Event #43: $50,000 Poker Players Championship Day 3 | 2023 World Series of Poker

06-20-2023 21:23 UTC-8

Racener Eliminated by Tong to Set Up Bubble

Christian Zetzsche

Level 17

Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

John Racener was in the big blind and three-bet for Kristopher Tong to call. On the first draw, Racener discarded one versus two and had few chips behind before they got it in thereafter. Racener patted on the second draw while Tong took one and both then patted the final draw.

Tong revealed his 8x5x4x3x2x for an eight perfect and Racener briefly exposed what appeared to be an eight-six before heading out of the tournament area.

The field is now down to the last 16 players and on the money bubble. For each hand completed, two minutes will be deducted from the clock.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kristopher Tong	2,100,000 85,000	85,000

John Racener	Busted

Tags: John Racener Kristopher Tong

06-20-2023 21:33 UTC-8

Rotholz Chips Up Without Showdown

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 17

Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

Hal Rotholz raised on the button and Josh Arieh defended the big blind. Both discarded two and checked to the second draw on which Arieh took two and Rotholz one. Arieh bet for Rotholz to call and they discarded one each on the final draw.

Arieh bet and Rotholz tossed in a single chip for the call to win the pot, as Arieh tossed his cards into the muck.

The game variant then changed to No-Limit Hold'em and Rotholz opened to 50,000 from under the gun. Recent arrival Johannes Becker forfeited his big blind and was shown pocket kings.

Player	Chips	Progress
Josh Arieh	3,140,000 55,000	55,000

Hal Rotholz	2,950,000 420,000	420,000

Johannes Becker	725,000 135,000	135,000

Tags: Hal Rotholz Johannes Becker Josh Arieh

06-20-2023 21:37 UTC-8

Rast Runs Down Barbero, Barbero Left Short on the Bubble

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Jim Murray

Level 17

Razz

Brian Rast: XxXxXx/7♥Q♠5♣4♠
Nacho Barbero: XxXxXx/A♣10♥3♥K♠

Brian Rast completed and Nacho Barbero raised, with Rast calling.

Rast check-called bets on fourth and fifth street then bet out on sixth, inspiring Barbero to fling his cards across the table.

Babero is now in danger as the shortest stack on the money bubble.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian Rast	2,005,000 195,000	195,000

Nacho Barbero	325,000 510,000	510,000

Tags: Brian Rast Nacho Barbero

06-20-2023 21:41 UTC-8

Nacho Barbero Eliminated on the Bubble

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Mike Patrick

Level 17

Pot-Limit Omaha

After Talal Shakerchi raised to 60,000 in the hijack, Nacho Barbero three-bet potted it on the button to 225,000, leaving himself 100,000 behind. Action folded back to Shakerchi who re-raised and Barbero committed his final chips.

Nacho Barbero: A♦K♠Q♦10♣
Talal Shakerchi: 10♠9♣8♣4♦

The flop came 8♦5♦7♣, giving Shakerchi a pair of eights and a straight draw, while Barbero had the nut flush draw.

The turn 9♥ gave Shakerchi a second pair, and the river 4♣ sealed Barbero's fate, bringing him no help to send him to the rail on the bubble.

Player	Chips	Progress
Talal Shakerchi	3,085,000 535,000	535,000

Nacho Barbero	Busted

Tags: Nacho Barbero Talal Shakerchi

06-20-2023 21:55 UTC-8

Obst Involved in Two Back-to-Back Hands in the PLO Round

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Jim Murray

Level 17

Pot-Limit Omaha

In the first hand, Obst would be heads-up with Talal Shakerchi on a flop reading 3♠5♥Q♣. Talal bet 50,000 and Obst raised to 150,000, with Shakerchi calling.

The turn 2♠ went check-check, as well as, the river 9♣.

Obst tabled K♣Q♦6♠3♣ for two pair and Shakerchi only showed two, the A♥10♥, before mucking the other two face down.

The next hand saw Obst involved in a hand with Brian Rast, after Obst raised to 55,000 from middle position and Rast called from the big blind.

Rast check-called a bet of 45,000 on a K♥Q♦10♦ flop and both players would check the 5♠ turn and the 6♠ river.

Rast showed down A♣Q♣10♠2♥ for two pair and Obst mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Talal Shakerchi	3,100,000 15,000	15,000

James Obst	2,800,000 50,000	50,000

Brian Rast	2,450,000 445,000	445,000

Tags: Brian Rast James Obst Talal Shakerchi

06-20-2023 21:57 UTC-8

Hellmuth Tilted

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Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 17

Stud Hi-Lo

Phil Hellmuth: XxXx/4♣7♣6♠8♠/Xx
Marco Johnson: 7♦3♦/7♥6♦5♦8♦/Q♠

Picking up the action on fourth street, Phil Hellmuth was involved in a hand with Marco Johnson, who had just checked. Hellmuth bet and was called. That same betting pattern continued right through to the end of the hand with Hellmuth confidently announcing he had a straight. It was no good, however, as Johnson had the flush and superior low, causing Hellmuth to trot out one of his rants that fell on deaf ears.

Player	Chips	Progress
Phil Hellmuth	900,000 100,000	100,000

Marco Johnson	550,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Marco Johnson Phil Hellmuth

06-20-2023 22:00 UTC-8

Becker Leaps Out of the Danger Zone

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 17

No-Limit Hold'em

Josh Arieh won a showdown pot in the new game variant when he check-called a bet of 40,000 by Maxx Coleman on the 8♦5♠2♥ flop. They checked down the 3♣ turn and A♠ river for Arieh to claim the pot with the 6♣5♦.

Arieh then three-bet an open raise by Kristopher Tong to win the next pot before taking on Johannes Becker. The German check-called the 7♠4♥3♣ flop for 75,000 and the 6♠ turn was checked. Becker checked the J♦ river and Arieh asked to see his stack before betting 300,000.

Becker called for nearly half of his stack and was good with the A♠7♣, as Arieh only had the K♣7♥ for the inferior kicker.

Player	Chips	Progress
Josh Arieh	2,900,000 240,000	240,000

Kristopher Tong	2,050,000 50,000	50,000

Johannes Becker	1,220,000 495,000	495,000

Maxx Coleman	975,000 200,000	200,000

Tags: Johannes Becker Josh Arieh Kristopher Tong Maxx Coleman

06-20-2023 22:01 UTC-8

John Monnette Eliminated in 15th Place ($84,255)

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Mike Patrick

Level 17

Pot-Limit Omaha

John Monnette limped under the gun and got raised to 90,000 by Talal Shakerchi on the button. Monnette called to see a flop with 175,000 behind.

On the A♣3♣8♠ flop, Monnette moved his stack in and got called by Shakerchi.

John Monnette: Q♥10♣8♣6♥
Talal Shakerchi: Q♣J♣10♠9♣

Monnette had the best hand with a pair of eights, but his hand was fought with danger as his clubs were covered by Shakerchi who also had live overcards with his jack and nine.

The 7♣ on the turn ended any further drama, giving Shakerchi his flush, making the 4♦ on the river irrelevant and sending Monnette to the rail as the first post-bubble elimination.

Player	Chips	Progress
Talal Shakerchi	3,175,000 75,000	75,000

John Monnette	Busted

Tags: John Monnette Talal Shakerchi

06-20-2023 22:08 UTC-8

Redraw of the Final Two Tables

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 17

Below are the seat assignments of the final 14 players with approximately 45 minutes left in level 17.

Table	Seat	Player	Country	Chip Count
1	1	Josh Arieh	United States	3,195,000
1	2	Daniel Alaei	United States	3,605,000
1	3	Maxx Coleman	United States	920,000
1	4	Talal Shakerchi	United Kingdom	3,255,000
1	5	Hal Rotholz	United States	2,865,000
1	6	Matthew Ashton	United Kingdom	1,110,000
1	7	James Obst	Australia	2,885,000

2	1	Brian Rast	United States	2,375,000
2	2	Johannes Becker	Germany	1,125,000
2	3	Phil Hellmuth	United States	950,000
2	4	Phil Ivey	United States	3,650,000
2	5	Ray Dehkharghani	United States	1,100,000
2	6	Marco Johnson	United States	450,000
2	7	Kristopher Tong	United States	1,750,000

Player	Chips	Progress
Phil Ivey	3,650,000 450,000	450,000

Daniel Alaei	3,605,000 305,000	305,000

Talal Shakerchi	3,255,000 80,000	80,000

Josh Arieh	3,195,000 295,000	295,000

James Obst	2,885,000 85,000	85,000

Hal Rotholz	2,865,000 85,000	85,000

Brian Rast	2,375,000 75,000	75,000

Kristopher Tong	1,750,000 300,000	300,000

Johannes Becker	1,125,000 95,000	95,000

Matthew Ashton	1,110,000 440,000	440,000

Ray Dehkharghani	1,100,000 350,000	350,000

Phil Hellmuth	950,000 50,000	50,000

Maxx Coleman	920,000 55,000	55,000

Marco Johnson	450,000 100,000	100,000

06-20-2023 22:19 UTC-8

Ashton Doubles Through Arieh

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Jim Murray

Level 17

No-Limit Hold'em

Matthew Ashton raised to 45,000 from early position and was three-bet by Josh Arieh in late position to 155,000, with Ashton making the call.

Ashton check-called a bet of 80,000 on a 7♠9♥Q♣ flop and the two players took a J♣ turn. Ashton checked and after some deliberation, Arieh announced all-in, with Ashton snap-calling.

Matthew Ashton: 9♦9♠
Josh Arieh: A♦10♥

Arieh was behind the flopped set of Ashton and would need an eight or a ten to make a straight to win the hand. However, it was a blank on the river in the form of the 2♥ and Ashton got the full double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matthew Ashton	2,300,000 1,190,000	1,190,000

Josh Arieh	2,100,000 1,095,000	1,095,000

Tags: Josh Arieh Matthew Ashton