WSOP Day 18: Hanh Tran and Benny Glaser Aim for Repeat Bracelets in the $1,500 2-7 TD

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Jun 15, 2019 7 min read Last updated Dec 19, 2019

Day 18 of the 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is scheduled to award four new bracelet winners. Jared Koppel is in the driver's seat in the Marathon a massive stack at the final table while both Hanh Tran and Benny Glaser are shooting for their second bracelets in the $1,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw with 17 players remaining.

Meanwhile, Luis Zedan has more than half the chips in play at the $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha final table.

The $3,000 Shootout also makes its debut today. Last year, 2009 WSOP Main Event champion Joe Cada won his third bracelet in this event before winning a fourth later on the in 2018.

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

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

The Marathon has truly lived up to its name but there is finally an end in sight after five long days of play with the original field of 1,083 entrants down to a final table of six players to be live streamed today at 1 p.m. PDT at CBS All Access in the United States, Canada, and Australia and at PokerGO in the rest of the world.

Yesterday's penultimate day alone took nearly 11 1/2 hours for the field to trim down from 16 players. The slow pace of play is dictated by the deep structure featuring blind levels of 100 minutes each.

The chance for a player to win a second bracelet went into the bin after Daniel Park (15th - $21,208) and Preston Lee (16th - $16,970) were the first two players eliminated. The day ended after the final table eliminations of Day 3 chip leader Matt Russell (seventh - $59,642), Gustavo Darosamuniz (eighth - $45,100), and Peter Hong (ninth - $34,580).

Jared Koppel (11,700,000) is the odds-on favorite to win the bracelet and the $477,401 after bagging more than twice as many chips as his nearest competitor Dong Sheng Peng (5,800,000). Also in contention at the final table are Francis Anderson (3,695,000), Day 4 chip leader Roman Korenev (3,310,000), Joseph Liberta (fifth - 2,540,000), and Joe Curcio (1,540,000).

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

Event #26: $2,620 No-Limit Hold'em Marathon Final Table Seat Draw

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

This event is the latest on the schedule to add another day. Originally scheduled as a three-day event, a fourth was added with the 1,526 entrants representing an increase of 540 entrants from last year's event.

There will not be a fifth day added with the field now down to just five players. Luis Zedan (15,670,000) enters the final day in good shape for his first bracelet with more than half the chips in play.

This doesn't mean the bracelet is in the bag for Zedan as a double-up by Thida Lin (6,190,000) or Ryan Robinson (4,675,000) can quickly change the dynamics of the tournament. Ryan Goindoo (2,985,000) and Sam Razavi also (1,050,000) round off the table as the short stacks.

Event #30: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Final Table Seat Draw

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

The final five are each guaranteed at least a fifth-place payout of $55,845 for a healthy return on their $1,000 investment. The winner will walk away with his first or her first WSOP bracelet which comes along with a robust $236,673 top prize.

Event #32: $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Championship

The massive field of 5,916 entrants is down to just 252 players remaining in this unique event that requires participants to be at least 50 years of age to enter. All remaining players are guaranteed at least $3,279 with the winner going home with a much bigger $662,594 top prize.

Howard Mash begins today's penultimate day as the only player with at least 2,000,000 in chips. Close behind him lie Anthony Martin (1,759,000), WPT champion Victor Ramdin (1,688,000), Ron Fetsch (1,493,000), and Thomas Loya (1,493,000).

Layne Flack (980,000) is looking for a big day to put himself in a good position to win his seventh WSOP bracelet, while Barry Greenstein (942,000) is battling it out for his fourth bracelet.

Event #33: $1,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw

After two days of play, the 467-entrant field is down to just 17 players for one final day of play starting at 2 p.m. PDT today.

The big news in this event is whether Hanh Tran can parlay his chip lead of 457,000 into a second straight bracelet in this event. Last year, Tran won this event for $117,282 and could win even more this year with the top prize increasing to $144,027.

Another big back story is that Day 1 chip leader Benny Glaser is also in the hunt for his second bracelet in this event. He will enter today's action in the middle of the pack with 332,000 in chips.

Other players bringing big stacks into the final day of action include Jared Bleznick, (449,000), Frankie O’Dell, (436,000), David Bach, (415,000), and Kyle Miaso (385,000).

Event #34: $1,000 Double Stack No-Limit Hold'em

Yesterday's Day 1a of this event attracted 3,096 entrants making it almost a sure thing that it will crush the inaugural event last year when Robert Peacock finished on top of a field of 5,700 entrants to win his first gold bracelet along with a paycheck of $644,244.

Argentina's Juan Esirviez bagged the biggest stack yesterday and will bring 530,000 in chips to tomorrow's Day 2. Also advancing with top five stacks from Day 1a were Imran Mukati (432,300), Arianna Son (424,500), and Andrew Rubin (422,200). Just behind this pack is nine-time WSOP Circuit gold ring winner Ari Engel with 399,800.

Similar to yesterday, today's second and final opening flight begins at 10 a.m. PDT. As the event name suggests, players start with double the normal starting stack with 40,000 in chips and opening blinds starting at just 100/100.

Players bagging chips today will join those advancing in yesterday's Day 1a to compete on Day 2 and beyond with a winner scheduled to be crowned on Wednesday, June 19.

Event #35: $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship

This event puts players to the test with a hefty $10,000 buy-in and games changing every single hand. The player on the button will choose the game and can be any of the following.

Yesterday's first of four days attracted a field of 114 entrants. This is already larger than the 111 players entered last year when Adam Friedman won his second WSOP bracelet and the $297,275 top prize.

The field should grow even bigger with late registration open until the start of today's Day 2 at 2 p.m. PDT.

Blind levels increase for the remainder of the tournament to 90 minutes for an increase of 50 percent from the 60-minute blind levels featured on the opening day.

The top three in chip counts have claimed eleven WSOP gold bracelets between them led by six-time bracelet winner Jeff Lisandro with 347,900 in chips. The two others above 300,000 in chips entering today are four-time bracelet winner and 2018 WSOP Player of the year Shaun Deeb (344,400) and bracelet winner Phillip Hui (331,400). Friedman also found a bag and will start today with 123,500 in chips.

Event #36: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout

The Shootout is the lone new event to kick off action today. The goal of this event is to beat everyone at your table on Day 1. The winners then faceoff at new tables on Day 2 with the winners of these tables advancing to the final table on June 17, which will be simultaneously broadcasted at PokerGO and CBS All Access.

Last year this event started earlier in the schedule with 2009 WSOP champion Joe Cada winning his third bracelet after he finished on top of a field of 363 entrants to win the $226,218 top prize. Later in the festival, Cada added a fourth bracelet by shipping the $1,500 Closer for $612,886.

Players start off with 20,000 in chips and blinds increase every 40 minutes. Late registration is permitted the sooner of three levels into Day 1 or until the event is sold out.

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