The World Series of Poker Event 34: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha - Six-Handed came back today with 72 players all with two aims: to get in the money, and then go on and make a final table. We got to, and burst the bubble, but fell a little short of making the final table.
After 10 levels of play the field was whittled all the way down to 11 players. The player who tops the lot is runaway chip leader from Japan, Naoya Kihara with 1,548,000 chips. He had an incredible day where he busted player after player with huge hands that held, or draws that got there. When there were 24 players left he had more chips than the average player will take forward to tomorrow’s six-handed final table. Did anyone tell him this is a three-day tournament? He ended with around a quarter of the chips in play!
The field was stacked today, and will continue to be so tomorrow. Remember the name Hans Winzeler from last summer? He came second to Jason Mercier in this very tournament, earning $383,075. He’s in a great position to do a repeat, he’ll be hoping for one better though.
Here’s how the final 11 and their chip counts look heading to tomorrow:
Place
Player
Chips
1
Naoya Kihara
1,548,000
2
Tommy Le
965,000
3
Davidi Kitai
789,000
4
Hans Winzeler
613,000
5
Chris De Maci
515,000
6
Dimitar Danchev
469,000
7
Jason DeWitt
465,000
8
Scott Bohlman
397,000
9
Daniel Hindin
211,000
10
Kevin MacPhee
174,000
11
Joseph Cheong
125,000
Erick Lindgren was the unlucky bubble boy today after a strange hand versus Daniel Hindin. Check out Lee Davy’s version of events from earlier by clicking here. Other players who came back for day 2 but failed to cash included: Mike Sexton, Fabrice Soulier, Bruno Fitoussi, Antony Lellouche, and JC Tran.
Those happier to cash, although wishing they were still in included: David Benyamine, Brock Parker, Padraig Parkinson, Dermot Blain, Shaun Deeb, Tom Marchese, and Adam Junglen. For a full list of payouts click here.
Play resumes at 1:00 PM local time tomorrow. When seven players remain they will all be redrawn onto one table until one more player busts. From there the official WSOP final table begins. All the action will be covered right here on PokerNews, and streamed on WSOP.com
Dimitar Danchev and Kevin MacPhee have both got it in on the flop with Danchev at risk of elimination.
Flop:
Danchev
MacPhee
The turn was the giving Danchev two-pair before the on the river improved his hand to a straight. Danchev was up to 521,000 and MacPhee was down to 135,000.
We have lost the flowing red-feathered hat of Sebastian Bastian.
Bastian must have lost a pot beyond our eyesight because when he raised to 34,000 in first position he was extremely short. The action folded around to Kevin MacPhee in the big blind and he made the call. The flop was , MacPhee put Bastian all-in and he called.
MacPhee
Bastian
So Bastian was ahead with the over pair, but MacPhee had his drawing outs and the was exactly what MacPhee ordered. The bricking for Bastian and he was out.
The overnight chip leader, and World Series of Bracelet holder, David Benyamine, is out of this competition; and of course it was Naoya Kihara who brought down the guillotine.
Kihara raised to 18,000 on the button, Benyamine three-bet to 62,000 from the small blind and the fearless Kihara called.
Flop:
Benyamine moved all-in for 125,000 and Kihara made the call.
Kihara
Benyamine
Kihara held a pair of threes and Benyamine a pair of kings.
Turn:
Kihara made two-pair and Benyamine was gutted. The river sealing the deal and the Frenchman was out in 14th place. Kihara moved upwards and onwards with 1,335,000.
The two Frenchmen have collided and it is David Benyamine who has been left licking his wounds.
Benyamine raised to 16,000 in the cutoff, David Colin called in the small blind and Jason DeWitt also called in the big blind. The flop was and the action checked to Benyamine who bet 34,000. Back to Colin and he check-raised to a stack committing 150,000. DeWitt had a very difficult decision on his hands, but eventually decided to fold; Benyamine made the call. So off to the turn and everyone knew what was going to happen next.
Turn:
Colin moved all-in and Benyamine made the call.
Colin
Benyamine
So Benyamine had two-pair and the open-ended straight draw, while Colin had the same two pair with a gutshot.
River:
Benyamine's hands flew up into the air as did DeWitt (who was no longer in the hand). Colin had rivered a straight in a huge pot. DeWitt told the table he reluctantly folded the nut flush hence his reaction. Benyamine looked to his girl on the rail and showed her his chips before getting back his head back into the action.
We hung around for an orbit thinking he would be in another showdown but as of yet there is no movement from our World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet holder.
Three quick stories for you and then we will head out and get you a seat draw because we are down to the final three-tables of this bad boy.
Kevin MacPhee has doubled up through Andrew Watson. Watson has 256,000 chips and MacPhee now has 160,000. Joseph Cheong just found a magical river to outdraw Hans Winzeler. The board was and Cheong showed down to drag in a 150,000 pot. Cheong is up to 450,000 and Winzeler joins the shorties at 140,000. Finally, Ilan Boujenah has been eliminated and his stack is now sitting on top of Tommy Le's stack. Le has 600,000 chips.
Our chip leader Naoya Kihara has eliminated Tom Marchese, we didn't see the hand but here is the Big Cheese telling the world all about it.
BigCheese_poker Thomas MarcheseBust in 225k pot after dinner. Raise ajt5 w j high clubs. Kid w all the chips calls from sb w j986 and wins on k96ccJune 19 2012
Another player eliminated in the opening hands of Level 17 is Don Nguyen. David Colin is the recipient of Nguyen's chips.
Finally, Andrew Watson is alive and well (despite our accidental bust-out earlier). He has just caused some serious damage to Adam Junglen in the following hand.
Junglen opened from the hijack seat, Watson three-bet from the cutoff and Junglen made the call. The flop was and Junglen bet 'pot' for 67,500. Watson took a few seconds while he considered his decision before making the call. The turn card was the and Junglen didn't look too happy. In the end he decided to go with his hand, and both players went all-in.
Watson
Junglen
So Watson had the set and Junglen the draw. The two players wished each other luck and the dealer placed the on the river. The pot went the way of Watson and a few hands later Junglen was moved to a new table.
The upshot of those hands were as follows: Naoyo Kihara 1,250,000, David Collin 200,000, Andrew Watson 420,000 & Adam Junglen 55,000
Shaun Deeb has been eliminated in 27th place by Adam Junglen.
We joined the action on the turn with the board showing and Deeb moved all-in from the big blind for 35,500. Junglen wished his friend good luck and made the call.
Junglen
Deeb
So Deeb was ahead with two pair and Junglen was the man who needed help. The dealer slapped the onto the river and Junglen made his straight.