The pulse of poker thundered through the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas as Day 2d of the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event surged past expectations. Amid the sea of chips and dreams, San Kim emerged as the chip leader of the day, guiding his towering stack of 799,000 chips into Day 3, now just days away from the life-changing $10 million top prize.
A Monumental Field
Day 2d of Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship began with 3,776 hopefuls, but late registration remained open—leading to an explosive turnout of 4,553 players. By the time registration closed, the Main Event field swelled to 9,735 total entries, officially making it the third-largest WSOP Main Event field in history.
After five grueling 120-minute levels, the Day 2d field was trimmed to 2,133 survivors, all of whom will now merge with the 1,320 Day 2abc players for Day 3. With 3,453 runners still in contention, the tournament is now inching closer to its money bubble—1,461 players will be paid, with a min-cash of $15,000 and a $10 million dream awaiting the eventual champion.
San Kim’s Rise to the Top
San Kim topped the Day 2d leaderboard with 799,000 chips (320 big blinds)—second overall behind Day 2abc chip leader Oleksii Kravchuk. Kim’s consistent aggression and sharp decision-making helped him navigate the massive field and bag one of the biggest stacks heading into Day 3. With poker glory within reach, Kim will now look to maintain momentum on one of the game’s most intense stages.
Fernando Rodriguez (749,000) and Romain Locquet (673,500) rounded out the top three, while Day 1d leader Riva Arthur continued his impressive run, bagging 607,000 chips, good for tenth place.
WSOP Main Event Day 2d – Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Kim | United States | 799,000 | 320 |
| 2 | Fernando Rodriguez | United States | 749,000 | 300 |
| 3 | Romain Locquet | France | 673,500 | 269 |
| 4 | Nazar Buhaiov | Ukraine | 633,500 | 253 |
| 5 | Daniyal Gheba | United States | 625,000 | 250 |
| 6 | Ibrahim Senoussi | France | 625,000 | 250 |
| 7 | Kevin Javier | Canada | 620,000 | 248 |
| 8 | Kotaro Shoda | Japan | 619,500 | 248 |
| 9 | Kyle Grupp | United States | 618,000 | 247 |
| 10 | Riva Arthur | United States | 607,000 | 243 |
Notable Survivors and Bustouts
Among the high-profile names still in the mix are Josh Arieh (448,500), Joseph Cheong (426,500), Brad Owen (397,000), Isaac Haxton (317,500), Anthony Zinno (315,000), Brian Yoon (276,000), Daniel Cates (231,500), and Jennifer Harman (56,000).
Seven former Main Event champions returned for Day 2, but only reigning champ Jonathan Tamayo (158,500) bagged chips. The rest—including Joe McKeehen, Hossein Ensan, Huck Seed, Stoyan Madanzhiev, and Ryan Riess—were eliminated.
Ultra Stack Action: Tom Hall Shines on Day 1b
While the Main Event continued its drama, Event #85: $600 Ultra Stack No-Limit Hold’em hosted its Day 1b flight with a staggering 4,339 entrants. Only 382 players advanced, with Tom Hall from the UK making waves by bagging 1,985,000 chips, placing him fourth overall in the combined Day 1a and Day 1b standings and seventh heading into Day 2.
Hall, a bracelet winner in 2023, is no stranger to deep runs. With a calm demeanor and razor-sharp instincts, he will look to capitalize on his strong position as he eyes another bracelet.
Other notable stacks from Day 1b include:
- Justin Bassett (2,785,000)
- Roei Simantov (2,340,000)
- Daniel Vandyke (2,010,000)
- Luis Vazquez (1,925,000)
- Sean Bloom (1,590,000)
- Maria Konnikova (665,000)
- Joe Cada (530,000)
What’s Ahead on Day 43 of the 2025 WSOP?
Day 3 of the Main Event kicks off at 12:00 p.m. local time, with 3,453 players returning. The tournament will play five more 120-minute levels, with a dinner break scheduled around 6:40 p.m.
Meanwhile, Event #85: $600 Ultra Stack resumes at 1:00 p.m., with 595 players returning. The goal? Either finish 17 more levels or reduce the field to five final players, whichever comes first.
Also on deck:
- Event #86: $1,000 Mystery Bounty PLO begins at 10:00 a.m.
- Event #87: $5,000 Super Turbo Bounty kicks off at 2:00 p.m., and will crown a winner same day. With 20-minute levels, expect rapid-fire action.
Final Thoughts
From a record-breaking Main Event field to monster stacks in the Ultra, Day 42 of the 2025 WSOP served up exactly what poker fans crave—unpredictable drama, hero calls, and the kind of dreams only Las Vegas can offer. With San Kim poised as a frontrunner and Tom Hall storming the Ultra Stack, Day 43 promises even more fireworks as we inch closer to the business end of the 2025 World Series of Poker.
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