These guys will play it all the way down today starting at 2pm. Seventeen players will start the day, but only one will finish. Complete chip counts for this event are:
Shawn Sheikhan 437500
Chad Brown 318000
Todd Brunson 285500
Erik Seidel 250500
Andrew Black 220500
Jeff Lisandro 214500
Freddy Deeb 199000
Chip Reese 184000
Lamar Wilkinson 176500
Allen Cunningham 176000
Parris Holmes 163000
Chris Ferguson 120500
Farzad Bonyadi 112500
Thor Hansen 92000
Tom Schneider 59000
Barry Greenstein 50500
Philippe Rouas 29500
There are 17 players left at the final three tables. (Tables in this event are generally seven-handed.) Here are the official chip counts and seating positions:
TABLE 12
Seat 1 - Farzad Bonyadi - 112,500
Seat 2 - Chad Brown - 318,000
Seat 3 - Tom Schneider - 59,000
Seat 4 - Allen Cunningham - 176,000
Seat 5 - Chris 'Jesus' Ferguson - 120,500
Seat 6 -
Seat 7 - Parris 'Butch' Holmes - 163,000
The players are seated and ready to go, so it's time to shuffle up and deal.
There are about 43 minutes left in this level, with antes of 1,500, and blinds of 3,000-6,000. Players cannot limp; they must enter the pot with a raise.
The underlying storyline of today's event is that Jeffrey Lisandro and Tom Schneider are battling for the lead for the 2007 WSOP Player of the Year. Schneider, who has won two bracelets, leads the event, but Lisandro is close behind with a bracelet and a second place finish.
If Lisandro makes the money and Schneider doesn't, Lisandro will win player of the year. If both players bust or Schneider outlasts Lisandro, then Schneider will obviously win.
If they both make the money, it becomes a bit more complicated and a *lot* more interesting.
Lisandro raises to 25,000, Philippe Rouas moves all in for 29,500, and Lisandro calls. Both players draw one card, and Rouas makes the better hand to win the pot and double up to 77,000 in chips.
Philippe Rouas is all in against Shawn Sheikhan, and he draws one card to Sheikhan's three. But it's not enough, and Sheikhan makes a better hand to win the pot. Philippe Rouas is eliminated in 17th place.
Shawn Sheikhan raises under the gun to 26,000, Barry Greenstein moves all in for 110,000 from the big blind, and Sheikhan calls. Greenstein stands pat and Sheikhan draws one card. Greenstein shows 8-6-5-4-3, and Sheikhan mucks.
Tom Schneider moves all in for 54,500, and Allen Cunningham calls. Schneider draws one card while Cunningham stands pat. Schneider shows a 10 low, but Cunningham has 8-7-6-5-3 to win the pot.
Tom Schneider, the points leader for 2007 WSOP Player of the Year, is eliminated in 16th place.
With Tom Schneider's elimination, the pressure is on for Jeffrey Lisandro to finish in the money, which would clinch the 2007 WSOP Player of the Year award in the last qualifying event.