The Venetian

Updated Chip Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Justin Lapka	4,250,000	3,800,000
Joseph Serock	3,675,000	3,450,000
Nicholas Palma	3,565,000	2,600,000
Anthony Reategui	2,280,000	1,300,000
Alex Foxen	2,175,000	605,000
Miquel Maimes	2,135,000	3,100,000
Daniel Sepiol	2,070,000	1,140,000
Hunter Cichy	1,740,000	1,680,000
Antonio Vargas	1,580,000	950,000
Kenneth Kim	1,030,000	1,100,000
Alexander Wong	945,000	2,425,000
Philip Tardif	900,000	220,000
Aaron Klausman	850,000	1,350,000
Jacob Mendelsohn	840,000	1,000,000
Earl Goodman	425,000	1,800,000

Tristan Wade Eliminated in 16th Place ($11,225)

Tristan Wade raised all-in from the cutoff, and MSPT Champ Alexander Wong looked him up from the big blind.

Tristan Wade:
Alexander Wong:

Wade ran into a pair of aces, and the runout ended his Main Event run.

Alexander Wong - 4,225,000
Tristan Wade - Eliminated

Kathy Liebert Eliminated in 17th Place ($11,225)

WSOP bracelet winner Kathy Liebert raised all-in from the small blind, and Nick Palma called from the big blind.

Kathy Liebert:
Nick Palma:

Liebert was behind hoping to find some help on the runout, but none came, as the board ended her tournament.

Nick Palma - 2,700,000
Kathy Liebert - Eliminated

David Yue Eliminated in 18th Place ($9,391)

There was heads-up action on a board between David Yue from middle position and Earl Goodman from the button.

Yue moved his remaining 600,000 stack into the middle, and after multiple time banks were used, Goodman called.

was then tabled by Yue, showing king-high, while Goodman gladly tabled , to end his tournament.

Earl Goodman - 2,210,000
David Yue - Eliminated

Eliminated 19th - 20th Place ($9,391)

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Joshua Brunner	0	520,000
Dan Stavila	0	1,000,000

Wong Flops Qud Sevens for Double Through Vargas

Photo: Alexander Wong

2025 Colorado Poker State Champ Antonio Vargas raised to 125,000 from middle position, and then called fellow MSPT Champ Alexander Wong’s 800,000 three-bet jam from the small blind,

Alexander Wong:
Antonio Vargas:

It was another classic, with Wong flopping Vargas dead after the gave him quad sevens, and a meaningless , completed the board, keeping Wong’s tournament hopes alive.

Alexander Wong - 1,750,000
Antonio Vargas - 1,000,000

Eliminated 21st - 23rd Place ($7,948)

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Tong Bi	0	790,000
DJ Buckley	0	540,000
Christopher Selami	0	670,000

Palma Turns Buckley for a KO

Photo: DJ Buckley

Nick Palma opened under the gun for 100,000, and action quickly folded to DJ Buckley, who looked down at his cards from the big blind and decided to move his 500,000 stack into the middle.

This was the third in a row Buckley moved his stack into the middle, and this time, he found a call from Palma.

DJ Buckley:
Nick Palma:

It was a classic race, with the flop keeping Buckley out in front.

However, the dealer quickly turned the , and Buckley took a stand, as it gave Palma a commanding lead.

Buckley was in need of some lady luck heading to the river, but the completed the board and ended his run in 23^rd place for $7,948.

Nick Palma - 1,765,000
DJ Buckley - Eliminated

Eliminated 24th - 26th Place ($6,806)

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Sergey Brit	0	115,000
Cyril Peralez	0	460,000
Oliver Tot	0	265,000

Tardif Flushes Lapka's Cowboys for a Double

Photo: Philip Tardif

Philip Tardif was all-in preflop for 250,000 and was called by Justin Lapka.

Philip Tardif:
Justin Lapka:

Tardif was behind needing help, and found it after the flop gave him the nut flush draw, while pairing his ace.

The turn kept Tardif in the lead, while the river secured his much-needed double-up.

Justin Lapka - 1,525,000
Philip Tardif - 500,000