2024 WSOP Day 36: Two More Bracelets Won as Foxen Eliminates and Tilts Hellmuth

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Jul 03, 2024 6 min read

Welcome back to our daily recap of the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) from the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, which has now reached Day 36! July 2 saw two more bracelets find new homes, another six events play out, and Alex Foxen get under Phil Hellmuth's skin!

David Eldridge won the first bracelet awarded on Day 36 after he defeated Brian Rast heads-up in Event #73: $25,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed). Eldridge became a two-time WSOP bracelet winner with his victory while denying Rast what would have been a seventh WSOP win.

The second bracelet of the night found its way to Martin Alcaide, who will forever be known as the champion of Event #70: $400 Colossus No-Limit Hold'em. Alcaide came out on top of a 19,337-strong crowd to turn his $400 initial investment into a cool $501,250 and, of course, the all-important WSOP bracelet.

A third bracelet was scheduled to be won, but Event #74: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship ended with Richard Sklar and Arash Ghaneian closely matched regarding chip stacks. The heads-up duo played for an additional 30 minutes, but decided to pause proceedings as the clock struck 2:00 a.m. local time. They'll return on July 3 at 1:00 p.m. local time to conclude this event.

Team Perez Comes Out on Top After Day 2 of the $1K Tag Team

What started as a jovial tournament, one where players sported matching shirts and comedy hats has become more serious with the bracelet and six-figure top prize being within touching distance. Event #75: $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold'em whittled the field down to only 22 teams from a starting field of 1,437.

Team Perez, comprising Joan Perez and Javier Rodriguez, bagged up the Day 2 chip lead. The Spaniards finished the penultimate day with 3,730,000 chips, approximately 14 big blinds more than Team Hopkins (Joshua Hopkins and Charles Honkonen), and almost 40 more than Team Hall (Sheraton Hall and Malcolm Trayner).

Lurking in the middle of the pack is Team Wheeler (1,150,000), with Jason Wheeler and Anthony Nardi waiting to pounce and make a charge up the chip counts.

The third and final day of this exciting tournament kicks off at 11:00 p.m. local time on July 3.

Event #75: $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold'em Top 10 Chip Counts

Tauan Naves Leads as $10,000 Mystery Bounty Reaches Final Table

Event #76: $10,000 Mystery Bounty No-Limit Hold'em has reached its nine-handed final table, and it is Brazilian Tauan Naves (16,300,000) who holds the chip advantage going into the final day's play.

Naves clinched the chip lead on the penultimate hand of the night after correctly calling Damarjai Davenport's (10,000,000) river shove with two pair. Despite losing that pot, Davenport is second in chips at the restart.

Robert Heidorn (1,975,000) returns to the table seventh in chips, having already banked a substantial profit in this event regardless of where he finishes at the final table. Heidorn opened more than 12 mystery bounty chests today, including one worth $75,000 and another worth $100,000!

The chip leader's fellow Brazilian, Felipe Ketzer, was the lucky recipient of the $250,000 jackpot mystery bounty.

The nine finalists sit down at 1:00 p.m. local time on July 3, when they will play down to a champion.

Event #76: $10,000 Mystery Bounty No-Limit Hold'em Chip Counts

Wing Liu and Alex Foxen Neck-and-Neck in the $2,500 Mixed Big Bet

Only 19 players remain in contention for the $209,942 top prize in Event #77: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet Event. Hong Kong's Wing Liu (2,387,000) leads them back into battle for the third and final day's play on July 3, closely followed by Alex Foxen (2,243,000).

Foxen eliminated 17-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth late into Day 2, in a hand that had the "Poker Brat" steaming. During a round of No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw, Hellmuth three-bet jammed over the top of Foxen's opening raise before standing pat with his ten-seven. Foxen took one and peeled an eight for an eight-seven, sending Hellmuth into an expletive-heavy tirade, and a sarcastic "Nice call, Alex" as he exited towards the payout desk.

Joining Liu and Foxen on Day 3 are the likes of Allan Le (1,500,000), Xixiang Luo (1,370,000), Chris Klodnicki (1,053,000), Denis Strebkov (842,000), Andres Korn (420,000), Lawrence Brandt (273,000), and Kane Kalas (267,000).

The 19 bracelet hopefuls return to the action from 1:00 p.m. local time, with the plan to play down to a winner.

Event #77: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet Event Top 10 Chip Counts

Paawan Bansal Bags Tournament Leading Stack in the Mini Main Event

Some 6,093 players bought into Event #78: $1,000 Mini Main Event No Limit Hold'em, but only 486 of those starters found a bag at the end of the 22nd level. India's Paawan Bansal (2,825,000) soared into an early lead as he aims to best his runner-up finish in the $1,500 Closer event during the 2018 WSOP.

Bansal is one of four players who bagged up more than 2,500,000 chips at the close of play. Jamie Dwan (2,700,000), James Carroll (2,700,000), and Connor Rash (2,505,000) are the other three.

With a top prize in excess of $550,000, the Mini Main Event attracted some Goliath's of the poker world, with many progressing to the second day's play. The 2019 WSOP Main Event finalist Nick Marchington (1,370,000), Landon Tice (965,000), Ismael Bojang (950,000), Craig McCorkell (560,000), Alexandros Kolonias (545,000), and Stoyan Madanzhiev (260,000) are just a handful of names to look out for on Day 2.

Speaking of which, Day 2 kicks off at 11:00 a.m. local time on July 3, with efforts to whittle the field down to the final five.

Event #78: $1,000 Mini Main Event No-Limit Hold'em Top 10 Chip Counts

Jason Mercier Claims Day 1 Chip Lead in the $50K PLO

Event #79: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha (8-Handed) got off to an explosive start with the 133 starters reduced to only 61 over the course of 12 levels. Both numbers should increase because late registration remains open for the first level of Day 2, but reaching last year's attendance of 200 seems a little out of reach.

Still, there is already more than $6 million in the prize pool, and a host of poker superstars are vying for the lion's share of it. Jason Mercier (1,575,000) finds himself at the top of the chip counts going into Day 2, closely followed by PLO specialist Jared Bleznick (1,470,000), with recent $250,000 Super High Roller champion Santhosh Suvarna (1,360,000) slightly further behind.

Unsurprisingly for an event with such a substantial buy-in, the Day 1 survivors are a mix of $25K Fantasy Draft picks, bracelet winners, and seasoned professionals.

Michael Moncek (1,290,000) and Bryce Yockey (1,135,000) bagged up top ten stacks, with the likes of David Benyamine (980,000), Jim Collopy (800,000), Isaac Haxton (665,000), Joao Vieira (645,000), Dylan Smith (640,000), reigning champion Jesse Lonis (600,000), and Scott Seiver (585,000) still in the mix. Seiver is looking for his fourth bracelet of the 2024 WSOP!

Day 2 shuffles up and deals at 1:00 p.m. local time, with players able to register or re-enter during the first 40-minute level.

Event #79: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha Top 10 Chip Counts

What to Expect on Day 37 of the 2024 WSOP

The 37th day of the 2024 WSOP will be the most exciting because it is when the eagerly anticipated $10,000 WSOP Main Event shuffles up and deal for the first time. The first of four starting flights begins at 12:00 p.m. local time, and PokerNews is on hand to bring you all the action.

Day 37 will see Event #74: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship finally crown its champion, with Event #75: $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold'em expected to do the same. Event #76: $10,000 Mystery Bounty No-Limit Hold'em will also dish out its bracelet, with Event #77: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet Event set to conclude, meaning four bracelets will be won on July 3.

While the Main Event gets underway and four bracelets find new homes, Day 2 of Event #78: $1,000 Mini Main Event No-Limit Hold'em will see its field cut to only five hopefuls, with the star-studded Event #79: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha event significantly reducing the number of its competitors.

In addition to the Main Event, Event #80: $800 Independence Day Celebration No-Limit Hold'em kicks off. This two-day affair has two flights, so PokerNews' traditional coverage will start on Day 2.

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• Tags WSOP24 $25K Fantasy Alex Foxen Andres Korn Brian Rast Bryce Yockey Chris Klodnicki David Benyamine Isaac Haxton James Carroll Jason Mercier Jason Wheeler Joao Vieira Stoyan Madanzhiev Tauan Naves Phil Hellmuth Michael Moncek Nick Marchington
• Related Players Phil HellmuthJason MercierIsaac HaxtonDavid BenyamineBrian RastChris Klodnicki