2007 WSOP Overview, June 10th — Hellmuth Cashes for 59th Time
Phil Hellmuth always seems to find a way to make headlines at the World Series of Poker®. Saturday's happenings again proved the truism, as Hellmuth cleared the money bubble late on Day One of Event #15, $1,500 No Limit Hold 'Em. The cash is the 59th of Hellmuth's WSOP career and his second this year, and with a move up the leader board in the opening of Day Two action on Sunday, Hellmuth is poised to make a run at a final table and perhaps snare that tie-breaking 11th bracelet.
Two winner's bracelets were awarded on Saturday as well, even if one was technically well into Sunday's early-morning hours before the winner was decided. That was in the two-day Event #14, $1,500 Seven Card Stud, where chip leader Michael Keiner came through for the victory after over 17 hours of grueling play. Keiner closed out Nesbitt Coburn for the title at a final table that also included Greg Raymer and Barry Greenstein. Keiner pocketed $146,987 for the triumph.
Event #12, $1,500 No Limit Hold 'Em (6 Handed), was one of the events scheduled for a one-hour-delayed broadcast over the Internet, with the six final tablists sequestered inside the special Bluff Magazine tent for filming and transmission. Jason Warner was another chip leader who came out on top when the action was complete, though he had to come from well behind eventual runner-up David Zeitlin — administering a bad beat in the process — to take down the victory. Warner pulled in $481,697 for the win, with Zeitlin earning $269,778.
In event #15, $1,500 No Limit Hold 'Em (where Hellmuth again extended his record), Jason Beasley topped 180,000 in chips at the end of Day One play to open a gap of nearly 40,000 over second-place Stuart Kemble. Sam Sangjinga finished the night in third, just ahead of Fabrice Soulier, with Raj Sawant in fifth.
Event #13, $5,000 Pot Limit Hold 'Em., played down to its final table on Saturday night, with Jeff Lisandro leading the nine survivors with just under a million chips. Allen Cunninngham, Gavin Griffin, Humberto Brenes and defending champ Jason Lester also remain in the hunt. Many of the big names not in Event #13 could be found playing in Event #16, the #2,500 H.O.R.S.E. tourney, with Davidson Matthew, Steve Zolotow, Layne Flack, Cyndy Violette, 2007 bracelet winner Chris Reslock and David Williams all in the overnight top ten and chasing leader Thayer Rasmussen.
Sunday also brought the noon start of a WSOP tradition, the $1,000 Ladies Event. Jennifer Tilly and Cheryl Hines were among the early eliminations in this one. At 5pm PDT on Sunday, the $5,000 Limit Hold 'Em (Event #18) also begins.
