Sam Laskowitz Leads Final Seven Seeking to Join List of Colossus Champions; Play Begins at 4 p.m.
They’ve been tournament grinders such as Cord Garcia and Ben Keeline, and Macau cash game regulars like South Korea's Sejin Park. Thomas Pomponio and Roberly Felicio did it as amateurs. There’s even been a past bracelet winner in last year’s champion Anatolii Zyrin.
By the end of today, one of seven players who have grinded their way past a massive field of 13,565 entries in Event #51: $400 Colossus No-Limit Hold’em will join this list and be able to call himself the Colossus champion.
Sam Laskowitz, Paul Hizer, Jordan Pelon, Jeff Loiacono, Luong Quach, Anthony Ruttler, and James Scott are the seven names who will return to play at 4 p.m. local time today to determine a champion. Action will be streamed on PokerGo with a one-hour delay.
Lasowitz, the New York native with no reported live cashes, amassed a huge chip lead at the end of Day 3 and carries 206,500,000 into the final seven. Paul Hizer of Britain is in second place with 132,000,000. Combined, they have 62 percent of the chips in play.
The Frenchman Pelon, who was the chip leader for much of Day 3 (and even Day 2) before falling back in a clash against Laskowitz, is coming back with 68,000,000. Loiacono, with 12 WSOP cashes dating back to 2013 but no final tables before this event, has 56,000,000, while Quach (38,500,000), Ruttler (32,000,000), and Scott (13,500,000) each have fewer than 10 big blinds.
Event #51: $400 Colossus Final Table Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chips | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Laskowitz | United States | 206,500,000 | 52 |
| 2 | Paul Hizer | United Kingdom | 132,000,000 | 33 |
| 3 | Jordan Pelon | France | 68,000,000 | 17 |
| 4 | Jeff Loiacono | United States | 56,000,000 | 14 |
| 5 | Luong Quach | United States | 38,500,000 | 9 |
| 6 | Anthony Ruttler | United States | 32,000,000 | 8 |
| 7 | James Scott | United Kingdom | 13,500,000 | 3 |
Play will begin halfway through Level 43, with blinds at 2,000,000/4,000,000 and a 4,000,000 big blind ante. Each of the final seven is already guaranteed $66,670, which will be the largest tournament score for all of them except Hizer and Loiacono. The $414,490 first-place prize awaits the champion, as does the WSOP gold bracelet.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all the updates throughout the day as a new Colossus champion is crowned.