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It’s been a roller coaster ride for our Indian challengers who are currently busy in Las Vegas, pitting their best strategies in the 2018 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
And just as Team India’s Raghav Bansal (21st) and Yudhishter Jaswal (77th) finished their runs in Event #39: $1,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em Shootout – both picking up $5,227 (₹3.54 Lakhs) each, Delhi-based high stakes pro Naman Madan (cover image) entered Event #42: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed High Roller. With a stack of 272,500, Madan has progressed to Day 2 of the event, and is placed 33rd in chips among 101 survivors.
While Madan is a known poker pro in domestic circles and prefers to play high-roller tournaments, he is yet to open his scorecard at the WSOP, a fact that may as well change this summer!
In other events, Event #34: $1,000 Double Stack No Limit Hold ‘em has narrowed down to the top three finalists – Robert Peacock (38,200,000), Nicholas Salimbene (10,400,000) and Joshua Turner (8,400,000) who will continue play on the final Day 5.
Meanwhile, only the heads-up battle between Eric Baldwin andIan Steinman remains in Event #37: $1,500 No Limit Hold ‘em, and Event #39: $1,500 No Limit Hold ‘em is also nearing completion with play down to the ten-handed final table led by Anthony Reategui (672,500).
Event #40: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet has narrowed down to the final five players, and Scott Bohlman (1,556,000) is in strong contention for the title, with a huge chip lead.
The excitement has just begun in Event #42: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed High Roller, that ended its inaugural run. With 192 players entering the field, and only 101 remaining, some very big names from the international poker circuit are in the fray, Indian pro, Madan being one of them.
Yet another event has halted right at a stage where only three top finalists remain in the field! Event #34: $1,000 Double Stack No-Limit Hold ‘em that attracted 5,700 entries and ran through four consecutive days with two starting flights is now one step away from crowning a champion, with Robert Peacock in firm grip of the chip lead, holding a stack of 38,200,000.
Nicholas Salimbene (10,400,000) and Joshua Turner (8,400,000) are the other two contenders for the bracelet with all of them guaranteed at least $294,760 but all of them will be eyeing the top prize of $644,224.
On Day 4, 20 players returned to the felts and notables to drop out through the course of the day include Keith Ferrera (11th for $44,407), Matt Stout (12th for $44,407) and Ramin Hajiyev (15th for $34,929).
At the unofficial final table of ten, Tomas Teran Paredes (10th for $44,407) was eliminated. At the official final table, Takao Shimizu (9th for $56,891), Pfizzer Jordan (8th for $73,446), James Ostrowski (7th for $95,538),Daniel Eichhorn (6th for $125,215), Ralph Wong (5th for $165,342) and Jacky Wong (4th for $219,952) were subsequently eliminated.
1. Robert Peacock – 38,200,000
2. Nicholas Salimbene – 10,400,000
3. Joshua Turner – 8,400,000
From a field of 1,330 players who engaged in battle over three consecutive days where many poker stalwarts were eliminated, Event #37: $1,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em has played down to its final two contenders who will be resuming the play to decide the winner of the coveted gold bracelet.
Eric Baldwin who holds 7,550,000 and Ian Steinman with a stack of 2,200,000 are the heads-up combatants and looking at how the two played it in the final levels of Day 3, it’s clear that each will rage a tough fight to the finish line!
The event also saw Team India’s veteran player Aditya Agarwal making a deep run in the tournament. After bagging for Day 1, Agarwal returned to Day 2 with a stack of 71,800 and moved up to increase it to 113,000, even taking it to 200,000 when only 92 players were left. He eventually finished in 45th place for $6,482 (~₹4.41 Lakhs).
On Day 3 play began with 20 players but eliminations ensued at a steady pace thereafter and Gene Harrill (20th for $9,513) was the first player to bust out. Among the notables who followed him were, Aaron Massey (4th for $101,819), Stephen Song (7th for $41,257), Geoffrey Lavinson (11th for $18,694) and JC Tran (12th for $18,694).
1. Eric Baldwin – 7,550,000
2. Ian Steinman – 2,200,000
Continuing well over ten hours, the second round of 2018 WSOP Event #39: $1,500 No-Limit Hold ‘em Shootout concluded, leaving only ten players who will return to a single table now, for a first place finish that comes with a gold bracelet and $236,498 in prize money. Anthony Reategui is holding the chip lead with 672,500.
Two Indian players, Raghav Bansal and Yudhishter Jaswal who had made it to Round 2 ended their runs. Bansal finished in 21st place and Jaswal exited in 77th place. Both players cashed $5,227 (₹3.54 Lakhs).
Endrit Geci holds the second biggest stack and made it through, with 663,500 in chips. Other players who will be seen in the final round are, Young Phan, Dylan Linde, Royce Matheson, Corey Dodd, Jesse Kertland, Bas deLaat, Preston Lee and Alexander Lakhov.
Final Table Chips Counts
1. Anthony Reategui – 672,500
2. Young Phan – 670,000
3. Dylan Linde – 668,000
4. Royce Matheson – 668,000
5. Corey Dodd – 664,500
6. Endrit Geci – 663,500
7. Jesse Kertland – 662,500
8. Bas de Laat – 661,000
9. Preston Lee – 656,000
10. Alexander Lakhov – 654,000
It’s been an eventful run for Scott Bohlman who takes the top slot on the chip counts in Event #40: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet with a stack of 1,556,000 after he fought his way through many challenging hands and strategically won crucial pots. And as Bohlman leads the remaining five players into the finale of the event, he has more than a bright chance to stake claim to the gold bracelet, with a big margin in chips between himself and Ryan Hughes (345,500).
The event attracted a total of 205 entries building a prize pool of $461,250. Two-time bracelet winner Ryan Hughes (345,500), WSOP Circuit ring winner Daniel Weinman (292,800), Aaron Rogers (261,800) and bracelet winner Marcel Vonk (100,000) are among the other finalists who will be seen in action on Day 3.
Final Table Chip Counts
1. Scott Bohlman – 1,556,000
2. Ryan Hughes – 345,500
3. Daniel Weinman – 292,800
4. Aaron Rogers – 261,800
5. Marcel Vonk – 100,000
Event #42: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed High Roller is now onto its Day 2, and one Indian high roller pro, Naman Madan is building a huge sweat! Madan holds a stack of 272,500 and is currently 33rd in chip counts among 101 survivors.
Two-time bracelet winner Nipun Java got to satellite his way into the event but unfortunately, his name was missing in the end of day chip counts list.
A total of 192 players entered the event and after 10 levels of play, 101 have bagged their chips for Day 2. Konstantin Beylin is leading in chips with 617,500, followed by Veselin Karakitukov (549,500), Daniel Negreanu (532,000) and Aaron Katz (525,000).
There are many notable names with sizeable stacks and the list includes George Wolff (504,500), David Len Ashby (498,500), Fraser MacIntyre (482,000), Craig Varnell (479,500), Robert Mizrachi (453,000), Jason Koon (325,000), Brian Rast (317,500), Phil Galfond (288,500), Paul Volpe (258,500) and Mike Gorodinsky (234,000).
With a prize pool of $4,560,000 built over the field, the tournament is warming up to some mouth-watering payouts.
1. Konstantin Beylin – 617,500
2. Veselin Karakitukov – 549,500
3. Daniel Negreanu – 532,000
4. Aaron Katz – 525,000
5. George Wolff – 504,500
6. David Len Ashby – 498,500
7. Bogdan Capitan – 496,000
8. Fraser MacIntyre – 482,000
9. Craig Varnell – 479,500
10. Chance Kornuth – 473,500
Content & image courtesy WSOP.com
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