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In this daily feature, we will bring you the key highlights of the 50th World Series of Poker (WSOP) to keep you abreast with the ongoings of the ‘World’s Biggest Poker Festival.’
Even before the 50th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) had kicked off, we had predicted that this would be a breakout series for Team India and it looks like our predictions are coming through! After a superb showing in the BIG 50, the Indian camp now seems to have turned its attention towards Event#19: Millionaire Maker: $1,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em. A group of five Indians led by PokerGuru Ambassador Ashish Ahuja (238,900), and Neel Joshi (195,900), Abhishek Goindi (165,200), Romit Advani (117,300), and Vivek Rughani (65,100) managed to sail through Day 1A of play yesterday. Another flight opens later today, and it is safe to assume that we will add more Indian names to the Day 2 list tomorrow.
The biggest story at this years WSOP so far, the BIG 50 ran through its record-smashing 28,371-strong field yesterday. In the end, it was 37-year-old Las Vegas resident Femi Fashakin who got his name etched in the history books for winning this unique event, along with a life-changing $1,147,449 in cash prize.
The Rio is extended to the brim with WSOP action, but there are a couple of big stops running along at other poker venues as well. Indians, along with the thousands of poker players in the city are continuously rotating around these poker rooms all summer, and many among them make it big. Team India recorded one of its first non-WSOP titles of the summer on Friday when Anshul Rai topped an impressive 1,235-entry field in the Rio $250 Daily Deepstack for a career-best $40,602 (~₹28.17 Lakhs). Rio, who has only a few recorded scores to his name, had a previous best score of $6,225 (~₹4.32 Lakhs) from a final table finish in the WSOP Circuit Hammond $250 NLHE – Multi-bag Bonus Event in February this year.
Back to the WSOP, heading fast towards culmination are Event#14: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E., and Event#16: $1,500 NLHE 6-Handed. While Jason Stockfish currently leads the former with 4,095,000, U.S. pro Isaac Baron will be resuming heads-up play at the helm latter today with 24.40 Million chips.
Event #3: BIG 50 – $500 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #3: BIG 50 – $500 No-Limit Hold ‘em has undoubtedly set the bar high by attracting 28,371 entries making for the biggest field ever seen at a WSOP. After four action-packed flights and an equal number of Day 2s, the tournament has finally culminated, crowning a winner in Las Vegas local, Femi Fashakin who pocketed $1,147,449 along with his first WSOP bracelet.
While a large group of Indian pros had entered the event, 12 of them fell out on Day 3 leaving Shravan Chhabria and Kartik Ved to carry the Indian banner to Day 4. Chhabria finished in 18th place for a career-best live cash worth $53,714 (~₹37.26 Lakhs), and Ved earned a 29th place score for $34,279 (~₹23.77 Lakhs).
Read the complete report here
Event#14: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.
A tournament that drew 291 entries, Event#14: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. is now down to its final two players. Day 3 began with 28 players, and soon the field whittled down to the final table. Eventually left standing in the field were Jason Stockfish and Murilo Souza. The heads-up between the two players continued for a while before the tournament director intervened on the account that 13 hours had already been played. An extra day has been added to the event to crown the champion and Stockfish is currently on the top with 4,095,000. Souza, however, has a healthy 3,425,000 and may stage a comeback.
Event#16: $1,500 NLHE 6- Handed
With a strong turnout of 1,832 entries, Event#16: $1,500 NLHE 6-Handed has played out over three intense days before halting at the heads-up. Day 3 began with 21 players, and the seven-handed final table was formed towards the later levels.
American pro Isaac Baron and Singapore’s Ong Dingxiang jostled over 100 hands before the tournament was halted heads-up. An unscheduled, additional Day 4 will see Baron return with 24,400,000 to confront Dingxiang who holds 21,135,000.
Earlier on Day 2, the tournament also saw four Indians pick up scores, namely bracelet winner Nipun Java (78th for $4,290 – ₹2.98 Lakhs), PokerGuru Ambassador Ashish Ahuja (142nd for $2,742 – ₹1.90 Lakhs), Siddharth Mundada (236th for $2,265 – ₹1.57 Lakhs), and Sriharsha Doddapaneni (239th place for $2,265 – ₹1.57 Lakhs).
Event#17: $1,500 NLHE Shootout
Day 2 of Event #17:$1,500 NLHE Shootout began with 100 survivors from a starting field of 917. While all of them had locked up a min-cash worth $5,279, the fight was over making it to the final table. Topping the stacks is Anatolii Zyrin (2,306,000) marginally ahead of Michael O’ Grady (2,298,000), and Adrian Scarpa (2,286,000). Also in contention are Cary Katz (2,266,000), and Tommy Nguyen (2,213,000).
Event#18: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
The 183-strong field in Event #18: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better has now whittled down to the last 23 players. Day 2 began with 90 survivors, and the money line was breached midway through the seven levels that were played out yesterday.
The top 28 finishers are assured $14,959. Johannes Becker (28th) was the first player to finish in the money, followed by Andrey Zaichenko (27th). Leading the remaining 23 players is Ken Aldridge who carries 1,178,000, followed by Owais Ahmed (1,074,000), and Robert Mizrachi (703,000).
Event#19: Millionaire Maker: $1,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em
One of the most anticipated tournaments at the WSOP every year, Event #19: Millionaire Maker: $1,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em hit the floor running on June 7, with a houseful 3,930 entries pouring in on the first starting flight. After 11 levels of play, only 986 got a bag to fill for Day 2. As expected a good number of Indian pros were seen intensely fighting to advance further, and five among them, namely, PokerGuru Ambassador Ashish Ahuja (238,900), Neel Joshi (195,900), Abhishek Goindi (165,200), Romit Advani (117,300) and Vivek Rughani (65,100) have made the jump to Day 2.
Among the many notables who busted the first bullet were PokerStars India team pro Aditya Agarwal, Nipun Java, and Paawan Bansal.
Bagging the Day 1A chip lead was Garrett Greer with 570,600 in chips. Day 2 of the event plays out on June 9.
Event#20: $1,500 Seven Card Stud
Close to 285 entries bought into Event #20: $1,500 Seven Card Stud creating a prize pool of $384,750. After an entire day’s action, only 103 players were still standing in the race for the $93,766 top prize. Ending the day as the chip leader was Constantine Moustakis who holds 76,600. Also in the fray are Daniel Negreanu (56,900), Julien Martini (56,400), and Jeff Lisandro (36,800).
$250 Rio Daily Deepstack
India’s Anshul Rai overcame a large field of 1,235 entrants in the $250 Rio Daily Deepstack that played out at Rio. He defeated Olivier Ledda heads-up to collect the winner’s paycheque worth $40,602 (~₹28.17 Lakhs).
The $249,470 prize pool was distributed among the top 186 finishers.
Final Table Results (USD)
Content & Images Courtesy: World Series of Poker
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