After about an hour long bubble, the first break of the day is now about an hour later as many players have made their way to payouts already after the bubble burst.
Here are the highlights from a very exciting Level 16.
Play will return in 20 minutes on Level 17.
Maria Ho raised to 18,000 on the button as action folded to a short-stacked Eduards Rakuss in the big blind. "At 9:30 I make my decision," Rakuss said with more than 10 minutes remaining in the level. He waited until the clock clicked down before calling.
The flop came 9♣6♦8♥ and Ho bet all in. Rakuss again paused for a moment before calling off his last 10,000.
Eduards Rakuss: 5♥5♠ 
Maria Ho: Q♣7♣
Ho had a straight draw against Rakuss' pair, and while Rakuss improved to a set on the 5♣ turn, the same card gave Ho her straight. The K♣ river improved Ho to a flush and sent Rakuss to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
700,000
180,000
|
180,000 |
|
Busted |
Matthew Lambrecht raised to 16,000 in the cutoff, the button moved all in for 97,000, and Lambrecht called.
All-In Player: 7♠7♣
Matthew Lambrecht: 6♥6♠
The at-risk player let out a sigh once Lambrecht called, but his despair quickly turned to hope once he found out he had Lambrecht dominated. The cycle of emotions, though, quickly swung back the other way once the Q♥10♠6♦ flop gave Lambrecht a set.
The rest of the board ran out 4♣9♣ and Lambrecht, who won his first WSOP bracelet earlier this summer, took the pot to send his opponent to an unfortunate exit.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
360,000
27,000
|
27,000 |
|
||
Ruben Hovsepyan raised from the cutoff, Daniel Weinman jammed about 100,000 from the button and was called.
Daniel Weinman: A♦9♦
Ruben Hovsepyan: A♥Q♠
The 2023 Main Event champion would need some help to stay alive. The flop came 10♥3♠4♦. The turn was the A♠ and the river the 5♠ to end Weinman's bid to be the first back to back champion since Johnny Chan in 1987 and 1988.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
433,000
128,000
|
128,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Xuan Liu three-bet jammed her short stack of 45,000 in the small blind and Tyler Montoya called to set up the following coin flip.
Xuan Liu: 3♦3♣
Tyler Montoya: A♦10♥
The 10♦8♥3♥ flop seemingly set up Liu for a double, but Montoya caught the A♥ turn and Q♥ river for a flush to knock out the Canadian after the bubble had burst.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
280,000
31,000
|
31,000 |
|
Busted |
Ashley Davidson and Bryan Allen were heads-up on a flop of 8♦A♠10♠ when Allen moved all in from early position and Davidson called for her last 237,000.
Ashley Davidson: 10♣8♥
Bryan Allen: Q♠J♠
Davidson was ahead with two pair but needed to dodge Allen's multitude of outs with straight and flush draws. The 7♥ turn was safe for Davidson, while the 7♣ fell on the river to secure her a double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
750,000
-273,000
|
-273,000 |
|
520,000
255,000
|
255,000 |
Colton Blomberg and Patrick McCullough built a pot of around 100,000 as they went heads-up to a flop of 6♠3♣4♦. Blomberg then bet 20,000 in the cutoff, McCullough moved all in for around 150,000 in the big blind, and Blomberg snap-called.
Patrick McCullough: 8♥8♣
Colton Blomberg: K♥K♣
Blomberg turned over a pair of kings and was poised for a knockout under McCullough's pair of eights as the board ran out K♠7♦, improving Blomberg to a set and sending McCullough to the rail.
Griffin Benger and Xuan Liu were also among the wave of players to bust shortly after the bubble burst.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,280,000
269,000
|
269,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted |
Daniel Negreanu moved in for his final 34,000 chips as first to act. Mauro Ferreira was the only caller, in the cutoff, and the cards were tabled.
Daniel Negreanu: K♠10♦
Mauro Ferreira: Q♥Q♦
Negreanu pleaded for just a single king, but none came on the 2♥A♠3♥3♠J♠ runout and he left the table to pick up his cash of $15,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
790,000
48,000
|
48,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Andres Gonzalez raised to 17,000 on the button, Yongwoo Han moved all in for 133,000 in the small blind, and Gonzalez snap-called.
Yongwoo Han: A♠Q♦
Andres Gonzalez: K♥K♣
"Oh, wow," Han said upon finding out he had run into Gonzalez's kings. The flop came 9♠8♠J♣, while the turn was the 2♠ to give Han a flush draw.
"Spade," he pleaded, but Han missed the 2♦ river as Gonzalez sent him to the payout desk.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
500,000
72,000
|
72,000 |
|
Busted |
Christian Stratmeyer and Lucas Reeves were called over by WSOP VP Jack Effel to draw a high card for a seat into next year's Main Event.
Stratmeyer went first and drew a jack. Reeves pulled a deuce as Stratmeyer earned the seat along with splitting a $7,500 mincash with Reeves.
