WSOP What to Watch For: Daniel Negreanu, Erik Seidel in $10K Heads-Up Sweet 16

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Jun 20, 2014 5 min read

It should be a fantastic Friday at the 2014 World Series of Poker with five events in action including the continuation of the $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship in which a couple of $20 million men — Daniel Negreanu and Erik Seidel — look to add still more to their career tourney earnings as well as another WSOP bracelet to their collections.

The fun “Dealer’s Choice” event also continues today, while among the other events a bracelet is due to be won in the $3K no-limit hold’em tourney.

Here’s a “Follow Friday” guide for you highlighting what to watch for in all five WSOP events playing out today.

Event #39: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em

Just 26 remain from a big starting field of 992 in Event #39: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em, led by Jake Schindler (711,000) with Ryan Olisar (686,000) and Ryan Jaconetti (663,000) not far behind.

Schindler has 14 career WSOP cashes though has yet to make a final table, while Olisar (2 WSOP final tables, 12 cashes) and Jaconetti (3 WSOP cashes) are also looking to break through in Event #39 and capture a first career bracelet.

Matthew Lapossie (fourth, 623,000) and Dylan Linde (seventh, 524,000) are part of the chase pack behind the leaders, with several other notables still in the hunt as well with average stacks or below, among them six-time bracelet winner Layne Flack (14th), Bart Hanson (18th), Bernard Lee (19th), Matt Affleck (22nd), Erik Cajelais (25th), and Nam Le (26th)

The schedule calls for them to play down to a winner today, although with 26 left it’s possible they don’t get quite that far. Start checking the Event #39 live updates at 1 p.m. Vegas time today to see how the fight for the bracelet and $548,460 first prize proceeds.

Event #40: $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship

After 136 starters played down to a “sweet 16” on Thursday, today it gets interesting in the Event #40: $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship. By making it through three rounds of matches yesterday — or four in the case of Serkan Kurnaz who didn’t get the first-round bye — the 16 who remain will get to divide the entire $1,198,400 prize pool. The one among them who can win four more matches will be earning the bracelet and $335,553 first prize.

As noted, Erik Seidel and Daniel Negreanu are both still among those contending, with a host of other accomplished players still in the mix as well.

Here’s a quick look at the Round of 16 match-ups that will kick things off today with some “tale of the tape” regarding each of the remaining players (dollar amounts refer to career tournament earnings):

Of course, many of these players bring much more to the table in terms of experience than what is listed here, with some — like Ankush “Pistons87” Mandavia” and Sam “KingKobeMVP” Stein — also having enjoyed significant online success that will surely serve them well in a tournament such as this.

The plan today will be to work down to either a final four or the championship match, depending on how long matches last. Click over to the Event #40 live updates starting at 1 p.m. PDT today for comprehensive reports of every Day 2 match.

Event #41: $1,500 Six-Handed Dealer’s Choice

By most accounts, the newly-introduced Event #41: Six-Handed Dealer’s Choice that got started yesterday was well received by the 419 players who turned out and took turns deciding among themselves which of 16 different poker variants they would be playing. That turnout meant a total prize pool of $565,650 with the top 42 cashing and $147,092 going to the winner on Saturday.

After one full day of play there are still 95 players left, with Larry Tull (55,400) coming back as the leader with Arthur Morris (51,600) and Zeev Lukacs (50,450) occupying the next two spots in the counts.

Melissa Burr (in fourth with 47,375), Jimmy Fricke (fifth, 46,600), Perry Green (eighth, 41,500), Jennifer Harman (ninth, 39,500), Todd Brunson (11th, 38,500), Frank Kassela (12th, 37,100), and Jeff Madsen (14th, 35,550) are among those who will also be returning to above average stacks today.

They start choosing games to play once again at 2 p.m. today, so start checking the Event #41 updates then to see which players position themselves the best today to take a run at the first ever “Dealer’s Choice” WSOP bracelet tomorrow.

Event #42: $5,000 Six-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha

The first of two new events getting started today will be Event #42: $5,000 Six-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha, a favorite game for the action-seekers. Last year Steve Gross topped a field of exactly 400 players to win the bracelet and $488,817 first prize.

This one starts the action on Friday, so at 12 noon head over to the Event #42 live updates to get your WSOP virtual railing started.

Event #43: $1,500 Limit Hold’em

Finally later in the afternoon comes another favorite event among a certain segment of the poker-playing public, Event #43: $1,500 Limit Hold’em.

Brent Wheeler is the defending champion in this one after having bested a field of 645 players last summer to win the bracelet and $191,605 first prize. Other recent champions in this event include David Arsht (2012), Harrison Wilder (2011), Matt Matros (2010), Tomas Alenius (2009), and Jimmy Shultz (2008).

The small bets and big bets start up at 4 p.m. today, so click over to the Event #43 live updates then to follow all of the action.

Here’s the full schedule of bracelet events for today (all times PDT):

• 12:00 p.m. — Event #42: $5,000 Six-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha (Day 1 of 3)
• 1:00 p.m. — Event #39: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em (Day 3 of 3)
• 1:00 p.m. — Event #40: $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship (Day 2 of 3)
• 2:00 p.m. — Event #41: $1,500 Six-Handed Dealer’s Choice (Day 2 of 3)
• 4:00 p.m. — Event #43: $1,500 Limit Hold’em (Day 2 of 3)

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• Tags WSOP Daniel Negreanu Erik Seidel Jake Schindler Ryan Olisar Ryan Jaconetti Sam Stein Ankush Mandavi Larry Tull Arthur Morris Zeev Lukacs Steve Gross Brent Wheeler
• Related Tournaments World Series of Poker
• Related Players Daniel NegreanuErik SeidelSam SteinBrent WheelerSteve GrossJake Schindler