2024 WSOP Daily Recap: India’s Hopes of a Main Event Champion Fade With Kavin Shah & Tarun Goyal’s Day 5 Exit

Day 45 of the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas delivered a poker spectacle filled with bad beats, burgeoning fields, many captivating storylines and poker legends in action. The only thing missing from the day’s high-octane drama was a bracelet ceremony.

The spotlight remained on Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship, where the bustling field was whittled down to 160 contenders. Armed with a commanding chip stack of 12.31 Million (154 BBs), Stephen Song emerged as the frontrunner in this high-stakes race for poker’s most coveted title and the life-changing $10 million prize.

For the Indian contingent, Day 5 of the Main Event brought heartbreak. Kavin Shah finished in 191st place for a respectable $60,000 (~₹50.11 Lakhs) – his third-best live tournament score. Tarun Goyal, making his Main Event debut, also made a name for himself, finishing in 347th place and taking home $45,000 (~₹37.59 Lakhs).

The Indian brigade faced similar challenges on Day 2 of Event #86: $1,000 Mystery Bounty PLO with all remaining players falling out but not without notable cash finishes by Abhishek Goindi (63rd for $4,860 ~ ₹4.06 Lakhs), Srinivas Balasubramanian (294th for $1,640 ~ ₹1.37 Lakhs), and Kunal Punjwani (372nd for $1,640 ~ ₹1.25 Lakhs), all adding to India`s record-breaking WSOP tally this year.

The WSOP dream may have ended in some events, but the Indian poker spirit remains unyielding. Ankit Ahuja, the two-time GPI Player of the Year (India), expertly navigated to Day 2 of Event #89: $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship, bagging a healthy 166,000 chips (66 BBs). Aditya S (153,000) and WSOP bracelet winner Abhinav Iyer (127,500) also advanced to Day 2, ready to continue their quest for WSOP glory.

In an unexpected twist, WSOP bracelet winner Aditya Sushant made a surprising entry into Event #91: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. (8-Handed). He successfully advanced to Day 2, albeit with the second-shortest stack, ready to tackle the multi-format challenges ahead.

Day 45: What Happened?

Day 5 of Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship turned the Horseshoe Events Centre into a battleground of poker titans. The day turned out to be one of the most tumultuous yet as the field shrunk from 464 hopefuls to a mere 160 contenders, all vying for the life-changing $10 Million top prize and the prestigious World Championship bracelet. The day was a whirlwind of dramatic all-ins, soaring chip stacks, and heartbreaking eliminations.

Stephen Song, a WSOP bracelet winner with a proven track record of deep runs, emerged as the day-end chip leader with a commanding 12.31 Million chips (154 BBs) and looks on track to top his previous best 83rd-place finish in the 2021 WSOP Main Event.

Close on his heels are the Portuguese duo Carlos Caldas (12.11 Million – 151 BBs) and Diogo Coelho (9.95 Million – 124 BBs), both poised to make a serious run for the title. Caldas, who is already assured his biggest live cash in this tournament, is riding a wave of momentum. Coelho, a seasoned high roller on the EPT circuit, is looking to translate his success to the WSOP stage.

The standings remain tightly contested, with the top ten rounded out by players like Yegor Moroz (9.47 Million), Manuel Machado (8.83 Million), Kevin Davis (8.675 Million), Charles Russell (8 Million), and Laurent Manderlier (7.50 Million).

Meanwhile, online poker legend Niklas “Lena900” Astedt defied the odds, starting the day with a mere 385,000 chips and ending with a monstrous 7.90 Million, positioning himself strongly among the top stacks.

One of the day’s most breathtaking moments came when Cameron Mixson, representing the Lodge Poker Card Club, found himself in a poker dream scenario: holding pocket aces against both pocket kings and pocket queens in a massive three-way all-in. This pivotal hand catapulted Mixson up the leaderboard, ending the day with a staggering 4.015 Million chips.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard that both of them went all-in,” Mixson exclaimed to reporters, still buzzing from the adrenaline rush. “It was just an incredible moment in the tournament right there,” he added, beaming with excitement, declaring it the favourite spot he’s ever been in during his poker career.

Other notable contenders still gunning to become the 2024 World Champion include Alex Keating (6.95 Million), Poker Hall of Famer Brian Rast (6.325 Million), Ren Lin (5.66 Million), Tony Dunst (3.19 Million), Danny Tang (2.78 Million), Aleksejs Ponakovs (1.32 Million).

Women continue to shine at the 2024 WSOP, with four exceptional players remaining in contention: Kristen Foxen (5.40 Million), Ma Li (4.05 Million), Shundan Xiao (3.205 Million), and Danielle Andersen (1.725 Million). Their impressive performances are a testament to the growing strength and diversity of the female poker community. Notably, no woman has reached the WSOP Main Event final table since Barbara Enright (5th) in 1995, making this year’s performance particularly significant as each aims to make a deep run reminiscent of Gaelle Baumann‘s impressive tenth place in the 21st century.

Day 5 also marked the end of the road for India’s remaining contenders, Kavin Shah and Tarun Goyal.

Kavin Shah, a prominent high-stakes cash game regular, started Day 5 with a solid stack of 554,000 chips (69 BBs). Despite his fluctuating fortunes throughout the day, Shah ultimately met a disappointing end in 191st place, earning $60,000 (~₹50.11 Lakhs). This marks his second-best WSOP performance, following a commendable seventh place in Event #44: $2K NLHE earlier in the series.

Shah’s summer in Vegas has been nothing short of spectacular. On June 24, Shah also triumphed in the 2024 ARIA High Roller Series Event #3: $10,100 Pot-Limit Omaha, where he snagged a career-best $168,300 (~₹1.41 Crores). The Main Event cash marks his third top live score and his second WSOP Main Event cash since 2017.

Shah’s day was filled with intense moments and calculated risks. Before the dinner break, during Level 23, he faced a critical decision against Robert Tryon. On a flop, after a check from Tryon who held , Shah, with , opted to check back. The turn saw Tryon bet 180K, which Shah called. The river gave Tryon a full house and his 1.36 Million bet, effectively putting Shah at risk. After careful consideration, Shah made the difficult but ultimately correct fold, saving his tournament life.

In Level 24, Shah continued navigating the Main Event’s treacherous waters, winning several key pots to build his stack. In one instance, opening 100K (2x) from UTG with , he saw calls from Kristen Foxen and Hai Pham. The flop gave Shah the top pair, leading him to bet 130K after Pham’s check, which Pham called after Foxen folded. The turn led to another check from Pham, followed by a 275K bet from Shah, which got a prompt fold from Pham.

Notably, he won another massive pot against Robert Tryon. Tryon, holding , raised to 100K from the cutoff. Shah, in the small blind with , three-bet to 325K. Tryon called, and the flop came . Both players checked through to the turn, where Tryon bet 175K. Shah called, bringing them to the river. Shah hit trips and checked, prompting Tryon to go all-in. After a pause, Shah asked, “Are you bluffing?” before making the call. Tryon, bested by Shah’s trip eights, complimented, “Good hand,” and mucked his cards, giving Shah a massive pot and boosting his stack to 3.73 Million.

However, Shah’s run ended dramatically in a cruel twist of fate against Kyosuke Nagami. With over a million in the pot and the board open , Nagami check-called Shah’s 540K bet. The on the river gave Nagami a nut flush with . Nagami shoved all-in for approximately 2 Million, covering Shah’s remaining stack. Shah, holding for a set, hesitated and asked, “Set no good?” but Nagami remained silent. After deliberating, Shah called, only to be met with the devastating news of his elimination.

Despite the heartbreaking exit, Shah’s WSOP Main Event performance was nothing short of impressive. This marked his third cash in the series, bringing his total earnings to $134,403 (~₹1.12 Crores). Combined with his earlier victory in the 2024 ARIA High Roller Series Event #3: $10,100 Pot-Limit Omaha, where he took home a career-best $168,300 (~₹1.41 Crores), Shah’s summer has been one for the books. His overall live earnings for the summer now stand at an impressive $306,460 (~₹2.56 Crores), and his lifetime tournament winnings have climbed to $479,987, solidifying his position as #22 on India’s all-time money list.

Tarun Goyal, the only other Indian to make Day 5 with 740,000 chips (93 BBs), was eliminated in 347th place, earning $45,000 (~₹37.58 Lakhs). This marked his second-best career score and his first-ever Main Event cash, making for a memorable, albeit brief, WSOP outing this summer.

Two other Indian players, Santhosh Suvarna (607th for $30,000) and Siddarth Singhvi (1,388th for $15,000), cashed in the Main Event but were eliminated on Day 4. Suvarna’s impressive run added $30,000 (~₹25.06 Lakhs) to his already staggering series earnings of $6,055,453 (~₹50.58 Crores) from five cashes, pushing him to 14th in the WSOP Player of the Year race. Singhvi, on the other hand, celebrated his first-ever live WSOP score in his debut appearance.

The poker world watched with bated breath as four-time WSOP bracelet winner Adrian Mateos, who started Day 5 second in chips, experienced the unpredictable highs and lows of tournament poker.

Early in the day, Mateos showed off his exceptional reading skills with a legendary fold. Facing a four-bet pot with against Will Berry’s , Mateos cautiously called a 425,000 bet on a flop . When Berry fired another 1.30 Million on the turn, Mateos took a deep breath and laid down his kings, a decision that sent shockwaves through the poker community.

Poker enthusiasts and experts alike hailed Mateos’s fold as a masterclass in game theory and emotional control. Joey Ingram dubbed it a “god mode fold,” while Scott Seiver tweeted, “On the one hand, none of us are good enough to truly know who amongst the best is the best NL players in these things, but on the other hand it’s just obviously Mateos no questions asked.”

All in against ACES!

The action continues on Day 5 of the @WSOP Main Event.

📺: https://t.co/nGgEBVjzC9 pic.twitter.com/GiZ3x7XLH4

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) July 11, 2024

However, Mateos’s fortune took a dramatic turn later in the day. Holding , he four-bet to 750,000 after Garcia’s three-bet with . Garcia moved all in for 2.925 Million, and Mateos quickly called, confident in his pocket rockets. But the poker gods had other plans. Despite a non-threatening flop, Garcia hit a runner-runner flush on the turn and river, decimating Mateos’s stack. Shortly after this devastating blow, Mateos was eliminated in 317th place, earning $45,000 for his valiant effort.

All in against ACES!

The action continues on Day 5 of the @WSOP Main Event.

📺: https://t.co/nGgEBVjzC9 pic.twitter.com/GiZ3x7XLH4

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) July 11, 2024

Reflecting on his exit, Mateos remained philosophical: “During all the days, all my reads were on point. I feel like I probably played my best tournament ever. But that’s poker. Two hands: kings against aces and aces against ace-king, and the dream is over. The only thing is to stay focused on the next tournament and try to play my best. That’s the only thing I can control, and that’s my plan.”

Canadian poker pro Alex Livingston suffered a gut-wrenching exit when his Broadway straight was tragically outdone by a rivered full house. His departure in 295th place for $45,000 underscored the unpredictability that defines the Main Event.

In a shocking storyline, Adam Rude’s journey through the Main Event took a terrifying turn when his defibrillator unexpectedly triggered in the shower after Day 4, simulating a heart attack. Rushed to the hospital and treated as if he had suffered a cardiac event, Rude’s determination to continue playing remained unshaken. Driven by the dream of winning the $10 Million grand prize for his two sons, he returned to the tournament on Day 5 despite facing criticism from some fellow players concerned for his health.

“One guy is a little outspoken that I shouldn’t be here,” Rude shared, but his resolve was unwavering. A swift medical response had stabilized his condition with strong medications, and Rude, who had experienced a similar health scare in 2014 due to a virus, remained sceptical of the initial heart attack diagnosis.

Rude’s return to the tables was short-lived, however. He started Day 5 with under 20 big blinds and despite an early double-up with pocket aces, his run ended in 194th place, earning him a $60,000 consolation prize. Although his dream of winning the Main Event for his sons may have been dashed, Rude’s courage and determination in the face of adversity serve as an inspiration to all.

Day 5 also saw the exit of several other notable poker figures. Big names like Jonathan Little (316th for $45,000), Phil Ivey (340th for $45,000), and Bin Weng (346th for $45,000) all departed, adding to the star-studded rail of eliminated players.

Alejandro Lococo, a PokerStars ambassador known for his previous deep runs, also bowed out in 316th place for $45,000. However, he remained optimistic about his performance, stating, “I played better than before. I’m happy because I know this was the best Main Event in my life.”

Other notable players who exited on Day 5 included Boris Kolev (218th for $60,000), David Prociak (225th for $50,000), James Calderaro (233rd for $50,000), Matthew Lambrecht (238th for $50,000), Ami Barer (239th for $50,000), Kevin MacPhee (248th for $50,000), Martin Finger (250th for $50,000), Diogo Veiga (261st for $50,000), John Reading (265th for $50,000), Ben Collins (266th for $50,000), Christopher Vitch (268th for $50,000), Nacho Barbero (301st for $45,000), Parker Talbot (308th for $45,000), Jans Arends (384th for $40,000), Anson Tsang (404th for $40,000), Adam Friedman (416th for $37,500), and Maria Ho (445th for $37,500).

The Day 5 feature table live stream is available for replay on PokerGO, and an hour-long preview can be watched below.

Day 2 of Event #86: $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha was a wild ride, packed with massive pots, dramatic bounty draws, and a star-studded field battling it out for a share of the colossal $3,616,800 prize pool.

The day began with 463 hopefuls, each dreaming of capturing the coveted gold bracelet and the $282,290 first-place prize. The day was packed with excitement as players opened mystery bounties ranging from $1,000 to a jaw-dropping $100,000.

As the dust settled, the field was whittled down to a final ten players, all advancing to the Day 3 finale and locking in a minimum prize of $20,820. Leading the pack is Germany’s Sascha Wilhelm, armed with a commanding chip stack of 36.25 Million (73 BBs).

But he’s not alone at the top. Bryce Yockey, the American poker pro who’s already had a stellar summer at the WSOP with a bracelet win in Event #8: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha and a second-place finish in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship, is hot on Wilhelm’s heels with 33.95 Million chips. A victory or even a top-three finish in this event would propel Yockey’s career live tournament earnings past a jaw-dropping $6 Million.

The remaining eight players, including Adam Adams (25.625 Million), Brandon Caputo (16.625 Million), Amit Benyacov (15.85 Million), James Cavanaugh (15.70 Million), Oshri Lahmani (12.25 Million), Daisuke Ogita (10.675 Million), Robert Cowen (2.975 Million), and Juan Lapido (1.575 Million), are all seasoned competitors with the skills and experience to potentially steal the show.

Indian poker players also made their presence felt on Day 2, with three players landing in the money. PokerBaazi Team Pro Abhishek Goindi, starting the day with 307,000 chips, skillfully maneuvered through the early levels, building his stack to 1.10 Million by Level 23. However, his run came to an end in Level 26 when his couldn’t hold up against Julian Velador’s flopped full house with on the board. Goindi exited in 63rd place, earning $4,860 (~₹4.06 Lakhs), marking his fourth cash of the series (three live and two online) and bringing his series total to $13,069 (~₹10.91 Lakhs).

Srinivas Balasubramanian and Kunal Punjwani also made their mark, finishing in 294th place ($1,640; ~₹1.37 Lakhs) and 372nd place ($1,500; ~₹1.25 Lakhs) respectively.

The Mystery Bounty format added an extra layer of excitement to Day 2, with players eagerly anticipating the bounties they would uncover. While every player was guaranteed a minimum cash of $1,390, the real prize was the chance to snag one of the elusive $100,000 bounties. Emmanuel Poznanski (334th for $1,500) and Weimin Hou (209th for $2,030) were the lucky recipients of these top bounties early in the day, but unfortunately, neither player could parlay their windfall into a deep run.

Day 2 also saw the departure of several notable players, including Matt Glantz (434th for $1,390), Pedro Neves (427th for $1,390), Dash Dudley (409th for $1,390), three-time bracelet winner Ryan Leng (336th for $1,500), Jeff Madsen (330th for $1,500), Leo Margets ($240th for $1,810), Toby Lewis (218th for $2,030), four-time bracelet winner Chance Kornuth (174th for $2,290), and 2013 Main Event champion Ryan Riess (105th for $2,610).

The penultimate day of Event #88: $10,000 Eight-Game Mixed Championship concluded with a flourish, leaving 22 players in contention for the bracelet. Adam Friedman emerged as the day-end chip leader, boasting a dominant stack of 1.098 Million chips (27 BBs). Tom Koral and Gus Hansen trail closely behind with 1.055 Million and 948,000 chips, respectively, forming a formidable trio vying for the coveted title.

The late registration period injected a surge of adrenaline into the tournament, with 20 additional players jumping into the fray. This brought the total number of entrants to 189, resulting in a massive $1,757,700 prize pool. While most of the late entries were swiftly eliminated, Friedman defied the odds, capitalizing on his Day 2 entry to accumulate the largest stack by nightfall. Chris Brewer, another latecomer, managed to bag a respectable 486,000 chips.

The path to the money bubble was a nail-biting affair, lasting more than two and a half hours and involving more than 40 hands. Players experienced the exhilarating highs of doubling up and the crushing lows of elimination as the tension mounted with each passing hand.

Notable players who fell short of the money included poker legends Daniel Negreanu, Robert Mizrachi, Stephen Chidwick, Josh Arieh, Phil Hellmuth, Patrick Leonard, Daniel Weinman, Scott Seiver, Jared Bleznick, and Jerry Wong, adding to the drama and excitement of the day.

A controversial hand involving Ali Eslami and Chris Fraser sparked debate among players and spectators alike. Fraser, automatically all-in from the big blind, received a walk, raising questions about the fairness of the situation. However, the controversy was soon overshadowed by the dramatic bubble burst, as Viktor Blom, the online poker sensation, was eliminated by Gus Hansen in a hand of Limit Hold’em. Hansen’s perfectly timed two-outer sent Blom to the rail, solidifying his fate as the official bubble boy.

With the bubble finally burst, the remaining 29 players breathed a sigh of relief, each locking in at least $20,214. But the true prize, the WSOP bracelet and a life-changing $413,446, still awaits the victor.

The final level of the night witnessed a flurry of eliminations, including Ryan Miller (23rd for $22,643), Brandon Shack-Harris (24th for $20,214), Jonathan Cohen (25th for $20,214), Alex Difelice (26th for $20,214), Ben Yu (27th for $20,214), start-of-day chip leader Jordan Siegel (28th for $20,214) and Chris Fraser (29th for $20,214). Their departure paved the way for the final 22 players to return for the final day, where they will battle it out for poker immortality and a place in WSOP history.

The inaugural Event #89: $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship kicked off with a bang, drawing a massive field of 1,161 eager contenders. Day 1A witnessed a thrilling battle of poker wits as players navigated ten gruelling 60-minute levels, vying for a coveted WSOP title and a share of the ever-growing prize pool, with only 317 players surviving the day`s onslaught.

Canada’s Jonathan Newman emerged as the Day 1A frontrunner, amassing a formidable stack of 573,500 chips (229 BBs). Still seeking his first cash in this series, this rising star entered the tournament on a high note, fresh off a fifth-place finish in a $1,600 Wynn Las Vegas tournament that netted him a cool $69,511.

Two European powerhouses joined Newman at the top of the leaderboard: Herve Gouzil from France (505,000) and Mantas Ungulaitis from Lithuania (451,500).

The top ten standings were brimming with global talent, including Maher Achour (433,000), Florian Dimitrie (389,000), Bahar Musa (381,500), Rytis Pranarauskas and Edgaras Kausinis (each with 360,000), two-time bracelet winner Michael Moncek (357,000), and Ananth Ganesan (349,000) rounding out the formidable lineup.

The Indian contingent is also making its presence felt in the Mid-Stakes Championship, with three top professionals advancing to Day 2. Ankit Ahuja, a two-time GPI Player of the Year (India) with a reputation for solid and consistent play, leads the Indian charge with a healthy stack of 166,000 chips (66 BBs). Ahuja has already made a splash in this series with four cashes totalling $55,586 (~₹46.42 Lakhs), including a stellar fifth-place finish in Event #54: Millionaire Maker for $30,300 (~₹25.33 Lakhs).

Aditya S, fresh off a deep run in Event #87, bagged 153,000 chips (61 BBs) for Day 2 and looks poised for his second cash of the series.

Abhinav Iyer, a WSOP bracelet winner who also performed admirably in Event #87, further bolstered the Indian contingent by carrying 127,500 chips (51 BBs) to Day 2. Iyer’s consistency at the 2024 WSOP is notable, with 12 cashes across both live and online events, totaling $57,372 (~₹47.94 Lakhs).

The Indian poker narrative extended beyond the borders of India, with several Indian-origin players making their mark on Day 1A. Anant Patel (188,500), Eshaan Bhalla (179,500), Amarender Puri (175,000), Narayan Patel (151,500), and Mukul Pahuja (99,000) also made the cut for Day 2.

The tournament was also graced by poker legends like Hall of Famer Billy Baxter, who rolled back the years to bag 86,500 chips, and Scott Blumstein, the 2017 Main Event champion, advanced with a shorter stack of 43,000.

Other notable figures making it to Day 2 included Frank Funaro (283,000), Adam Hendrix (166,500), Taylor Paur (161,500), Samuel Laskowitz (156,000), James Dempsey (148,500), Jake Schwartz (134,000), Kathy Liebert (117,500), Faraz Jaka (112,000), Qiang Xu (102,500), Dong Chen (72,000), Ryan Laplante (53,500), and three-time bracelet winner Chad Eveslage (34,000).

Event #90: $1,500 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha ignited the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas poker rooms with a fiery display of skill and strategy, drawing a massive field of 1,304 entrants. The three-day showdown promises a staggering $1,740,840 prize pool, with the coveted WSOP gold bracelet and a $269,530 cash prize awaiting the eventual champion.

As Day 1 concluded, 89 warriors remained standing, their eyes firmly fixed on the final prize. David Shaw reigns supreme atop the chip mountain, amassing a colossal 1.028 Million (103 BBs) by the end of Level 17. However, the competition remains fierce, with Billy Tarango (983,000), Zachary Reinbold (969,000), and Long Tran (962,000) hot on his heels, all boasting stacks that threaten to break the million-chip mark.

Indian-American players Nitesh Rawtani and Chaitanya Ramagiri have staked their claim in the tournament. Rawtani holds the 11th largest stack of 754,000, while Ramagiri will have to navigate the Day 2 field with a slightly below-average stack of 345,000.

India’s Zarvan Tumboli also left his mark on the event. In a thrilling Level 14 showdown, Tumboli’s outdueled JC Tran’s on a board of [[h19], sending the seasoned pro to the rail. Tumboli’s stack swelled to 205,000, but he ultimately exited in 125th place, earning $3,157 (~₹2.64 Lakhs). This marks Tumboli’s third cash at the 2024 WSOP, bringing his total series winnings to $8,162 (~₹6.82 Lakhs).

The remaining field is a veritable who’s who of poker talent, featuring David Docherty (338,000), Brad Ruben (271,000), and Jesse Yaginuma (204,000), alongside poker luminaries like Jessica Teusl (171,000), Chris Hunichen (168,000), John Racener (126,000), Ludovic Geilich (116,000), and John Riordan (106,000).

A total of 196 players made the money, securing a minimum cash of $3,007. However, the bubble burst in an unusual fashion during Level 14. With the tournament clock paused for a player count verification, David Docherty at Table 59 had already burst the bubble by turning a gutshot straight draw to beat his opponent’s top set. This meant the remaining field was in the money without the usual hand-for-hand play.

Among the notable early exits was Chino Rheem, known for his aggressive play and dramatic swings. Despite accumulating a large stack throughout the day, Rheem’s fortunes took a turn for the worse, and he was eliminated by the end of Level 12.

The opening day of Event #91: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. (8-Handed) concluded with a flourish, leaving 141 players standing after a day of intense mixed-game action. The prestigious event drew a star-studded field of 357 entrants, all vying for a piece of the massive $953,190 prize pool and the coveted WSOP gold bracelet.

Three-time bracelet winner David “ODB” Baker bagged the heaviest stack among the 141 remaining players, boasting a commanding 353,500 chips, putting him in prime position to make a deep run.

Trailing Baker was Paul Campbell (251,000), Ariel Mantel (215,500), and Dario Alioto (212,500), all boasting notable stacks and a hunger for victory.

The Day 2 lineup promises to be a star-studded affair, with legends like Scotty Nguyen (155,500), Phil Ivey (129,500), Scott Seiver (78,000), Phil Laak (76,000), and Barry Greenstein (67,000) also advancing.

In a surprising turn of events, India’s Aditya Sushant, the country`s first WSOP bracelet winner known for his No-Limit Hold’em prowess, advanced to Day 2 of the H.O.R.S.E. event. Despite Indian players traditionally being less experienced in mixed games, Sushant bravely entered the fray and managed to survive, albeit with the second-shortest stack of 6,500 chips. While the odds may be against him, Sushant’s survival into Day 2 would certainly make for a thrilling headline on July 12!

The road to Day 2 was not without its casualties, as several notable players fell by the wayside. Reigning WSOP Main Event champ Daniel Weinman, Mike Matusow, Shaun Deeb, Chad Eveslage, Dan Shak, Phil Hellmuth, and Allen Kessler were all eliminated before the night’s end.

An interesting subplot of the day was the impressive feat of Event #19: $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship winner John Racener. Not only did Racener bag chips in the H.O.R.S.E. event, but he simultaneously played and bagged in Event #90: $1,500 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha. Racener now faces the challenging task of navigating both events on Day 2, with the goal of securing his third WSOP bracelet in the Omaha event.

The stakes are higher than ever as the remaining 141 players prepare for Day 2. With a top prize of $206,321 and the prestigious WSOP bracelet on the line, the competition will surely be fierce and unpredictable. The top 54 finishers are assured at least $6,051.

Day 46: What’s Happening?

July 12 promises to be an action-packed day at the WSOP, with several events moving towards dramatic conclusions and others just beginning.

Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship intensifies as 160 players return to the tables for Day 6, playing five two-hour levels. The blinds are set at 40K/80K with 80K big blind antes, with each player now assured at least $70,000. As the players vie for positions closer to the final table, six-figure payouts await those finishing 125th place and higher. The action resumes with another five levels, each lasting two hours.

Meanwhile, champions will be crowned in two key events. Event #86: $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha enters Day 3 at the Horseshoe Events Center. With blinds soaring to 250K/500K and a 500K big blind ante, the battle resumes at 1 PM (local time). Players will continue through 40-minute levels, with a winner expected to be crowned by day’s end.

Event #88: $10,000 Eight-Game Mixed Championship picks up at 2 PM (local time) at Level 18, with betting limits set at 20K/40K and blinds of 5K/10K. This event too aims to play down to a winner today, with competitors eyeing the prestigious WSOP bracelet.

Adding to the excitement, Day 1B of Event #89: $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship starts at 10 AM (local time), setting the stage for Day 2 action the following morning.

Event #90: $1,500 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha continues with Day 2 action starting at 12 PM (local time) with 89 players. The day features ten one-hour levels starting from Level 18, with blinds at 5K/10K and a 10K big blind ante.

Event #91: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. (8-Handed) resumes at 1 PM (local time) with 141 players remaining. Players will begin at Level 13 with 2K/4K blinds and 4K/8K betting limits. The schedule includes ten 60-minute levels with a dinner break after Level 18.

Two new events start on July 12. The final high roller event of the series, Event #92: $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em, begins at 2 PM (local time). Anticipation is high for this event, which might surpass last summer’s 176 entries. Reigning champion Alex Kulev, who won $2.087 Million last year, is expected to defend his title.

Online players also have something to look forward to with the start of Online Event #25: PLO 6-Max Championship at 3:30 PM (local time) on WSOP.com, featuring a $1,000 buy-in.

Here’s what went down on Day 45.

Content & Images Courtesy: World Series of Poker

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