WSOP MAIN EVENT 2025 : The field tightens up after an unforgiving Day 2ABC

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WSOP MAIN EVENT 2025 : The field tightens up after an unforgiving Day 2ABC

2025-07-07 - RICHARD Fabien

8,959 entries, 1,320 survivors, and an increasingly demanding dream.

DAY 2ABC of the Main Event reminded everyone that Las Vegas never gives anything away for free. Under pressure, champions stumble and outsiders rise. The mood is no longer exploratory. Faces are locked in, movements controlled. At this stage, every mistake costs an entire summer.

A brutal pace, a massive culling, and a ruthless field

It took only a few levels to set the tone. The Horseshoe Event Center, packed at sunrise, emptied at record speed. Hundreds of stacks vanished, dreams crushed by the relentless pace: DAY 2ABC was a brutal filter. The numbers? 2,681 returning players, 265 late entries, and only 1,320 still standing at the end of the day.

This brings the total to 8,959 entries so far. A massive number, though unlikely to break 2024’s record (10,112). Still, the prize pool has already surpassed $86 million, with a likely eight-figure top prize.

Phil Hellmuth, the eternal survivor – Kabrhel exits to applause

From the first hand, Phil Hellmuth embraced the variance in a huge coin flip. Victorious, the "Poker Brat" rolled through the day, bagging 187,000 chips, proving once again that his instincts remain sharp. Other former champions like Johnny Chan (95,500), Greg Raymer (226,000), Greg Merson (123,000), and Damian Salas (129,000) also advanced to Day 3 with confidence and experience.

By contrast, some big names were eliminated early. Qui Nguyen, Scott Blumstein, and Robert Varkonyi all fell short in their bid for a second title. Special mention to Martin Kabrhel, as flashy as he is divisive, whose every hand drew applause, laughter, or sighs. He was ultimately knocked out by Franklin Machado, saluted by a rail that was both ironic and explosive.

Some days, everything just clicks. That was the case for Oleksii Kravchuk. Consistent all day and explosive at crunch time, the Ukrainian closed with 937,500 chips, the only player near the million mark. He leads the field, ahead of Randall Lack (762,000), David Cabrera Polop (704,000), and Thomas Eychenne (647,000), the top French performer.

The day was also marked by a collective surge from the women. Vanessa Selbst led the charge with 160,500 chips, true to her hyper-aggressive style. She'll be joined on Day 3 by a fierce lineup: Juliet Hegedus (627,000), Susan Faber (435,000), Marte Sandberg (403,000), Lara Eisenberg (214,000), and Katie Lindsay (170,000). Momentum is building, and hopes for a female finalist are serious once again.

TOP 10 Chipcounts – DAY 2ABC:

Oleksii Kravchuk, Ukraine – 937,500

Randall Lack, USA – 762,000

Eric Bunch, USA – 717,000

David Cabrera Polop, Spain – 704,000

Thomas Eychenne, France – 647,000

Marte Sandberg, Norway – 635,000

Juliet Hegedus, USA – 627,000

Kohei Arai, Japan – 597,000

Ryuta Nakai, Japan – 595,000

Ryuta Ichinose, Japan – 575,000

Among the French, many advanced solidly, but one man led the charge: Thomas Eychenne, currently 5th overall with 644,000 chips. Sam Jakubowicz, impressively consistent, follows with 462,000 chips. Bruno Soutavong isn’t far behind at 425,000.

Close behind are Jean Lhuillier, Adrien Guyader, Jeremie Sarda, Sami Bechahed, Valentin Antoine, Josselin Gardes, Francois Pirault, Jalil Mekouane, Arnaud Mattern...

Still in contention: Jérémy Surinach, Miroslav Alilovic, Camel Meriem, Karim Lehoussine, and Nicolas Dumont, ready to push hard when it matters most.

Notable eliminations include Sonny Franco and Alexane Nachjaus, who unfortunately exited the arena.

There are still two levels left in Day 2B for those hoping to sneak in last minute. Meanwhile, Day 3 kicks off Tuesday, July 8, bringing together all remaining players for the first time. Play resumes at Level 6, blinds 400/800/800, with each level lasting 120 minutes.

This is the turning point: the bubble looms, ambitions sharpen, and mistakes are no longer forgiven. Las Vegas has never felt more like a ring. The pros know: from here on out, every chip is a weapon.

(Photo credit: PokerNews)
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