Phil Ivey Has a Big Stack as Bubble Approaches in WPT World Championship
Phil Ivey, who won his first and only World Poker Tour (WPT) title in 2008, is among the biggest stacks heading to Day 3 of the WPT World Championship.
The $10,400 buy-in no-limit hold'em tournament at Wynn Las Vegas generated 1,865 entrants. First place, to be awarded on Sunday, will pay $2,528,200. Ivey, a ClubWPT Gold ambassador, would hit $57 million in lifetime live tournament cashes, per The Hendon Mob, if he were to come out victorious.
It's far too early for Ivey to start planning his victory speech, however. The tournament hasn't even reached the money, as 241 players bagged chips on Tuesday — 233 of them will cash.
It's Been a While
Ivey, an 11-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, was a World Poker Tour crusher back in the 2000s. He won the 2008 WPT L.A. Poker Classic at Commerce Casino for $1,596,100, defeating Quinn Do heads-up to close it out.
The Poker Hall of Famer bagged 1,510,000 chips on Day 2, good for 100 big blinds. He began chipping up early in the session before winning a crucial double-up against Derek Wang when A♥Q♥ held up against A♦8♦. That hand got him going and he would build his stack throughout the day.
Ivey will enter Day 3 in a strong position, but less than half the stack of chip leader Kevin Khuong, who bagged 3,270,000. There are a number of other big name players who will come back at noon PT on Wednesday with a sizable stack. That includes John Hennigan (2,510,000), Calvin Anderson (1,840,000), Ian Matakis (1,750,000), Ralph Perry (1,310,000), and Gus Hansen (1,260,000).
Some notable shorter stacks include Joseph Cheong (865,000), Brian Hastings (755,000), John Racener (650,000), and Anthony Gregg (330,000).
Only eight players need to bust before the bubble bursts, and that is expected to happen before the first level of the day concludes.
*Images courtesy of the World Poker Tour.
