25K Fantasy Draft 2024
2024 Draft
Day: 1
Kristen Foxen was the first female player up for auction in the $25K Fantasy Draft, and she ended up on Team NGNF for a steal at $11.
"She was awesome for us last year," said Jeff Platt as his team secured the three-time bracelet winner.
| Player | Price |
|---|---|
| Chad Eveslage | $75 |
| Ren Lin | $55 |
| Dan Zack | $50 |
| Kristen Foxen | $11 |
Team Sepiol landed their second draft pick in Adam Friedman, who sold for $35.
| Player | Price |
|---|---|
| Alex Foxen | $70 |
| Adam Friedman | $35 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
95
-35
|
-35 |
|
|
9
-11
|
-11 |
The reigning WSOP Main Event champ Dan Weinman, who is in attendance at the $25K Fantasy Draft and a part of Team Lucky, was nominated and nearly sold for $2 before a last-minute bid came in.
That seemed to be the kick in the pants other teams needed and a flurry of dollar-by-dollar bids came in that ultimately saw him go for $31 to, you guessed it... Team Lucky!
Team Lucky
| Player | Prize |
|---|---|
| Dylan Linde | $61 |
| Adrian Mateos | $45 |
| Daniel Weinman | $31 |
Next up was Anthony Zinno and a bidding war followed between Team Negreanu and Team Sepiol before Team Wilson swooped in with a winning bid of $31.
Team Wilson
| Player | Price |
|---|---|
| Mike Gorodinsky | $20 |
| Landon Tice | $10 |
| Ike Haxton | $15 |
| Anthony Zinno | $31 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
124
-31
|
-31 |
|
|
63
-43
|
-43 |
Isaac Haxton, who crossed off his name as one of the best players without a bracelet list last summer, began at $1. His final price rose to $15, with Team Wilson having the winning bid.
Team Wilson Picks
| Player | Price |
|---|---|
| Mike Gorodinsky | $20 |
| Landon Tice | $10 |
| Isaac Haxton | $15 |
A bidding war broke out between several groups for Paul Volpe, who ended up in Team Kalas for $34.
Team Kalas Picks
| Player | Price |
|---|---|
| Phillip Sternheimer | $35 |
| Paul Volpe | $34 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
155
-15
|
-15 |
|
|
131
-34
|
-34 |
"$17 going once... $17 going twice... $17 sold," that is what PokerGO emcee Tim Duckworth said before closing out bidding on Sean Winter, who went to Team DPMC, the defending. champs. Winter joined Daniel Negreanu on the roster.
Ben Yu, a top-five point earner in the league, was nominated next and as expected several teams were interested. His final selling price wound up being $67 to Team Baker, joining Dylan Weisman on the roster.
Landon Tice was nominated by Team Wilson for $10 and that did the trick as no one else bid.
"Why do you always waste money like that when nobody else bids?" Negreanu chastised. "WTF are you in a rush for, you could've bid $1."
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
170
-10
|
-10 |
|
|
74
-67
|
-67 |
|
|
51
-17
|
-17 |
Team Kalas was the only team to be playerless until Phillip Sternheimer was up for auction. He ended up in the team led by Kane Kalas for $35.
Yuri Dzivielevski, a wizard in various poker formats, was another player who teams fiercely competed for. The Brazilian looked like he was heading to Team Lucky, but Ren Lin's Lady Gaga made it $90, which Team Lucky refused to best.
Lady Gaga is left with $6 for their six remaining picks.
Team Lady Gaga Picks
| Player | Price |
|---|---|
| Shaun Deeb | $104 |
| Yuri Dzivielevski | $90 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
165
-35
|
-35 |
|
|
6
-90
|
-90 |
The reigning WSOP Player of the Year Ian Matakis was the next player nominated and bidding went from $1-$2-$3-$4-$8-$9-$12-$13-$14-$15-$16-$1 (Team NGNF bowed out)-$18-$20-$21-$22 ultimately selling to Team Lang, becoming the second player on the roster behind Alex Livingston.
Chris Vitch then went for $41 to Team Sternheimer for $41, joining Benny Glaser on the roster, while last year's Poker Hall of Famer Brian Rast went to The Dinkers for for $37.
The Dinkers
| Player | Price |
|---|---|
| Chris Brewer | $60 |
| John Racener | $36 |
| Brian Rast | $37 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
83
-41
|
-41 |
|
|
68
-22
|
-22 |
|
|
67
-37
|
-37 |
Team DPMC were keen to get Justin Liberto, but Team Chingas was even more determined to land the bracelet and four-time WSOP ring winner.
Liberto ended up in the hands of Team Chingas after the $25K Draft reigning champions conceded defeat.
| Player | Price |
|---|---|
| Brian Yoon | $47 |
| Dylan Smith | $33 |
| Justin Liberto | $78 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
42
-78
|
-78 |
After breaking the bank for Jeremy Ausmus ($81), Team Noori kept the vault open and spent most of their balance on Portuguese maestro Joao Vieira for $84.
Team Chingas also got their second draft pick, securing Dylan Smith for $33.
Team Chingas Picks
| Player | Price |
|---|---|
| Brian Yoon | $47 |
| Dylan Smith | $33 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
120
-33
|
-33 |
|
|
35
-84
|
-84 |
Jeremy Ausmus proved a hot player several teams were waiting on as a bidding saw him go to Team Noori, their first pick, for $81, more than the likes of Phil Hellmuth ($72) and Josh Arieh ($73).
In fact, Ausmus became the 4th-highest bid of the draft thus far behind Daniel Negreanu ($132), Alex Livingston ($110), and Shaun Deeb ($104).
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
119
-81
|
-81 |