The 2025 World Series of Poker officially launched on May 27 at noon, starting with the opening flight of the $1,000 Mystery Millions. With over 100 gold bracelets up for grabs this summer, the poker world’s attention is laser-focused on one event above all others: the legendary WSOP Main Event.
The Main Event: Poker’s Most Prestigious Tournament
Regarded as the crown jewel of the poker calendar, the WSOP Main Event is the tournament every poker player dreams of winning. With a $10,000 buy-in and fields that now stretch well into five figures, it’s not just a game—it’s a global spectacle.
In fact, the last two years have seen Main Event entries surpass 10,000, shattering attendance records. The days when all players sat down for Day 1 together are long gone. Now, multiple starting flights not only ease congestion but also open the doors to more players via live and online satellite qualifiers. It’s a more player-friendly structure, offering more space, more flexibility, and—let’s face it—shorter bathroom lines.
Day 1a Recap: Early Eliminations and High Drama
Day 1a marked the first opportunity to take a shot at poker immortality. And while no one can win the Main Event on Day 1, they can lose it — as several players found out the hard way.
Former WSOP Champion Chris Moneymaker witnessed a brutal hand early in the day:
“Joey [Joseph Gargiulo] limps under the gun with Aces, gets raised to 1,100, and then shoves all-in. The other player tanks with pocket Kings—he’s already down to 13K—and eventually calls. Aces hold, and just like that, he’s out,” Moneymaker shared.
It’s a textbook cooler—Aces vs Kings—and a stark reminder that even with $10,000 on the line, poker has no mercy, even at Level 1.
Moneymaker’s Own Main Event Ends Early
Unfortunately for Moneymaker, his own Main Event journey didn’t last much longer.
He recounted busting after flopping trip jacks with Q-J on a J-J-6 board. After a queen fell on the river, he got the rest of his stack in—only to run into Queens full of Jacks. A brutal one-outer ended his hopes for another deep run.
“I wasn’t good enough to fold,” he admitted.
Legends Fall, But Kabrhel is Climbing
British poker icon Barny Boatman also made an early exit, joking it was his “most efficient bust-out ever.” No hand history needed, according to him.
On the other end of the spectrum, Martin Kabrhel continues to make headlines. Fresh off his win in the $1,000 Mini Main Event, where he bagged $841,140, Kabrhel jumped into the big one with his eyes on an even greater prize.
Now a top contender for WSOP Player of the Year (PoY), Kabrhel’s brash table presence and consistent performance have made him a polarizing yet undeniably dominant figure at the 2025 WSOP.
Should he continue this form, Kabrhel could soon see his face immortalized on the PoY banner—a thought that’s sparked plenty of chatter among players and fans alike.
By the Numbers: Day 1a Stats
- Day 1a Entries: 923
- Survivors: 634
- Top Stacks:
- Victor Vo (chip leader) – 352,000
- Martin Kabrhel
- Leon Sturm
- Stanislav Zegal (2023 WSOP Paradise Main Event winner)
- Jon Pardy (ACR Poker pro)
What’s Next?
There are still three more starting flights before Day 2, with late registration open into the early levels of Day 2 as well. Survivors from the first three flights will merge on July 6 for Day 2a, where the real grind begins.
Stay tuned for more updates from the WSOP 2025 Main Event as poker’s biggest stars chase the ultimate title—and a multi-million dollar payday.
