Kenny Hallaert isn’t any stranger to the WSOP Primary Occasion remaining phases and with simply 20 minutes left on Day 6, the 2016 November Niner and PokerStars ambassador put himself in prime place to make the ultimate desk as soon as once more.
Hallaert picked up aces and acquired it in in opposition to queens and jacks in a large three-way all-in pot price greater than 36 million chips. The aces held, and the Belgian bagged 36,950,000 to take the chip lead into Day 7, the place 57 gamers stay.
“It does not really feel actual,” Hallaert mentioned after bagging. “I have been on this place earlier than, clearly, made a remaining desk. I have been sixty fourth even earlier than, so I’ve already topped that consequence.”
“Getting aces and having two folks go all in earlier than you additionally helps to make it as a chip chief,” the long-time Belgian professional mentioned, who’s been representing PokerStars since final summer time as an envoy and dwell occasions advisor.
Regardless of being in pole place, Hallaert is not getting forward of himself simply but.
“Folks have began on this place because the chip chief and never made it to the ultimate three tables.”
“If you’ve been taking part in poker for 20 years, I’ve seen all of it occur previously. Been there a number of occasions in tournaments when you’ve got all of the chips and hastily you are out.”
2025 WSOP Primary Occasion Finish of Day 6 Prime Ten Chip Counts
Afriat Hits a Essential Straight
Eric Afriat (31,200,000), who held the chip lead for a lot of the night, now sits second in chips. He vaulted to the highest earlier within the session after profitable an enormous three-way all-in price over 20 million chips. Afriat made a king-high straight to crack Benjamin Williams’ aces and Bruno Furth’s flopped set of queens.
Afriat can be no stranger to deep event runs. The Canadian has three World Poker Tour titles to his title, tied for third most all time, however the World Collection of Poker has by no means introduced him that very same marquee success.
His solely WSOP remaining desk got here in 2018, when he completed fifth within the $1,500 Nearer for $154,660. Till now, that consequence made up greater than half of his lifetime WSOP earnings. However that may actually change, as Afriat’s deep run within the 2025 Primary Occasion has already secured him a brand new private greatest.
Afriat was all smiles after bagging one of many greatest stacks calling as we speak “top-of-the-line days of my poker profession,” reflecting on how every thing appeared to fall into place from the second he took his seat.
“Right this moment was simply magical,” he mentioned. “All the things was good and clean, the desk adjustments, the playing cards. I sat down and did my factor.”
Regardless of his success on different excursions, Afriat didn’t hesitate when requested if he’d commerce all of it only for a seat on the WSOP Primary Occasion remaining desk.
“100%. Folks would possibly say I’m loopy, however I’d swap all of it simply to make the ultimate desk right here,” he mentioned. “My first WPT title in 2014, that was magical. Possibly, that is the second magic that’s going to occur.”
Additionally nonetheless within the combine is four-time Poker Gamers Championship winner Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi, who bagged 19,725,000 chips for third place. The seven-time bracelet winner added to a piece to his stack late within the day due to an excellent name with pocket sevens on a scary-looking board.
Mizrachi mentioned the Primary Occasion run is bringing again reminiscences of 2010. “It looks like a repeat,” he mentioned. “However this time we’re gonna win it, no extra fifth place.”
As talked about, Mizrachi pulled off a artful hero name with pocket sevens on a paired and four-heart board. “I guess small on the river to induce,” he defined. “I knew he didn’t have a hand, and when he tanked for 5 minutes, I used to be one hundred pc positive he was gonna bluff. All the things went precisely as deliberate.”
Merson Nonetheless Alive, Margets Final Lady Standing Once more
Among the many Day 6 survivors is 2012 Primary Occasion champion Greg Merson, the final remaining former world champion. Greater than a decade after profitable $8,531,853, Merson remains to be chasing title quantity two. He’ll return with 3,025,000 chips.
Tomas Szwarcberg additionally superior to Day 7 for the second consecutive yr. Szwarcberg completed thirtieth in 2024.
Additionally trying to make it to Day 7 for the second yr in a row was Yong Han. 2024 marked Han’s Primary Occasion debut, and he made it depend ending in 59th place. He managed to drag off his greatest Mark Newhouse impression and by some means completed in the identical spot, bowing out in one of many remaining fingers of the evening.
Leo Margets is as soon as once more the final lady standing within the WSOP Primary Occasion. The Spanish bracelet winner beforehand claimed that title in 2009, when she made it to the ultimate three tables earlier than ending twenty seventh for $352,832.
With Esther Taylor, Thi Xoa Nguyen, Heather Hardie, and Lindsey McDougall all eradicated on Day 6, Margets stands alone as soon as extra. She’ll head into Day 7 with 6,400,000 chips, good for forty third on the leaderboard.
Day 6 Motion
Day 6 acquired off to a wild begin due to Will Kassouf, who discovered himself on the best aspect of a large cooler. His aces held in opposition to kings, sending his stack hovering previous 10 million early within the day.
However with the chips got here delays. Kassouf had the clock referred to as on him 23 occasions all through the session, finally resulting in a uncommon penalty that gave him simply ten seconds to behave per determination. That restriction was lifted through the remaining stage. Nonetheless, Kassouf ended the day with solely 2,850,000 chips, and is now close to the underside of the counts.
Andrew Wilson, Farid Jattin, and Romain Locquet have been among the many early eliminations. Hallaert, in the meantime, started his regular stand up the leaderboard and by no means regarded again.
Later within the day, Jarod Minghini briefly climbed into the highest three after rivering a set of aces to beat Arsenii Karmatckii’s flopped set of jacks in a 163 massive blind pot. But it surely didn’t take lengthy for the chips to shift once more. Minghini misplaced a 140 massive blind pot to Derek Sudell, who made a gutsy hero name with pocket queens to knock him again into the center of the pack.
By the dinner break, the sector had been minimize from 202 to 95 gamers. Eliminations slowed afterward, with solely 38 extra busting earlier than baggage got here out.
Amongst these to fall wanting Day 7 have been bracelet winners Francis Anderson and Colin Robinson, in addition to Dillon Ott, the brother of 2017 Primary Occasion runner-up Daniel Ott. Had he made the ultimate desk, the Otts would have been the primary siblings to take action.
Plan for Day 7
Day 7 will characteristic one other 5 ranges of play and kicks off at 12 p.m. native time. The motion resumes with Degree 30, the place blinds can be 100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 massive blind ante.
Gamers will get a 20-minute break after every stage, and a 75-minute dinner break is scheduled after Degree 33. Everybody remaining has secured a minimum of $165,000 in prize cash. The following pay soar to $200,000 coming when 53 gamers stay.
Calum Grant
Senior Editor & Dwell Occasions Government
