WSOP What To Watch For: Phillips Leads Event #29; Cada on top of Event #31
The 2012 World Series of Poker will have three events aiming to be completed on Monday. Event #29: $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Championship is down to the final four players, Event #31: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em is onto Day 3 with 19 players left and Event #32: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. has 15 players left. All three will be looking to see a winner crowned, but it may end up that Event 29 wraps up while the other two need a fourth day of play.
Event #29: $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Phillips' Tournament To Lose
Going into the first WSOP November Nine back in 2008, Dennis Phillips had the chip lead. Many thought going in that it was Phillips' tournament to lose. Phillips went on to finish in third place but has performed well enough to get back into a familiar position with the chance to close things out.
Although there aren't millions up for grabs in Event #29, Phillips has given himself the best possible shot to pocket over $600,000 and win his first WSOP gold bracelet. He'll return to play in Event #29 with a big chip lead because he has over 43 percent of the total chips in play. It's the time for Phillips to really shine, but he will have to go through some tough competition in Hoyt Corkins, Allyn Jaffrey Shulman and Bob Phelps.
Event #31: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
Can Cada Finally Get Back On Top/
Since smashing his way onto the poker scene in 2009 with a WSOP Main Event win, Joe Cada hasn't been able to do too much on the felt. In fact, some people have started calling him a "one-hit wonder," although in Cada's defense, he did win a tournament since his Main Event victory. The results have been few and far between, though, but it looks like Cada might be able to find his way back into the winner's circle in this one. If he's able to wade his way through the final 19 players, Cada will earn his second WSOP bracelet and a lot of cash — more than $660,000.
Tran Alive for Third WSOP Gold
JC Tran is a very recognizable face in the poker industry and has two WSOP gold bracelets to his name. One of those came in 2008 and one in 2009. His first was won in one of these $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em events where he finds himself deep in again. Tran definitely knows a thing or two about the late stages of a tournament, and that will really help him if he hopes to maneuver his way to the final table and then onto victory.
Event #32: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E.
Hellmuth Going for Lucky Number 13
Earlier this WSOP, Phil Hellmuth won his 12th gold bracelet in Event #18: $2,500 Seven Card Razz. He managed to find himself back for another Day 3 and is very much alive in the quest for an unprecedented 13th gold bracelet. Hellmuth's already altered his famous hat so they have a "12" on the side instead of an "11," but he just might need to change it to a "13" by the time this one is over.
Oh Look, Ivey's Deep... Again
Phil Ivey has already made three final tables at the 2012 WSOP and is back in contention for a fourth. To us, this is unbelievable, especially after he basically disappeared from poker for a year. To Ivey, it's just another day at the office.
Ivey has already worked his way to the top of the WSOP Player of the Year leaderboard, and he's only going to distance himself from the pack with this finish. We'll have to wait to see whether he can find himself at a fourth final table within two weeks' time, but right now our money is on finding him there. It doesn't look like anything is slowing down anytime soon.
As always, you can find PokerNews' coverage of the 2012 WSOP on our Live Reporting Pages. We look forward to having you follow along and stay tuned for plenty more from our What To Watch For series.
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