Spring 2025

Week 19: Road to the Main Event: Three Seats Locked, Three Up for Grabs – Plus How a Week 19 Chop Transformed the Bubble

May 8, 2025May 15, 2025

Week 19 was finally here – one more week to go after this to see who will represent the league at the WSOP $10K Main Event!

Main Event Seats Update

As we head into our final week, the competition for the 6 coveted Main Event seats is fierce.

With the current 6th place cut line at 85 points (Steve Trizis/Allen Wiseman), only players within 14 points of this threshold have a mathematical chance of earning a seat in the final week. Here’s where things stand after Week 19:

Main Event Seats Contenders

Juan Rodriguez/Aaron Thivyanathan (108 points) – 100% chance ✓
- Currently 23 points above the cut line
- Has met all attendance requirements
- Mathematically guaranteed a Main Event seat
Jack Bittker (100 points) – 100% chance ✓
- Currently 15 points above the cut line
- Has met all attendance requirements
- Mathematically guaranteed a Main Event seat
Karl Manouchakian (99 points) – 100% chance ✓
- Currently 14 points above the cut line
- Has met all attendance requirements
- Mathematically guaranteed a Main Event seat
Mohamed Lahlou (93 points) – 90% chance
- Currently 8 points above the cut line
- Has met all attendance requirements
- Strong position for a Main Event seat
Ray Mancini (93 points) – 90% chance
- Currently 8 points above the cut line
- Has met all attendance requirements
- Strong position for a Main Event seat
Steve Trizis/Allen Wiseman (85 points) – 80% chance
- Currently at the cut line (6th place)
- Has met all attendance requirements
- On the bubble but in good position

Bubble Contenders (Within 14 Points)

Ryan Johnson (83 points) – 40% chance
- Currently 2 points below the cut line
- Has met all attendance requirements
- Needs a strong finish in Week 20 to move up
Dave Bennett (82 points) – 35% chance
- Currently 3 points below the cut line
- Has met all attendance requirements
- Needs a strong finish in Week 20 to move up
Evan Vancavage (79 points) – 25% chance
- Currently 6 points below the cut line
- Has met all attendance requirements
- Needs a top finish in Week 20 to have a chance
Mark Winchell (72 points) – 10% chance
- Currently 13 points below the cut line
- Has met all attendance requirements
- Would need a 1st place finish to have a chance
Mitchell Smith (72 points) – 10% chance
- Currently 13 points below the cut line
- Has met all attendance requirements
- Would need a 1st place finish to have a chance

Out of Contention

All other players are mathematically eliminated as they are more than 14 points away from the cut line, which is the maximum points available for a 1st place finish in Week 20.

Week 19 Recap

Week 19 brought us another exciting round of poker action as we head into the final week of our Winter/Spring 2025 season. With just one week remaining and only 6 Main Event seats up for grabs, the competition is intensifying!

Week 19 Highlights

Mohamed Lahlou and Ray Mancini delivered game-changing performances in Week 19, chopping the top spot and each earning 13 points. This strategic victory catapulted both players from bubble territory into strong qualifying positions. Before their chop, they were hovering around the 6th place cut line – now they sit comfortably in 4th and 5th place with 93 points each, giving them excellent odds to secure Main Event seats.

Jack Bittker secured 3rd place and added 10 points to his total, while Mark Winchell finished 4th and gained 9 points. Karl Manouchakian rounded out the top 5 with a 7-point gain.

Top Finishers in Week 19:

Mohamed Lahlou & Ray Mancini (Chopped 1st) – +13 points each
Jack Bittker (3rd) – +10 points
Mark Winchell (4th) – +8 points
Karl Manouchakian (5th) – +6 points
Twitch Anderson (6th) – +4 points
Ryan Johnson (7th) – +3 points
Bobby Cornette (8th) – +2 points
Will McMillan (9th) – +1 points

Current Standings After Week 19

Juan Rodriguez/Aaron Thivyanathan continue to dominate the leaderboard with 108 total points, followed closely by Jack Bittker with 100 points and Karl Manouchakian with 99 points.

Top 15 Overall Standings:

Juan Rodriguez/Aaron Thivyanathan – 108 points (Qualified)
Jack Bittker – 100 points (Qualified)
Karl Manouchakian – 99 points (Qualified)
Mohamed Lahlou – 93 points (Qualified)
Ray Mancini – 93 points (Qualified)
Steve Trizis/Allen Wiseman – 85 points (Qualified)
Ryan Johnson – 83 points (Qualified)
Dave Bennett – 82 points (Qualified)
Evan Vancavage – 79 points (Qualified)
Mark Winchell – 72 points (Qualified)
Mitchell Smith – 72 points (Qualified)
Twitch Anderson – 68 points (Qualified)
Donald Manns – 63 points (Not Qualified)
Jackie/Todd Torro Rivers – 61 points (Qualified)
Shawn O’Brien – 54 points (Qualified)

The current cut line for a Main Event seat would be at 85 points (Steve Trizis/Allen Wiseman).

Bubble Players and Dark Horses:

These players are currently outside the top 6 but could move into contention with a strong performance in the final week:

Ryan Johnson (83 points) – Just 2 points below the current cut line
Dave Bennett (82 points) – 3 points from the cut line
Evan Vancavage (79 points) – 6 points from the cut line

Final Week Preview: The Race for 6 Seats

The season finale next week will determine which 6 players secure coveted Main Event seats, with points and attendance requirements both playing crucial roles.

What’s at Stake: Only 6 Main Event seats are available to our top point earners who meet the attendance requirements.

Guaranteed Seats: The top three players (Juan Rodriguez/Aaron Thivyanathan, Jack Bittker, and Karl Manouchakian) have mathematically secured their Main Event seats as they cannot possibly fall below 6th place.

Current Cut Line: The 6th place position is currently held by Steve Trizis/Allen Wiseman with 85 points, but several players are within striking distance.

Mathematical Elimination: Since the maximum points available in a single week is 14 points (for 1st place), only players currently within 14 points of the cut line (71 points or higher) have a chance to earn a seat.

Key Players to Watch:

Mark Winchell & Mitchell Smith (72 points): Both need 1st place finishes (14 points) to have a chanceMain Event Seats

Ryan Johnson (83 points): Just 2 points below the cut line, could move into qualifying position with a 6th place finish or better

Dave Bennett (82 points): Needs 4 points (6th place finish) to potentially move above the cut line

Evan Vancavage (79 points): Needs 6 points (5th place finish) to match the current cut line