2023 WSOP Day 27: Heimiller; Matusow, and Gorodinsky Shine Brightly

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Jun 26, 2023 7 min read

Only one bracelet was awarded on Day 27 of the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP), but there was plenty going on at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, all under the watchful eyes of the PokerNews Live Reporting team.

Seven live events plus an online tournament made for an action-packed day at the tables. Here are the highlights and chip leaders from all the day's goings-on. You will notice that most events have seasoned pros as their chip leaders or in the top ten chip counts. When elite-level grinders join events en mass the cream tends to rise to the top.

Ryan Eriquezzo triumphed in Online Event #10: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Ultra Deepstack. Some 1,810 players bought in and created a $1,044,360 prize pool, of which $145,374 is now tucked away in the account of Eriquezzo. The victory also came with the third bracelet of his career.

Heimiller Hunting for Second Senior's Title

Only seven players from a starting field of 8,180 remain in contention for the Event #39: $1,000 Seniors Championship title, its $765,731, and the coveted gold bracelet.

Dan Heimiller (59,100,000) is the chip leader going into the fifth and final day. Heimiller took down this tournament in 2014, which earned him $627,462 and the second bracelet of his career. He now has a chance to add to his collection of poker gold.

Lonnie Hallett (55,300,000) is hot on Heimiller's heels. Between Heimiller and Hallett, they have more than 100 million of the 163,600,000 chips in play.

Those two players may be the runaway leaders at the restart, but all eyes will be on a certain Billy Baxter (15,500,000) when play resumes. The 82-year-old seven-time bracelet-winning legend is turning back the clock, and showing why he is so revered in the poker world.

Shannon Fahey (12,500,000), Gordon Eng (9,200,000), and Loren CloninLoren Cloningerger (8,400,000) make up the rest of the final table.

Play resumes at noon on June 26, with PokerGO streaming the grand finale. Of course, PokerNews is the place for all of the live updates from the Seniors Championship.

Event #39: $1,000 Seniors Championship Chip Counts

Final Table Chip Counts

Weissman Claims Millionaire Maker Day 2 Chip Lead

Day 2 of Event #53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker saw the 2,322 returning players whittled to a much more manageable 327 over the course of ten levels. Joey Weissman (3,700,000) emerged with the chip lead after the dust had settled.

Weissman has eight cashes at this year's series (including online events), including a sixth-place finish in the $25,000 High Roller. Should Weissman continue his upwards trajectory and eventually finish in the top two spots, he will claim his first seven-figure score. Winning will net Weissman a second bracelet, adding to the one he won in 2012.

Also through to Day 3 are such luminaries as Thomas Cazayous (2,405,000), Roman Hrabec (1,870,000), Tony Gregg (1,650,000), Paul Tedeschi (1,500,000), Leo Margets (1,440,000), David "ODB" Baker (1,410,000), and French star Arnaud Mattern (680,000).

The 327 surviving players return to their seats from 10:00 a.m. local time on June 26, with another ten 60-minute levels scheduled. Join PokerNews then as the Millionaire Maker edges every closer to making two instant millionaires.

*Event #53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker Top 10 Chip Counts

Gorodinsky Holds a Commanding Lead in the $10K H.O.R.S.E

Only seven players remain in contention for the title of Event #54: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship champion, and it is Mike Gorodinsky (3,695,000) who is the player leading them back into battle in this prestigious tournament.

Gorodinsky, a two-time bracelet winner, has over 1.5 million chips more than anyone in the chasing pack, and what a chasing pack it is.

Alex Livingston (2,160,000), four-time WSOP bracelet winner Brad Ruben (1,930,000), and five-time WSOP champ Brian Yoon (1,445,000) are hunting more poker gold. As are Scott Seiver (990,000) and Carol Fuchs (515,000). Christopher Claassen (265,000) is the only finalist without a bracelet to their name.

Play resumes at 4:00 p.m. local time on June 26, with PokerNews providing updates alongside the PokerGO stream. The first round of the table will be without Seiver, as the tournament director issued Seiver a one-round penalty after he crumpled up one of his cards after losing a late pot to Fuchs.

Event #54: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship Chip Counts

Matusow Flying High in the $1,500 Stud Hi-Lo

Only 17 players stand between Mike Matusow (890,000) and "The Mouth" claiming his first gold bracelet in a decade. Matusow is seventh in chips with 18 remaining in Event #55: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better.

Qibang Cheung is leading from the front courtesy of their 1,805,000 stack, with Kao Saechao (1,250,000) and Patricia Yannuzzi (1,240,000) making up the overnight top three.

Lurking in the background is Poker Hall of Fame contender Brian Rast (870,000), and seasoned Polish grinder Marcin Horecki (445,000).

Matusow et all return to the fray from 1:00 p.m. local time on June 26 to conclude the latest stud event. As always, PokerNews is your destination for all of the updates from this tournament.

Event #55: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Top 10 Chip Counts

Charlemagne on Course for all the Benjamins in the Salute to Warriors

Charlemagne Benjamin bagged and tagged 1,300,000 chips at the end of Day 1 of Event #56: $500 Salute to Warriors, as the 4,303 entrants were reduced to only 654 over the course of 17 blistering levels.

Ryan Eriquezzo (1,216,000) has done his chances of capturing another bracelet no harm at all by finishing Day 1 second in chips. Eriquezzo had a late night because he was also playing in the online event, which he took down for his third bracelet!

Others to look out for on Day 2 include Kyle Miholich (1,121,000), Ari Engel (726,000), Shane Schleger (664,000), Katie Kopp (502,000), Ismael Bojang (479,000), and Stefan Jedlicka (350,000).

Day 2 commences at 10:00 a.m. local time on June 26, with another 17 levels possible. Keep your browser locked to PokerNews as not to miss any of the action from the Salute to Warriors event.

Event #56: $500 Salute to Warriors Top 10 Chip Counts

Kornuth Among the Leaders in the $25K PLO High Roller

Day 1 of Event #57: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller saw 357 high-stakes gurus turn out but only 149 of them bag and tag come the end of ten levels of play.

Chance Kornuth (762,000), fresh from winning $537,000 on his birthday on June 24, finds himself in the top 10 of the overnight chip counts.

Firas Kashat (1,203,000) is the current chip leader, with the likes of Yang Wang (1,120,000), and Norbert Szecsi (1,071,000) having more than one million chips each.

As you would expect from such a high buy-in event, the field is littered with stellar players and household names. Brandon Adams (972,000), Anton Morgenstern (950,000), and John Hennigan (818,000) return with top 10 stacks, while Sam Soverel (692,000), Anson Tsang (650,000), Isaac Haxton (618,000), and Jeremy Ausmus (568,000) have ample amounts of chips.

Return to PokerNews from 12:00 p.m. local time on June 26 if you want to follow all of the action, as it happens, from the $25K PLO event.

Event #57: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller Top 10 Chips

Mizrachi in in the Top 10 of the $3,000 Limit Hold'em 6-Max

Event #58: $3,000 Limit Hold'em 6-Handed drew in 263 entrants on Day 1, but only 115 of them had chips in front of them after the conclusion of the tenth level.

Gregory Josephson (241,000) and Daniel Maczuga (217,500) were the only surviving players to cram more than 200,000 chips into their overnight chip bag, although a bunch of household names also progressed to Day 2 at the first time of asking.

Justin Lapka (176,500), Dan Shak (175,000), JJ Liu (165,000), and Michael Mizrachi (163,000) all finished Day 1 with a top 10 stack.

Further down the counts are the likes of Maria Ho (126,000), David Bach (101,000), Daniel Idema (100,000), Benny Glaser (83,000), Patrick Leonard (76,000), Adam Friedman (67,000), Eli Elezra (52,500), and 2015 WSOP Main Event champion Joe McKeehen (34,500).

The Day 2 action commences at 1:00 p.m. local time on June 26, so return to PokerNews then to follow the rest of the action from this event.

Event #58: $3,000 Limit Hold'em 6-Handed Top 10 Chip Counts

What to Expect on Day 28 of the 2023 WSOP

June 26, the 28th day of the 2023 WSOP, should be epic. We will have a much better idea of who will win Event #53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker, and we will discover the champions of Event #48: $1,000 Seniors Championship, Event #54: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship, and Event #55: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better.

Event #56: $500 Salute to Warriors marches towards Day 3, while Event #57: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller and Event #58: $3,000 Limit Hold'em 6-Handed will continue whittling down their fields.

Two fresh tournaments enter the mix on Day 28. Event #59: $3,000 No Limit Hold'em Freezeout and Event #60: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw should both prove popular with players and PokerNews readers worldwide.

Matthew Pitt hails from Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom, and has worked in the poker industry since 2008, and worked for PokerNews since 2010. In September 2010, he became the editor of PokerNews. Matthew stepped away from live reporting duties in 2015, and now concentrates on his role of Senior Editor for the PokerNews.

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• Tags WSOP23 Adam Friedman Alex Livingston Anson Tsang Ari Engel Chance Kornuth Billy Baxter Benny Glaser Eli Elezra Isaac Haxton Jeremy Ausmus Katie Kopp Justin Lapka John Hennigan Joey Weissman Joe McKeehen Michael Mizrachi Mike Gorodinsky Mike Matusow Scott
• Related Players Mike MatusowMichael MizrachiJohn HenniganIsaac HaxtonEli ElezraChance Kornuth