Event #2: $25,000 High Roller (6-Handed)
Day 2 Completed
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #2: $25,000 High Roller (6-Handed)
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
2023 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$25,000
Prize Pool
$4,864,500
Entries
207
Level
23
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Entries
78
Players Left
9
Axel Hallay Mounts a Miraculous Comeback to Dominate Day 2 of the $25,000 6-Max High Roller
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
The old poker saying is “a chip and a chair,” and it certainly rang true for Axel Hallay on Day 2 of Event #2: $25,000 High Roller 6-Handed No-Limit Hold’em.
Hallay was knocked down to just 40,000 early in the day. He ended it as the overwhelming chip leader with 7,980,000, nearly twice as much as his closest challenger. The French pro was already a top stack before he emerged victorious in the biggest pot of the day, winning with a set of aces to decimate the stack of Bin Weng.
Hallay would have finished with even more chips if not for a little luck from the player in second place on the chip leaderboard. Chris Moore was all in and down to two outs on the river against Hallay but hit his miracle card to double up. Another double-up near the night's end saw Moore finish up with 4,455,000.
A star-studded final nine players will return on June 1 at 1:30 p.m. inside the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas to play down to a champion.
Joey Weissman (4,150,000), Jake Schindler (1,205,000), and 2017 PPC champion Elior Sion (1,202,500) are chasing their second WSOP bracelet, while Chance Kornuth (2,605,000) is seeking his fourth. Sean Winter (3,945,000) and the always-entertaining Ren Lin (1,500,000) are also still in the mix.
Day 2 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Axel Hallay | France | 7,980,000 | 80 |
| 2 | Chris Moore | United States | 4,455,000 | 45 |
| 3 | Joey Weissman | United States | 4,150,000 | 42 |
| 4 | Alexandre Vuilleumier | Switzerland | 3,975,000 | 40 |
| 5 | Sean Winter | United States | 3,945,000 | 39 |
| 6 | Chance Kornuth | United States | 2,605,000 | 26 |
| 7 | Ren Lin | China | 1,500,000 | 15 |
| 8 | Jake Schindler | United States | 1,205,000 | 12 |
| 9 | Elior Sion | United Kingdom | 1,202,500 | 12 |
Day 2 began shortly before 1 p.m. with 58 returning players joined by 20 new arrivals to create a total field of 207 entries. They were playing for a piece of the $4,864,500 prize pool, which would go to the top 32 finishers.
Phil Hellmuth, Shaun Deeb, Jason Koon, and Dan Smith fell short of the money, while Justin Saliba was the unfortunate bubble boy after being whittled down to less than a big blind.
Once the bubble burst, Ben Lamb (30th), Justin Bonomo (29th), and the last two Main Event champions, Koray Aldemir (26th) and Espen Jorstad (25th), all made their way to the payout desk. They were joined by Ethan “Rampage” Yau (23rd) and Daniel Negreanu, who was knocked out in 22nd place by the pocket queens of Weissman.
The remaining nine players are already guaranteed $104,733, but all eyes will be on the $1,215,864 top prize when play resumes. The final table will be streamed by PokerGO beginning at 4 p.m.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all the updates from the 6-Max High Roller until a new WSOP champion is crowned tomorrow.
Seat Draw for the Final Nine
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
| Casino | Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chips |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horseshoe | 1 | 1 | Chance Kornuth | United States | 2,605,000 |
| Horseshoe | 1 | 2 | Elior Sion | United Kingdom | 1,202,500 |
| Horseshoe | 1 | 4 | Ren Lin | China | 1,500,000 |
| Horseshoe | 1 | 5 | Alexandre Vuilleumier | United Kingdom | 3,975,000 |
| Horseshoe | 1 | 6 | Sean Winter | United States | 3,945,000 |
| Horseshoe | 2 | 2 | Joey Weissman | United States | 4,150,000 |
| Horseshoe | 2 | 3 | Axel Hallay | France | 7,980,000 |
| Horseshoe | 2 | 4 | Jake Schindler | United States | 1,205,000 |
| Horseshoe | 2 | 6 | Chris Moore | United States | 4,455,000 |
End-of-Day Chip Counts
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
7,980,000 | -920,000 |
|
4,455,000 | 705,000 |
|
4,150,000 | 990,000 |
|
3,975,000 | 1,625,000 |
|
3,945,000 | 345,000 |
|
2,605,000 | 5,000 |
|
1,500,000 | -350,000 |
|
1,205,000 | 205,000 |
|
1,202,500 | -547,500 |
Ren and Sion Put On a Show At the End of Day 2
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Ren Lin raised from under the gun to 160,000. Elior Sion moved all in for his last 945,000. Lin spent one time bank before folding.
"Ace king?" asked Lin. Sion flashed a queen and laughed. "Lady Gaga!"
Sion then asked Lin if he had ace ten. "If I had an ace it would have been 'Adios to you!" replied Lin.
And thus concludes an action-packed Day 2.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,750,000 | |
|
|
1,500,000 | -350,000 |
Lin Hits "Lucky Three" For Another Double
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
"No Gamble, No Future. One time," Ren Lin called out as he moved all in again for 910,000 in the cutoff. The table folded around to Chance Kornuth in the big blind.
"C'mon Chance, please," Lin pleaded, and Kornuth eventually called.
Ren Lin: A♠3♥
Chance Kornuth: A♣8♥
"Lucky three. Just give me one three," Lin asked the dealer as the flop came K♣6♠10♠. The turn was the "lucky three" he had been looking for, the 3♦, as Lin jumped into the lead. The river came the 6♣ and Lin doubled off Kornuth again.
"Thank you, Chance. You are the best guy in the world," Lin said following the hand. "I can't lose. This is my tournament."
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,600,000 | -1,100,000 |
|
|
1,850,000 | 650,000 |
Moore Doubles Up Again
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
When Joey Weissman raised 170,000 from the cutoff, Chris Moore reraised all in from the big blind. Weissman called and it was off to the races for Moore, with 1,840,000 and his tournament life at stake.
Joey Weissman A♦Q♦
Chris Moore 10♣10♦
The board ran out clean for Moore, J♦8♠2♠7♣7♠ and Moore notched another double up as Day 2 winds down.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,750,000 | 1,250,000 |
|
|
3,160,000 | -1,140,000 |
Lin Picks Up Jacks to Double
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Ren Lin moved all in for around 600,000 from the cutoff as action folded around to Chance Kornuth in the big blind. Lin tossed Kornuth his "No Gamble, No Future" banner as Kornuth decided to call and put Lin at risk.
Ren Lin: J♦J♠
Chance Kornuth: A♠3♠
The board ran out 5♣6♦K♥5♦6♥ and Lin's jacks stayed in front to secure him the double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,700,000 | -800,000 |
|
|
1,200,000 | 100,000 |
Moore Spikes the River to Survive
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Chris Moore moved all in for around 1,200,000 and Axel Hallay called in the big blind.
Chris Moore: A♥9♥
Axel Hallay: A♦10♠
The J♠6♠4♠ flop gave Hallay a flush draw and left Moore drawing to just two nines in the deck to stay alive. He didn't get any miracles on the K♦ turn as he was already standing up from his seat preparing to exit, but the river brought the 9♦ and he made a pair to double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,900,000 | -600,000 |
|
|
2,500,000 | 1,400,000 |
Andrew Lichtenberger Eliminated in 10th Place ($80,314)
Level 18
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Andrew Lichtenberger raised to 670,000 from under the gun, leaving himself just one chip behind, and Joey Weissman called on the button.
The two players checked to the turn on a board of 5♥A♦2♠Q♥, when Weissman put Lichtenberger all in and Lichtenberger tossed in his last chip.
"I have outs," Lichtenberger said, showing 3♦3♣. Weissman had Q♠Q♦ for a set as the river came the 6♠ to send Lichtenberger to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,300,000 | -300,000 |
|
Busted |