Main Event Takes Center Stage as Champions Are Crowned
WSOP Day 39
Day 39 of the 2025 World Series of Poker delivered the kind of heart-pounding action that makes the Rio’s successor venues at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas the epicenter of poker’s most prestigious tournament series. While the $10,000 Main Event commanded the spotlight with its massive Day 1c field, the day’s narrative was enriched by two new bracelet winners and several tournaments reaching critical junctures.
Main Event Day 1c: Lyubovetskiy Leads the Charge
The Main Event’s third starting flight proved to be a marathon affair, with 1,678 players taking their shot at poker immortality. The deep-stacked structure and extended blind levels created a grinding atmosphere where patience and precision were rewarded over aggressive gambles. When the final chips were bagged, 1,249 survivors had earned their ticket to Day 2, pushing the overall field to a staggering 4,929 players with one more starting flight still to come.
Ukrainian player Andriy Lyubovetskiy emerged as the day’s chip leader, accumulating an impressive 392,400 chips—a fortress-like stack that translates to 491 big blinds heading into Day 2. The two-time bracelet winner’s steady accumulation throughout the day showcased the methodical approach that has made him a feared tournament competitor on the international circuit.
Close behind, Bin Weng secured second place with 354,800 chips. The American pro, who boasts over $9 million in career live tournament earnings, made his move in the day’s final hours, demonstrating the kind of late-day aggression that separates elite players from the field. His surge up the leaderboard came at the perfect time, positioning him as a serious threat moving forward.
The day’s most dramatic climb belonged to Braxton Dunaway, the 2023 Monster Stack Champion, who bagged 234,800 chips after making significant gains in the final two levels. His ability to build momentum when it mattered most exemplified the kind of tournament savvy that turns good players into champions.
Poker Legends Return to the Felt
The Main Event’s allure drew several legendary figures back to the tournament arena. Vanessa Selbst, who had previously stepped away from competitive poker, found herself in familiar territory, grinding through the field to secure a healthy 155,200 chips. Her presence alone added electricity to the room, reminding everyone why she remains one of the most respected minds in the game.
Erick Lindgren, a veteran of countless poker battles, navigated the field with characteristic persistence, ending with 101,100 chips. The multiple bracelet winner’s steady approach reflected his deep understanding of Main Event dynamics, where survival often trumps aggression in the early stages.
Other notable survivors included Dan Shak (162,700), Chad Holloway (128,200), and international stars like Michael Addamo (92,400) and Max Pescatori (88,500). The diverse field also featured 2020 Main Event Online champion Damian Salas (61,400) and 2018 WSOP Europe Main Event champion Jack Sinclair (72,900), both carrying the weight of previous championship experience.
Two New Bracelet Winners Emerge
While the Main Event dominated headlines, two other tournaments reached their climactic conclusions. Nick Ahmadi claimed his breakthrough moment in the Event #78: $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship, turning a modest buy-in into a life-changing $302,165 payday. The victory marked not only his first WSOP bracelet but also came with the coveted 24-karat gold PokerNews Deepstack Championship winner’s coin—a unique prize that adds special significance to his triumph.
Giuseppe Zarbo provided the day’s second bracelet story, conquering the Event #80: $800 Summer Celebration field to earn $504,180. His victory exemplified the WSOP’s ability to create millionaire-making opportunities across various buy-in levels, proving that championship dreams aren’t reserved for high-roller events alone.
Mixed Games Drama: Heads-Up Battle Extended
The Event #82: $10,000 Eight Game Mixed Championship provided unexpected drama when what was supposed to be the final day stretched into a marathon 13-hour session. When tournament directors finally called time, Eric Wasserson and Mike Gorodinsky remained locked in heads-up combat, necessitating an unscheduled fourth day.
Wasserson entered the extended break with a commanding chip advantage, holding 10,115,000 compared to Gorodinsky’s 1,585,000. The massive chip differential created a David-versus-Goliath dynamic that would test both players’ mental fortitude. The road to heads-up play had been littered with accomplished players, including Brian Hastings, Jeremy Ausmus, Todd Brunson, and Ioannis Konstas, all of whom fell short of the final showdown.
Freezeout Action Intensifies
The Event #83: $2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em reached a crucial stage with just 25 players remaining from an original field of 1,299. Poland’s Pawel Brzeski seized control of the leaderboard with 5,555,000 chips, establishing a significant advantage over his closest pursuer, Brazil’s Breno Drumond (3,955,000).
The freezeout format added extra tension to every decision, as players couldn’t buy back in after elimination. This dynamic created increasingly cautious play as the field narrowed, with each pot carrying potentially tournament-ending consequences. The surviving 25 players each secured at least a piece of the $2,890,275 prize pool, but all eyes remained focused on the $449,245 first-place prize.
Deeb’s Bracelet Chase Continues
Shaun Deeb positioned himself perfectly for another bracelet run in Event #84: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em, bagging the chip lead with 923,000 chips. The seven-time bracelet winner’s pursuit of his eighth piece of WSOP hardware drew significant attention, especially given his consistent tournament excellence over the years.
The event attracted 1,873 entries—significantly more than the previous year’s 1,424—likely boosted by the format change from freezeout to single re-entry. This structural adjustment created a more dynamic tournament environment while still maintaining the event’s accessible price point.
The Main Event Continues to Grow
With Day 1d still to come, the Main Event’s final field size remained tantalizingly uncertain. Traditional patterns suggest the final starting flight often attracts the largest field, as players who have been eliminated from earlier flights take their final shot, and others who have been waiting for the weekend make their appearance.
The tournament’s structure, featuring deep stacks and extended blind levels, has created an environment where skill edges can be maximized over time. This format particularly favors experienced tournament players who understand the importance of patience and position in building substantial chip stacks.
A Day of Diverse Storylines
Day 39 perfectly encapsulated the WSOP’s unique ability to create compelling narratives across multiple buy-in levels and game formats. From the Main Event’s star-studded field to the intimate heads-up battle in the Eight Game Mixed Championship, the day offered something for every type of poker enthusiast.
The presence of legendary players like Selbst and Lindgren in the Main Event added historical significance to the proceedings, while new bracelet winners Ahmadi and Zarbo reminded everyone that the WSOP remains a place where dreams are realized regardless of experience level.
As the series progresses, the Main Event’s massive field size promises to create one of the most competitive championship tournaments in recent memory. With nearly 5,000 players already through to Day 2 and more expected from the final starting flight, the eventual champion will have earned their title through one of the most grueling poker tests imaginable.
The coming days will determine whether chip leaders like Lyubovetskiy can maintain their advantage, whether legends like Selbst can recapture past magic, and whether the WSOP will crown champions who will be remembered long after the final cards are dealt in Las Vegas.
