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He was gunning to bag the first gold bracelet for India this year at the ongoing World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2018 but it wasn’t to be. Playing tough through the first two days of Colossus $565 No Limit Hold ‘emand reaching Day 3 to battle through a field of 32 survivors, Indian poker pro Paawan Bansal finished 13th in the event and pocketed $35,087 (₹23.51 Lakhs) in prize money for his stellar run.
With Day 3 now over after playing down to the nine-handed final table, Day 4 will be held on Friday, to crown a winner who will pocket $1,000,000 from the total prize pool of $6,535,000, along with the prestigious WSOP gold bracelet.
The firm favorite for the bracelet is Sang Liu, who is leading the charge with 18,205,000 in chips, while Scott Margereson is a distant second with 13,855,000. Well known poker pro and the 2010 WSOP Main Event runner-up finisher John Racener is also in the running with 3,540,000 in chips.
For Bansal, this is his second trip to the WSOP, and even while he missed winning the bracelet at the event, his deep run is achievement in its own right, considering the huge player field, of 13,070 entries that the event registered. His run over the past two days has been exemplary and he entered the Day 3 with a commendable stack, third only to Matthew Causa and Thai Ha.
Day 3 Recap
The Day 3 play began with thirty-two players seated across four tables in the Amazon poker room, with Bansal sharing the table with Steven Jones, Matthew Causa and Vincent Bartello, among others.
Ben Gilbert won the first pot of the dayand it was Wilson Chan who was the first player to hit the rail in a hand against Michael Cohen.In the very next hand, Margeresonsent both Bryon Rushton and Michael Page packing. Another quick elimination followed and Michael Zulker was busted out in a hand against Timothy Miles.
Ajay Gnanasambanthan was the next player to bow out in 27ths place followed by Kurt Jewell, Greg Milliron, Ben Gilbert, Matthew Causa, Kevin McColgan, Jacob Baumgartner, William Berman and John Cosgrove. All of them picked up $22,003 in prize money.
Level 32 began and a seat redraw brought surviving players from each of the four tables to coverge to two tables. Michael Benko was eliminated next, in eighteenth place, and Reagen Rich and Maurizio Fisicaro also busted out next. All three pocketed $27,695 each.
Later, Yew Kan shoved all in from small blind with Qx-7x and needed help against Matt Silva’s1x-11x lost out when the board opened Ax-4x-3x-5x-Ax bringing trip-aces for Silva and spelling a rail-out for Kan in fifteenth place for $35,087.
Thai Ha, who was second in chips when Day 3 began busted out right before Bansal. Sang Liu raised to 350,000 from under the gun, Ha called from the big blind and both of them saw the flop open . Ha moved all in pushing 975,000 and Liu snap-called. Liu had and Ha showed . The on turn took away one of Ha’s straight outs and as the completed the board, Liu’s trip sevens won him the pot, and Ha bounced out in fourteenth place with $35,087.
Bansal also sailed strong through the first few levels of Day 3 play and maintained his stack to 1,950,000 when only fourteen players were left. However, in a combo draw, Bansal busted out after he got all his chips in the middle. In this hand, Song Choe opened the action by raising to 350,000 and only Bansal called. Both players checked the flop . On the turn, Choe led out and Bansal, who had , shoved all in for 1,800,000. Choe called, with and the river ended Bansal’s dream run, eliminating him in 13th place.
Right after Bansal busted out, Bartello, who had a stack of 1,185,000 moved all in from the cutoff and Gunther Dumskycalled from the small blind. Bartello turned over and faced an upward challenge against Dumsky’s . Now, on a flop, Dumsky paired his queen, emerging stronger while Bartello who was hoping to pair his king lost when the turn and the river completed the board.
A massive pot took place giving a good boost to Liuat the expense of Michael Cohen. Cohen bet 445,000 on a board and Liu 3-bet it to 1,445,000. Hesitating for a minute, Cohen shoved all and Liu snap-called. Cohen tabled and Liu showed . The rundown eliminated Cohen eleventh place for $44,743.
Matt Silva bubbled the final table afterlosing out a hand to Joel Wurtzel. Wurtzel opened to 400,00 and Silva jammed all-in for 3,350,000. When the action folded back to him, Wurtzel snap-called and both players tabled their cards. The of Wurtzel was up against the of Silva and the flop came . The turn improved Silva`s chances but bricked out relegating him to the rail in tenth place for $44,743, setting the stage for an official, final table of nine players.
Final Table Chip Counts
1. Sang Liu – 18,205,000
2. Scott Margereson -13,855,000
3. Joel Wurtzei – 8,375,000
4. Gunther Dumsky – 6,535,000
5. Song Choe – 5,835,000
6. Roberly Felicio – 4,750,000
7. John Racener – 3,540,000
8. Timothy Miles – 2,810,000
9. Steven Jones – 1,300,000
Content and Image courtesy WSOP.com
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