Posts Tagged ‘no-limit’
The Aussie Millions on GSN: Shak Defeats Ivey for $100K Title
WSOP High Profile: Jason Dewitt
Jason "JMaster130" Dewitt seems to have taken that to heart on Day 2b as he's fought his way into the top 10 chip counts as of the dinner break with over 200k.
"I'm feeling really good," he said. "I've only made one mistake over the last two days so if I can just keep that up I can make a very deep run."
Dewitt, originally from Indiana and now residing in Atlanta, made headlines this year when he won the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em event for over $800,000 beating skilled online players like David Benefield, Amit Makhija and Jeff Williams.
It was a huge relief for the 26-year-old who had both a second and third place finish in the 2009 WSOP.
After snagging the $800k bracelet victory in the middle of the WSOP, Dewitt went 11 tournaments without cashing and felt he needed to change something.
"I decided to wear my bracelet and then I went deep and cashed in a tournament," he said. "It worked really well. People were just giving me stacks with my bracelet on."
It worked so well that Dewitt decided to continue the tradition during the Main Event and so far it's worked like a charm.
"They always think I'm making a move," he said.
It's all new ground for Dewitt, who has played four Main Events, never cashed, and only made Day 2 once. Despite his lack of success in the event Dewitt still feels very comfortable amongst the 7,319 players who entered.
"The structure in this is just so good," he said. "You can just be more patient if you're getting any good cards."
Dewitt mentioned there was only one nagging concern on his mind as he headed out for the dinner break.
"It's a pretty long grind," he said. "I'm kinda getting bored today."
The 2010 WSOP continues through July 17. For comprehensive coverage of the WSOP tune in to PokerListings' Live Updates and News.
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WSOP High Profile: Yevgeniy Timoshenko
Winning the WSOP Main Event wouldn't be a bad option.
After getting shut out of the Main Event last year on Day 1d, Yevgeniy Timoshenko is playing in poker's big dance for the first time this year.
The 22-year-old has done well, building a huge stack on Day 2a, despite sitting at a table that includes Full Tilt Poker Pro Matt Hawrilenko
"Today has been great," he said on the dinner break. "I built 48k up to 225k so I'm doing really well."
It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has followed Timoshenko closely over the last few years.
The Seattle, Washington, poker pro has amassed over $5 million in less than three years of playing poker and is considered by his peers to be in the upper echelon of tournament players.
"In my opinion, this kid has to be considered one of the best No-Limit Hold'em tournament players in the world," said Jason Mercier earlier this year.
"His results speak for themselves, he is insanely tough to play against and I know I wouldn't want him at my table."
Timoshenko seems to be adapting to the Main Event well, confusing his opponents more and more with every play he makes.
"I think the Main Event is a lot more like a Sunday Million than a WPT Championship or a WCOOP Main Event," he said. "The field is much larger and there are many more inexperienced players."
Timoshenko conceded that he hasn't had the greatest WSOP with only two small cashes in the preliminary events but after two days of the Main Event he's already decided it's his favorite tournament of the year.
The 2010 WSOP continues through July 17. For comprehensive coverage of the WSOP tune in to PokerListings' Live Updates and News.
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Superb Turnout For 2nd Largest ME in WSOP History
An impressive 2,391 players turned up to to add to the already swelling numbers from the first three days. 7,319 was the final tally of players at this year's Main Event, ranking it as the second biggest WSOP of all time - just behind the 2006 Main Event.
This year's winner will take home $8.9 million of the $68 million prize pool and an assortment of pros, amateurs and celebrities turned up to take their shot at glory today.
Naturally, many saw their dreams fall by the wayside. Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler already has eight cashes at this year's series but won't be adding a ninth after falling during the day. Also out are Brian Townsend, Sorel Mizzi, John Juanda, Joe Hachem, Justin Smith and Phil Gordon as the ruthless nature of the biggest No-Limit Hold'em tournament on earth took its toll.
It was a different story for David Benyamine, Vanessa Rousso, Josh Arieh and PokerListings blogger Jason Mercier, who all experienced better fortune, breaching six figures by the close of play.
However Steve "MrSmokey1" Billirakis outdid them all, topping the chip counts by the time they were bagged and tagged with a gargantuan stack of 187k - good for third place in the amalgamated chip counts from all four days.
Day 2a will see 2,412 players return from day 1a and 1c to do battle across the felt and will begin at 12 noon Friday.
It's early days for the World Series Main Event but already the huge prizepool and fierce competition is making for an engaging spectacle and we expect the pattern to continue when they resume tomorrow.
For a more in-depth look at how the day developed, click through to PokerListings' WSOP 2010 section for live updates, news and videos.
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2010 World Series of Poker: Deconstructing the $25k 6-max
History Repeats on Main Event Day 1a
There were 1,125 players, several pros, a handful of celebrities and too many donkeys to count in the field.
In other words, it was almost identical to Day 1a of the 2009 WSOP Main Event, which drew 1,116 players.
This year Greg Raymer, Michael Mizrachi, Tiffany Michelle, Maria Ho, Greg Mueller, Erik Seidel along with celebrities Ray Romano, David Allen Grier, Shawn Marion and Sara Underwood led the charge on the first day of the 2010 WSOP.
Raymer actually performed the official shuffle up and deal but that didn't keep him from being eliminated in the first two levels.
The Fossilman would eventually be joined by Nick Schulman, Chino Rheem, Mike Caro, Victor Ramdin, Jimmy Fricke and Ray Romano.
Meanwhile Michael Mizrachi, who has been on one of the biggest heaters of his career at the 2010 WSOP, rocketed up to near the top of the chip counts with 142,650.
Barry Schulman, Chris Moneymaker, Corwin Cole, Vitaly Lunkin, Lacey Jones, Dwyte Pilgrim, Scott Seiver, Praz Bansi and Chad Batista all had strong days and will enter Day 1a on Friday with above average stacks.
They're all chasing relatively unknown player Dwyen Ringbauer who finished with 191,125 chips.
After four and a half levels of play only 819 players remained and they will carry the torch into Day 2a on Friday.
Day 1b will begin tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. Last year the event drew the smallest field of all the Day 1s with only 873 players.
Join us for live updates, photos, blogs and videos straight from the floor of the Rio.
Non-Main Event Tournaments
As the Main Event kicked off, it might have been easy to overlook a couple of events that were just finishing up.
Tonight Events 54 and 56 played down to winners.
Event 54 $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Event 54 was a $1,000 tournament that started with a massive field of 3,844 players. They battled it out for a first prize of $570,960. When it came down to it, Marcel Vonk from the Netherlands got heads up David Peters of the United States.
Despite Peters holding the lead for much of the heads up battle, Vonk battled back and overcame the deficit to lock up the win, his first bracelet, and a bundle of cash.
Event 56 $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em
The next tournament to crown a champion was event 56, a $2,500 No Limit Hold-em that drew 1,941 players.
The large field combined with the medium sized buyin resulted in a massive first prize of $825,976 that went to Tomer Berda.
After slowly grinding down his opponent in a heads up match that lasted almost three hours, he defeated Vladimir Kochelaevskiy.
For more information on how Day 38 of the WSOP played out, including videos, blogs and news stories, click through to PokerListings' dedicated WSOP 2010 section.
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Alaei and Seed Spark 4th July Fireworks: WSOP Day 38 Recap
The Main Event is just round the corner - Day 1a starting tomorrow - but there were still another four big prizepool tournaments to excite the many fascinated World Series of Poker fans.
We saw two tournaments play to finals - which will be settled tomorrow - one more Championship bracelet handed out and the postponed Tournament of Champions event also played to a finish.
It was a day to whet the appetite for the poker riches that lie ahead. Here's how it played out.
Event 54 - $1k No-Limit Hold'em
David Peters entered the day handily-placed as chip leader, but with 47 players still left, he was going to have to work hard if he was to maintain this position by the end of the day.
Work hard he did however, using guile, good poker sense and just a little luck to keep control of the chip lead and by the time the tournament had been reduced to the final nine, he still headed the pack.
The last nine will return at 3 p.m. tomorrow to play it out for the bracelet and it should be an intriguing contest.
Event 55 - $10k Pot-Limit Omaha Championship
It is always tough to predict the pace of Omaha contests. Sometimes they can flash by in a blink of an eye whereas othertimes a more cautious approach can prevail.
This contest definitely fell into the latter category although there were plenty of exciting moments along the way.
Eventually it was high-stakes player Daniel Alaei and Miguel Proulx who made it through to heads-up and once the final card had been dealt - Alaei was the last man left standing - claiming the $780,599 first prize money and his third WSOP bracelet.
Event 56 - $2.5k No-Limit Hold'em
A tough-as-nails field returned 73-handed to play down to the final table and an attritional contest saw that benchmark reached in the early hours of the morning.
Tomer Berda ran well enough to snatch the chip lead by the finish of the contest, but when the remaining nine players return to the Rio at 3 p.m. tomorrow, he will have EPT Prague Champion Salvatore Bonavena amongst others hot on his heels.
They'll be playing it out for an impressive $825,976 in prize money as well as the last WSOP bracelet left to claim before the Main Event.
WSOP 2010 Tournament of Champions
The best of the best gathered to fight for the coveted Tournament of Champions crown, so it was no surprise to see a field bejewelled with talent assembled to play it out for the title.
Huck Seed was the man who ran out with the title and can legitimately call himself the Champion of Champions - at least until next year.
To read in more detail about how the TOC played out, click through to the full recap of this event.
For more information on how Day 38 of the WSOP played out, including videos, blogs and news stories, click through to PokerListings' dedicated WSOP 2010 section.
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Alaei Lights The Fuse On July 4th: WSOP Day 38 Recap
The Main Event is just round the corner - Day 1a starting tomorrow - but there were still another four big prizepool tournaments to excite the many fascinated World Series of Poker fans.
We saw two tournaments play to finals - which will be settled tomorrow - one more Championship bracelet handed out and the postponed Tournament of Champions event also played to a finish.
It was a day to whet the appetite for the poker riches that lie ahead. Here's how it played out.
Event 54 - $1k No-Limit Hold'em
David Peters entered the day handily-placed as chip leader, but with 47 players still left, he was going to have to work hard if he was to maintain this position by the end of the day.
Work hard he did however, using guile, good poker sense and just a little luck to keep control of the chip lead and by the time the tournament had been reduced to the final nine, he still headed the pack.
The last nine will return at 3 p.m. tomorrow to play it out for the bracelet and it should be an intriguing contest.
Event 55 - $10k Pot-Limit Omaha Championship
It is always tough to predict the pace of Omaha contests. Sometimes they can flash by in a blink of an eye whereas othertimes a more cautious approach can prevail.
This contest definitely fell into the latter category although there were plenty of exciting moments along the way.
Eventually it was high-stakes player Daniel Alaei and Miguel Proulx who made it through to heads-up and once the final card had been dealt - Alaei was the last man left standing - claiming the $780,599 first prize money and his second WSOP bracelet.
Event 56 - $2.5k No-Limit Hold'em
A tough-as-nails field returned 73-handed to play down to the final table and an attritional contest saw that benchmark reached in the early hours of the morning.
Tomer Berda ran well enough to snatch the chip lead by the finish of the contest, but when the remaining nine players return to the Rio at 3 p.m. tomorrow, he will have EPT Prague Champion Salvatore Bonavena amongst others hot on his heels.
They'll be playing it out for an impressive $825,976 in prize money as well as the last WSOP bracelet left to claim before the Main Event.
WSOP 2010 Tournament of Champions
The best of the best gathered to fight for the coveted Tournament of Champions title, so it was no surprise to see a field bejewelled with talent assembled to play it out for the title.
XXX was the man who ran out with the title and can legitimately call himself the Champion of Champions - at least till next year.
For more information on how Day 38 of the WSOP played out, including videos, blogs and news stories, click through to PokerListings' dedicated WSOP 2010 section.
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2010 World Series of Poker Day 37: Dan Kelly Wins First WSOP Bracelet and Phil Gordon Wins Ante up For Africa
I’m Bluffing Matt Damon! - Day 37 WSOP Recap
Once again the casino was a a hub of activity as the WSOP played out with the $10k Main Event looming ever closer.
There was so much activity that the scheduled Tournament of Champions competition had to be postponed till tomorrow.
Here's how today's action went down.
Event 52 - $25k No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max
The final six players still in contention reconvened today to finish off what they started and when an incendiary final table had blazed its way to a conclusion, Daniel "djk123" Kelly was the man left holding the bracelet and the incredible $1,315,518 first prize money.
The 21 year old American defeated Shawn Buchanan heads-up to land the bracelet, and along the way he also saw off the challenge of Player of the Year contender, the double-braceleted Frank Kassela.
"I want to win more," a hungry Kelly said afterwards, who looks like he will now become the latest addition to the group of young players known as the "Brunson 10."
Event 54 - $1k No-Limit Hold'em
596 players were back in action for day 2 as the survivors of Day 1a and Day 1b met up to do battle.
A tough contest ensued and when they bagged and tagged the chips by the end of play, Sean Prendiville headed the chip counts with 47 players left.
They'll return to contend the bracelet tomorrow at 2.30 p.m..
Event 55 - $10k Pot-Limit Omaha Championship
The Pot-Limit Omaha Championship saw many stellar names left with hope of a last bracelet before the Main Event written all over their faces.
By the end, most of them had had that hope wiped clean off their visages - Devilfish, durrrr and Phil Hellmuth all crashing out.
However, Alex Kravchenko, Ludovic Lacay and Daniel Alaei are still some of the big names hunting the bracelet and the final nine players will return at 4.00 p.m. tomorrow to play to a finish.
Event 56 - $2.5k No-Limit Hold'e
The final event before the Main Event saw 1,941 hopefuls register for Day 1 in a bid to get out of it for the Series.
Only 507 made it through to Day 2 and by the time 10 levels had come and gone, this number had been reduced to 85.
They will return tomorrow at 3.00 p.m. and James Mackey is the man they will all be chasing.
Ante Up For Africa
Celebrities from all walks of life gathered together in the Rio today to show a little generosity, have a little fun and play a little poker.
Film stars like Matt Damon and Don Cheadle rubbed shoulders with the likes of retired NFL halfback Jerome Bettis and Australian cricketer Shane Warne - playing out a tournament filled with fun and laughter - and plenty of generous donations.
The final saw poker pro Phil Gordon facing off against Shannon Elizabeth, who straddles the poker and movie worlds, and she also straddled Gordon when he defeated her heads up.
Gordon was quick to donate his $130,641 winnings to the charity, commenting, "I wish the rest of my WSOP had gone the way this tournament went."
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2010 World Series of Poker Day 36: Tom Dwan Takes Massive Chip Lead Into Day 3 of PLO World Championship
6-Max Mania - Day 36 WSOP Recap
Day 36 saw Frank Kassela take command of the Player of the Year race with a final table appearance in $25k Six-Max Hold'em.
We saw a bracelet champion crowned in $1.5k Limit Hold'em Shootout, while Tom Dwan absolutely destroyed Day 2 of the $10k PLO Championship.
Here's a look around the day:
Event 52 - $25k No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max
Friday's most popular tournament was the $25k Six-Max, as several big names were around the table to sweat the action on Day 3.
Frank Kassela's monster 2010 WSOP continues, as the two-time bracelet winner is at the final table with a chance to lock up Player of the Year honors.
Kassela comes back second in chips, trailing chip leader Dan Kelly, who sits at 5.9 million.
Just 18 places paid out in the event, but it was a big payday for all that did make it, with Carlos Mortensen and Justin Bonomo finishing 17th and 18th, with both taking home $58,699.
The final table commences at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Event 53 - $1.5k Limit Shootout
Brendan Taylor survived a long final table, taking home the bracelet and $184,950 for first place.
Only the strong can survive in the grueling $1.5k Shootout, and the final eight came back to the Rio Thursday with Terrence Chan amongst the contenders.
Chan's luck didn't last long on Day 3, as the Canadian pro was the first bustout of the day, finishing eighth for $12,961. Jonathan "Fiery Justice" Little busted in third place to take home $73,218.
Ben Yu finished second and takes home $114,484.
Event 54 - $1k No-Limit Hold'em
The total came in at 3,844 entrants for the final $1k Championship of the WSOP 2010, and the format has been an attendance winner no doubt.
Antoine Saout, Kathy Leibert and Theo Tran and Phil Ivey were amongst the Day 1b casualties in a chaotic day in the Pavilion Room.
A total of 602 players return to the Pavilion Room for Day 2, which commences at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
British pro James Dempsey will begin Day 2 as the chip leader, and $570,960 is the announced first-place prize.
Event 55 - $10k Pot-Limit Omaha Championship
Tom "durrrr" Dwan, Phil Hellmuth and Nenad Medic were amongst the notables atop the chip leader board as Day 2 came to a close.
In reality the day was all about durrrr who tormented his opponents all day long and finished with 910,000 chips, nearly twice what his closest competitor had. Because Dwan has numerous bracelet bets, there will be an intense amount of interest in what transpires tomorrow.
This event is the final $10k Championship before the Main Event, and first place receives $780,599.
33 players return at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Event 56 - $2.5k No-Limit Hold'em
The final 2010 bracelet event before the Main Event began Friday, with 1,952 players coming out for $2.5k No-Limit Hold'em.
Plenty of familiar faces were in the crowd on Day 1, including Phil Ivey, Theo Tran and Sorel Mizzi.
By the end of the day only 585 players remained with Shannon Elizabeth, David Williams and Daniel Negreanu were amongst the Day 1 casualties.
Mark Newhouse and Jamie Gold were among the end of day chip leaders.
Players come back for Day 2 at 3 p.m. Saturday.
To view how the day played out in more detail as well as see blogs, news and videos from the Series, click through to PokerListings WSOP 2010 coverage.
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Tags: 2010, canadian, Daniel Negreanu, Justin Bonomo, no-limit, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, tournament, WSOP
2010 WSOP Breaks Attendance Records
Attendance through 55 bracelet events is 63,706, breaking the previous record set at the 2009 WSOP, when 60,875 players registered for 57 events.
With two more events still to be counted, it appears that the 2010 attendance mark will break the record by a wide margin.
Even with the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the U.S. in 2006 and economic downturn around the world, interest in poker's biggest event is still booming.
"We're thrilled that poker enthusiasts from every corner of the globe have reinforced the World Series of Poker's standing as one of the most popular competitive events anywhere," said World Series of Poker Vice President Ty Stewart.
"This year's overall turnout continues to show the players' passion for playing on poker's biggest stage despite the continued sluggish economy."
A number of changes were made to the schedule for the 2010 WSOP including the inclusion of six $1k events and a change in format for the $50k Players Championship, which went back to playing exclusively No-Limit Hold'em at the final table for the ESPN cameras.
Poker's high-stakes community embraced the change, as attendance grew from 95 to 116 players for 2010.
That event seemed to set the tone for the pros, as nearly all of the $10k Championship events saw an increase in registration over 2009.
The pros also flocked to the new $25k Six-Handed No-Limit event, which drew 191 players despite the high buy-in.
"It actually got a better turnout than I expected," said Barry Greenstein.
"I thought it would only get about 100 players, because it's not televised. If it was televised it would be about 250."
While the pros have certainly turned out en masse at the 2010 WSOP, Jason Mercier suggests that an influx of international players is the biggest reason for the record-breaking registration numbers.
"I just think more people wanted to play this year," Mercier said.
"Interest in poker is growing in other countries. Not so much the in the U.S., but we may have had more European players this year."
The drama will now revolve around the registration numbers of the Main Event, which is set to begin July 5. The tournament drew 6,494 players in 2009.
That number was diminished by confusion over registration rules, as several players were turned away on Day 1d as the Rio Pavilion had reached the max number of possible entrants.
The 2010 WSOP continues through July 17. For comprehensive coverage of the WSOP tune in to PokerListings' Live Updates and News.
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WSOP High Profile - Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler
Kessler has been one of the biggest breakout stars of the 2010 WSOP, cashing eight times in seven different games for a total of $373,733.
If you look around the online poker forums it seems like Kessler is everyone's favorite player to needle, with a reputation as one of the tightest players in the game.
Kessler says he doesn't worry about his detractors, and instead uses that image to his advantage.
"I was playing aggressively in the Pot-Limit Eight-or-Better Omaha events and people would just fold, because they're always afraid that I have the absolute nuts," Kessler said.
According to legend it was Gavin Smith that gave Kessler the "Chainsaw" nickname, though Kessler says it may have been someone other than Birdguts that actually originated the name.
Kessler's been known on the poker circuit for more than a decade, and he's known as a player that will hold out for a minimum cash when on the money bubble.
He used that strategy in his most recent cash finish in $1.5k No-Limit Hold'em, holding out for 191st place and a $3,089 cash.
Kessler's brand of play has earned him a reputation as a nit, but "Chainsaw" defends his style unapologetically.
"In that situation I have to fold with any hand, because even if I double up I don't have a decent stack," Kessler said.
Chainsaw is already well known amongst his poker peers, but with a breakout 2010 WSOP, Kessler's star is rising.
His biggest result came in the $10k Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo Championship, when he finished second to Frank Kassela and cashed for $276,485.
"I know all the games and I've been concentrating just on the 5 p.m. events," Kessler said.
"I've been basically focusing on the smaller-field mixed events. That's my specialty."
Kessler told PL.com that an unlucky beat prevented him from a ninth cash Thursday night, and that he's keeping an eye on his spot in the Player of the Year race.
The 2010 WSOP continues through July 17. For comprehensive coverage live from Las Vegas tune in to PokerListings' Live Updates and News.
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Juanda bubbles Event #52, $25k 6-max NL with 18 left
Tags: no-limit
Home Stretch - Day 35 WSOP Recap
We saw a slew of poker's greats surround the halls of the Rio Pavilion, with both the $25k Six-Handed No-Limit Championship and $10k PLO Championships in play.
The $1.5k Limit Shootout also played down to the final table and the final eight are set to play for the bracelet tomorrow.
Here's a look around Day 35 at the WSOP:
Event 51 - $3k Triple Chance
The heads-up finale came down to two online wizards battling it out for a bracelet in a big-time live poker event.
Ryan Welch defeated fellow online pro Jon Eaton to take down the bracelet and first-place cash of $559,371.
The win gives Welch the first WSOP bracelet of his career to add to his numerous big online scores.
Other notable money finishers included Will "The Thrill" Failla (fourth), Tommy Vedes (seventh) and James Akenhead (17th).
Event 52 - $25k No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max
As expected, the WSOP's newest high buy-in event is playing out as a showcase for poker's best and wealthiest.
Daniel Negreanu, Carlos Mortensen, Heather Sue Mercer, Eugene Katchalov, Justin Bonomo and Bryn Kenney are among the 18 players still in contention heading into Day 3.
John Juanda was the unfortunate bubble boy, busting in 19th place. Juanda's elimination may have lasting implications for the WSOP Player of the Year race as Frank Kassela survived in this event and will get at least five POY points tomorrow.
Play resumes at 3 p.m. Friday. It's a four-day event and the final table is scheduled for Saturday. First place will pay out an epic $1.3 million.
Event 53 - $1.5k Limit Shootout
The final eight is set for this Limit Shootout event, which comes back at 2:30 p.m. Friday to determine a champion.
Canada's Terrence Chan is in the mix as is Jonathan "FieryJustice" Little as the players vie for the first-place prize of $184,950.
Notable cash finishers busted out on Day 2 included Theo Tran and Marcel Luske.
Event 54 - $1k No-Limit Hold'em
A huge turnout filled the Pavilion Room, as 2,340 players came out for Day 1A.
There were a few familiar faces amongst the mass chaos, as Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler, Liv Boeree, Shannon Shorr and Kara Scott all made it through to Day 2.
Day 1b of this event commences at noon Friday.
Event 55 - $10k Pot-Limit Omaha Championship
The final $10k event before the Main Event, the $10k PLO World Championship began Thursday with 346 players.
The roster of players in the field reads like a poker who's who, with David Benyamine, Greg Raymer, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson and Men "The Master" Nguyen all still in the game.
None other than Tom "durrrr" Dwan is also among the chip leaders along with former November Niner James Akenhead and Annette Obrestad.
Day 2 resumes at 3 p.m. Friday.
To view how the day played out in more detail as well as see blogs, news and videos from the Series, click through to PokerListings WSOP 2010 coverage.
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Tags: 2010, Canada, Daniel Negreanu, David Benyamine, Justin Bonomo, kara scott, no-limit, tournament, WSOP
Welch Takes Down $3k Triple Chance
The heads-up finale was home to a WSOP final table party, with Welch riding a wave of vocal support to outlast Jon Eaton and take down his first bracelet and $559,371.
The scene around the heads-up finale was rowdy, with the animated rail supporting Welch and Eaton, both regulars in the online tournament scene.
"Obviously he's a great player," said Welch from the final table after the win.
"We know a lot about each other. We play a lot online together."
Known as "gutshtallin" online, Welch has an impressive resume, with major tournament wins in both the Full Tilt Sunday Brawl and PokerStars Sunday Warmup.
Welch has netted more than $1 million in winnings each on both Full Tilt and PokerStars, and now the 27-year-old has made his mark at the WSOP.
The party around the final table was so loud after the win that Welch's interview session was hard to hear at times, but the account-executive-turned-poker-pro loved the live tournament atmosphere.
"It's entirely different," said Welch. "The whole ambiance of being at the World Series of Poker is tremendous. It's the biggest stage for poker."
Welch had to ride the rollercoaster of emotions against Eaton, at one point coming one card away from taking the championship before a river straight gave Eaton new life and evened the stacks.
The spectator section went crazy for the big hand, and Welch had to continue his bracelet bid after taking the hit.
"Any time you're one card away from winning a bracelet and you don't, it crushes you for a second," Welch said. "But that's part of poker. You have to be able to rebound."
Eaton takes home $344,830 for second place, while other notable cash finishers include Will "The Thrill" Failla (Fourth), Tommy Vedes (Seventh) and James Akenhead (17th).
The 2010 WSOP continues through July 17. For comprehensive coverage of the $25k 6-Max No-Limit event tune in to PokerListings' Live Updates and News.
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$25k 6-Max Event Debuts at WSOP
Following the trend set by the $50k Players Championship, which began in 2006, the WSOP has introduced another event with a higher buy-in than the $10k Main Event.
Excluding the 2009 WSOP 40th Anniversary Commemorative Tournament, which was a one-time $40k event, the $25k Six-Handed No-Limit Championship is now the highest buy-in No-limit Hold'em event in WSOP history.
According to Barry Greenstein, who sits on the Poker Players Committee, the high-end event is here to stay.
PL.com caught up with Greenstein, who was amongst the chip leaders when the event went on Day 2's first 20-minute break.
"It got a good turnout, and you could say this is the toughest field arguably," Greenstein said.
"Those good online players who've made a lot of money and play a lot of six-max, this is their world championship."
191 players registered for the event, with first prize a massive $1,315,518.
Not surprisingly, the field is as tough as it gets, with Greenstein, Phil Ivey, Erik Seidel, Frank Kassela, Daniel Negreanu and Carlos Mortensen all still in contention for 18 money spots on Day 2.
"We've often talked about having a bigger No-limit tournament," Greenstein said. "Some people think the $10k Main Event is antiquated, that it's not enough for a championship."
"The WPT Championship has a bigger buy-in. Even the EPT Championship, because of the Euro, has a bigger buy-in."
Greenstein went on to explain the motivation for the Players Committee to create the $25k Six-Handed Championship.
"We didn't want to have something replace the Main Event, like be a bigger buy-in No-Limit," Greenstein said. "We've intentionally not done that."
"This was a nice compromise, where we had a different event, a six-max event, and then it made sense to increase the buy-in."
The 2010 WSOP continues through July 17. For comprehensive coverage of the $25k 6-Max No-Limit event tune in to PokerListings' Live Updates and News.
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Tags: 2009, 2010, Barry Greenstein, Daniel Negreanu, no-limit, Phil Ivey, poker player, tournament, WSOP
Two New Champs Crowned at Red-Hot WSOP: Day 34 Recap
The series may be closing in on its final, huge event but make no mistake - no one is passing time here at the Rio and there was some incredible action on show as usual.
Event 49 - $1.5k No-Limit Hold'em
Three tables returned to play to the bracelet here - and although there were fears this could play out deep into the night, the bracelet was decided relatively early as a quick-fire final played out.
In the early hours of the morning it was Taylor Larkin and Michael Linn who faced off, Linn ultimately besting Larkin to win his first WSOP bracelet and the $609,453 first-prize money.
Event 50 - $5k Pot-Limit Omaha
Another bracelet was scheduled to be handed out today, and so it was. The day began at a fast rate although once the play became short-handed caution prevailed and the players seemed to have reached an impasse. There were some fireworks from the rail though with security having to close a portion of the final table in a bid to keep the peace between the warring fans.
Eventually the poker impasse was broken, Chance Kornuth and Kevin Boudreau storming through to the heads up where ultimately Kornuth prevailed in front of his rowdy rail to take down the bracelet and the $508,090 first-prize money in what was a very strong field.
Event 51 - $3k Triple Chance
With 175 players remaining for Day 2, it seemed unlikely we would be able to play down to a final table - but the whirlwind pace that characterized Day 1 play was back in force and they almost managed it.
The field was shredded in 10 firebrand levels with players like Gavin Griffin and James Akenhead making deep runs - though neither managed to survive the day.
Instead, the 12 players who did make it through will be headed by Jon Eaton at the top of the chip counts when they return tomorrow with Tommy Vedes hot on his shoulder in 2nd.
They'll be back at 2.30 p.m. to play it out for the bracelet and claim the $559,371 first-prize money.
Event 52 - $25k No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max
Day 1 of the $25k NLHE Six-Handed event is in the books and 78 players will return for Day 2 - meaning 113 of the original 191 registrants will wake up $25k poorer tomorrow.
This event proved a huge favorite amongst both the seasoned vets like Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu and the online whiz kids like Phil Galfond and Tom "durrrr" Dwan.
Considering the players were given healthy stacks of 75k, there was a surprising rate of attrition - the sheer aggression the players generated causing a number of casualties before the end of the day.
When they finally bagged and tagged the chips, Philipp Gruissem was the man out in front, although Daniel Negreanu, Sam Trickett and Isaac Haxton also had fine days and will present a worthy challenge when they reconvene for Day 2 at 2.30 p.m.
Event 53 - $1.5k Limit Shootout
No one would suggest the Limit Shootout format was the sexiest of the events on the schedule but 548 Limit specialists and bracelet-hunters showed up to battle for the title.
By the end of the day, there were plenty of familiar faces amongst the winners, including Yevgeniy Timoshenko, Barry Shulman, Chau Giang and Marcel Luske.
Those players and the other winners will return tomorrow to continue battling along the path to crown the latest braceleted champion.
To view how the day played out in more detail as well as see blogs, news and videos from the Series, click through to PokerListings WSOP 2010 coverage.
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Mizrachi Chasing Bracelet: Day 33 Recap
Las Vegas experienced a sweltering day and inside the relative cool of the Amazon Room, the temperature also rose as a fiery group of poker players went head-to-head across four WSOP tournaments.
Two of the biggest names in poker also traded verbal blows.
This is how the day played out.
Event 47 - $1k No-Limit Hold'em
Event 47 was originally planned to be a four day event but, once it got down to the final nine, the tournament directors cried uncle and decided that for the sanity of the players and staff involved we should call it a night and come back for more tomorrow.
Out of the final nine. Owen "ocrowe" Crowe is the name that stands out and he'll be coming back tomorrow in fourth place with 1.2 million when the final nine return to battle for the bracelet.
Event 49 - $1.5k No-Limit Hold'em
The penultimate small buy-in "donkament" of the series played out day 2 today - if donkament is a fair description of a four-figure buy-in tournament.
Tha payouts are not inconsiderable, given the winner will collect s sizeable $609.493 for first and 23 players still have a shot at that.
Michael Linn will come in as the chipleader with just over 1.4 million in chips. Closely behind is Mihai Manole of Romania who is hot on Linn's tail with 1.25 million.
At 2.30 p.m. they will reconvene and play to a winner.
Event 50 - $5k Pot-Limit Omaha
The $5k Pot-Limit Omaha was scheduled to play to a final table, but was always unlikely to achieve that goal - 31 players still in the hunt by the time they bagged and tagged the chips.
Along the way English pro Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott crossed swords with "The Poker Brat" Phil Hellmuth in what was a keenly-contested tournament.
They did manage to make it into the money spots and Robert Mizrachi snatched the chip lead by the end of the day.
He'll be looking to emulate brother Michael Mizrachi's bracelet success earlier in the series.
PokerListings blogger Jason Mercier and Hendon Mobster Joe Beevers were two others who survived and when they return at 3 p.m. tomorrow, they will be nursing ambitions of bracelet glory.
Event 51 - $3k Triple Chance No-Limit Hold'em
The $3k Triple Chance was a fiesta of action, with a bumper field of 965 swiftly whittled down to just 189 come the close of play.
The field was stacked with some top-class players and the end of day chip counts relected this.
Tommy Vedes, David Singer, Gavin Griffin, James Akenhead and Tom "durrrr" Dwan will all return tomorrow at 2.30 p.m. well-placed to make a deep run and we expect fireworks when they resume.
For an in-depth account of how Day 33 of the World Series played out, along with news, blogs and videos keeping you up-to-date with all te action playing out in the Rio, click through to PokerListings dedicated WSOP 2010 section.
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Obrestad Hungry for Second WSOP Bracelet
Following her £1 million cash in London however, she has been unable to perform on poker's most celebrated stage, the WSOP in Las Vegas, because she's always been too young - until now.
Having finally breached the legal age requirement of 21, Obrestad is at the biggest show in town and is relishing every moment.
"I've really enjoyed the World Series," said Obrestad. "I've been looking forward to it for a while and have thrown myself fully into it. I've played 14 events which is loads when you think I don't really play the mixed games."
The young Norwegian may regard No-Limit Hold'em as her speciality event, but at the moment it is the $5k Pot-Limit Omaha where Obrestad is performing admirably, amongst the chip leaders with 52 left.
"It's been surprisingly easy today," she told PokerListings. "I have Eric Liu to my left and he is a tough player, but overall I've been getting my chips in ahead.
"Normally I just get it in bad and suck out or bust out, but today I've been getting it in in good spots."
When asked whether this could be the event that sees her collect her second bracelet, Obrestad just laughed.
"Haha, well one thing at a time," she said.
"All I care about right now is cashing. Once I've done that, maybe we can think of other things."
Obrestad is well-placed for a run at the bracelet, but she has several tough competitors to dispose of first, including PokerListings blogger Jason Mercier - who showed his Omaha pedigree at last year's WSOP, winning a bracelet in the $1.5k Omaha tournament.
To read how this exciting tournament is playing out - see the dedicated WSOP 2010 section - with news, blogs and videos from the WSOP.
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From Bust to Bracelet: Bell Talks About WSOP Win
Bell and Smith each notched their first ever WSOP victories over the weekend, Smith in No-Limit Hold'em and Bell in Pot-Limit Omaha High-Low Split.
The first time bracelet wins are especially satisfying for the two friends as both have spent years on the professional circuit with mixed success waiting for their breakthrough WSOP moment.
"You don't realize how important it is until you win it," Bell said. "When you play for a living, sometimes you're just trying to make a living."
The two veterans were both at the end of their respective bankrolls at this time last year, but their perseverance paid off.
"That was a pretty low moment," said Bell of going broke. "That's another thing [we] both had in common: We stayed broke together for the last year."
Undeterred, staked by friend Erick Lindgren and armed with the belief he could win, Bell battled back from rags to riches. The win allowed Bell to take home a purse of $327k, while Smith pocketed $268k.
"I'm very relieved; these things are hard to come by," Bell told PokerListings. "It's a lot of pressure taken off me. It's not all the money in the world, but it definitely helps."
No telling whether a bracelet win will increase the soft-spoken Bell's profile. He admitted that he might not have the most marketable personality.
"I don't yell or cuss or scream at anybody," said Bell with his trademark southern accent.
Now Bell hopes he and Smith can use the momentum from their wins for future success. "Things definitely run in twos and threes," Bell said. "You hear about these guys who have never won bracelets and then all of a sudden they win two."
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Matusow Running Hot - Day 32 WSOP Recap
Day 32 was a showcase for poker's elite, as Day 2 of the Tournament of Champions played out on the WSOP feature table stage.
Mike "The Mouth" Matusow had perhaps his best day of the 2010 WSOP, emerging as the TOC chip leader and also running to a great start in $5k PLO.
Norway's Sigurd Eskeland also picked up his first bracelet in the $2.5k Mixed Event.
Here's a look around Day 32:
WSOP Tournament of Champions 2010
Day 2 was very much like Day 1 in the 2010 Tournament of Champions, with just five players hitting the rail for the second straight day.
The pace of the TOC has been slower than expected through the first eight levels, as 17 of the original 27 players still remain.
The event was supposed to play down to the final nine Monday, with the final table played at 1 p.m. July 4.
The WSOP is now discussing two alternate scenarios, with one having players come back at 7 p.m. July 3, and the other option having players come back at 10 a.m. July 4 for an early-morning start.
Mike "The Mouth" Matusow came out of Day 2 as the chip leader, with Huck Seed, Johnny Chan and Scotty Nguyen right behind.
The WSOP will determine which scenario will play out for the TOC based on entrants' commitments to other bracelet events on July 3, so stay tuned.
Event 47 - $1k No-Limit Hold'em
3,128 players came out for Day 1 of this event, and it was 476 returning for Day 2 with an eye on the $485,791 first prize.
Antonio Esfandiari created a mini-spectacle in the Amazon Room, as the headband-clad Victory Poker spokesman ran back and forth multi-tabling this event and the Tournament of Champions.
Esfandiari didn't survive the day in this event, but made the payout structure, finishing 73rd.
Scott Montgomery went on a big heater on Day 2 and comes back amongst the chip leaders when play resumes at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Event 48 - $2.5k Mixed Event
The day's only bracelet was awarded in this event, as Norwegian Sigurd Eskeland emerged from the field of 453 players to take the championship and $260,497.
Todd Brunson came up just short of a final table bid, finishing 11th for $18,045, while Alex Kravchenko came up right behind at 11th and Dario Minieri finished 14th.
Kirk Morrison and Vitaly Lunkin also posted cash finished, as did Mike "The Grinder" Mizrachi, who added to his Player of the Year total.
Event 49 - $1.5k No-Limit Hold'em
The large turnout pushed the first-place prize in this event to $609,493, as 2,543 players entered the latest $1.5k No-Limit event on Day 1.
David Pham and JP Kelley were amongst the chip leaders as the first day came to end, with 315 players advancing to Day 2, which commences at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Andy Bloch and Liv Boeree are also amongst the notables coming back for Day 2.
Event 50 - $5k Pot-Limit Omaha
The TOC might have been the biggest spectacle of the day, but this event was packed with poker superstars on Day 1.
Jeff Lisandro, Ted Forrest, Carlos Mortensen, Annette Obrestad and Annie Duke were just a few of the names that signed up, with 460 players in the field overall.
2009 November Niner Kevin Schaffel had a huge first day, and comes back as one of the chip leaders with 178,900 when Day 2 kicks off at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Just under 200 players made it to Day 2 and Dan Shak and Annette Obrestad are also amongst the chip leaders.
For a more in-depth look at how the day played out, along with news, blogs and videos, visit PokerListings' WSOP 2010 section.
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Event #47, $1,000 NL, underway with 476 players remaining
Champions Forum - Day 31 WSOP Recap
Frank Kassela and John Juanda pulled into a dead heat for the Player of the Year race after Kassela's latest cash.
Two more bracelets were handed out as the latest two WSOP champions were crowned.
Here's a look around Day 31:
WSOP Tournament of Champions 2010
We only played four short levels Sunday, but the 2010 TOC got underway nonetheless.
The railbirds packed the Amazon Room to see three fully-loaded tables on Day 1, as this year's TOC boasts perhaps the sickest tournament field ever seen at the WSOP.
Despite the short day, we still saw five eliminations on Day 1, as Phil Ivey, Greg Raymer, Barry Shulman, Sammy Farha and John Juanda all hit the rail.
Eight-time bracelet winner Erik Seidel finished Day 1 in the lead, and the towering Full Tilt pro comes back with 72k in chips.
The blinds will be at 200/400 for Level 5 when Seidel and the rest of the remaining 22 players return at 12 p.m. for Day 2.
Other notable names near the top of the chip leader board include Johnny Chan, Mike "The Mouth" Matusow and Barry Greenstein.
Event 45 - $1.5k No-Limit Hold'em
Jesse Rockowitz won his first career WSOP bracelet, emerging from the final table as the latest WSOP champion.
Another huge field played for the latest $1.5k No-Limit bracelet, but the original field of 3,097 players was down to 36 when the final day of this event kicked off Sunday.
Dutch Boyd was looking for his second WSOP bracelet of 2010, but came up short of the final table, placing 15th and cashing for $32,653.
Other notables in the cash included Theo Tran and Ayaz Mahmood.
Event 46 - $5k Pot-Limit Omaha/8
Perhaps the most interesting final table of the 2010 WSOP played out, with the fascinating mix of Erik Seidel, Leif Force, Dan Shak and Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott all seated.
In the end it was Chris Bell coming away with the bracelet and first-place prize of $327,040 out of a field of 284 players.
Event 47 - $1k No-Limit Hold'em
Day 1b of this event began Sunday, and the 476 surviving players from today will join the 680 survivors from Day 1a when play resumes.
In total, it will be 1,356 rounders coming back for Day 2, which resumes at 2:30 p.m.Monday.
Lots of unknown faces and names crowded the Pavilion Room for this event, but Antonio Esfandiari was one well-known name that dominated on Day 1b.
The first-place prize for this tournament is $485,791.
Event 48 - $2.5k Mixed Event
The money bubble burst near the end of the night, with POY contender Frank Kassela making into the money to pull into a tie with John Juanda for the 2010 Player of the Year race.
192 of the original field of 453 players came back Sunday for Day 2, with Dario Minieri and Vitaly Lunkin amongst the notables making the cash.
Day 3 commences at 3:00 p.m. Monday and we play down to a champion.
For a more in-depth look at how the day played out, along with news, blogs and videos, visit PokerListings' WSOP 2010 section.
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Champions Forum - Day 29 WSOP Recap
Frank Kassela and John Juanda pulled into a dead heat for the Player of the Year race after Kassela's latest cash.
Two more bracelets were handed out as the latest two WSOP champions were crowned.
Here's a look around Day 29:
WSOP Tournament of Champions 2010
We only played four short levels Sunday, but the 2010 TOC got underway nonetheless.
The railbirds packed the Amazon Room to see three fully-loaded tables on Day 1, as this year's TOC boasts perhaps the sickest tournament field ever seen at the WSOP.
Despite the short day, we still saw five eliminations on Day 1, as Phil Ivey, Greg Raymer, Barry Shulman, Sammy Farha and John Juanda all hit the rail.
Eight-time bracelet winner Erik Seidel finished Day 1 in the lead, and the towering Full Tilt pro comes back with 72k in chips.
The blinds will be at 200/400 for Level 5 when Seidel and the rest of the remaining 22 players return at 12 p.m. for Day 2.
Other notable names near the top of the chip leader board include Johnny Chan, Mike "The Mouth" Matusow and Barry Greenstein.
Event 45 - $1.5k No-Limit Hold'em
Jesse Rockowitz won his first career WSOP bracelet, emerging from the final table as the latest WSOP champion.
Another huge field played for the latest $1.5k No-Limit bracelet, but the original field of 3,097 players was down to 36 when the final day of this event kicked off Sunday.
Dutch Boyd was looking for his second WSOP bracelet of 2010, but came up short of the final table, placing 15th and cashing for $32,653.
Other notables in the cash included Theo Tran and Ayaz Mahmood.
Event 46 - $5k Pot-Limit Omaha/8
Perhaps the most interesting final table of the 2010 WSOP played out, with the fascinating mix of Erik Seidel, Leif Force, Dan Shak and Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott all seated.
In the end it was Chris Bell coming away with the bracelet and first-place prize of $327,040 out of a field of 284 players.
Event 47 - $1k No-Limit Hold'em
Day 1b of this event began Sunday, and the 476 surviving players from today will join the 680 survivors from Day 1a when play resumes.
In total, it will be 1,356 rounders coming back for Day 2, which resumes at 2:30 p.m.Monday.
Lots of unknown faces and names crowded the Pavilion Room for this event, but Antonio Esfandiari was one well-known name that dominated on Day 1b.
The first-place prize for this tournament is $485,791.
Event 48 - $2.5k Mixed Event
The money bubble burst near the end of the night, with POY contender Frank Kassela making into the money to pull into a tie with John Juanda for the 2010 Player of the Year race.
192 of the original field of 453 players came back Sunday for Day 2, with Dario Minieri and Vitaly Lunkin amongst the notables making the cash.
Day 3 commences at 3:00 p.m. Monday and we play down to a champion.
For a more in-depth look at how the day played out, along with news, blogs and videos, visit PokerListings' WSOP 2010 section.
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Five-Star Canada win 5th WSOP bracelet: Day 30 Recap
Another four absorbing contests also took place, with Devilfish and Hellmuth facing off mano to mano in event 46.
Here's how it played out.
Event 44 - $2.5k Mixed Hold'em
Nine of the original 507 players showed up for Day 3 of what proved a dramatic and hotly-contested final table.
Danny Hannawa started the day as the chip leader with Gavin Smith directly behind him on the leaderboard.
Smith was able to quickly snatch the chip lead and the heads-up saw him face off against Hannawa for the bracelet.
Following a protracted battle, Smith kept his nerve to earn his first, and Canada's fifth, bracelet of the series - as well as collecting $268,238 in prize money.
"Now I'm part of that club I've always wanted to be a part of," said Smith after adding a WSOP bracelet to his trophy cabinet.
To read more about Smith's historic win - see PokerListings' extended news story.
Event 45 - $1.5k No-Limit Hold'em
Day 2 of the $1.5k saw the remaining players reconvene in a bid to play down to the final table.
That was always likely to prove a difficult task, though by the time the allotted 10 levels were in the bag, the players had played through to the money spots of the tournament.
35 players made it through the day and when they return tomorrow, it will be Englishman Sam Trickett - who narrowly missed out on a bracelet earlier in the series - who holds the chip lead, with 2010 bracelet-winner Dutch Boyd also well in contention to win the massive $721,373 first prize and WSOP bracelet.
Event 46 - $5k Pot-Limit Omaha/8
A host of stars were still in the running for day 2 of this split event and a grinding day of poker saw the 130 remaining players finally whittled down to just 21.
Big names such as Mike Matusow, Howard Lederer and Bruno Fitoussi hit the rails during a tough day's play.
During the day, Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott levered his way almost to the summit of the leaderboard, knocking an aggravated Phil Hellmuth out along the way.
It will be Sergey Altbregin however who will be best primed for a run at the bracelet when the surviving players return to play it out for the win at 2.30 p.m. tomorrow.
Event 47 - $1k No-Limit Hold'em
Another NLHE donkament on the WSOP 2010 schedule saw 1,759 players turn up for Day 1a to take their shot at glory.
A rapid-fire day played out, and by the close a number of players with well-founded reputations - including Antonio Esfandiari, Scott Montgomery and Matt Glantz - had made their mark on the tournament, well-placed near the summit of the leaderboard.
The 270 odd who made it through the day will hook up in two days' time with the survivors from tomorrow's Day 1b - which will begin at 12:00 p.m. sharp.
Event 48 - $2.5k Mixed
An encouragingly-large field of 453 arrived to contend the $2.5k Mixed title, and by the close of play, 192 of those still had some chips remaining.
The end-of-day top ten leaderboard was peppered with star quality and when the players return at 2.30 p.m. tomorrow, Jared Jaffe will be just ahead of the likes of Justin "BoostedJ" Smith, EPT super-casher Luca Pagano and player of the year contender Michael Mizrachi - as well as many other hihgly talented mixed game specialists.
More information on day 29 of the WSOP, including news, blogs and videos can be found by accessing PokerListings' dedicated WSOP 2010 section.
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Hamrick and Gordon Seal Bracelets: WSOP Day 29 Recap
In addition a further three tournaments played out as the Rio was once again filled with the noise, laughter and tears of an eager group of poker players vying for their place in history.
Here's how it went down.
Event 42 - $1.5k No-Limit Hold'em
Just 25 players returned to fight it out for the WSOP bracelet and $604,222 1st prize money, having bested a swollen original field of 2,521.
Come the end of the day it was Thomas O'Neil and Dean Hamrick who faced off tete-a-tete - Hamrick finally sealing the win, much to the pleasure of his slightly drunken and highly enthused rail.
Event 43 - $10k HORSE Championship
A host of big names returned to contend the HORSE championship - a real test of ability amongst some of the finest exponents of the various poker formats.
Players like Nick Schulman, Scotty Nguyen, Brian Townsend and Carlos Mortensen were amongst the 23 players who returned but none were able to run good enough to gallop to the HORSE title.
Instead, it was left to Richard Ashby and Ian Gordon to play out heads-up for the second bracelet of the evening.
With the players and rail swigging champagne freely, it was ultimately Gordon who proved the most durable, besting a tough field to collect the $611,666 1st prize and WSOP bracelet.
Event 44 - $2.5k Mixed Hold'em
Blended neatly together like a fine martini, this mixed Limit/ No-Limit tournament wasn't the drink of choice for many players, but a still-healthy field of 507 entered yesterday - 69 making it through to day 2.
The day flew by, with the players making the final table just after midnight and when they return to battle for the bracelet and $268,238 1st prize money tomorrow at 3 p.m., Jarred Solomen will be the chip leader in pole position, with Gavin Smith and Jamie "Chronic" Rosen tucked in just behind him on the leaderboard.
Event 45 - $1.5k No-Limit Hold'em
Another huge-field donkament kicked off today - 3,097 players paying the entrance fee and cramming themselves into the Pavilion room for their chance to win a WSOP bracelet.
Ten levels played out and by the end the field had been crunched down to a more manageable 400 - players like Chino Rheem, John Phan, John Juanda and Dutch Boyd still in with a shout of the title.
They'll resume tomorrow at 2.30 p.m. where they will aim to play down to a final table - or as close to it as humanly possible.
Event 46 - $5k Pot-Limit Omaha/8
The high buy-in and niche format no doubt contributed heavily to the relatively small number of entrants - just 284 players electing to play today.
However, one thing that the World Series has taught us is that small fields attract the bracelet-hunting pros like blood attracts sharks and a number of top names were in attendance to grind their way to victory.
Come the final reckoning, 130 players had survived the day and Steve Chanthabouasy will be atop the standings when they return tomorrow.
He'll have to fend off the combined talents of Mike Matusow, Dave Ulliott and Barry Greenstein if he has designs on the bracelet however.
For a more in-depth look at how the day played out, along with news, blogs and videos, visit PokerListings' WSOP 2010 section.
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Hellmuth and Jelinek Headline Day 28 of the WSOP
We saw Phil Hellmuth and Barry Greenstein in the final 15 of $1.5k PLO8, while Humberto Brenes carved up the competition for a second straight day in $1.5k No-Limit Hold'em.
Eli Elezra dominated Day 1 of $2.5k Mixed Hold'em and appears to be primed for a big finish and Steve Jelinek collected the U.K.'s fifth bracelet of the series.
The Amazon Room was a spectators' favorite Thursday, with many poker superstars battling for the $10k H.O.R.S.E. championship.
Here's a look around the WSOP on Day 27:
Event 41 - $1.5k Pot-Limit Omaha Eight or Better Hi-Lo
English poker professional, Steve Jelinek came out on top of a tough field on Day 3, taking down the bracelet and first-place cash of $245,871. His win marked Britain's 5th bracelet in what has been a highly-successful WSOP campaign for the increasingly-strong British contingent.
Steve Gottlieb from Houston, Texas made it heads up against the Brit but after an epic battle, he fell just short. He won the door prize money of $151,884.
It takes a special brand of patience to succeed in PLO Hi-Lo, so it was no surprise that veteran superstars Phil Hellmuth and Barry Greenstein were amongst the final 15 players returning on Day 3.
Hellmuth added his 78th career WSOP cash and 42nd final table appearance, both records - the 11-time bracelet winner finishing up in seventh place. Greenstein couldn't better 12th place.
Event 42 - $1.5k No-Limit Hold'em
The starting field of 2,521 players was decimated on the first day of this event, as we started Day 2 very close to the money bubble.
It burst at 270 players early in the day, with Nam Le and Carter Phillips amongst the notables making the payout structure.
Humberto Brenes continued his dominance, and the Costa Rican star has his sights set on adding another WSOP bracelet to the two he already owns.
Brenes will be amongst the chip leaders Friday when the remaining 25 players come back for Day 3 and we play down to a champion.
Play resumes at 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Event 43 - $10k H.O.R.S.E. Championship
The $10k H.O.R.S.E. championship packed the railbirds into the Amazon Room, as a field of poker's finest resumed play for Day 2.
With such a pro-heavy field, there were bound to be some big-name eliminations on Day 2, as Greg "FBT" Mueller, Freddy Deeb, Soheil Shamseddin and Greg Raymer all hit the rail Thursday. The players just squeezed into the money spots by the end of the day, with high-stakes cash player Brian Townsend pulling out to a deserved chip lead come the end of play.
Also in contention will be a number of big-name stars including Todd Brunson, former Main Event champion Carlos Mortensen, Nick Schulman and recent bracelet-winner Richard Ashby.
Play resumes at 3 p.m. Friday.
Event 44 - $2.5k Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit)
The original 2-game mix was back in action Thursday as the $2.5k Mixed Limit/No-limit event kicked off.
507 players anted up for Day 1, with just 70 surviving on a day of rapid eliminations.
Eli Elezra had a terrific run on the first day of this event, and the Full Tilt pro comes back Friday for Day 2 as one of the chip leaders.
Matt Stout is also still in the hunt, along with Gavin Smith, Andy Bloch and Erica Schoenberg.
This event drew an all-star laden field, with some of the notable first-day eliminations including Allen Cunningham, Sorel Mizzi, Mike "The Grinder" Mizrachi and Tom Dwan.
Play resumes at 2:30 p.m. Friday.
To see how Day 27 of the WSOP played out in more detail, be sure to visit our WSOP 2010 page, with videos, blogs and news stories.
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Montgomery Talks First WSOP Bracelet
Scott Montgomery now has both, and the 28-year-old Canadian pro was in the house Thursday to accept his $1k No-Limit Hold'em bracelet.
After making the 2008 November Nine and cashing out for more than $3 million in a fifth-place finish, Montgomery is once again showing his mastery of the large-field events.
The Full Tilt sponsored pro outlasted the rest in a field of 3,102 players in the $1k No-Limit Hold'em event to win the bracelet, just two years after making the Main Event final table amongst a field of 6,839 players.
For Montgomery, the higher the number of entrants in the field, the better.
"I've always enjoyed playing the big-field events," Montgomery said from the Pavilion Room stage.
"Playing six or seven days in a row doesn't tire me out at all. Some people you can tell, after a couple of days they start to get run down."
"If you're not willing to play seven days in a row of 12-hour poker events, there's no reason to go into the field if the tournament is going to last that long."
Montgomery is the third former November Niner to take down a bracelet at the 2010 WSOP, following the path of Eric Buchman and Phil Ivey, both of whom made the 2009 November Nine.
"Making the November Nine, I've had a lot of opportunities to play poker," Montgomery said.
The bracelet is the fourth for Canada at the 2010 WSOP, tying the Canadians with the Brits for most bracelets from a non-U.S. country.
Montgomery was already upwards of the $3 million mark in WSOP earnings going into 2010, and his latest result will only open more eyes to the talented Canadian.
"Some people say winning the event is like proving yourself, showing people how good you are," Montgomery said. "I don't think about it that way myself."
"I know what my skills are as a player. I know what level I'm at. I'm not the best in the world but I'm good enough to get by. I play what I'm best at and I do well at it."
The 2010 WSOP continues through July 17. For comprehensive coverage live from Las Vegas tune in to PokerListings' Live Updates and News.
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