Alexander Greenblatt opened with a raise to 175,000 from under the gun. Action folded around to David Guay who reraised, making it 480,000 from the hijack seat. Action folded back to Greenblatt and he just flatted, bringing the two players to a flop.
On the flop, Greenblatt checked over to Guay who put out a bet of 350,000. Greenblatt called.
The turn was the and Greenblatt checked once more. Guay fired again, this time for 975,000. Greenblatt called after thinking for about a minute. On the river, Greenblatt checked for a third time. Guay thought for a while, then decided to check back.
Greenblatt turned up for a pair of jacks, but Guay was holding for a better pair, and he was able to take down the big pot.
With the player in the big blind absent, Michael Sklenicka limped from late position and Kevin Calenzo completed in the small blind. They saw a flop of and Calenzo checked. Sklenicka bet 175,000 and Calenzo moved all in for his remaining 980,000. Sklenicka quickly called and cards were revealed.
Calenzo:
Sklenicka:
Sklenicka's pair of queens was ahead, but Calenzo had a double-gutshot-straight draw. He needed a seven or a jack to keep his Main Event run alive. The turn was the and the came on the river. Calenzo was eliminated and the cameras followed him as he made his way to the payout desk early here on Day 6.
Kfir Nahum opened for a raise to 200,000 in middle position and got three-bet to 490,000 by Paul Dhaliwal. Nahum shoved all in and Dhaliwal quickly called.
Jesus Blanco raised to 175,000 from under the gun and picked up two callers including Paul Senat from one seat over and Mike Linster in the big blind. The flop fell and the action checked to Senat, won won the pot with a bet of 180,000.
Senat raised to 200,000 from under the gun to win the blinds and antes the next hand.
Dan Ott made it 180,000 to go and Senat defended his big blind. On a flop of , Senat checked and Ott bet 90,000. Senat check-raised to 275,000 and won the pot.
The action was folded around to Mario Vojvoda in the cutoff who shoved all in for his remaining 640,000. Christian Pham looked down at his cards in the big blind and quickly called.
Vojvoda tabled and Pham had him in trouble with . The board ran out and Vojvoda was eliminated early on in Day 6.
Action folded to Chris Wallace on the button and he decided to limp in. The small blind folded and Richard Robinson checked his option in the big blind.
The flop came . Robinson checked, Wallace bet 105,000, and Robinson called.
The turn was the and both players checked to the on the river. Robinson paused for a moment and then decided to bet 250,000. Wallace quickly called.
Robinson tabled for nine high, and Wallace revealed to scoop the pot.
On the first hand of the day, John Hesp raised to 160,000 from under the gun. It folded around to Kfir Nahum, and he quickly bumped it up to 450,000. Hesp called when it folded back around to him, and they went heads up to a flop of . Both players quickly checked, and the hit the turn. Another check from Hesp saw Nahum bet 500,000. Hesp rechecked his hole cards before sending them in, and Nahum showed for a turned set.
Just 85 players remain in the 2017 World Series of Poker Main Event, out of a field of 7,221. All are guaranteed $72,514 at this stage, with the next pay jump at 81 ($85,482). When players return at 11 a.m., the first level on the schedule is Level 28 (40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante).
The goal is to play 5.5 levels and finish half way trough Level 32. There's a hard stop at 18 players. If the tournament reaches the point where just 27 players remain before the end of Level 31, play continues until one hour remains in Level 32. If that point is reached in Level 32, play will halt for the day. There's a full redraw at 27 players remaining.
Levels are once again 120 minutes each with a 20-minute break after each level. The dinner break is scheduled after the third level of the day, around 5:40, and is 90 minutes long.
Level
Duration
Small Blind
Big Blind
Ante
27
120 minutes
40,000
80,000
10,000
20-minute break (around 1 p.m.)
28
120 minutes
50,000
100,000
15,000
20-minute break (around 3:20 p.m.)
29
120 minutes
60,000
120,000
20,000
90-minute break (around 5:40 p.m.)
30
120 minutes
80,000
160,000
20,000
20-minute break (around 9:10 p.m.)
31
120 minutes
100,000
200,000
30,000
20-minute break (around 11:30 p.m.)
32
120 minutes
120,000
240,000
40,000
Germany’s Robin Hegele leads the remaining field with 9,990,000 chips, followed by Joshua Horton (9,360,000) and England’s Max Silver (8,665,000). Silver, who won his first WSOP bracelet this year, has more than $3.5 million in tournament winnings and finished 33rd in the Main Event last year for $216,211. Hegele has a bit over $48,000 in tournament winnings mostly in European tournaments. This will certainly be the biggest score of his career. Horton, of Rainsville, Ala., also has limited tournament experience, with a lone third-place finish in a WSOP-Circuit event in April for $146,245.
Some other notables remaining include: Zhu Zhou (7,345,000), Scott Stewart (7,270,000), Scott Blumstein (6,845,000), Connor Drinan (3,360,000), Christian Pham (2,080,000), Chris Wallace (2,675,000), Dario Sammartino (2,585,000), Marcel Luske (2,290,000), Jonathan Dwek (1,910,000), and Ian Johns (1,085,000).
While not among the top 10 chip leaders, a second-straight final table may still be in the cards for Ruane (3,450,000) and Hallaert (4,370,000). In 2016, Ruane finished fourth for $2,576,003 and Hallaert took sixth for $1,464,258. Two other November Niners also remain: Antoine Saout (8,260,9000) and Ben Lamb (4,725,000). Saout made the final table in 2009 and Lamb in 2011.
Another player who drew some interest throughout the day was 64-year-old John Hesp, not only for his colorful attire but also for making a deep run with little experience. The retired English business owner is playing in his first-ever WSOP and says he has never even played a big tournament. The grandfather of seven is living a dream to play in the Main Event and his experience keeps getting better and better. His massive run continued on Saturday and he’s now made Day 6 with a bit over 4 million chips. PokerNews spoke with Hesp earlier on Saturday about his experience.
The eventual champion wins the gold bracelet and $8.15 million. ESPN2 will have the action from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and PokerGO picking up the stream at 3 p.m. till 6:15, and from 7:45 till midnight.