Event #19: $565 Pot-Limit Omaha | 2018 World Series of Poker

06-10-2018 09:48 UTC-7

Heroux Leads 10 Remaining Players; Duhamel Chasing Fourth Bracelet

simkha

Just 10 players out of the 2,419 entries that tried their luck in Event #19: $565 Pot-Limit Omaha at the 2018 World Series of Poker will return for Day 3 action at 2:00 p.m. local time, all chasing the top prize of $181,790 and WSOP gold. Canada's Maxime Heroux is leading the way with 2,430,000, but with the likes of Craig Varnell (1,950,000) and Jonathan Duhamel (1,570,000) still in the hunt, the path to victory won't be easy for anybody.

Here's a look at the unofficial final table:

Room	Table	Seat	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds
Amazon	423	1	Maxime Heroux	Canada	2,430,000	41
Amazon	423	2	Seth Zimmerman	United States	920,000	15
Amazon	423	3	Christopher Trang	United States	1,280,000	21
Amazon	423	4	Craig Varnell	United States	1,950,000	33
Amazon	423	5	Ilian Li	United States	1,080,000	18
Amazon	423	6	Conway Frankenheimer	United States	820,000	14
Amazon	423	7	Omar Mehmood	United States	655,000	11
Amazon	423	8	Jonathan Duhamel	Canada	1,570,000	26
Amazon	423	9	Shaome Yang	United States	735,000	12
Amazon	423	10	Jason Lipiner	United States	645,000	11

Quite a few familiar faces made deep runs in this event but failed to survive to the end of Day 2, including Orlando Romero (19th - $5,830), Ryan Laplante (20th - $5,830), Millard Hale (21st - $5,830), John Racener (51st - $3,495), and Vivian Saliba (54th - $3,495).

Blinds will be 30,000/60,000 when play resumes. Day 3 play will consist of one-hour levels with 15-minute breaks every two levels and a one-hour dinner break after six levels are in the books (at approximately 8:30).

Keep it here for coverage of the conclusion of Event #19: $565 Pot-Limit Omaha and throughout the 2018 World Series of Poker, presented by the PokerNews Live Reporting team.

Tags: Christopher Trang Conway Frankenheimer Craig Varnell Ilian Li Jason Lipiner Jonathan Duhamel Maxime Heroux Seth Zimmerman Shaome Yang

06-10-2018 14:35 UTC-7

Zimmerman Doubles Through Heroux

mnuwwarah

Level 29 : 30,000/60,000, 0 ante

Maxime Heroux raised in the small blind and Seth Zimmerman called in the big. It came and Heroux slid in about 300,000, snap-calling when Zimmerman shoved for 650,000.

Maxime Heroux:
Seth Zimmerman:

Zimmerman stood up but he got there right away when the hit. However, Heroux picked up the nut flush draw to go with his top set. The river was , ensuring a double for Zimmerman, who let out a huge sigh of relief and clapped hands with one of his tablemates.

"I don't know how you guys do this for a living," he said with a laugh.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maxime Heroux	1,755,000 -825,000	-825,000

Seth Zimmerman	1,660,000 640,000	640,000

Tags: Maxime Heroux Seth Zimmerman

06-10-2018 16:26 UTC-7

Conway Frankenheimer Eliminated in 10th Place ($11,621)

simkha

Level 31 : 50,000/100,000, 0 ante

Action folded around to Craig Varnell in the hijack and he raised to 330,000. Conway Frankenheimer three-bet shoved from the button for 610,000 and Varnell called to put him at risk.

Craig Varnell:
Conway Frankenheimer:

Frankenheimer had the preflop advantage with his kings and Varnell needed to improve in order to stack him. The flop kept Frankenheimer in the lead, but the turn gave Varnell two pair, leaving Frankenheimer in need of help on the river. The last card was the which changed nothing so Varnell took the pot to end Frankenheimer's deep run in this event.

With Frankenheimer's elimination, the official final table has been reached and the remaining nine players are taking a 10-minute break before the stream begins.

Player	Chips	Progress
Craig Varnell	3,460,000 760,000	760,000

Conway Frankenheimer	Busted

Tags: Conway Frankenheimer Craig Varnell

06-10-2018 16:52 UTC-7

Ilian Li Eliminated in 9th Place ($14,920)

mnuwwarah

Level 31 : 50,000/100,000, 0 ante

Craig Varnell opened for 300,000 in middle position and Ilian Li shoved on his left for 475,000. Varnell called with and was against . The flop paired Varnell. The did nothing for him but a river was good for two pair and the knockout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Craig Varnell	4,100,000 640,000	640,000

Ilian Li	Busted

Tags: Ilian Li Craig Varnell

06-10-2018 16:58 UTC-7

Jason Lipiner Eliminated in 8th Place ($19,344)

simkha

Level 31 : 50,000/100,000, 0 ante

Craig Varnell raised to 300,000 from middle position, Jason Lipiner three-bet shoved from the big blind for 640,000, and Varnell called to put him at risk.

Craig Varnell:
Jason Lipiner:

The two players had nearly identical hands but Varnell had a slight preflop advantage. The board ran out and Varnell took the pot with a pair of eights to end Lipiner's deep run in this event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Craig Varnell	4,800,000 700,000	700,000

Jason Lipiner	Busted

Tags: Craig Varnell Jason Lipiner

06-10-2018 17:00 UTC-7

Shaome Yang Eliminated in 7th Place ($25,325)

mnuwwarah

Level 31 : 50,000/100,000, 0 ante

Craig Varnell opened for 300,000, Shaome Yang called all in for slightly less on the button and big blind Maxime Heroux called. On the turn, the board read and Heroux bet out Varnell. Heroux showed for tens full and Yang tabled . He needed the last ace but the river was a brick, eliminating him.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maxime Heroux	3,200,000 540,000	540,000

Shaome Yang	Busted

Tags: Maxime Heroux Shaome Yang

06-10-2018 17:02 UTC-7

Jonathan Duhamel Eliminated in 6th Place ($33,477)

mnuwwarah

Level 31 : 50,000/100,000, 0 ante

Craig Varnell opened for 300,000 and called the shove of Jonathan Duhamel on the button, who had 820,000.

Craig Varnell:
Jonathan Duhamel:

Varnell was trailing but took a big lead on with a pair of nines and a flush draw. The turn was a and the river a and he made a boat to bust the former WSOP Main Event champ.

Player	Chips	Progress
Craig Varnell	5,400,000 600,000	600,000

Jonathan Duhamel	Busted

Tags: Jonathan Duhamel Craig Varnell

06-10-2018 17:20 UTC-7

Christopher Trang Eliminated in 5th Place ($44,677)

simkha

Level 31 : 50,000/100,000, 0 ante

Christopher Trang opened to 350,000 from under the gun and Maxime Heroux three-bet to 895,000 from the small blind. Trang called to put himself at risk and the two players tabled their hands.

Christopher Trang:
Maxime Heroux;

Heroux had the preflop advantage and Trang needed to improve in order to preserve his tournament life. He picked up some additional outs on the flop, but the turn gave Heroux a commanding lead, and the river was too little too late for Trang, so Heroux took the pot to end Trang's deep run in this event in fifth place for $44,677.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maxime Heroux	3,800,000 600,000	600,000

Christopher Trang	Busted

Tags: Christopher Trang Maxime Heroux

06-10-2018 18:05 UTC-7

Maxime Heroux Eliminated in 4th Place ($60,190)

simkha

Level 32 : 60,000/120,000, 0 ante

Craig Varnell raised to 420,000 from under the gun, Maxime Heroux made a pot-sized three-bet to 1,380,000 from the small blind, and Varnell called.

The flop came , Heroux shoved, and Varnell quickly called to put him at risk.

Craig Varnell:
Maxime Heroux:

Varnell had the lead with top set but Heroux had lots of room to improve with straight and flush draws. The turn kept Varnell ahead and the river gave him a boat to win the pot and end Heroux's deep run in this event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Craig Varnell	9,200,000 4,100,000	4,100,000

Seth Zimmerman	1,600,000 -300,000	-300,000
Omar Mehmood	1,200,000 -300,000	-300,000
Maxime Heroux	Busted

Tags: Craig Varnell Maxime Heroux

06-10-2018 18:11 UTC-7

Omar Mehmood Eliminated in 3rd Place ($81,852)

mnuwwarah

Level 32 : 60,000/120,000, 0 ante

Craig Varnell raised to 420,000 on the button and called the shove of Omar Mehmood, who jammed in the small blind for 1,120,000 with . Varnell had and took the lead when flopped to give him a pair of fours. The brought a gutter for Mehmood but the river was good for kings up and a winner for Varnell.

Player	Chips	Progress
Craig Varnell	10,500,000 1,300,000	1,300,000

Seth Zimmerman	1,600,000 -300,000	-300,000
Omar Mehmood	Busted

Tags: Craig Varnell Omar Mehmood