WSOP Day 14: Doyle Brunson Returns Looking for Bracelet #11
Who says Mondays are bad? For poker fans, Monday was huge with the entry of Doyle Brunson in Event #23: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship in what he says will be his final tournament appearance. After late registering, Brunson made it into the money and survived the day, and today will return for Day 3 and a shot at an 11th career bracelet as he sits fifth in chips with 11 players remaining.
Brunson spoke with PokerNews about joining the event yesterday after being away from the WSOP for a while.
In other action, some big names advanced to Day 3 of Event #21: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em MILLIONAIRE MAKER including Main Event champions Joe McKeehen and Greg Merson as well as former November Niners JC Tran and Joseph Cheong. Red-hot Elio Fox also advanced and like others today continues the quest to claim the seven-figure first prize.
Event #21: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em MILLIONAIRE MAKER
Day 2 of this event played out on Monday after which 1,104 players still remain. Leading the field is Aaron Messmer with 1,089,000 chips followed by Clyde Shimp (978,000) and Manig Loeser (914,000).
As noted two former Main Event champions also advanced to Day 3, Joe McKeehen (487,000) and Greg Merson (295,000), as did JC Tran (387,000), Joseph Cheong (459,000), and Elio Fox (348,000),
Fox already this summer won Event #2: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Super Turbo Bounty for $393,693 and his second WSOP bracelet. Fox also finished runner-up in Event #5: $100,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller for $1,798,658.
The MILLIONAIRE MAKER drew 7,361 entries and features a $9,937,350 prize pool. The winner takes home $1,173,223 and the championship bracelet. Day 3 of this four-day event kicks off on Tuesday at 11 a.m., which is when all the live updates will begin here on PokerNews.
Event #23: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship
One day of play may have been in the books, but it was a player who registered on Day 2 who drew the biggest buzz in the Rio on Monday. After being away from the WSOP for a few years, 84-year-old Doyle Brunson returned to the WSOP to play the $10K 2-7 NL Draw Championship after announcing it would be his final tournament.
While Brunson doesn't play at the WSOP much anymore because of the long hours required, the option to late register at the start of Day 2 of a three-day event made it a little more palatable.
"My son texted me that it would be about the only chance that I might have to play this year," Brunson said. "The hours are too long and my wife won't go to sleep until I get home. She's not in real good health, so I figure after 57 years I owe it to her to go home."
"Deuce-to-seven has always been my favorite game. And today is just an opportunity."
The 10-time bracelet winner and Poker Hall of Famer was a chip leader much of the afternoon, even running first and second with his son Todd Brunson at one point. In fact, the pair were seated next to each other for a time.
Ultimately, Brunson finished the day fifth in chips (470,500) while Todd finished ninth (185,000) with 11 players returning. Mike Wattel leads with 1,293,000 chips followed by Shawn Sheikhan (645,500), Galen Hall (517,000), and Brian Rast (477,000). Others remaining include Farzad Bonyadi (440,500), Dario Sammartino (394,000), and John Hennigan (87,000).
This event attracted 95 entries for a prize pool of $893,000 with $259,670 going to the winner. All players are now in the money and 11th place will pay $18,955. Play resumes on Tuesday at 2 p.m. and PokerNews will have all updates in this event. Click here to follow along. Fans can also catch Doyle's final WSOP tournament live streamed on PokerGO.
Event #24: THE MARATHON - $2,620 No-Limit Hold'em
The starting gun sounds and the runners are off — 1,479 of them, to be exact, in this latest edition of THE MARATHON. Of those, 706 return for a second day of play on Tuesday. The field should grow, however, as players have until the second level of Day 2 to register.
Joshua Smith (234,800) leads after Day 1 in this five-day event that features 100-minute levels. Running just behind Smith are Pablo Fernandez Campo (230,900) and Sanjay Dulabh (230,200).
Others returning include Olivier Busquet (148,000), Scotty Nguyen (133,000), Gaelle Baumann (131,600), Faraz Jaka (119,000), Martin Jacobson (63,200), Jesse Sylvia (53,700), Kristen Bicknell (51,400), Cate Hall (47,900), Dzmitry Urbanovich (47,100), and Cliff Josephy (42,600).
The race restarts at 12 noon and PokerNews will be in this one for the long haul with updates until the finish line. Click here to follow along.
Event #25: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better
This stud hi-lo event got going on Monday with 596 entries and 174 players moving on to Day 2. Leading the field is Trent Gundrum with 72,000.
Rounding out the top five at present are Ryan Himes (71,600), Eli Elezra (71,500), Max Hoffman (70,700), and Tom McCormick (67,400).
Other notables returning today include Matt Savage (46,700), John Holley (38,900), Brian Hastings (37,400), and Frankie O'Dell (37,000).
Play resumes at 2 p.m. on Tuesday and PokerNews will have all the all the high and lows of this split-pot fun. Click here for the live updates.
Event #26: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha
It's bargain PLO day and this lower-price point event should bring a hefty field. In the three-day event, players begin with 5,000 chips and levels are 60 minutes.
Tyler Groth won his first bracelet in this event last year $179,126. He added his first World Series of Poker Circuit ring in February right here at the Rio. The game? Pot-limit Omaha.
Can Groth earn yet another PLO title? Find out when play gets underway at 11 a.m. as PokerNews will bring you all the big pots and big hands.
Event #27: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E.
With the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. complete (won by Andrey Zhigalov for $202,787), the higher buy-in version of this popular event should bring in plenty of recognizable names to poker fans.
Players start with 50,000 chips and 60-minute levels. Georgia's David Bach won the title last summer, winning his third bracelet and $383,208 just days after winning his second bracelet in the $1,500 Dealer's Choice event for $119,399.
Play starts at 3 p.m. and PokerNews will be in the saddle to deliver all H.O.R.S.E. updates.
Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas. His work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions. He is also the host of the True Gambling Stories podcast, available on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn Radio, Spotify, Stitcher, PokerNews.com, HoldemRadio.com, and TrueGamblingStories.com.
In this Series
- 1 WSOP Day 1: It’s Showtime – with Casino Employees Championship and $10K Super Turbo
- 2 WSOP Day 2: Jodie Sanders Leads Casino Employees Event; Shootout & Omaha Hi/Lo on Tap
- 3 WSOP Day 3: Hellmuth, McKeehen, Cada Advance to Final 50 in Shootout
- 4 WSOP Day 4: Joe's Ready for Shootout Final Table, $100K Day 2 Awaits
- 5 WSOP Day 5: Petrangelo & Fox Lead $100K, Martini & Hoang Chasing Gold
- 6 WSOP Day 6: Vitch leads Triple Draw, Hellmuth Makes Day 2 in Omaha-8
- 7 WSOP Day 7: Elezra Leads $10K Omaha Hi-Lo, Hennigan Ahead in Dealer’s Choice
- 8 WSOP Day 8: Eli Elezra Seeks Fourth Bracelet Today in $10K Omaha Hi-Lo
- 9 WSOP Day 9: Racener, Deeb at Final Tables, Hellmuth Advances in H.O.R.S.E.
- 10 WSOP Day 10: Bonomo Looking for $10K Heads-Up Title, Negreanu Advances
- 11 WSOP Day 11: Bonomo Among Leaders in $5K NLHE, Zinno Leads Dealer's Choice
- 12 WSOP Day 12: Duhamel Looks for 4th Bracelet, Negreanu Advances to Day 2
- 13 WSOP Day 13: Negreanu, Matusow, Racener in Final 16 of 8-Game Mix
- 14 WSOP Day 14: Doyle Brunson Returns Looking for Bracelet #11
- 15 WSOP Day 15: Joe McKeehen Runs Deep in MILLIONAIRE MAKER
- 16 WSOP Day 16: Martin Jacobson, Scotty Nguyen Playing Deep in MARATHON
- 17 WSOP Day 17: Jason Mercier, Martin Jacobson Looking to Add Bracelets
- 18 WSOP Day 18: Glaser, Matusow, Negreanu, Bonomo Advance in PPC
- 19 WSOP Day 19: Michael Mizrachi, Phil Ivey Lead Poker Players Championship
- 20 WSOP Day 20: Mizrachi Leads Final 12 in $50K PPC, Ivey Still in Hunt
- 21 WSOP Day 21: Michael Mizrachi Aims for Third $50K PPC Title, 6 Remain
- 22 WSOP Day 22: Phil Hellmuth Advances in $1,500 NLHE Shootout
- 23 WSOP Day 23: Daniel Negreanu Returns Third in Chips in $25K PLO HR
- 24 WSOP Day 24: Yu Leads Biggest Omaha Tournament of Year, Negreanu Falls
- 25 WSOP Day 25: Scotty Nguyen Leads the $25K PLO
- 26 WSOP Day 26: Ferguson Looks for No. 7; Lamb, Mizrachi Advance in $10K PLO
- 27 WSOP Day 27: Hellmuth Advances in Razz, Big Names in Monster Stack
- 28 WSOP Day 28: Brandon Shack-Harris Leads Final 6 in $10K PLO
- 29 WSOP Day 29: Elezra, Hellmuth, Negreanu Return in $1,500 PLO Hi-Lo
- 30 WSOP Day 30: Gamble, Matusow, Negreanu in $1,500 PLO Hi-Lo Final 20
- 31 WSOP Day 31: John Hennigan Among Chip Leaders in $10,000 Razz Championship
- 32 WSOP Day 32: Anderson and Kassela Return to Battle for RAZZ Bracelet
- 33 WSOP Day 33: Jean-Robert Bellande Leads Final 6 in $5K NLHE 6-Handed
- 34 WSOP Day 34: Main Event Kicks Off, Mizrachi Leads PLO Giant
- 35 WSOP Day 35: Scotty Nguyen, Joe Hachem, Ray Romano Advance in Main Event
- 36 WSOP Day 36: Fireworks Expected on Day 1c of the Main Event
- 37 WSOP Day 37: Galen Hall Looks for 888 Title, Big Names Return in Main Event
- 38 WSOP Day 38: Huge Day 2c in the Main, John Pannucci Leads $1,500 NLH
- 39 WSOP Day 39: Tan Leads $1,500 NLHE; Hellmuth, Ivey Back for Main Day 3
- 40 WSOP Day 40: Hallaert Bags Big in Little One, Ivey Makes Day 4 of ME
- 41 WSOP Day 41: Minkin Making Another Main Event Run, Solomon Leads PLO
- 42 WSOP Day 42: Dyer Leads Main With Cada Still In, Bohlman Goes for Double
- 43 WSOP Day 43: Big Names Left in $5K NLHE, Cada Advances in Main Event
- 44 WSOP Day 44: Three More Bracelets Awarded As Main Event Finale Begins
- 45 WSOP Day 45: Volpe Seeks Bracelet, Dyer Leads Final 6 and Cada in Main
- 46 WSOP Day 46: Main Event Reaches Finale, Eibinger Leads $50K High Roller
- 47 WSOP Day 47: Big One for One Drop Begins, Kessler, ElkY Big Stacks in Closer
