WSOP What to Watch For: July 7, 2017
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The Main Event approaches, but a few events remain before the big one gets underway. In the $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em, 2016 November Niner Kenny Hallaert leads the final 23 players remaining. In the $1,500 Razz, Phil Hellmuth returns on Friday as one of the chip leaders, and Chance Kornuth leads the field in the $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em.
Event #66: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
After Day 2 began with 308 players remaining, 23 return for the third day of action. The winner will take home $428,423 and a bracelet. Belgium’s Kenny Hallaert leads with 1,779,000 chips, followed by Schuyler Thornton (1,771,000) and Dylan Hortin (1,571,000). Hallaert has $2.1 million in WSOP winnings including a sixth-place finish in the 2016 Main Event, and also finished third this summer in the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed event for almost $239,000.
Other notables remaining include Chris Klodnicki (1,442,000), Darren Elias (619,000), Ben Zamani (500,000), Alex Rocha (493,000), Vojtech Ruzicka (320,000), Aditya Prasetyo (256,000), and Brian Hastings (201,000). Day 3 begins on Friday at noon and a champion will be crowned. Follow along with PokerNews by clicking here.
Event #67: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed High Roller
The big buy-in PLO resumed on Thursday and only 20 remain after Day 2. Iraj Parvizi continues to lead the way with 3,750,000 chips after a rollercoaster day. Dario Sammartino made a big run at the end of the night, bagging 2,675,000. Alexey Rybin (1,650,000) and Aaron Katz (1,505,000) also bagged healthy stacks to return to on Day 3.
Parvizi, who led after Day 1 as well, made his first WSOP cash earlier this summer in the $2,500 Mixed Big Bet event. He will be looking to substantially increase his career live earnings as he currently has just $13,992.
Others still in the hunt are Esther Taylor, Dan Smith, James Calderaro, Ben Tollerene and recent bracelet winner Bryce Yockey.
The four-day event picks back up at 2 p.m. and PokerNews brings you all the high roller action. Click here to follow along.
Event #68: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em
The no limit action got underway in this mid-range buy-in event with 1,349 entries for a prize pool of $3,642,300. Just 348 players will return for Friday’s action with Chance Kornuth leading the field with 192,600 chips and looking for his second bracelet. Kornuth, of Denver, Colorado, has almost $684,000 in WSOP earnings, lifetime winnings of more than $5 million, and numerous titles and final tables. Rounding out the top three are Anton Bertilsson (179,000), and Michael Delvecchio III (153,100).
Other notables returning include Matt Salsberg (111,500), Igor Kurganov (101,000), Dietrich Fast (98,500), Joe Serock (97,300), Valentin Vornicu (74,200), Ben Keeline (73,500), David Pham (54,900), Natasha Mercier (54,000), Matt Affleck (52,300), DJ MacKinnon (38,600), Andy Frankenberger (33,500), Jonathan Little (31,300), Kevin Eyster (29,700), Daniel Strelitz (25,500), Gordon Vayo (25,300), Ray Romano (22,700) and current Player of the Year leader John Racener (21,200).
The second day of plays begins on Friday at noon. The PokerNews live updates team will have every flop, turn, and river – click here to follow the action.
Event #69: $1,500 Razz
Lowball aficionados had one last chance at a bracelet when this event began on Thursday, bringing in 419 runners for a prize pool of $565,650. Only 102 players return for Day 2, and the winner will take home $132,957 and a bracelet.
Matt Grapenthien leads the pack with 83,700 chips followed by Grzegorz Wyraz (79,800) and Yordan Petrov (70,500). Grapenthien has one bracelet and $580,630 in tournament winnings. Other notables remaining include Mike Ross (48,600), Mike Matusow (23,200), Benny Glaser (61,000), Jason Mercier (31,200), Dzmitry Urbanovich (29,500), and Jens Lakemeier (15,500). Fourteen-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth (45,900) is also among the chip leaders. James Obst, winner of this year’s $10,000 Razz Championship, also returns with 30,700 chips.
The action resumes on Friday at 2 p.m. Check back with PokerNews for all the low down. Click here to follow along.
Event #70: $10,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship
The ladies get the spotlight when this event kicks off at 11 a.m. The three-day event attracted 819 players last year for a prize pool of $745,200. Taking home the bracelet and $149,108 first-place cash was Courtney Kennedy, a poker dealer from Detroit, Mich. It was her first cash. Many women (and maybe even a few men) will be in the Rio hoping for their own nice run and PokerNews will have all the action.
Event #71: $1,000 WSOP.com ONLINE No-Limit Hold'em Championship
The bracelet chasing returns online when this unlimited re-entry event gets underway on Friday at 2 p.m. at WSOP.com. Last year’s event attracted 1,247 entries for a prize pool of $1.2 million. Clayton Maguire took home the bracelet and a payday of $210,279. PokerNews will have all the online live updates in this one-day event.
Event #72: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship
The last event before the Main Event features a big buy-in championship of this poker form that has been played for generations. Plenty of pros and stud fans will be out looking for a shot at a bracelet. Last year’s event was won by Robert Mizrachi for $242,662, which made three straight years of winning a bracelet. With four bracelets in total, Mizrachi will be looking to make that five and keep the streak alive. Play begins at 3 p.m. and be sure to follow along with PokerNews.
Event #19E: THE GIANT - $365 No-Limit Hold'em
The fifth and final starting leg of the Giant gets started on Friday. This $365 No-Limit Hold’em event features weekly Friday night flights on June 9, 16, 23, 30, and July 7 at 7 p.m. Each opening flight plays deep into the money and remaining players are paid out an amount equivalent to the last paid place of the night. Players’ chips are bagged and remaining prize pool carried over to Day 2 with a cumulative re-start on July 8. Players are allowed unlimited re-entry during each Day 1 flight. PokerNews will have live updates for all the multi-bullet firing action.
