Massive Lead for Andres Gonzalez After Day 2 of Event #28: $1,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em
Out of the 2,317 entrants recorded for Event #28: $1,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em of the World Series of Poker, 215 players returned on Day 2 at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. After ten 60-minute levels, only 22 players remained, all still in contention for a WSOP bracelet.
Among these 22 players, Spain's Andres Gonzalez emerged as the chip leader with 7,015,000. He not only has the biggest stack but also a significant lead over Nicolas Vayssieres, who is second in chips with 4,495,000. "I lost every hand at the beginning of the day, but things went very well at the end," the Frenchman said while bagging his chips. Balakrishna Patur holds third place with 4,455,000.
End of Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andres Gonzalez | Spain | 7,015,000 | 70 |
| 2 | Nicolas Vayssieres | France | 4,495,000 | 45 |
| 3 | Balakrishna Patur | United States | 4,455,000 | 45 |
| 4 | Evan Benton | United States | 4,285,000 | 43 |
| 5 | Mukul Pahuja | United States | 3,970,000 | 40 |
| 6 | Fahredin Mustafov | Bulgaria | 3,600,000 | 36 |
| 7 | Haiyang Yang | China | 2,790,000 | 28 |
| 8 | Nick Maimone | United States | 2,665,000 | 27 |
| 9 | Scott Stewart | United States | 2,455,000 | 25 |
| 10 | Ruiko Mamiya | Japan | 2,425,000 | 24 |
On one hand, Francisco Benitez (215th, $3,154), Fausto Tantillo (184th, $3,377), Ronnie Bardah (164th, $3,377), Michael Moncek (133rd, $3,661), Michael Noori (119th, $4,018), Kathy Liebert (86th, $5,018) and John Riordan (34th, $12,918) were all in the race on Day 2, but they have all been eliminated.
The same fate befell Phil Hellmuth, who was fuming after being eliminated in 48th place for $9,007.
On the other hand, there is no reason to be mad at all after Day 2 for Evan Benton (4,285,000), Mukul Pahuja (3,970,000), and Fahredin Mustafov (3,600,000) as they all qualified for Day 3. The same goes for Nick Maimone (2,655,000), who is the only remaining player who has already won a WSOP bracelet.
In the rest of the field, Scott Stewart (2,455,000) and Ruiko Mamiya (2,425,000) are followed by Alex Massman (2,225,000), George Tomescu (2,150,000), and Ebony Kenney, who bagged 1,990,000. Finally, Nicholas Verderamo will return on Day 3 with the shortest stack of all (725,000).
The remaining players will return at 12 p.m. local time for Day 3, with blinds beginning at Level 28 (50,000/100,000/100,000). Play will continue in 60-minute levels until a WSOP bracelet is placed around the winner's wrist.
Stay tuned for all the excitement as the PokerNews Live Reporting team covers Day 3, along with our comprehensive summer-long coverage of the 2024 WSOP at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas!