Event #25: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship | 2023 World Series of Poker

06-13-2023 14:09 UTC-8

Johannes Becker Eliminated in 7th Place ($61,919)

Christian Zetzsche

Level 25 : Limits 100,000/200,000, 0 ante

Ben Lamb raised in the cutoff and was called by Johannes Becker in the small blind and Erik Seidel in the big blind.

"How much do you have?" Lamb inquired and Becker replied he started the hand with 900k. The flop came A♣K♠9♣ and it checked to Lamb, who bet. Becker mulled it over to then check-raise for Seidel to fold and Lamb made it three bets to earn a call from Becker.

On the 8♠ turn, Becker had fewer than two bets behind and bet, Lamb raised and the German called it off.

Johannes Becker: A♥K♥Q♦10♣
Ben Lamb: A♣A♦9♥4♦

Becker was in dire shape with his top two pair and needed a jack to survive, as he held no low draw. The 5♦ fell on the river and ended his run in seventh place for $61,919.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ben Lamb	5,800,000 1,000,000	1,000,000

Erik Seidel	1,900,000 -250,000	-250,000

Johannes Becker	Busted

Tags: Ben Lamb Erik Seidel Johannes Becker

06-13-2023 14:00 UTC-8

Lamb Continues to Add Chips

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 25 : Limits 100,000/200,000, 0 ante

Ben Lamb raised it up for Johannes Becker to call, who then check-folded the A♣K♥4♠ flop to a bet. "I had ace-king-trey-deuce," Lamb mentioned in the chat without showing his cards.

Luis Velador and James Chen won pots after before Velador raised and called a three-bet by Lamb. On the A♥10♦3♥ flop, Velador check-folded to a bet. "What did you raise with?" Lamb inquired and Velador joked back "three queens and a four".

Brad Ruben and Erik Seidel then got raises through.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ben Lamb	4,800,000 800,000	800,000

Erik Seidel	2,150,000 100,000	100,000

Luis Velador	1,700,000 -100,000	-100,000

Robert Yass	1,600,000 -300,000	-300,000
Brad Ruben	1,100,000 100,000	100,000

Johannes Becker	890,000 -310,000	-310,000

James Chen (US)	825,000 -200,000	-200,000

Tags: Ben Lamb Brad Ruben Erik Seidel James Chen (US)Johannes Becker Luis Velador

06-13-2023 13:50 UTC-8

Lamb Extends Chip Lead With Back-to-Back Scoops

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Jim Murray

Level 25 : Limits 100,000/200,000, 0 ante

Brad Ruben opened from late position and Ben Lamb defended the big blind.

Lamb check-called a bet from Ruben on the 5♥2♥2♣ flop and both players checked the 9♣ turn.

Lamb would then lead out on the 10♦ river and Ruben made the call to see Lamb's two pair as he tabled Q♦Q♥5♦4♦ for queens and fives.

In the next hand, Lamb would get involved with Luis Velador, as he three-bet a late position raise from the small blind and comment, "probably a good call," as Velador put in the calling chips.

Lamb continued the preflop aggression by betting on the J♣9♠A♦ flop and Velador would call.

Both players checked the 3♥ turn and the 3d] river, with Lamb tabling A♦10♦10♠2♦ for two pair, growing his chip count to around the four million mark.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ben Lamb	4,000,000 1,200,000	1,200,000

Luis Velador	1,800,000 -300,000	-300,000

Brad Ruben	1,000,000 -800,000	-800,000

Tags: Ben Lamb Brad Ruben Luis Velador

06-13-2023 13:48 UTC-8

Small Pots Without Major Chip Changes

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 25 : Limits 100,000/200,000, 0 ante

James Chen limped in from the small blind and Johannes Becker checked out of the big blind. On the Q♠8♠7♦ flop, Chen checked and folded to a bet by Becker.

Luis Velador raised and Erik Seidel defended the big blind. They checked the entire Q♥9♥2♥K♥9♦ board and Seidel won the pot with Q♠7♣3♠2♠.

Seidel limped the small blind next and he called a raise by Brad Ruben in the big blind. Seidel check-called the A♥K♦6♥ flop and the Q♥ turn was checked to the 4♣ river. The bet by Seidel won the pot, as Ruben folded.

Becker got a raise through from the cutoff before Chen did so, followed by Seidel.

Velador then raised in the cutoff and Chen defended his big blind. The A♣7♠6♣ flop brought a check-call by Chen and he check-folded the 9♣ turn.

Last but not least, Robert Yass collected the blinds with a raise before Seidel took on Ruben again in a duel of the blinds. Seidel raised for Ruben to call and Seidel bet the 10♠4♠3♣ flop, earning a call. On the 7♥ turn, Seidel checked and Ruben took it down with a bet.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ben Lamb	2,800,000 -200,000	-200,000

Luis Velador	2,100,000 -200,000	-200,000

Erik Seidel	2,050,000 -310,000	-310,000

Robert Yass	1,900,000 50,000	50,000
Brad Ruben	1,800,000 -205,000	-205,000

Johannes Becker	1,200,000 150,000	150,000

James Chen (US)	1,025,000 -275,000	-275,000

Tags: Brad Ruben Erik Seidel James Chen (US)Johannes Becker Luis Velador Robert Yass

06-13-2023 13:40 UTC-8

Phil Galfond Offers Poker Hall of Fame Pick; Says Two Should Be Inducted Per Year

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Chad Holloway

Level 25 : Limits 100,000/200,000, 0 ante

Phil Galfond has yet to make an appearance at the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP), and as he told PokerNews, right now he has no plans to play live.

“But who knows, plans change,” added Galfond, who has been playing online at WSOP.com.

While Galfond hasn’t been at the WSOP – well, at least Phil as his wife, Farah Galfond, has been competing – the three-time bracelet winner is still weighing in by his relatively new newsletter “PG’s Takes of the Week.”

One of the topics the online poker legend, who prior to the WSOP inserted himself in some drama involving Doug Polk and Charlie Carrel with a pointed letter, was that of the Poker Hall of Fame. Right now, the public is being solicited for nomination.

“The nominations for the Poker Hall of Fame are now open, presenting voters with a familiar dilemma: there are simply too many great options to choose from,” Galfond wrote before giving his picks.

Click here to see Phil Galfond's PHoF picks!

06-13-2023 13:38 UTC-8

Chen Scoops Seidel for a Full Double-Up, Then Chops Velador's Chips with Becker in Back-To-Back Hands

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Jim Murray

Level 25 : Limits 100,000/200,000, 0 ante

James Chen raised from early position and was three-bet by Erik Seidel from middle position. Chen made the call and the two players took a heads-up flop of J♦4♠Q♥. Chen would check-raise Seidel all-in and the cards were on their backs.

James Chen: A♥K♥Q♦3♥
Erik Seidel: A♠A♣Q♠2♥

Seidel's pair of aces were in the lead over Chen's top pair of queens on the board, but the 10♥ on the river would give Chen a broadway straight and full double-up.

Chen would be involved in the next hand as well after calling a raise from the big blind against an early position raise from Johannes Becker and call from Luis Velador on the button.

Both Chen and Velador would call a flop bet from Becker and then check down the remaining two streets on a final board of 2♣2♥6♣7♣J♦.

Chen would chop with Becker, continuing to chip up after starting the day as one of the short stacks.

Player	Chips	Progress
Luis Velador	2,300,000 -150,000	-150,000

James Chen (US)	1,300,000 775,000	775,000

Johannes Becker	1,050,000 10,000	10,000

Tags: Erik Seidel James Chen

06-13-2023 13:25 UTC-8

Yass Chips Up Without Showdown

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 25 : Limits 100,000/200,000, 0 ante

Erik Seidel raised from under the gun to win the blinds.

One hand later, Robert Yass opened the action with a raise and Seidel defended the big blind. On a A♦4♠2♥ flop, Seidel check-folded to a bet.

Ben Lamb raised and stole the blinds before Luis Velador received a walk.

Velador raised it up out of the small blind the hand thereafter and Yass called in the big blind. Velador bet the 8♥8♦6♣ flop to earn a call and check-called the J♠ turn. The 6♦ river was checked by Velador once more and Yass bet to force a fold from his opponent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ben Lamb	3,000,000 200,000	200,000

Luis Velador	2,450,000 -150,000	-150,000

Robert Yass	1,850,000 475,000	475,000

Tags: Ben Lamb Erik Seidel Luis Velador Robert Yass

06-13-2023 13:18 UTC-8

Velador Three-Quarters Chen; Chen Left Short

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Jim Murray

Level 25 : Limits 100,000/200,000, 0 ante

James Chen opened the action with an early position raise and was called by Luis Velador on the button.

Chen continued with a bet on the 9♠A♠4♣ flop and was called by Velador. Both players would check the K♣ turn and Chen would check-call a bet from Velador on the 3♣ river.

Velador tabled A♦6♠3♦2♥ for aces up and a sixty-four low and Chen showed down A♣8♦5♦3♠ for the same two pair, but a worse low.

Player	Chips	Progress
Luis Velador	2,600,000 410,000	410,000

James Chen (US)	525,000 -460,000	-460,000

Tags: James Chen Luis Velador

06-13-2023 13:10 UTC-8

Two Chops and a Small Profit At The Start

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 25 : Limits 100,000/200,000, 0 ante

Erik Seidel raised from under the gun and Johannes Becker defended the big blind. On a Q♥3♣2♣ flop, Becker check-called and they checked the 6♠ turn. Becker bet the J♣ river and Seidel reluctantly called with his A♣K♥8♠5♦ to chop against Becker's A♠A♦8♥3♠.

Ben Lamb then three-bet an open raise by Luis Velador, who came along. Velador check-called bets on the K♦10♥6♣ flop and 7♦ turn. They checked the 4♠ river and the [¢Ah3h3c2d] of Velador earned the low, Lamb took the high with the A♠K♠Q♦4♥.