WSOP Day 15: Kazuki Ikeuchi Leads Final Six in the Millionaire Maker

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Jun 12, 2019 8 min read Last updated Dec 19, 2019

It will be an action-packed day on Day 15 of the 2019 World Series of Poker with the Rio Convention Center housing nine events.

All eyes will be on who wins the Millionaire Maker. The event is down to just six players with Japan's Kazuki Ikeuchi in the lead in hopes for his first WSOP bracelet along with the $1,344,930 top prize.

Meanwhile, Rami Boukai is in the hunt for his second WSOP bracelet with three-times as many chips as his opponent John Evans in the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. event that's down to the heads-up stage but needed an extra day.

Here's what's on tap today, in the daily What to Watch For on PokerNews, sponsored by 888poker.

Event #19: Millionaire Maker - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em

The Millionaire Maker will make someone a millionaire today with just six players remaining out of the massive field of 8,809 entrants. The action kicks off at noon PDT with a live stream at PokerGO beginning at 1 p.m. to poker fans around the world.

The final six players are each guaranteed already a healthy payout of $266,771 with the winner taking home $1,344,930 and the coveted bracelet.

Japan's Kazuki Ikeuchi enters the final day in the lead with 60,750,000 in chips. Four Americans are next in the chip counts with Cory Albertson (57,475,000), Lokesh Garg (28,000,000), Joshua Thibodaux (26,975,000), and John Gorsush (23,450,000) all in contention.

The big story could that [Removed:174] is in contention to bring Lithuania its first ever WSOP bracelet. Tamasauskas has his work cut out for him bringing in the short stack of 22,600,000.

Event #19: Millionaire Maker - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Seat Draw

Event #19: Millionaire Maker - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Payouts

Event #23: $1,500 Eight Game Mix

28 players returned yesterday out of an original field of 612 entrants but now the event is down to the heads-up. Rami Boukai (4,565,000) is in the driver's seat for his second WSOP bracelet with three times as many chips as his opponent John Evans (1,545,000) on the added extra day of play.

The action will rotate between all of the games of H.O.R.S.E. along with No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha, and 2-7 Triple Draw.

Event #25: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha Deepstack

This new event on the schedule kicked off two days ago with 2,577 entrants and was scheduled to play down to a winner yesterday. Instead, festival organizers added a new day after 12 long hours of play with a dozen hopefuls coming back today at noon PDT to battle it out for the $205,605 top prize.

Corey Wright emerged as the chip leader for a second straight day with a stack of 16,025,000 in chips. On his tail are Florian Fuchs (12,800,000), WSOP bracelet winner "Captain| Tom Franklin (9,150,000), Andrew Donabedian (7,450,000), and Alexandru Ivan (5,750,000).

The tournament will play down to a winner starting at noon PDT with 40-minute blind levels starting at 250,000/500,000.

Event #25: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha Deepstack Final Day Seat Draw

Event #26: $2,620 No-Limit Hold'em Marathon

The field grew from 941 to 1,083 entrants on yesterday's Day 2 of this event with late registration closing midway through the day to create a $2,218,878 prize pool. After six long blind levels of 100 minutes each yesterday, the field dwindled down to 188 players.

Today features another six long blind levels of play starting at noon PDT and will play well past the money bubble with 163 players guaranteed at least a min-cash of $3,928.

David Coleman enters the action with 651,000 in chips with a sizeable lead against his nearest opponent Timothy Miles with 483,400 in chips. Others with top five chip stacks entering today are Morten Mortensen (424,000), Yu Dong (407,500), and Joseph Liberta (386,300).

Meanwhile, both David Pham (178,000) and Adrian Mateos (139,300) are in the hunt for their fourth career bracelet.

Surviving players in today's action could be in for a long tournament with a winner not scheduled to be crowned until June 15 with the final six battling it out on a live stream at CBS All Access in Australia, Canada, and the United States, and at PokerGO in the rest of the world.

Event #27: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better

Two days down and two more to go in this event with the field trimmed down from 460 entrants to just 22 players. Today's action will begin at 2 p.m. PDT and is scheduled to end when just six players remain.

All eyes are on four-time WSOP bracelet winner Michael Mizrachi, who enters the penultimate day with a chip leading stack of 643,000. Mizrachi and his opponents have all locked up at least $3,977 with their eyes on the $142,801 top prize.

Others advancing with big stacks include Robert Gray (510,000), Jason Daly (483,000), Michael Sopko (391,000), and Cory Chaput (374,000).

Another big story is that Yuval Bronshtein is in contention for his second bracelet after earlier winning Event #13: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw for $96,278. Bronshtein has his work cut out for him as he enters the actions as one of the short stacks with just 70,000 in chips.

Event #27: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Day 3 Seat Draw

Event #28: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em

The turnout for yesterday's Day 1 of this new three-day event was huge with 2,479 entrants creating a $2,229,300 prize pool. Today's penultimate day kicks off a noon PDT with the 350 remaining players all in the money and guaranteed at least a payout of $1,500 with the eventual winner going home with the $341,854 top prize.

The action will begin with blinds at 2,500/5,000 and a 5,000 big blind ante and is scheduled to continue until just six players remain.

Giuseppe Pantaleo was the overnight chip leader with 498,000 in chips with Steve McNally his nearest challenger with 442,500. Other players kicking off today with big stacks include Yang Zhang (418,500), Iaron Lightbourne (398,000), Jacob Naumann (370,500), and Phong Nguyen (333,000).

Others returning on Day 2 include WSOP bracelet winner Ryan Laplante (321,000), four-time bracelet winner and 2018 WSOP Player of the Year Shaun Deeb, (252,000), Tim West, (231,000), 15-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, (160,500), and four-time bracelet winner Jeff Madsen, (84,000).

Event #29: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship

This four-day Championship kicked off yesterday with a field of 163 entrants. This number could grow past the 166 that entered last year when John Hennigan shipped the event for his fifth career bracelet since late registration remains open until the start of today's Day 2 at 2 p.m. PDT.

The H.O.R.S.E. Championship pits some of the biggest names of poker battling it out against the following rotation of games: Limit Hold'em, Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better, Razz, Seven Card Stud, and Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better.

Daniel Ospina, Colombia's first-ever bracelet winner, bagged the overnight chip lead with a stack of 255,000. He is closely followed by Randy Ohel (253,000), Brian Hastings (250,500), Scott Clements (244,500), and last year's champ John Hennigan (235,500).

Today's action will feature seven 90-minute blind levels starting at 4,000/8,000. Surviving players will play for two more days on June 13 and 14 until a winner is crowned.

Event #30: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha

This three-day event kicks off with an early 11 a.m. PDT start with players beginning with 20,000 in chips and ten hour-long blind levels are scheduled for the day. Players can late register up until the conclusion of Level 8 at approximately 9:15 p.m. PDT.

Filippos Stavrakis found gold in this event last year and banked $169,842 along with a WSOP gold bracelet. The year before, in 2017, it was Tyler Groth claiming the bracelet and the $179,126 top prize.

Event #31: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed

Short-handed players are in for a treat with this six-max event kicking off the first of its four days today at 3 p.m. PDT. Players will start off with 20,000 in chips and play for ten hour-long blind levels starting at 100/100. Late registration will remain open for this event until after the conclusion of the eighth blind level, which should occur at approximately midnight.

Gal Yifrach claimed his first WSOP bracelet in this event last year after finishing on top of a field of 868 entrants to win the $461,798 top prize.

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