Event #97: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. | 2026 World Series of Poker

Jul 15, 2026

Updated Counts After Level 23

Christian Zetzsche

Level 24

Limit Flop: 75,000-150,000 Blinds, 150,000-300,000 Limits
Stud Games: 40,000 Ante, 50,000 Bring-In, 150,000 Completion, 150,000-300,000 Limits

Seat	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds	Big Bets
1	Naoya Kihara	Japan	2,800,000	19	9
2	Walter Chambers	United States	710,000	5	2
4	Yueqi Zhu	China	3,740,000	25	12
5	Alexander Kostritsyn	Russian Federation	5,635,000	38	19
7	Julien Sitbon	France	1,500,000	10	5
8	Ari Engel	United States	2,255,000	15	8
9	Ali Eslami	United States	5,570,000	37	19

Level: 24

Limit Flop: 75,000-150,000 Blinds, 150,000-300,000 Limits
Stud Games: 40,000 Ante, 50,000 Bring-In, 150,000 Completion, 150,000-300,000 Limits

Jul 15, 2026

Players on Break

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Dan O'Hair

Level 23

Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000 Blinds, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

The final seven players have been sent on another 15-minute break.

Jul 15, 2026

More for Engel Before the Break

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 23

Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000 Blinds, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

Seven Card Stud

Naoya Kihara: XxXx / A♠5♣7♠ folded on fifth street
Ari Engel: XxXx / A♦4♦7♦

Ari Engel completed with an ace and Naoya Kihara raised for Engel to call. Kihara check-called on fourth street and check-folded on fifth street.

Yueqi Zhu: A♠10♣ folded on fourth street
Ari Engel: XxXx / 2♠2♦

Yueqi Zhu completed and bring-in Engel called. Engel paired his deuce and bet fourth street, Zhu folded.

Tags: Ari Engel Naoya Kihara Yueqi Zhu

Jul 15, 2026

Kihara Pays Off Eslami

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Dan O'Hair

Level 23

Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000 Blinds, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

Razz

Ali Eslami: 8x7x2x/Jx3x10x5x
Naoya Kihara: XxXx/8xAxAxJx/Xx
Ari Engel: XxXx/5x6x - folded on fourth street

Naoya Kihara and Ari Engel called Ali Eslami's bring-in for a three-way pot.

Kihara bet on fourth street, which got a fold from Engel and a call from Eslami.

Kihara then raised a bet from Eslami on fifth and Eslami called.

Eslami led out for bets on sixth and seventh and Kihara called both bets after a bit of tanking.

Eslami showed his hole cards for an eight and Kihara sent his cards into the middle.

Tags: Ali Eslami Ali Eslami's Ari Engel Naoya Kihara

Jul 15, 2026

Kihara Forces out Sitbon

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 23

Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000 Blinds, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

Razz

Naoya Kihara: XxXx / 8x6x9x5x
Alexander Kostritsyn: Jx folded on third street
Julien Sitbon: XxXx / 8xQx4x4x folded on sixth street

Naoya Kihara limped in and so did Alexander Kostritsyn. Julien Sitbon then completed and Kihara limp-raised, Kostritsyn folded and Kihara called. On fourth street, Kihara bet his advantage to receive a call from Sitbon and the same action repeated on fifth street.

Sitbon paired his four on sixth street and Kihara bet instantly, sending his opponent from France into the tank. After nearly two minutes, Sitbon surrendered and has dropped near the bottom of the leaderboard.

Tags: Alexander Kostritsyn Julien Sitbon Naoya Kihara

Jul 15, 2026

Engel Nearly Doubles up

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Dan O'Hair

Level 23

Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000 Blinds, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

Razz

Ari Engel: XxXx/4x8x3xAx
Julien Sitbon: XxXx/Ax3x2xQx - folded on sixth street

Julien Sitbon completed and called a raise from Ari Engel.

Sitbon led out for a bet after catching better on fourth street and Engel called.

Sitbon then check-called a bet from Engel on fifth and checked once more on sixth.

Engel moved all in for for his last 185,000 and Sitbon went into the tank.

"He doesn't have a wheel, yes!" Engel joked.

"Definitely not," Sitbon replied.

Sitbon eventually folded his hand and Engel was awarded a near double-up.

Tags: Ari Engel Julien Sitbon

Jul 15, 2026

Seven Smooth for Zhu Leaves Engel Short

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 23

Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000 Blinds, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

Razz

Yueqi Zhu: XxXx / Ax4xKx3x / Xx
Ari Engel: XxXx / 2x10xQx6x / Xx

Yueqi Zhu completed with an ace and Ari Engel called with a deuce. Zhu bet his lead on fourth street for Engel to call, then check-called all remaining streets thereafter when he had the lead albeit with queen-ten showing.

"Seven smooth," Zhu said and revealed the 7x2x2x to leave Engel short once again.

Tags: Ari Engel Yueqi Zhu

Jul 15, 2026

Kostritsyn Shows Engel a Boat

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Dan O'Hair

Level 23

Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000 Blinds, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

Omaha Hi-Lo

Ari Engel raised from early position and Alexander Kostritsyn defended his big blind.

Both players checked on the J♣J♥3♥ flop and 7♦ turn, but Engel called a bet from Kostritsyn on the 3♦ river.

"Full house," Kostritsyn said as he revealed 8♣7♥6♣3♠ for sevens full of threes. Engel couldn't beat it and sent his cards into the muck.

Kostritsyn inquired what Engel had, to which Engel said, "bluff catcher."

Tags: Alexander Kostritsyn Ari Engel

Jul 15, 2026

Kihara and Zhu Win Full Pots

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 23

Limit Flop: 60,000-120,000 Blinds, 120,000-240,000 Limits
Stud Games: 30,000 Ante, 30,000 Bring-In, 120,000 Completion, 120,000-240,000 Limits

Omaha Hi-Lo

Alexander Kostritsyn raised the button and Julien Sitbon three-bet out of the small blind for Kostritsyn to call. Sitbon bet the entire board of A♦7♠6♣10♠Q♣ and Kostritsyn called down to get shown the A♣10♥4♦3♥. That was good for the low, as Kostritsyn's A♥K♠Q♦4♣ spiked superior two pair for the high on the river.

Ari Engel then raised the small blind for Ali Eslami to call in the big blind. Engel bet the A♣9♦4♣ flop and Eslami folded.

Kostritsyn raised in the hijack and Sitbon called in the cutoff, Naoya Kihara came along from the big blind. The trio checked the A♣7♠4♥ flop, Kihara bet the K♠ turn and the 3♥ river. Only Kostritsyn called both bets and mucked when Kihara tabled K♦7♥6♣5♦ for the low and a straight.

Yueqi Zhu limped under the gun, Eslami raised on the button. Walter Chambers called out of the big blind and Zhu also came along. The Q♠3♠2♥ flop was checked to Eslami who bet, Chambers called. Zhu then check-raised to send Eslami into agony, after which he folded. Chambers stuck around for one more street and check-folded the Q♣ turn to a bet by Zhu.

Tags: Alexander Kostritsyn Ali Eslami Ari Engel Julien Sitbon Naoya Kihara Walter Chambers Yueqi Zhu