Event #39: $1,500 Monster Stack Day 3 | 2023 World Series of Poker

Jun 19, 2023

No 11th Bracelet As Johnny Chan Falls in 14th in WSOP $1,500 Big O

Connor Richards

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

As ten-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey competes in Day 2 of the $50,000 Poker Players Championship at the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP), another Poker Hall of Famer was looking for his eleventh piece of WSOP gold with a deep run in Event #41: $1,500 Big O.

Johnny Chan entered the third and final day of the Omaha event toward the bottom of the counts with 18 players remaining as the 1987 and 1988 Main Event champion hoped to finally break the three-way tie between himself, Ivey and the late Doyle Brunson in second place on the all-time bracelet list.

Sadly for poker fans sweating the $1,500 buy-in event, "The Master" was eliminated 14th place for $13,982 after a confrontation with Scott Abrams.

Read About Chan's Elimination

Jun 19, 2023

Chen Takes A Wedge out of Dunaway

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Chris Bean

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

George Chen bet 400,000 from early position and was called by Braxton Dunaway in middle position and Sen Mu on the button.

A coordinated board of 4♠3♦2♠ did not discourage Chen to continue for 450,000. Dunaway responded with a raise of 1,800,000 which got a quick fold from Mu.

Chen went for the lot by moving all in for 4,175,000. Dunaway went deep into the tank before announcing fold and tabled 10♦10♥. Chen kept shtum and dragged in a hefty pot.

Tags: Braxton Dunaway George Chen Sen Mu

Jun 19, 2023

Qi Felts Distenfeld

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Kirk Brown

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

On a heads-up turn of J♥6♦10♠6♥, the swelled pot already had over 2,000,000 in the middle when both Gershon Distenfeld and Xuming Qi decided to check and see the 6♠ appear on the turn.

Diestenfeld then shoved all in, totaling 2,170,000, and the pressure was on Qi.

After a good 30 seconds of thought, Qi set out a stack of chips, making the call to put Distenfeld's tournament life at risk.

"You got it, nice call," Distenfeld sighed as he flipped over A♣9♦ for trip sixes with ace-high while Qi tabled Q♥10♥ for sixes full of tens to take the pot, rocketing his stack up to over 14,000,000.

Distenfeld was sent to the rail in 93rd place which was good for a payout of $10,499- all of which he will be donating to charity.

Tags: Gershon Distenfeld Xuming Qi

Jun 19, 2023

High Drama on River as Big Stacks Clash

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Herbie Teope

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

A player from a table waved to alert PokerNews of a brewing situation.

“This has to be one of the largest pots of the tournament,” he said with excitement in his voice.

Whether it was the largest pot is unknown, but there's no denying the unfolding drama.

WSOP bracelet winner Arash Ghaneian and Yuanjun Lu were observed being involved in a hand with more than 6,000,000 in the pot on a board showing 4♥10♥2♣3♠K♥.

Lu had moved all in against Ghaneian, who barely had his opponent covered. But the river card brought a lot of anxious moments. Ghaneian was in the tank for more than a minute, alternating looks between the board and Lu, who sat virtually motionless.

The drama at the table also received plenty of attention. Almost all the players were on their feet watching it unfold, and there were multiple spectators just behind the roped off area observing the hand.

Ghaneian took one last look at the pot before mucking his hand.

“Is this good?” Lu said to Ghaneian as he showed A♥.

“How about this? Is this good?” Lu asked Ghaneian while showing his second card, which was K♠.

Whether either card was good, Ghaneian didn’t say. Instead, he just smiled and appeared to take it in stride.

Tags: Arash Ghaneian Yuanjun Lu

Jun 19, 2023

Laise Doubles Through Hankinson

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Kirk Brown

Level 29 : Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Vincent Laise moved all in preflop for 1,525,000 and action folded around to Justin Hankinson who made the call. The players then tabled their cards, with Laise at risk of elimination.

Vincent Laise: A♣J♣
Justin Hankinson: K♠Q♦

Laise was ahead so far with his ace-high, and the runout was pure as it came 8♠9♥2♦2♠2♥ for him to secure the double-up.

Level: 29

Blinds: 80,000/160,000

Ante: 160,000

Jun 19, 2023

Enselme Continues to Build Stack

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Chris Bean

Level 28 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Arnaud Enselme bet 250,000 from the button and was called by Richard Peterson in the big blind.

The flop of Q♥8♥4♥ allowed Enselme to continue for 160,000 which was called by Peterson. A fourth heart came on the 2♥ turn and Enselme bet 420,000 which was enough to get Peterson to throw their cards into the muck

Tags: Arnaud Enselme Richard Peterson

Jun 19, 2023

Tweedlie Scores Massive Double Up

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Herbie Teope

Level 28 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Michael Tweedlie had a decent-sized stack when the hand began.

It expanded quite a bit after the final card hit the river.

The hand started innocently enough, with Tweedlie raising 240,000 in late position. Stacen Jones flatted and the remaining players got out of the way.

The dealer fanned A♣5♣6♥ on the board, and away they went. Tweedlie bet 200,000, and then Jones raised to 600,000. Tweedlie then came back over the top for 1,200,000, only for Jones to immediately announce he was all in and he had Tweedlie covered.

Tweedlie immediately appeared uneasy, throwing back his head as his eyes shot to the ceiling. He tanked a bit, while studying the board. After a little more than a minute passed, Tweedlie made the call with his remaining 3,090,000 and the cards were tabled.

Michael Tweedlie: A♦Q♣
Stacen Jones: A♠10♠

To his surprise, Tweedlie saw that he was ahead. The turn showed J♠ and 5♠ arrived on the river to give Tweelie the hand and a double up.

Tags: Michael Tweedlie Stacen Jones

Jun 19, 2023