2024 WSOP Day 21: Phil Hellmuth Within Touching Distance of Bracelet #18

Jun 18, 2024

Day 21 of the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas was one of the quieter days in terms of in-play events, yet one of the busier days regarding the number of bums on seats. That is because a staggering 2,831 players returned for Day 2 of the $1,500 Monster Stack, an event that spread across both the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.

While the Monster Stack field was being reduced to a more manageable number, one of poker's superstars got their hands on live poker's most sought-after prize: a WSOP bracelet.

Australia's James Obst came out on top of Event #42: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship after a long, drawn-out heads-up battle with Paul Volpe. Obst captured the second bracelet of his career, denying Volpe entry to the four-time winner's club.

The second bracelet of the day was meant came in Event #41: No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha Double Board Bomb Pot, a new addition to this year's schedule. Xixiang Luo finally came out on top after an enthralling heads-up battle with Daniel Hachem. Luo is a worthy champion, but Hachem fought valiantly throughout, and nobody would have batted an eyelid had he emerged victoriously.

Will Phil Hellmuth Win his 18th WSOP Bracelet?

Earlier this week, Phil Ivey closed the gap on Phil Hellmuth in the bracelets won stakes by helping himself to the 11th piece of WSOP hardware of his illustrious career. However, Hellmuth is in the running to add to his vast collection of poker gold because he has a top six stack in Event #43: $1,500 Mixed Omaha, where only 22 players remain.

Hellmuth returns to the action on the third and final day with 1,285,000 chips in his arsenal, enough for sixth place in the overnight chip counts. Only chip leader Ying Chu (1,865,000), start of the day leader Dylan Lambe (1,845,000), Stephen Hubbard (1,725,000), Joshua Adcock (1,665,000), and Portugal's Michael Rodrigues (1,470,000) have deeper stacks than the 17-time champion.

Aiming to halt Hellmuth in his tracks while adding to their own stash of gold bracelets are such luminaries as Nathan Gamble (990,000), Shaun Deeb (780,000), Derek Raymond (555,000), and Filippos Stavrakis (490,000).

Return to PokerNews from 1:00 p.m. local time on June 18 to see if Hellmuth can get the job done and scoop his 18th bracelet.

Event #43: $1,500 Mixed Omaha Top 10 Chip Counts

Lima Leads the Monster Stack After Day 2

Some 2,831 players returned to the action in Event #38: $1,500 Monster Stack No-Limit Hold'em, taking up plenty of table space in the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Only 414 of those returnees bagged up chips at the end of the night, with nobody bagging and tagging more than Vinicius Lima (3,700,000).

Lima has over $1.1 million in live poker tournament earnings, thanks mostly to an impressive $728,430 score enjoyed in Atlantic City in January 2019. Should he become the last man standing in this event, he'll bank $1,098,220 and his first WSOP bracelet.

The money bubble burst when John Allen busted in 1,307th place, locking in a $3,001 min-cash for the surviving players. Those players are now guaranteed $5,455 for their efforts, with anyone reaching the final table helping themselves to at least six figures.

Among the Day 2 survivors were Stephen Song (2,550,000), Alexandre Reard (2,100,000), Joao Simao (1,810,000), Timur Margolin (1,705,000), Jake Schwartz (1,575,000), Shannon Shorr (1,520,000), Ryan Leng (1,235,000), Alex Foxen (610,000), and Barry Greenstein (590,000).

Day 3 shuffles up and deals at 11:00 a.m. local time on June 18.

Event #38: $1,500 Monster Stack No-Limit Hold'em Day 2 Top 10 Chip Counts

Wai Kiat Lee's Wait for a Bracelet Could Soon Be Over

Event #44: $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em drew in 1,561 entrants, who were whittled to only 235 over the course of 16 levels. Jianfeng Sun (820,000) and Jed Friedman (806,000) are neck and neck at the top of the chip counts, but Wai Kiat Lee (557,000) has done his chances of winning his first bracelet no harm at all.

United Kingdom-based Malaysian Lee was grinding very low-stakes live events in the UK until 2016. A run of form saw him cash for $185,000 in total across 2016 and another $144,000 in 2017 before he started frequenting higher-stakes games. These days, Lee does not look out of place in high roller events, where he has recently enjoyed more than a dozen six-figure scores and one worth $1,030,000.

Lee has won live tournaments around the world, but a bracelet still eludes him. Perhaps the wait will be over in a couple of days' time.

Plenty of notable players are among the Day 1 survivors, including Matt Stout (381,000), Daniel Sepiol (271,000), James Chen (217,000), and WSOP Main Event champions Ryan Riess (164,000), and Koray Aldemir (63,000).

The Day 2 players will start at 11:00 a.m. on June 18, and they plan to complete another ten levels.

Event #44: $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em Top 10 Chip Counts

Coleman Leads an All-Star Cast Into Day 2 of the $10K H.O.R.S.E.

The big buy-in mixed game events are the toughest on any WSOP schedule due to the quality of the entrants they attract. Event #45: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship is one such tournament. A field of 152 was cut down to 87 after nine levels, with both numbers set to increase as late registration remains open until the end of Level 10 on Day 2.

Maxx Coleman started this event like a bucking bronco, galloping into an early lead with his 307,500 chips. Coleman already has five cashes at this year's series, including a ninth-place finish in the $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship and a fourth-place finish in the $1,500 Razz.

Canada's Mike Leah is Coleman's nearest rival (282,500) followed by Clayton Mozdzen (273,500) in third. Recent addition to the two-time WSOP winner's club David Prociak (241,000) and fellow double bracelet winners Daniel Strelitz (205,500) and Brandon Shack-Harris (199,000) return on Day 2 with a top ten chip stack.

As you can imagine, there are some legitimate superstars among the returning players. They include Maria Ho (177,500), Brad Ruben (163,000, Bryce Yockey (153,500), Ben Yu (149,500), David "Bakes" Baker (134,000), John Hennigan (106,500), Nick Schulman (93,500), 11-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey (73,500), and Yuri Dzivielevski.

It feels bad not mentioning everyone who progressed to Day 2, so ensure you check out the overnight chip counts.

Play resumes on Day 2 at 1:00 p.m. local time on June 18. Join the PokerNews team then for all the H.O.R.S.E. action you can handle.

Event #45: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship Top 10 Chip Counts

What to Expect on Day 22 of the 2024 WSOP

Plenty of action lies in store on Day 22 of the 2024 WSOP. First and foremost, we should also see a champion emerge from Event #43: $1,500 Mixed Omaha.

Another ten levels of play will occur in Event #38: $1,500 Monster Stack No-Limit Hold'em, and in Event 44: $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em, while Event #45: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship will playout the second of its four days.

A trio of events kick off on June 18, starting with Event #46: $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Championship. Almost 8,200 players bought in last year, hence the early 10:00 a.m. start for the 2024 edition.

Event #47: $100,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em is an open event but there are not many poker players who can afford such a massive buy-in. That said, 93 players bought into the 2023 edition, with Jans Arends clinching the title and more than $2.5 million. Play gets underway in this event at 12:00 p.m. local time.

Last but not least is Event #48: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha. It also starts at 12:00 p.m. local time and should see approximately 2,000 players enter for some four-card fun and frolics.

Senior Editor

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