It was such a star-filled final table that PokerGO gave in to the fans. The $10K Dealer’s Choice Championship was not originally on the list of final tables to cover on PokerGO’s subscription service. The fans wanted to see it, though, so PokerGO decided to livestream it. And they gave it to the fans for free.
Phil Hellmuth was trying for his 17th bracelet, another to complement the one he won just a few days prior. Mike Matusow and Matt Glantz were almost sure to provide entertainment. Daniel Negreanu is always a fan favorite. And Adam Friedman was there as the defending champion and two-time Dealer’s Choice champion seeking his third title in this exact tournament.
It was a what’s-what of poker – games, personalities, action. It’s what poker fans watch the World Series to see.
A super high roller tournament whittled its field down to a table of five superstars. And two new tournaments began on Day 21. It was one of the lighter days as far as tournaments in action, but it was exciting nonetheless.
Event 36: $10K Dealer’s Choice Championship
It all came down to the player with the most bracelets in the history of the WSOP – and feels he deserves many more – versus one of the most skilled mixed game players in the game…and the one who won this event two times before. Others tried to make it through the tough table, but it came down to Hellmuth and Friedman. And the latter prevailed after hours of intense play. Friedman told PokerGO News:
“I waited 28 months to play this tournament. All I kept saying was just get me to Day 2, and I just want a chance. I don’t need to win this tournament. I’ve got nothing to prove. … This $10K is so much different than every other $10K. People that play this tournament, they want to play it again and again because it’s so addicting. So many games that we don’t get to play in tournaments, so many different thought processes and strategies that don’t exist in any other tournament.”
Only a unique set of players can drum up $50K to play in this event. Most of the players have poker accomplishments galore and have enjoyed previous WSOP success. That is certainly the case with the final table. As this event played its second day, it finally pushed through the money bubble and sent players like Anthony Zinno, Scott Ball, and Dan Smith to the payout cage.
Before play ended for the night, Mustapha Kanit and Sam Soverel busted the final table. Aussie Michael Addamo held the chip lead going into Day 2 and holds it going into Day 3. That lead seems overwhelming, but he has players like Justin Bonomo and Erik Seidel nipping at his heels.
Event 38: Day 2 of 3
$50K buy-in
NLHE High Roller (1RE)
Total entries:
81
Registration still open?
no
Total prize pool:
$3,877,875
Players paid:
13
Minimum payout:
$80,000
Winner payout:
$1,132,968
Chip leader:
Michael Addamo
Michael Addamo = 11,475,000 chips
Players remaining:
5
Justin Bonomo = 4,975,000 chips
Restart:
4pm Thursday
Erik Seidel = 4,335,000 chips
Gal Yifrach = 3,160,000 chips
Chris Hunichen = 405,000 chips
Event 39: $1,500 PLO
Hundreds of players turned out for some low buy-in Pot Limit Omaha. After 14 hours, they had whittled the field down to just a few tables of players. At the top of the chip counts, Josh Arieh and his two previous bracelets sit at the top of the leaderboard, but Ryan Leng is third on that board, looking for his fourth career bracelet and second in this 2021 WSOP.
Event 39: Day 1 of 3
$1,500 buy-in
PLO (1RE)
Total entries:
821
Registration still open?
no
Total prize pool:
$1,096,035
Players paid:
124
Minimum payout:
$2,400
Winner payout:
$204,766
Chip leader:
Josh Arieh
Players remaining:
58
Restart:
12pm Thursday
Event 40: $10K HORSE Championship
Another elite field of players took to the WSOP tables, this time for the HORSE Championship title. There were 139 players registered by the end of Day 1 (no reentries allowed), but registration is still open until the start of play today. It’s going to be a long Day 2 but an exciting one as they seek the final table competitors.
Event 40: Day 1 of 4
$10K buy-in
HORSE Championship
Total entries:
139 (not final)
Registration still open?
yes
Total prize pool:
TBD
Players paid:
TBD
Minimum payout:
TBD
Winner payout:
TBD
Chip leader:
Qinghai Pan
Players remaining:
71
Restart:
2pm Thursday
Highlight of the Day
Let’s just take a moment to shout out Kevmath – known to his mama as Kevin Mathers – who handles his own informative Twitter feed, a special one for Vegas tournaments this fall, and the WSOP one. Haley Hintze snapped a photo of him doing one of his many jobs at the World Series.
Don’t forget to thank him on Twitter or if you see him at the Rio. Or, you can buy him a virtual coffee.
https://twitter.com/Haley_Hintze/status/1450619331511992321?s=20
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