High Stakes Drama, Main Event Momentum, and GGPoker Qualifiers Surge
Day 45 of the 2025 World Series of Poker
Day 45 of the 2025 World Series of Poker delivered another thrilling chapter in poker’s premier tournament series, with multiple events reaching crucial stages and the Main Event continuing its relentless march toward the $10 million top prize. As the action unfolded across the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, players battled for bracelets, bounties, and bragging rights in what proved to be another captivating day of world-class poker. Among the standout storylines, GGPoker qualifiers made significant moves in the Main Event, with several building massive stacks as the tournament entered its championship phase.
Main Event Maintains Center Stage
The centerpiece of Day 45 remained Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship, where Day 5 action saw the field compressed from 522 returning players down to 202 survivors. With Day 6 set to begin at blinds of 40K/80K, Germany’s Sebastian Schulze emerged as the overnight chip leader with an impressive 12,745,000, establishing himself as the only player to crack the 10 million chip barrier and controlling 2.1% of the total chips in play.
The tournament’s structure reveals the mounting pressure on shorter stacks, with 19 players holding 10 or fewer big blinds and 64 players sitting with 20 or fewer big blinds. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the shortest stack carries just 325K, facing immediate elimination pressure with barely four big blinds.
Hot on Schulze’s heels sits Chad Power with 9,540,000, a seasoned Main Event veteran who previously finished 26th in 2015 and notched another top-100 finish in 2019. Rounding out the top three is Braxton Dunaway with 8,600,000, a bracelet winner looking to add the most prestigious title to his resume.
Among the notable storylines emerging from Day 5 was the continued presence of Will Kassouf, who surged late in the evening to secure a top-ten position with 6,900,000 chips. The polarizing player has maintained his vocal presence throughout the tournament, with continued attention expected as the field narrows.
The remaining field includes several decorated champions, with bracelet winners like Michael Mizrachi (4,025,000), Greg Merson (2,960,000), and Isaac Haxton (2,580,000) all positioned for deep runs. Merson, the 2012 Main Event champion and the only former Big Dance winner still in contention, carries particular significance as he seeks to reclaim poker’s ultimate prize.
Fantasy players continue tracking seven remaining picks, including two ODB Bonus Players and five Fantasy Freerollers. Maksim Pisarenko leads the fantasy contingent with 4,415,000 chips, while the Main Event’s Field Bonus offers 97 points for top-99 finishers and a tournament-winning 272 points for capturing the title.
GGPoker Qualifiers Make Significant Day 5 Moves
As the 2024 WSOP Main Event entered Day 6 with blinds at 40K/80K, GGPoker qualifiers demonstrated remarkable resilience, with several making substantial chip gains during the previous day’s play. Of the 25 remaining players who earned their seats through GGPoker’s qualifying system, many positioned themselves strongly for the tournament’s crucial stages.
Pedro Padilha Chaves emerged as the standout performer among the GGPoker contingent, building his stack to an impressive 6.8 million chips. Stefan Nemetz also made significant strides, accumulating 5.2 million chips to establish himself among the chip leaders. Multiple qualifiers crossed the 4-million threshold, with Arsenii Karmatckii (4.3M), Tomas Szwarcberg (4.2M), Colin Robinson (4.2M), and Alen Tenorio (4.1M) all building substantial stacks.
The day showcased dramatic swings in both directions. Giorgii Skhulukhia surged to 4.0 million chips after starting Day 5 with just 350K, representing more than an eleven-fold increase. Similarly, Gustavo Morales built his 405K starting stack into 2.8 million chips. However, Ran Ilani faced pressure after his stack dwindled to 690K, putting him in dangerous territory with fewer than 9 big blinds as Day 6 commenced.
Several GGPoker qualifiers fell during Day 5 action, including Alexandros Kolonias, Eric Buchman, Hayato Kitajima, Jonathan Wolter, Kiyoshi Eda, and Thai Ha, each having made deep runs after earning their seats through various GGPoker qualifying methods.
| Name | Chip Count | BB’s | Qualify Method |
| Pedro Padilha Chaves | 6.8M | 85 | GGPoker Direct Buy-In |
| Stefan Nemetz | 5.2M | 65 | Ticket Buy-in (User Transfer) |
| Arsenii Karmatckii | 4.3M | 54 | 2025 May 02, 20:00 $250 MEGA Road to Vegas: 1x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Colin Robinson | 4.2M | 53 | Ticket Buy-in (User Transfer) |
| Tomas Szwarcberg | 4.2M | 53 | 2025 Apr 13, 18:30 $1,200 MEGA Road to Vegas: 20x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Alen Tenorio | 4.1M | 52 | GGPoker Direct Buy-In |
| Giorgii Skhulukhia | 4.0M | 50 | Ticket Buy-in (User Transfer) |
| Stephen Kehoe | 3.8M | 48 | 2025 Apr 28, 16:00 $250 MEGA Road to Vegas: 1x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Dai Ishibashi | 3.7M | 47 | 2025 Apr 20, 18:30 $1,200 MEGA Road to Vegas: 20x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Adrien Delmas | 3.6M | 45 | 2025 Mar 11, 18:30 $1,200 MEGA Road to Vegas: 8x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Gustavo Morales | 2.8M | 35 | GGPoker Direct Buy-In |
| Seungmook Jung | 2.6M | 33 | 2025 Mar 17, 18:30 $1,200 MEGA Road to Vegas: 10x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Gergo Hegedus | 2.5M | 32 | 2025 May 05, 20:00 $250 MEGA Road to Vegas: 1x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Rodrigo Jim | 2.5M | 32 | 2025 Apr 20, 20:00 $250 MEGA Road to Vegas: 2x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Min-Sung Lee | 2.1M | 27 | Ticket Buy-in (User Transfer) |
| Amadeus Janotta | 1.9M | 24 | 2025 Jun 09, 18:30 $1,200 MEGA Road to Vegas: 6x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Arie Kliper | 1.8M | 23 | GGPoker Direct Buy-In |
| Alexander Lynskey | 1.6M | 20 | 2025 May 11, 22:00 $1,200 Road to Vegas: 2x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Yuta Mutsuura | 1.5M | 19 | GGPoker Direct Buy-In |
| Murilo Milhomem | 1.4M | 18 | 2025 May 08, 18:30 $1,200 MEGA Road to Vegas: 3x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Guy Holtzman | 1.3M | 17 | 2025 Apr 03, 20:00 $250 MEGA Road to Vegas: 2x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Ruben Correia | 1.3M | 17 | 2025 May 04, 18:30 $1,200 MEGA Road to Vegas: 15x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Yulian Bogdanov | 1.3M | 17 | 2025 May 13, 18:30 $1,200 MEGA Road to Vegas: 4x $12K WSOP ME Package |
| Roman Korenev | 1.1M | 14 | Ticket Buy-in (User Transfer) |
| Ran Ilani | 690K | 9 | Ticket Buy-in (65-H: $320 Sunday Showdown [Mystery Bounty] ($320) |
High Roller Drama Unfolds
Event #88: $50,000 High Roller reached Day 3 with 17 players remaining from the original field of 252 entries, all chasing the massive $2,686,913 top prize from the $11.9 million prize pool. Germany’s Christopher Nguyen commands the action with 13,035,000 chips, establishing a substantial lead heading into the final stretch.
Nguyen’s impressive run continues an 18-month hot streak that includes a fifth-place finish in the $25,000 WSOP Paradise Main Event for $2,100,000, a €100,000 EPT Monte Carlo Super High Roller victory worth €2,022,000, and a third-place finish in another €50,000 Super High Roller at the same EPT stop.
The chasing pack features a murderer’s row of high-stakes talent, with Martin Zamani sitting in second place with 9,200,000 chips. Notable contenders include Sergio Aido (5,925,000), Sam Soverel (5,470,000), Matthew Wantman (4,090,000), and Philip Sternheimer (3,305,000), ensuring the final table battle will showcase elite-level competition.
The tournament suffered a significant casualty when Shaun Deeb, currently making a late charge for the 2025 Player of the Year title, was eliminated from the event. While Deeb’s participation adds to his impressive year-long campaign, his elimination keeps the Player of the Year race competitive.
Mystery Bounty Creates Unforgettable Moments
Event #86: $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha delivered one of the most remarkable storylines of the day when Vincent Moscati accomplished an extraordinary feat by drawing both $100,000 mystery bounties from their envelopes. Despite finishing in 40th place for $8,970 in tournament winnings, Moscati’s incredible bounty luck means he’ll likely take home more than the eventual third-place finisher unless they capture significant bounties themselves.
The tournament reduced from 792 returning players to just 29 survivors, with Quan Tran (16,900,000) holding a narrow lead over Paulo Drummond (15,825,000). Carlos De Lima (10,725,000) and Lukas Hafner (10,035,000) are the only other players maintaining eight-figure stacks heading into the final day.
Among the remaining contenders, only two players possess previous WSOP bracelets: Lawrence Brandt (7,900,000) and Danny Wong (1,900,000), both seeking to add another piece of gold to their collections as the tournament heads toward its climactic conclusion.
Mid-Stakes Championship Builds Momentum
Event #89: $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship attracted 2,001 players to Day 1b, bringing the total field to 3,220 entries with one level of late registration remaining. Austria’s Felix Rabas claimed the flight’s chip lead with 654,000, translating to 262 big blinds and a commanding advantage over Antonio Salorio (482,500) and Inigo Naveiro (462,500).
The tournament drew an impressive collection of accomplished players, with Jason Wheeler (420,500), Vlad Darie (415,000), and Mark Seif (401,000) securing top-ten positions. Former Main Event champions Joe McKeehen (83,000) and Jamie Gold (42,500) survived the day despite shorter stacks, while Poker Hall of Fame members John Juanda (138,000) and Brian Rast (134,000) positioned themselves for Day 2 action.
Lucky 7’s and PLO Action Heat Up
Event #90: $777 Lucky 7’s completed its first flight with Hertsel Levy dominating the action, accumulating 3,405,000 chips for an 85 big blind advantage. The United Kingdom’s Tom Hall, fresh off his chip-leading performance in the $600 Ultra Stack earlier in the series, again demonstrated his tournament prowess by bagging 1,455,000 chips for a top-ten finish.
The fast-paced tournament format attracted a solid field, with only three bracelet winners advancing from Day 1a: Bradley Smith (1,100,000), Joshua Remito (940,000), and Andrew Kelsall (480,000), the latter also serving as a $25K Fantasy Draft selection.
Meanwhile, Event #91: $1,500 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha proved explosive as expected, with 1,304 entries decimated to just 103 survivors. Argentina’s Nacho Barbero leads the charge with 1,382,000 chips, joined by fellow chip millionaires Narcis Nedelcu (1,290,000), Cameron Bramwell (1,088,000), and Paul Gunness (1,040,000).
The tournament showcased the depth of talent in the PLO community, with 20 bracelet winners successfully navigating the choppy waters. Notable survivors include Qiang Xu (682,000), Dario Alioto (360,000), Sean Troha (347,000), Robert Mizrachi (249,000), and Erik Seidel (242,000), setting up compelling Day 2 action.
Looking Ahead to Day 46
The excitement continues on Day 46 as multiple events reach crucial junctures. The Main Event returns for Day 6 with 202 players guaranteed at least $60,000, while the $50,000 High Roller enters its final day with 17 players battling for the multi-million dollar prize. GGPoker, the official partner of the WSOP, continues to showcase these premier events to poker fans worldwide.
Fresh events also enter the schedule, including Event #92: $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty No-Limit Hold’em, where Hall of Fame members carry bounties worth their induction year. Defending champion Jamie Walden, who captured his first bracelet and $313,370 in 2023, returns to defend his title against what promises to be another strong field.
Event #93: $3,000 T.O.R.S.E. makes its debut, offering a new twist on the popular mixed game format by replacing Hold’em with 2-7 Triple Draw, ensuring variety continues to flourish in the 2025 WSOP schedule.
As the series progresses deeper into its championship phase, the combination of massive prize pools, world-class competition, and compelling storylines ensures that Day 46 will deliver another memorable chapter in poker’s most prestigious tournament series. With GGPoker qualifiers making their mark alongside established champions, and bracelets, bounties, and bragging rights on the line, the action promises to be nothing short of spectacular.
