Event #42: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha
Day 3 Completed
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #42: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2025 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$1,700,160
Entries
1,932
Level
32
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Entries
7
Players Left
1
Level 32
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Event #42: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha is always a fun ride for four-card enthusiasts, and with a whopping 1,932 entries, generating a tremendous $1,700,160 total prize pool, it was a smashing success. In the end, it was Argentina’s Carlos Leiva who took home the gold and the $237,852 first-place prize here at the 2025 World Series of Poker, hosted by Paris and Horseshoe Las Vegas.
Leiva came into the day with the chip lead and never relinquished it. Runner up, Hooman Nikzad did his best to close that gap at several phases of the final table, but in the end, he couldn’t gain the momentum to overtake Leiva.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Leiva | Argentina | $237,852 |
| 2 | Hooman Nikzad | United States | $158,481 |
| 3 | Brian McKain | United States | $114,399 |
| 4 | Dylan Weisman | United States | $83,503 |
| 5 | Kyle Rosnes | Canada | $61,641 |
| 6 | Joshua Palmer | United States | $46,024 |
| 7 | Florian Ribouchon | France | $34,761 |
| 8 | Eric Buchman | United States | $26,562 |
Winner's Reaction
Upon winning his first bracelet, Leiva had this to say about how he felt (translated from Spanish):
“I feel good, of course, I feel good. I’m surprised still. I’m so happy to be here with my friends who supported me on the rail.”
When asked about what it felt like to come into the day with the chip lead, Leiva said nerves were more of an issue than they would have been if he had been on a short stack; he felt he had more to lose with such a lead. He didn't let himself down, winning every chip in play bit by bit and pot by pot.
This win marks Leiva’s second biggest career score, but he says it won’t change any of the plans for the summer. He did say that it takes the pressure off and allows him to fire the rest of the summer with full confidence.
Typically, No-Limit Hold’em is Leiva’s game of choice, but he played this event on a whim. He credits the support of his friends and fellow Argentines in helping him succeed along the way. Several of those on his rail skipped events they planned on playing to be there for their compatriot’s deep run. Leiva made mention that those who make the pilgrimage to the WSOP are a tight-knit community quick to root for each other.
Day 3 Action
Only seven hopefuls battled through to Day 3 and when they returned, Carlos Leiva was the only competitor with over a hundred big blinds. Although Brian McKain bringing up the rear 25 big binds deep meant it was still anyone’s game.
Florian Ribouchon tried to run a bluff that Leiva picked up, distancing himself even further from the field with more than half the chips in play. Ribouchon moved significantly down in the counts after that hand and, ultimately, Dylan Weisman’s aces held over his kings double-suited to dispatch him in 7th.
With all the short stacks close in the counts, it was Joshua Palmer who was next to fall at the hands of the chip leader. This allowed Leiva to return from the first break of the day with nearly four times what the second place stack had.
Kyle Rosnes was guaranteed a career high score coming into the day and showed relief at finding two big ladders but ultimately he lost the last of his chips, forced all in, after losing a big pot.
A previous champion of this event, in the form of Weisman, played a surgical game employing limps from various positions to bob and weave through the ICM implications of the final table. In the end, Weisman had his aces cracked by the danglers of Nikzad’s kings.
A short-stacked McKain fought valiantly, doubling several times in three-handed play to stay in contention. McKain had come into the day in pain, suffering from some sort of ailment but despite trying his best, his set of threes was unable to improve to a boat against the flopped straight of Leiva.
With a nearly 2:1 chip advantage going to Leiva, heads-up was a short affair that saw him win a series of small pots before getting it in against Nikzad’s straight draw and flush draw. Nikzad caught a straight but with a higher connecting card, Leiva made a superior straight to win the tournament and send his rail into an uproar.
That concludes coverage of Event #42: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha but there's still plenty to sweat here at PokerNews as the 2025 WSOP rages on.
Level 32
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
After losing the first few pots of heads up and chopping with the nut straight, Hooman Nikzad started the action with a raise to 650,000.
Carlos Leiva responded with another raise to 2,450,000 and Nikzad made the call.
The wheel spun, J♣10♦5♦ and Leiva announced a pot-sized bet. Nikzad pushed his remaining chips forward and Leiva pushed forward a stack to make it official.
Hooman Nikzad: 9♦8♣3♦3♣ 
Carlos Leiva: K♣K♠J♥2♠
The board ran out with the Q♥ and the 9♠, giving Nikzad a straight but Leiva declared his better straight and upon confirming, him and his rail burst into celebration.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
38,640,000
17,240,000
|
17,240,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 32
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Carlos Leiva limped in the small blind, and Brian Mckain checked his option.
The dealer fanned out a 7♦3♠4♣ flop, and Leiva check-called a bet of 500,000.
Things escalated quickly on the 10♥ turn, though. Leiva checked, Mckain bet 1,350,000, and Leiva immediately moved all in for Mckain's remaining stack, which he called.
Brian Mckain: 9♦8♦3♦3♣
Carlos Leiva: Q♣6♦5♥3♥
A cooler flop blind versus blind, Mckain had bottom set but had been outflopped by Leiva, who held a straight.
Mckain needed the river to pair or to hit a higher straight, but unfortunately, the 9♣ was no help.
Leiva dragged in yet another pot and Mckain departed in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,400,000
1,745,000
|
1,745,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 32
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Most poker players at the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) agree that Nick Schulman is heading into the Poker Hall of Fame this summer and it’s getting harder to argue otherwise.
On Thursday, Schulman was awarded his seventh WSOP bracelet in the $10,000 2-7 Championship, the third time he's won that event, further cementing his legacy as one of the game’s all-time greats.
And that’s exactly why Schulman earns this week’s WSOP Performance of the Week honors.
Level: 32
Blinds: 125,000/250,000
Ante: 250,000
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
The trio of competitors have gone on a 15-minute break.
In the mean time, the floor will be coloring up the 5,000 denomination chips.
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Carlos Leiva and Brian McKain went heads up to a turn of 3♣3♥8♦7♠ and McKain led for 1,800,000. Leiva raised and McKain called off his remaining stack with one card left to come.
Brian McKain: K♦10♥9♥6♦
Carlos Leiva: A♠10♠7♣3♠
Leiva had two paid and McKain has a wrap and a flush draw. McKain was on his feet and letting his rail know what they needed.
"Good doctor!", his rail yelled when the 9♠ rolled off the deck, giving him the straight he needed to battle on. McKain clapped his hand in celebration and collected the pot just before break.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
19,655,000
1,545,000
|
1,545,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
12,600,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
7,460,000
2,760,000
|
2,760,000 |
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Carlos Leiva opened the button to 600,000, to which Brian Mckain responded by betting the pot. As quick as a flash, Leiva had moved all in, and Mckain had called, putting himself at risk.
Brian Mckain: A♥A♦7♥4♠
Carlos Leiva: K♣10♠9♠8♣
The flop A♣2♥4♦ all but assured the pot was heading in Mckains direction, but in case there was any doubt, the turn A♠ sealed the deal.
The dealer turned over the mandatory river card, coming the 8♠, before Mckain scooped in twice as many chips as he started with.
A boisterous two-man rail, here supporting Mckain, bellowed from the seats, "Two pair! Red ones and black ones!"
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,200,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,700,000
2,255,000
|
2,255,000 |
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
After his previous flurry of hands, Brian McKain's stack has dwindled to half of what it was.
McKain came into the day under the weather and has been suffering since the start. He can be seen covering his eyes from the overhead lights with his head down.
His rail continues to cheer him on when he scoops the pot, "Another one for the good doctor!!" continues to bolster his attitude.
"You really learn a lot about yourself..." McKain said when discussing the difficulty of battling through the biggest stage on such a big day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,300,000
1,900,000
|
1,900,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
13,600,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
|
|
2,445,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
