It was just past midnight inside the electric atmosphere of the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas when Philip Sternheimer pushed his final stack forward. The lights were dimmed except for the final table stage. He leaned back, watching his opponent Bruno Furth try to make sense of the chips before him. The crowd, mostly silent, buzzed with anticipation. A bracelet was on the line—one that had eluded Sternheimer for years. One hand stood between him and poker immortality.
Welcome to Day 17 of the 2025 World Series of Poker, a day packed with high-stakes drama, legends hunting for more gold, and new contenders making headlines. Although only one bracelet winner was crowned, the storylines that unfolded across the Rio were some of the most compelling of the summer so far.
Sternheimer One Step Away in $10,000 PLO8 Championship
UK pro Philip Sternheimer is closer than ever to removing his name from the “best without a bracelet” list. The accomplished pro, who already claimed a third-place finish earlier this summer in Event #18: $10K Dealers Choice, now holds a chip lead heads-up in Event #36: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship.
He’s facing Bruno Furth of the United States in a gripping final match, with $763,087 awaiting the winner. With 14,025,000 chips to Furth’s 9,150,000, Sternheimer has the edge—but anything can happen in PLO8.
What makes this more riveting is the recognition Sternheimer has earned from the poker community. Earlier in the day, respected pro Patrick Leonard tweeted that Sternheimer may be the best player alive without a WSOP bracelet. That title could be removed very soon.
Aram Oganyan Dominates Day 2 of $100K High Roller
Meanwhile, Aram Oganyan is creating waves in Event #38: $100,000 High Roller, entering the final day as the chip leader among the eight remaining players.
Oganyan’s path to the top wasn’t easy. He navigated a minefield of world-class competition, including Phil Ivey, who fell just short of the final table in 9th place for $247,130, and Chris Hunichen, the defending champion, who exited in 15th.
With a commanding stack of 20,425,000 (82 big blinds), Oganyan leads a stacked final table that includes:
- Joao Vieira (13.6M)
- Thomas Boivin (5.4M)
- Andrew Lichtenberger (4.8M)
- Isaac Haxton (4.65M)
- Ben Heath, Vinny Lingham, and Emilien Pitavy.
The remaining players are already guaranteed $295,883, but all eyes are on the $2,649,158 first prize and the gold bracelet that comes with it.
Zhigalov Leads Stacked Final 18 in $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.
It’s been seven years since Andrey Zhigalov won his only WSOP bracelet, and now the Russian mixed-game specialist is back in form. After two grueling days in Event #39: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E., Zhigalov leads the final 18 with 2,455,000 chips.
But the road ahead is tough.
The field still includes two-time bracelet winner Ari Engel, Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson, and newly-minted 2025 bracelet winner Blaz Zerjav. With 867 entrants overall, the event has proven again that mixed games continue to thrive at the WSOP.
Seniors High Roller: Poker Legends Advance
One of the most heartwarming scenes of the day came in Event #40: $5,000 Seniors High Roller, where poker legends over the age of 50 showed they still have plenty of game.
Billy Baxter, John Juanda, and Erik Seidel all advanced to Day 2. Although we said goodbye to Johnny Chan, Todd Brunson, and John Hennigan, they could still re-enter before the late registration window closes.
Atop the chip counts is Paul Snead (507,000), who is still looking for his first WSOP bracelet despite more than $2.3 million in live earnings. Snead previously finished 10th in the inaugural $10K Tag Team event, and now he’s gunning for solo glory.
Is It Finally Viktor Blom’s Time?
In what might become one of the feel-good stories of the summer, online poker legend Viktor “Isildur1” Blom ended Day 1 of Event #41: $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship as chip leader.
The enigmatic Swede, known for his fearless and explosive online play, has never won a WSOP bracelet. But with 372,000 chips, he leads a tough field of 43 remaining players out of 91 entries.
Other big stacks include Benjamin Underwood, Joe McKeehen (2015 WSOP Main Event champ), and Daniel Negreanu, who sits comfortably with 241,000.
With late registration still open, it’s too early to tell who will emerge victorious—but seeing Blom near the top adds major intrigue.
Monster Stack Madness: Caleb Larsen Leads Day 1b Survivors
Event #37: $1,500 Monster Stack continues to be one of the biggest field events of the summer. After 1,625 players entered Day 1a (with 476 surviving), Day 1b brought in 2,010 entries and saw 636 players bag chips.
Caleb Larsen ended the day with 715,000, the only player above the 700K mark. Close behind him were Benjamin Leilous (582,500) and Romain Lewis (507,000), a former bracelet winner and Winamax ambassador.
What’s Coming Up on WSOP Day 18?
Day 18 promises to be massive.
- Event #36 ($10K PLO8) will resume with just two players left and crown a champion.
- Event #38 ($100K High Roller) and Event #39 ($1,500 H.O.R.S.E.) will also award bracelets.
- Day 2s of the $5K Seniors High Roller and $10K Limit Hold’em Championship will continue.
- Day 1c of the Monster Stack kicks off at 10 a.m.
- Two new events begin: Event #42: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha and Event #43: $1,500 Razz.
Final Thoughts
Day 17 of the 2025 WSOP showcased everything we love about poker—the rising tension of near victories, the legends who never stop grinding, and the thrill of unexpected stories emerging. From Sternheimer’s long-awaited moment to Viktor Blom’s quiet rise, Day 18 is set to be nothing short of epic.
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