Event #1: $500 Casino Employees | 2023 World Series of Poker

05-31-2023 21:23 UTC-8

PokerNews Staff 2023 WSOP Predictions – Will Ivey Play? Hellmuth vs. Negreanu?

Matt Hansen

Level 32 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Last year marked 11 years since PokerNews started publishing predictions ahead of the World Series of Poker (WSOP), and with three days to go they're back again ahead of the 2023 WSOP.

With the WSOP moving to its new home on the Las Vegas Strip at the Horseshoe and Paris, we asked nine members of the PokerNews team for their thoughts and predictions.

This year we spoke to Global Live Events Manager Shirley Ang, US Executive Editor and former WSOP bracelet winner Chad Holloway, Live Reporting Executive Matt Hansen, staff editors Matthew Pitt, Jon Sofen, Calum Grant and Connor Richards, and Community Manager Jesse Fullen.

Click Here for a Full List of PokerNews WSOP Predictions!

05-31-2023 21:20 UTC-8

Urbanic Falls to His Knees in Frustration

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 32 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

On a flop reading 2♠2♦7♣, James Urbanic shoved on Peter Thai, putting him at risk. Thai tried to get a read on Urbanic and was unable to coax any words from him. Thai made the call after spending some time trying to put Urbanic on a hand.

Thai: 8♣8♠
Urbanic: J♥J♠

Urbanic let his rail know he was a favorite and they erupted with cheers. The turn was the 3♥ and it seemed Urbanic would be eliminating a player and moving comfortably into the chiplead until the 8♦ slammed the river, causing Thai to erupt in celebration as he did a lap around the table. Meantime, Urbanic collapsed to his knees, holding his head.

After a moment Urbanic regained composure, paid the pot what it was due, and congratulated his opponent on a nice hand. This is the second time this final table that Urbanic got two-out on the river when he had a player at risk. Applauses from Urbanic's rail urged him to rally, as the dream of winning gold is still alive.

Thai now has a commanding chip lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
Peter Thai	9,800,000 4,100,000	4,100,000

James Urbanic	2,500,000 -4,900,000	-4,900,000

Tags: James Urbanic Peter Thai

05-31-2023 21:19 UTC-8

Jiang Doubles Through Thai Again as Seven Still Remain

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Chris Land

Level 32 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Peter Thai opened to 600,000 from the cutoff before seeing Bruce Jiang shove his remaining 1,670,000 into the pot from the big blind. Thai decided his price was good enough to try and knockout Jiang again as he slid the call forward and cards were turned on their backs.

Bruce Jiang: A♦Q♠
Peter Thai: K♥9♣

The board ran out 7♣8♠4♦7♥Q♦ and Thai failed to bust Jiang again as seven still remain.

Player	Chips	Progress
Peter Thai	5,700,000

Bruce Jiang	3,840,000 1,840,000	1,840,000

Tags: Bruce Jiang Peter Thai

05-31-2023 21:06 UTC-8

Seven Handed Play Continues - Updated Chip Counts

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 32 : 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
James Urbanic	7,400,000 -300,000	-300,000
Peter Thai	5,700,000 1,700,000	1,700,000

Benson Tam	4,500,000 2,500,000	2,500,000

Paul Blanchette	2,800,000 900,000	900,000
Bruce Jiang	2,000,000 -2,300,000	-2,300,000
Sean Balfour	1,600,000 -900,000	-900,000
Keith McCormack	1,400,000 -1,900,000	-1,900,000

Level: 32

Blinds: 125,000/250,000

Ante: 250,000

05-31-2023 20:47 UTC-8

Urbanic Fades the World for a Full Double

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Chris Land

Level 31 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

James Urbanic opened to 400,000 from under the gun and Bruce Jiang called from the big blind to see a flop of 3♣9♠Q♦.

Jiang checked the action to Urbanic who bet out 375,000. Jiang counted out raising chips and slid out a check-raise worth 1,100,000 into the pot, putting Urbanic to a decision. After a brief moment, Urbanic announced all in for 3,485,000 total and Jiang thought about it while counting out calling chips before eventually making the call and putting Urbanic at risk.

James Urbanic: K♥K♣
Bruce Jiang: Q♠10♠

The turn came the K♠ giving a set to Urbanic but providing a lot of additional outs to Jiang. The 6♣ river was safe for Urbanic who doubled up back into the chip lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Urbanic	7,700,000 700,000	700,000
Bruce Jiang	4,300,000 -2,500,000	-2,500,000

Tags: Bruce Jiang James Urbanic

05-31-2023 20:35 UTC-8

Jiang Has It All The Way

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 31 : 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Benson Tam raised in middle position and Bruce Jiang made the call. Both players saw the flop of A♠8♠4♠. Tam bet again. Jiang just called and the 6♣ landed on the turn. Benson bet 1,075,000 on the turn and this time Jiang went all-in for his remaining chips. Benson unenthusiastically made the call.

Bruce Jiang: A♥Q♠
Benson Tam: 7♥7♠

Tam needed to catch a seven or a five that wasn't a spade to pull ahead but the river was a brick and a massive pot was pushed to Jiang, who earlier this final table only had 375,000 left in chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bruce Jiang	6,800,000 3,050,000	3,050,000
Benson Tam	2,000,000 -2,700,000	-2,700,000

Tags: Benson Tam Bruce Jiang

05-31-2023 20:12 UTC-8

Joe Pavan Eliminated in 8th Place ($7,337)

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Chris Land

Level 31 : 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante

Bruce Jiang opened to 450,000 from middle position before action folded to Joe Pavan in the small blind who slid his remaining stack of 960,000 into the middle. Jiang called and both players turned their cards on their backs.

Joe Pavan: 6♠6♦
Bruce Jiang: 4♦4♥

The K♠2♥9♥ flop kept Pavan firmly in the lead as did the 8♠ turn. As a sizable dog, Jiang needed to find another set on the river to whittle the final table down to seven and he did exactly that, spiking the 4♠ and making a set on the river for the second time at tonight's final table.

The table let out a collective gasp as Pavan was eliminated in 8th place for $7,337.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bruce Jiang	3,750,000 350,000	350,000
Joe Pavan	Busted

Tags: Bruce Jiang Joe Pavan

Level: 31

Blinds: 100,000/200,000

Ante: 200,000

05-31-2023 20:00 UTC-8

Jiang Loosens Up The Table

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Short-stacked Bruce Jiang went all-in from late position for 720,000. It folded to Peter Thai in the big blind and after looking at the dead money in the middle for a while he asked, "Do I have to double you again?", and made the call.

Bruce Jiang: A♠K♠
Peter Thai: J♥5♦

Thai was happy to have two live cards, but ultimately whiffed the board as it ran out 9♠8♣4♦3♥2♥.

As Jiang finished neatly stacking his chips, he took the moment to introduce himself to the table as a dealer at the Aria. The table then went around and said not only the career that brought them here but also where they travelled from. Unsurprisingly, there were several dealers and representatives from all over the world.

James Urbanic chimed in, "I'm still going to try to take your chips!" to which the table laughed and agreed.

Only a few hands later, Jiang went all-in in a three-way pot and show K♦Q♥ as a bluff.