Event #92: $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty
Day 1 Completed
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #92: $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty
Day: 1
Top
Chip Counts
Chip Counts
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Day 1 of Event #92: $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty No-Limit Hold’em at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), hosted at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, concluded with notable action and personalities taking the spotlight.
Leading the pack is Soichiro Hayashi with 630,000 in chips, and running deep in this tournament would be a career-high for this player from Japan.
Wen Lyu from China bagged 599,000 in chips to sit second, while third is American Kevin Ruscitti with 596,000 chips.
Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soichiro Hayashi | Japan | 630,000 | 79 |
| 2 | Wen Lyu | China | 599,000 | 75 |
| 3 | Kevin Ruscitti | United States | 596,000 | 75 |
| 4 | Isiah Ditoto | United States | 552,000 | 69 |
| 5 | Homan Mohammadi | Canada | 543,000 | 68 |
| 6 | David Covey | United States | 519,000 | 65 |
| 7 | Yake Wu | China | 498,000 | 62 |
| 8 | Thomas Tran | United States | 486,000 | 61 |
| 9 | James Morgan | Canada | 486,000 | 61 |
| 10 | Artur Martirosian | Russian Federation | 482,000 | 60 |
The remaining Hall of Fame members with bounties returning tomorrow are Tom McEvoy (160,000)-bounty $2,013, Barry Greenstein (121,000)-bounty $2,011, and John Juanda (47,000)-bounty $2,105.
Notables returning tomorrow are too many to list, but 19 bracelet winners will be on the quest to receive their next bracelet. Phil Hellmuth is also on the hunt for his 18th bracelet, and returning with 66,000.
Some of the other 25K Fantasy draft pick players returning tomorrow are Joao Simao (264,000), Ren Lin (208,000), plus ODB pick Ankush Mandavia (196,000).
The Hall of Famers who dropped out throughout the day were Eli Elezra, Barbara Enright, Berry Johnston, Jack McClelland, Todd Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Scotty Nguyen, Erik Seidel, and Billy Baxter.
Out of the 1,115 initial players, only 167 will return Saturday at noon to vie for the prestigious bracelet and the top prize of $311,349, and of course, any remaining bounties. Each player will be guaranteed $3,896 at the start of the day, as the bubble was burst at the end of the night.
$1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty Payouts
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $311,349 | 18-26 | $10,675 |
| 2 | $207,510 | 27-35 | $8,951 |
| 3 | $147,184 | 36-44 | $7,632 |
| 4 | $105,879 | 45-53 | $6,618 |
| 5 | $77,263 | 54-62 | $5,839 |
| 6 | $57,205 | 63-71 | $5,244 |
| 7 | $42,983 | 72-80 | $4,794 |
| 8 | $32,783 | 81-89 | $4,463 |
| 9 | $25,386 | 90-98 | $4,233 |
| 10-11 | $19,964 | 99 - 107 | $4,091 |
| 12-13 | $15,947 | 108 - 167 | $3,896 |
| 14-17 | $12,943 |
Action resumes in the silver section in Horseshoe at noon local time, July 12, with 27:39 remaining in Level 17, and blinds of 4,000/8,000 and a big blind ante of 8,000. The tournament will proceed until a champion emerges, with scheduled breaks after every three levels and a dinner break at approximately 6:30 p.m.
For live updates and detailed coverage of the WSOP, stay tuned to PokerNews and catch every thrilling moment from this event.
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
630,000
135,000
|
135,000 |
|
||
|
599,000
129,000
|
129,000 |
|
596,000
596,000
|
596,000 |
|
552,000
552,000
|
552,000 |
|
543,000
28,000
|
28,000 |
|
|
519,000
403,000
|
403,000 |
|
498,000
42,000
|
42,000 |
|
486,000
486,000
|
486,000 |
|
486,000
3,000
|
3,000 |
|
482,000
46,000
|
46,000 |
|
||
|
479,000
12,000
|
12,000 |
|
475,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
449,000
306,500
|
306,500 |
|
||
|
433,000
396,000
|
396,000 |
|
||
|
405,000
181,000
|
181,000 |
|
400,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
397,000
397,000
|
397,000 |
|
|
||
|
397,000
397,000
|
397,000 |
|
393,000
393,000
|
393,000 |
|
392,000
392,000
|
392,000 |
|
390,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
|
372,000
216,500
|
216,500 |
|
369,000
206,300
|
206,300 |
|
366,000
366,000
|
366,000 |
|
365,000
365,000
|
365,000 |
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The bubble burst, and the Poker Hall of Fame Bounty Tournament has concluded for the evening and will resume tomorrow at noon. There are 167 players returning tomorrow for round two of this battle.
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
There were two all-ins on the bubble, so the bubble got chopped.
Hand One:
Yake Wu raised to 17,000 in the cutoff and got called by Luke Dimaggio in the big blind with 5,000 behind. The dealer revealed the flop 6♠A♦9♠. Dimaggio check-called Wu's bet of 5,000.
Luke Dimaggio: 10♣9♥ 
Yake Wu: J♠3♠
The turn showed a 7♥ and the river J♣. Initially, Dimaggio was ahead, but the river ensured Wu won the hand, sending Dimaggio home.
Hand Two:
Ori Mendi opened to 8,000 from middle position, Jun Li called in the cutoff, and Jonas Lauck was automatically all-in as he had only 5,000 left. The dealer showed the flop 2♠4♣7♣. Mendi and Li both checked to the turn 7♠. On the river, Mendi check-folded Li's bet of 8,000, which meant that only Lauck and Li were left in the hand.
Jonas Lauck: J♥8♦
Jun Li: A♣6♦
The dealer showed the river 2♦. Li won with an ace high, sending Lauck to the rails.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
540,000
540,000
|
540,000 |
|
245,000
123,000
|
123,000 |
|
60,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Mario Lopez raised to 16,000 from early position, Matthew Cosentino moved all in for 115,000, Dan Fleyshman called all in for 30,000, and Lopez called both shoves.
Dan Fleyshman: J♦J♠
Matthew Cosentino: Q♥Q♦
Mario Lopez: A♠K♥
The board ran out with 8♠A♦3♣3♥10♣, and the best two pair aces and threes won the pot and eliminated both players.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
390,000
236,000
|
236,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
Level 17
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The tournament director instructed the dealers to complete the hand they were on and to stop for hand-for-hand play as the money bubble looms.
Level: 17
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
Level 16
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Tom McEvoy is a name etched in poker history, not just for his skill at the table, but for the impact he's made on the game itself. Best known for winning the 1983 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, McEvoy is a four-time WSOP bracelet winner and one of the game’s enduring legends.
While winning the Main Event remains one of his most cherished memories, McEvoy considers his 2013 induction into the Poker Hall of Fame nearly as meaningful. The moment carried emotional weight, especially after five previous nominations fell short. It was a profoundly personal achievement as well; his father had been honored in the Cutlery Hall of Fame, and being inducted into poker’s most prestigious circle felt like following in his father’s footsteps in his own way.
McEvoy is also remembered for his contributions beyond the felt. Originally an accountant, he became a pioneer in advocating for smoke-free poker environments. In 1998, he organized the first non-smoking poker tournament and, by 2002, had successfully convinced the WSOP to adopt a non-smoking policy. This initiative forever changed the landscape of live poker.
Even in the later stages of his career, McEvoy remains committed to competing. When asked how he maintains his stamina during long tournament days, he said he adjusted his lifestyle, going to bed earlier, cutting sugar in the days before playing, and relying on caffeine for an extra boost.
As for the strangest thing he’s seen at a poker table? McEvoy recalls a man ripping off his pants and running around the room pantless, a bizarre moment in a game full of unpredictable characters.
From champion to changemaker, McEvoy’s legacy in poker is undeniable, one that balances competitive greatness with a lasting influence on the game’s culture.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
166,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
||
