Event #62: $50,000 Poker Players Championship (6-Handed)
Day 3 Completed
Day 3 Completed
Live Highlights
One Former Champ Bubbles, Another Ranks Second After Day 3 of the PPC
The $50,000 Poker Players Championship hit moving day on Day 3, as the final 44 players took seats to begin the day and just 15 are now left. Those 15 are guaranteed at least $77,320 after the money bubble burst on an extended level deep into the night.
As the clock neared 3 a.m. local time, with hand-for-hand play having been going for about 45 minutes, Michael Mizrachi's final rally of the night fell short.
"The Grinder," a two-time PPC champion, danced with death a number of times throughout Day 3. For instance, in the middle of the penultimate level of the night, Mizrachi was one card from elimination in pot-limit Omaha. He had gotten it in with top pair against an open-ender and a pair, and Matthew Ashton turned a straight. However, that same card gave Mizrachi a set and he hit a boat on the river as he walked away, not realizing he was even drawing live.
Mizrachi doubled again in stud with 18 players left but found himself short again after Anthony Zinno and Mike Wattel soft bubbled. The key hand came up in razz, when Ashton wouldn't go away despite having some paint on board and ran down Mizrachi by making a better nine than Mizrachi's nine-eight.
Mizrachi found one double in PLO with a flopped boat all in preflop but then lost it all to Isaac Haxton in limit hold'em.
While one former champ found himself with a heartbreaking finish, another is looking like a strong threat to take another title. Ashton, who won this event in 2013, sits in second place with 3,220,000, just a hair behind Haxton (3,268,000). Ashton led this event after Day 1.
Rounding out the top five is Shaun Deeb (2,442,000), Paul Volpe (2,315,000) and Daniel Negreanu (2,223,000). Negreanu also found himself short a number of times but kept doubling or tripling up to survive.
The remaining players are scheduled to get back to the action at 2 p.m. Wednesday, and all of the coverage will once again be here on PokerNews.
Day 4 Table and Seating
| Room | Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 2 | 1 | Daniel Negreanu | Canada | 2,223,000 |
| Amazon | 2 | 2 | James Obst | Australia | 856,000 |
| Amazon | 2 | 3 | Elior Sion | United Kingdom | 2,033,000 |
| Amazon | 2 | 4 | Talal Shakerchi | United Kingdom | 828,000 |
| Amazon | 2 | 6 | Paul Volpe | United States | 2,315,000 |
| Amazon | 5 | 1 | Ian Johns | United States | 1,044,000 |
| Amazon | 5 | 2 | Mike Matusow | United States | 565,000 |
| Amazon | 5 | 4 | Ivo Donev | Austria | 1,900,000 |
| Amazon | 5 | 5 | Johannes Becker | Germany | 897,000 |
| Amazon | 5 | 6 | Shaun Deeb | United States | 2,442,000 |
| Amazon | 7 | 1 | Ralph Perry | United States | 508,000 |
| Amazon | 7 | 2 | Aaron Katz | United States | 1,484,000 |
| Amazon | 7 | 4 | Isaac Haxton | United States | 3,268,000 |
| Amazon | 7 | 5 | Matthew Ashton | United Kingdom | 3,220,000 |
| Amazon | 7 | 6 | Scott Seiver | United States | 1,428,000 |
End-of-Day Chip Counts
|
|
3,268,000 | 68,000 | ||
|
|
3,220,000 | 120,000 | ||
|
|
2,442,000 | 542,000 | ||
|
|
2,315,000 | -5,000 | ||
|
|
2,223,000 | 53,000 | ||
|
|
2,033,000 | -117,000 | ||
|
|
1,900,000 | 180,000 | ||
|
|
1,484,000 | 184,000 | ||
|
|
1,428,000 | -172,000 | ||
|
|
1,044,000 | -46,000 | ||
|
|
897,000 | -223,000 | ||
|
|
856,000 | -184,000 | ||
|
|
828,000 | -232,000 | ||
|
|
565,000 | -115,000 | ||
|
|
508,000 | -57,000 |
Michael Mizrachi Eliminated on the Bubble
Limit Hold'em
Just before hand-for-hand play began, Michael Mizrachi joked he was due for a bubble in this event after having won it twice. That's exactly what happened after things went downhill for him in limit hold'em.
First, Mizrachi check-called down from the big blind against Isaac Haxton on a board of 
. Facing a river bet for his remaining chips, Mizrachi opted to fold and preserve for one last gasp.
His last 55,000 went in from the small blind next hand. Haxton snap-called with 
, and Mizrachi helplessly tabled 
. While the two waited for action at the other tables, they discussed the previous hand.
"I had ace-queen with the ace of diamonds," Haxton said.
"I had a pair of eights with a diamond," Mizrachi said.
"Big fold," Haxton said.
It was time to deal the board, and it ran out 
, ending Mizrachi's run on the bubble and prompting the rest of the tables to bag up.
|
|
Busted |
Katz Pays Haxton in Big Pot
Pot-Limit Omaha
Just before Michael Mizrachi doubled, Aaron Katz opened for 40,000 and Isaac Haxton called on the button. Both checked the 
flop, and Katz bet 105,000 on the turn. Haxton called. The river was a 
. Katz checked and Haxton took some thinking time before potting it. It was 320,000, and Katz called without much delay.
"Ten-high flush," Haxton said, tossing 
into the middle.
Katz said he had ace-queen with hearts.
|
|
|
3,200,000 | 670,000 | ||
|
|
|
1,300,000 | -560,000 |
Negreanu Crosses Two Million
Limit Hold'em
Paul Volpe raised from the cutoff, Daniel Negreanu three-bet from the button, Volpe four-bet, and Negreanu called.
The flop came down 
and Volpe bet. Negreanu called, the turn fell, and Volpe bet. Negreanu called, the 
river fell, and Volpe bet.
"I played this like such a little girl," said Negreanu, as he called.
"You probably win then," said Volpe, as he showed 
.
Negreanu tabled for kings and nines to win the pot.
|
|
|
2,320,000 | -380,000 | ||
|
|
|
2,170,000 | 410,000 |
Negreanu Chipping Up
Limit Hold'em
Elior Sion raised from the cutoff, Daniel Negreanu three-bet from the small blind, and Sion called.
The flop came down 
, Negreanu bet, Sion called, and the turn fell. Negreanu bet again and Sion folded.
|
|
|
2,150,000 | -150,000 | ||
|
|
|
1,760,000 | 420,000 |
Mizrachi Doubles Yet Again
Pot-Limit Omaha
Michael Mizrachi potted for 70,000 and called off his last 48,000 when Scott Seiver repotted.
Seiver: 
Mizrachi: 
"I've got the best hand," Mizrachi told his rail.
The railbirds began calling for a jack, and improbably, the last jack did fall: 
, giving Mizrachi a full house and a double as and 
completed the board.
|
|
|
1,600,000 | -200,000 | ||
|
|
|
456,000 | 311,000 |
Big Pot Goes the Way of Johns
Limit Hold'em
Mike Matusow opened and was three-bet by Johannes Becker on the button. Action folded to Ian Johns who four-bet from the big blind.
Mike Matusow stood up. "Are you [email protected]#$ing kidding me?" he asked no one in particular. Eventually, he decided to fold and later told the table he was holding pocket nines.
Becker called though.
The flop came down and Johns led out. Becker called. On the 
turn, Johns led out once more. This time Becker let his hand go and Johns took in the big pot.
"That's the biggest fold I've made this whole tournament," Matusow said after the hand.
"I had you crushed," Johns responded. "I'm just glad he folded."
|
|
|
1,120,000 | -340,000 | ||
|
|
|
1,090,000 | 140,000 |