($155,010).

Jaehoon Baek, who led entering the final day, bowed out in third place ($213,800) after losing a critical flip to Breno Drumond, who held pocket fours against K-Q suited.

Heads-Up Showdown: Classic No-Limit Hold’em Duel

Final Heads-Up Chip Counts:

• Drumond – 28.1M
• Katz – 17.4M

Katz came out swinging. He took the lead by calling down a bluff with second pair and never looked back. Although Drumond doubled once with a flush, Katz stayed composed.

The final hand was a textbook no-limit hold’em showdown: Katz shoved with pocket threes, and Drumond called with A-J suited. The board ran out clean, and Katz’s pair held, giving him the long-awaited win.

Final Table Results – $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout

No-Limit Hold’em Legends: Katz Joins the Club

Cary Katz’s win in the $2,500 no-limit hold’em event cements his place among the game’s greats. With this long-awaited bracelet, he silences critics and proves once again that perseverance and skill win in the end.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or an aspiring grinder, Katz’s story is a testament to never giving up on poker dreams—especially in the thrilling, unpredictable world of no-limit hold’em.

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