On the Day 7 dinner break of the 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, just 20 players remained from the 6,650-entry field. Each was guaranteed $241,800 in prize money, but each was aiming to claim the $8 million top prize and to etch their name in poker history.
Among the contenders was a trio of gold bracelet winners – Chance Kornuth, Mitchell Halverson, and Chase Bianchi. Of those, Bianchi found himself in the best position sitting fourth in chips with 28.7 million.
The 34-year-old married family man – he and his wife have two foster children aged five and seventeen months – previously won the 2016 WSOP Event #17: $1,000 NLH for $316,920, which comprises a big chunk of his $872,718 in lifetime earnings according to The Hendon Mob.
Main Event His Only Tournament
Bianchi currently lives just north of Boston but made the trip in Vegas to play just one tournament, this year’s $10,000 Main Event. No matter where he finishes, it will mark his first cash since December 2019.
Like many others, Bianchi is a product of the “Moneymaker Boom” when he learned to play with baseball teammates in the Seattle area.
“The junior varsity team,” Bianchi told PokerNews with a smile. “We’d get together and the moms would joke that I had a summer job because I’d always beat [the players] in their $5 and $10 buy-in poker games. This was the Chris Moneymaker era, like 2004.”
From there, Bianchi honed his game online. He still dabbles at the virtual felt, even doing some Twitch live streaming in the past, but nowadays he plays primarily live cash games when he can. His poker playing is limited these days after he got into software development.
For more on Bianchi, follow him on Twitter @Chase_Bianchi.
Ian O'Hara fired out a bet on fourth street and was called by Seiver.
On fifth street, both players slowed down and checked.
Sixth street O'Hara opted to bet out and Seiver made the call.
Seventh street O'Hara slowed down and checked, which prompted Seiver to fire a bet this time around. After a few moments, O'Hara tossed his cards into the muck, and Seiver was pushed the pot.
Marco Johnson completed and Yuval Bronshtein called.
Johnson called bets from Bronshtein on fourth and fifth street and Johnson led out for a bet on sixth. Bronshtein raised and Johnson called.
Bronshtein bet a final time on seventh, sending Johnson deep into the tank. Johnson eventually decided to let his hand go and Bronshtein scooped the sizable pot.
On fifth street and sixth street, O'Hara led the betting and was called by Hastings.
Seventh street, however, saw Hastings check, then raise the bet by O'Hara. After a moment, O'Hara opted to call and mucked after Hastings tabled a nine-high straight as well as a seven-six low for the scoop.
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- folded on fourth street
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