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WSOP 2023 Report Card: Nipun Java & Anirban Das Headline India’s 106 Finishes Ft. 3 Final Table Finishes & A Bracelet Win

The 54th World Series of Poker (WSOP), held at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, spanned from May 31 to July 18 and undoubtedly made an unforgettable impact! A treasure trove of poignant moments, stunning triumphs, and captivating incidents ensured the 2023 WSOP would remain etched in memory for years to come!

The series sparked worldwide exhilaration and anticipation among poker enthusiasts. The highlight of the WSOP, the $10,000 Main Event World Championship, witnessed an unprecedented influx of 10,043 contestants, culminating in a gargantuan prize pool of $93,399,900, with a staggering $12.10 Million earmarked for the eventual champion. Daniel Weinman ultimately claimed this crown, who defeated Steven Jones (2nd for $6.50 Million) in the heads-up battle to secure his career-second gold bracelet.

Daniel Weinman
Daniel Weinman

 

A solid Indian representation made its mark in the series. Although the contingent wasn’t as extensive as the 2019 or 2022 series, the attending Indian players still managed to secure at least 106 cashes, including three final table finishes and a coveted bracelet win! While this represented a slight decline from last year’s 125 cashes and five final table finishes, the bracelet win toward the series’ conclusion in 2023 more than compensated for it.

Among the multitude of impressive performances, the highlights were undoubtedly Nipun Java and Anirban Das. Shattering India’s two-year-long bracelet drought, Java secured his third gold bracelet in the Online Event #20: $777 No-Limit Hold’em Lucky 7’s, earning $195,151. Das made an exceptional performance reaching Day 7 of the WSOP Main Event, setting a groundbreaking 16th place finish for $430,200.

For their outstanding performances, Java and Das earned distinction as the ‘Stars of the Series!’ Moreover, they clinched several more accolades. Das received honors for ‘Single Highest WSOP Score,’ ‘Deepest Run in the Main Event,’ and ‘Best WSOP Debut.’ Simultaneously, Java earned the ‘Deepest Run in an Online Bracelet Event’ honor.

Other notable performers included Nikita Luther (Standout Woman Player), Shashank Jain (Highest Score in a Non-WSOP Event), Ankit Wadhawan (Deepest Run in a Non-WSOP Event), and Kartik Ved (Most Number of WSOP Finishes).

 

Let’s take a glance at the notable performances by Team India this summer:

WSOP 2023 Team India Report Card

CategoryPlayer
Stars of the SeriesNipun Java & Anirban Das
Single Highest WSOP ScoreAnirban Das
Deepest Run in the Main EventAnirban Das
Standout Woman PlayerNikita Luther
Best WSOP DebutAnirban Das
Highest Score in a Non-WSOP EventShashank Jain
Deepest Run in a Non-WSOP EventAnkit Wadhawan
Deepest Run in an Online Bracelet EventNipun Java
Most Number of WSOP FinishesKartik Ved

 

Stars of the Series: Nipun Java & Anirban Das

Nipun Java: Won Career-Third Bracelet in Online Event #20: $777 No-Limit Hold’em Lucky 7’s For $195,151

The culmination of anticipation we’d been building up finally arrived towards the tail end of the series. Nipun Java secured India’s first bracelet of the summer in Online Event #20: $777 No-Limit Hold’em Lucky 7’s on WSOP.com. In the early hours of July 17, Java emerged triumphant from a challenging field of 1,554 entries (954 unique) to win his third WSOP bracelet, marking his second victory in an online bracelet tournament for $195,151.

Nipun Java
Nipun Java

 

Java’s initial brush with WSOP glory came in the 2017 WSOP Tag Team Event, where he shared the victory with fellow compatriot Aditya Sushant. Barely a month after this inaugural bracelet win, Java tasted success again in Event #71: $1,000 WSOP.com Online Bracelet, adding another gold bracelet to his trophy case.

Java racked up 12 cashes throughout the series, amassing a substantial $228,788 in series winnings.

 

Anirban Das: Record-Breaking 16th Place Finish in Event #76: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship For $430,200

Anirban Das was truly the breakout star from the Indian contingent at the 2023 WSOP. The 37-year-old Das, backed by PokerBaazi’s National Poker Series on his debut WSOP journey, made an indelible mark in Indian poker history. He finished an impressive 16th in the record-breaking 2023 WSOP Main Event – the largest ever – and accumulated an outstanding $430,200.

Anirban Das
Anirban Das

 

In achieving this, he established several new records:

  • Deepest run by an Indian in the WSOP Main Event
  • Biggest score by an Indian in the 2023 WSOP
  • Second-biggest score by an Indian at the WSOP after Abhinav Iyer‘s 2019 bracelet win

 

While Das didn’t add any other winnings during the series, his history-making Main Event performance earned him the ‘Star of the Series’ distinction, an honor he shares with Nipun Java.

 

Single Highest WSOP Score: Anirban Das

Among the 106 scores posted by Indian players during the series, Anirban Das‘ spectacular finish in the Main Event stood head and shoulders above the rest. Das secured 16th place and an impressive $430,200 (~₹3.53 Crores), shattering Nishant Sharma‘s previous 34th-place record set in the 2018 WSOP Main Event.

A distinguished alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, Das shattered multiple records as he skillfully navigated his way to Day 7 of the grand $10,000 buy-in tournament. His journey through Day 7 was nothing short of an adrenaline-filled roller-coaster ride. Displaying incredible resilience and fortitude, Das repeatedly bounced back from the brink of elimination, consistently proving his mettle. He appeared poised to progress to Day 8 and looked set to be a strong contender, but alas, his remarkable run ended with the final hand of Day 7.

 

Deepest Run in the Main Event: Anirban Das

The 2023 WSOP Main Event proved historic for India as Anirban Das made the deepest run by an Indian player in the tournament, finishing in 16th place. This 37-year-old poker player, sponsored by PokerBaazi’s National Poker Series, etched his name in Indian poker history by amassing a prize of $430,200 (~₹3.53 Crores).

Das’ journey on Day 7 was nothing less than a thrilling roller-coaster ride. Although he was frequently on the brink of elimination, he exhibited resilience repeatedly, starting the day among the last 49 and surpassing Nishant Sharma‘s 2018 record 34th-place finish.

From having 54 BBs at the start, Das saw his stack expand to a staggering 102 BBs by Level 34. Yet, this ride was punctuated with lows, too, as he was down to 10 BBs when only 17 players remained. Unfazed, Das managed two crucial double-ups to surge back into the competition. Unfortunately, he was eliminated on the last hand of Day 7 when his flush fell short against Adam Walton‘s full house.

Despite the bittersweet ending, Das’ deep run marks a historic milestone in Indian poker, a feat that will be celebrated and remembered for many years to come.

 

Honorable Mention: Aditya Systla

Finished 109th for $67,700 in Event #76: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship

Aditya Systla was the first Indian player to exit on Day 6, finishing in 109th place for $67,700 – his highest WSOP cash-out yet. His exit was at the hands of Artem Metalidi from Ukraine during Level 27.

Aditya Systla
Aditya Systla

 

While Systla kicked off Day 6 with a promising stack of 5,945,000, his momentum waned as the day progressed. By Level 27, his stack had dwindled to 840,000, signaling his looming departure.

In a decisive move, Systla staked his remaining 7 big blinds by going all-in with King-Jack (offsuit). Metalidi called with Ace-King (offsuit). The board offered no help to Systla, and Metalidi’s Ace kicker secured him the pot, thus concluding Systla’s Main Event journey.

 

Standout Woman Player: Nikita Luther

Established Record For the Deepest Run By an Indian Woman in the Main Event

Nikita Luther, a celebrated icon in Indian poker and past bracelet champion, achieved an unprecedented milestone, marking the deepest WSOP Main Event run by an Indian woman.

Nikita Luther
Nikita Luther

 

Luther, who triumphed in the 2018 WSOP Tag Team event, had a subdued series this year yet rallied remarkably when it mattered most. Among the three Indians advancing to Day 6, her pursuit, unfortunately, met a heartbreaking end that day. Luther departed after a grueling hand where her were bested by Andrew Hulme‘s . Despite the bitter finale, Luther concluded her impressive journey in 96th place, earning a noteworthy $78,900 – her second-highest WSOP payout.

 

Best WSOP Debut: Anirban Das

The 2023 WSOP saw a handful of Indian players gracing the world’s grandest live poker festival for the first time. Yet, among these fresh faces, one name truly shone.

Anirban Das, with his extraordinary, record-breaking performance in the WSOP Main Event, undoubtedly earned his position as the most impressive debutant of the 2023 WSOP. Das, chiefly recognized for his online prowess, was sponsored by PokerBaazi’s National Poker Series to participate in his inaugural WSOP series. Before this thrilling Main Event journey, Das had a solitary live score to his credit. Given this backdrop, Das’s triumphant 16th-place finish in the Main Event, netting him a whopping $430,200, compellingly demonstrates the successful application of online poker skills to the dynamics of live gameplay.

Anirban Das
Anirban Das

 

Honorable Mention: Gokul Raj

Another first-timer warranting a distinct spotlight is Gokul Raj. As the celebrated 2023 WPT Prime India ₹15K Ship It NLH champion, Raj accumulated five impressive scores, amassing $51,093 in series winnings. His most notable run in the series occurred in Event #64: $600 Deepstack Championship No-Limit Hold’em, where he secured a commendable 15th place, cashing out $12,681. However, his most substantial payout came from Event #53: $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER No-Limit Hold’em, where he achieved an impressive 43rd position, netting him a hefty $36,576.

Gokul Raj
Gokul Raj

 

Highest Score in a Non-WSOP Event: Shashank Jain

Finished 7th in the 2023 WPT Wynn Summer Classic $2,200 Mystery Bounty for $104,445

Maintaining a relatively low profile at the WSOP, Delhi-based cash game stalwart Shashank Jain made his presence felt at the 2023 Wynn Summer Classic during his participation in the $2,200 Mystery Bounty. Jain, who currently holds the #24 spot on India’s all-time money list, came tantalizingly close to clinching his inaugural live title in Las Vegas. Yet, he concluded with a commendable seventh place, pocketing a substantial $104,445.

Shashank Jain
Shashank Jain

 

Honorable Mention: Kunal Patni

Finished 6th in the 2023 PokerNews Cup for $44,945

Five days after his breakthrough WSOP final table finish in Event #59: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout, Kunal Patni claimed another final table placement. His recent triumph came in the 2023 PokerNews Cup, hosted at the Golden Nugget, where he secured a sixth-place finish, adding $44,945 to his burgeoning poker earnings.

Kunal Patni
Kunal Patni

 

Patni’s inspiring journey to the final table at the 2023 PokerNews Cup closely mirrored his debut WSOP final table performance. Patni entered the final showdown as one of the less advantaged stacks in both instances. Yet, leveraging his expert prowess in short-stack play, the former banker turned poker pro managed to carve out deep, impactful runs.

 

Deepest Run in a Non-WSOP Event: Ankit Wadhawan

Finished 2nd in the 2023 WPT Wynn Summer Classic $1,100 No Limit Hold’em for $81,904

Ankit Wadhawan, a first-timer at the WSOP, may not have clinched major victories in the global series, but he unequivocally demonstrated his poker acumen at the 2023 WPT Wynn Summer Classic’s $1,100 No Limit Hold’em event. Skillfully navigating through a field of 664 entries, he engaged in a head-to-head clash against Bulgaria’s Simeon Spasov. Regrettably, Wadhawan’s pattern of near-misses prevailed, culminating in another second-place finish, albeit with an impressive $81,904 windfall.

Ankit Wadhawan
Ankit Wadhawan

 

The top three contenders orchestrated a three-way agreement. Consequently, while Wadhawan cemented his position as the runner-up, Spasov claimed the championship title with a $96,936 reward, and Michael Graffeo secured third place, pocketing $80,145.

Deepest Run in an Online Bracelet Event: Nipun Java

Nipun Java delivered a commanding performance amidst a robust field of 1,554 participants (954 unique) in the Online Event #20: $777 No-Limit Hold’em Lucky 7’s on WSOP.com, securing his third career gold bracelet, a whole six years following his previous WSOP triumph – notably, also an online bracelet event. Accompanying these distinctions, Java bagged a series-topping $195,151, relegating Michael Jozoff to the second place, who nevertheless departed with significant earnings of $120,854.

Nipun Java
Nipun Java

 

This triumph bequeaths India its highly-anticipated first gold bracelet this year – representing the nation’s inaugural bracelet win since Kartik Ved‘s coup in Event #64: $840 Turbo Bounty NLHE at the 2020 WSOP Online Series.

The victory further bolsters Java’s reputation as one of India’s most accomplished poker figures. Presently, he resides in the third position on India’s all-time money list, with nearly $3 million amassed from live tournament victories.

Java’s journey to this monumental accomplishment was a true testament to perseverance and resolve. While deftly navigating a sizable cohort of adversaries in the online event and concurrently participating in Event #92: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout, he embodied the archetype of a poker gladiator. Despite an unexpected setback when his phone ran out of power during the tournament, Java’s fortunes shifted when two-time bracelet winner Calvin Anderson supplied a charger, enabling him to reengage in the virtual skirmish. And in a dramatic twist befitting poker legend, Java clinched his emphatic victory at 3 AM, astonishingly from the parking lot of the legendary Paris Las Vegas!

 

Honorable Mentions: Ashish Ahuja & Aditya Agarwal

Ashish Ahuja: Finished 2nd in Online Event #18: $2,000 Freezeout Championship For $126,642

Recognized as one of India’s most promising next-generation poker talents, Ashish Ahuja made quite the splash in the Online Event #18: $2,000 Freezeout Championship on WSOP.com. Skillfully traversing a field of 551 unique participants, Ahuja found himself in a tense head-to-head with French pro Julien Sitbon. Despite coming tantalizingly close to the title, Sitbon ultimately secured the top spot, taking home a tidy $176,348. However, Ahuja’s remarkable performance did not go unnoticed, earning him a career-high payout of $126,642. Notably, Ahuja has already marked his poker prowess with a WSOP Circuit ring, clinched in the WSOPC Online Series Event #11: $320 NLHE Double Stack last July.

Ashish Ahuja
Ashish Ahuja

 

Aditya Agarwal: Finished 12th in Online Event #12: $500 No Limit Hold’em Deepstack For $11,746

India’s poker prodigy and the visionary who sparked the country’s poker renaissance, Aditya Agarwal, came agonizingly close to securing a seat at the final table in the Online Event #12: $500 No Limit Hold’em Deepstack on WSOP.com. Unfortunately, he was dealt a cooler and had to settle for the 12th spot, bagging $11,746. Thomas Hall emerged victorious from the robust 1,754-entry field to claim his first-ever gold bracelet and a handsome $176,920.

Aditya Agarwal
Aditya Agarwal

 

Most Number of WSOP Finishes: Kartik Ved

Kartik Ved, the face of India’s performance in the previous year’s series, had a more understated presence this time around. Nevertheless, he demonstrated his consistent poker prowess by achieving the highest number of finishes among his compatriots, with seven scoring plays, accumulating $119,087.

Kartik Ved
Kartik Ved

 

Ved secured a commendable tenth place in two prominent series events: Event #44: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em, earning him $48,109, and Event #79: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em, yielding $47,516. These two performances underscore his enduring skill and tenacity in the fiercely competitive world of poker.

 

Content & Images Courtesy: WSOP

WSOP 2023: Daniel Weinman Creates History! Former Bracelet Winner Champions Biggest-Ever WSOP Main Event Field to Win $12.10 Million! 

After 14 relentless days of high-stakes action, the dust has finally settled, crowning Daniel Weinman (cover image), a native of Atlanta, Georgia, as the new World Champion of poker! Weinman triumphantly emerged as the victor of Event #76: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship at the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP), securing a mind-boggling cash prize of $12,100,000 and a prestigious spot in the annals of poker history. His stellar performance saw him outlasting a record-setting field of 10,043 entrants, collectively contributing to an immense prize pool of $93,399,900, earning him his second WSOP bracelet.

 

The American pro scooped up the remaining 602.5 million chips on the table, claiming victory at 3:20 PM (local time) after relegating Steven Jones to the runner-up position. Although falling short of the Main Event title can be heart-wrenching, Jones’ consolation prize, an impressive $6,500,000 second-place payout, will certainly soften the blow.

You can watch a clip of the final hand of the tournament below.

 

Joining this ‘All-American’ top three lineup was Adam Walton, who secured the third spot with a rewarding $4,000,000.

Weinman’s stunning victory in this record-breaking Main Event was nothing less than miraculous. On Day 8, he was teetering on the edge of defeat, only to turn the tables after hitting a game-changing two-outer destined to become a legendary comeback story in poker lore.

Despite spending 16 years diligently competing in the World Series and cashing in the Main Event just once before, Weinman’s confidence was running low when he registered for the $10,000 buy-in Main Event after taking a breather midway through the series.

“I was honestly on the fence about even coming back and playing this tournament,” he admitted during the post-tournament interview.

The 35-year-old cinched the victory in just 164 hands at the final table, creating the record for the quickest Main Event final table in recent times. Day 10 turned out to be the most expeditious, concluding in under three hours after Walton’s elimination and a brief but intense heads-up battle between Weinman and Jones, a real estate investor from Arizona.

Weinman, surrounded by a stellar support group that included six-time bracelet winners Shaun Deeb, Josh Arieh, and Jason Mercier, was the picture of jubilation at the Horseshoe Event Center, reflecting on his win in the largest WSOP Main Event to date. This victory eclipsed the previous record set in 2006 when Jamie Gold won $12 Million!

“I’ve always kind of felt that poker was kind of going in a dying direction, but to see the numbers at the World Series this year has been incredible,” Weinman shared. “And to win this Main Event, it doesn’t feel real. I mean, (there’s) so much luck in a poker tournament. I thought I played very well, but so many hands that (I got) incredibly lucky for the situations to arise.”

Weinman, an alumnus of Georgia Tech with a degree in engineering, now sits on over $15.80 Million in live tournament earnings following this career-defining triumph. This victory also earned him his second career bracelet, complementing his two World Poker Tour main event titles. His first bracelet win arrived last summer when he clinched Event #30: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-handed for $255,359.

This Main Event victory represents the first American win since John Cynn‘s triumph in 2018, with recent champions hailing from Norway (Espen Jorstad, 2022), Germany (Koray Aldemir, 2021 and Hossein Ensan, 2019), and Argentina (Damian Salas, 2020).

You can watch the replay of the WSOP Main Event final day live stream below.

 

Team India’s Dream Run Ends on Day 7

The 2023 WSOP Main Event unfolded as a historical event on several fronts. While it set the global record as the largest-ever Main Event, it also marked an unprecedented achievement for India: the closest an Indian player has ever come to claiming the title. The honor of this deep run in the WSOP Main Event goes to Anirban Das, whose name has been etched in the annals of Indian poker history.

Anirban Das
Anirban Das

 

Das, a 37-year-old first-time WSOP participant sponsored by PokerBaazi’s National Poker Series, made an impressive run, culminating in a 16th-place finish. He pocketed a remarkable $430,200 (~₹3.53 Crores), setting several records for Indian poker:

  • Deepest run by an Indian in the WSOP Main Event
  • Biggest score by an Indian in the 2023 WSOP
  • Second-biggest score by an Indian at the WSOP after Abhinav Iyer‘s 2019 bracelet win

 

Das’ performance on Day 7 mirrored a roller-coaster ride. Each time he was on the verge of elimination, he miraculously rebounded. Despite appearing to be a strong contender for Day 8, his journey concluded with the final hand of Day 7.

Nikita Luther, an iconic figure in Indian poker and a former bracelet winner, also made history, setting a new record for the deepest WSOP Main Event run by an Indian woman. Her Main Event campaign came to a heart-wrenching end on Day 6 in 96th place when her fell to Andrew Hulme‘s . Despite her disappointing exit, Luther secured a significant $78,900 payout, marking her second-largest WSOP earnings.

Nikita Luther
Nikita Luther

 

Aditya Systla was the only other Indian who battled his way to Day 6. Renowned for his impressive 14th-place finish in the 2019 WSOP Event #71: Salute to Warriors NLHE, Systla departed in 109th place, garnering $67,700, his highest WSOP cash-out to date.

Aditya Systla
Aditya Systla

 

The roster of Indian scores in the Main Event was completed by Anil Adiani (244th for $50,900), who exited on Day 5, Abhishek Paul (564th for $32,500), Nishant Sharma (1,026th for $17,500), and Dilip Ravindran (1,064th for $17,500) who were eliminated on Day 4.

Anil Adiani
Anil Adiani

 

The top 1,507 players cashed the Main Event, and the notables among them were Ryan Tosoc (25th for $345,000), Raj Vohra (36th for $229,000), John Racener (53rd for $188,400), Tony Dunst (66th for $130,300), Estelle Cohuet (68th for $130,300), Nate Silver (87th for $92,600), Sean Troha (104th for $67,700), and Andrew Neeme (164th for $58,500).

The nine-handed final table was formed after Jose Aguilera‘s elimination in 10th place ($700,000) on Day 8.

Jose Aguilera
Jose Aguilera

 

Final Table Chip Counts

  1. Adam Walton – 143,800,000
  2. Steven Jones – 90,300,000
  3. Daniel Weinman – 81,700,000
  4. Jan-Peter Jachtmann – 74,600,000
  5. Juan Maceiras – 68,000,000
  6. Ruslan Prydryk – 50,700,000
  7. Dean Hutchison -41,700,000
  8. Daniel Holzner – 31,900,000
  9. Toby Lewis – 19,800,000

 

Final Table Recap

After a break day on Saturday, the remaining nine players returned to the Thunderdome for Day 9.

First to depart was Italian apple tree farmer Daniel Holzner who had navigated a shorter stack for a long time leading up to the nine-handed final table. On the 43rd hand of the final table, Holzner’s failed to win the flip against Steven Jones’ , with the board running , ending Holzner’s run in ninth place.

Daniel Holzner
Daniel Holzner

 

Two hands later, Juan Maceiras open-jammed a stack of 17,500,000 from the middle position with , and Toby Lewis called in the big blind holding . The board brought , and Lewis’ flopped top pair was good enough to knock the Day 7 chip leader out in eighth place.

Juan Maceiras
Juan Maceiras

 

With eliminations happening quickly, it only took another seven hands before Toby Lewis was sent packing in seventh place. The hand in question saw Jones opening to 3,200,000 from the hijack, and Adam Walton called in the next seat. Lewis then 3-bet jammed his stack of 34,300,000 from the big blind. Walton got out of the way while Jones counted his chips before calling to put Lewis at risk.

Toby Lewis

Steven Jones

The showdown bricked for Lewis, bringing an end to his dream Main Event run.

Toby Lewis
Toby Lewis

 

Six-handed play continued for 32 hands before the subsequent elimination happened. On the final hand ahead of the second break (Hand #84), Dean Hutchison, who boasted one of the loudest rails in the Thunderdome, ran his into Jan-Peter Jachtmann’s superior . The board showed sealing Hutchison’s fate in sixth place.

Dean Hutchison
Dean Hutchison

 

The Scotsman’s elimination ensured a pay jump for fellow short stack Ruslan Prydryk, who doubled once the action resumed. However, Prydryk saw his stack cut down through several hands without a showdown, and Weinman dealt the final blow. On the 106th hand, Prydryk open-jammed for 24,000,000 from the hijack with , and Weinman called in the cutoff, holding to put the Ukrainian at risk. The rundown revealed , and Weinman’s flopped two-pair dismissed Prydryk in fifth place.

Ruslan Prydryk
Ruslan Prydryk

 

Play continued for another 10 hands before the final elimination of the night took place. On the 116th hand, Jones opened to 4,000,000 in the cutoff, and Walton called on the button. Jan-Peter Jachtmann 3-bet jammed for 54,000,000 in the big blind, and Walton called with a bigger stack as Jones folded.

Jan-Peter Jachtmann

Adam Walton

The community cards read , and Jachtmann exited in fourth place, becoming the final elimination of Day 9.

Jan-Peter Jachtmann
Jan-Peter Jachtmann

 

Final Day Chip Counts

  1. Steven Jones – 238,000,000
  2. Daniel Weinman – 199,000,000
  3. Adam Walton – 165,500,000

 

Final Day Recap

Day 10 dawned with a promise of an enduring battle as the three final players convened, each in contention with an average stack of a hundred big blinds. Despite the copious stacks, the trio promptly dove into the fray, trading chips without hesitation.

The first exit on the final day was marked by Adam Walton. Twenty-three hands into the final day’s play, Jones lofted an opening bet of 6,000,000 on the button, which Walton responded to with a call. Weinman then raised the stakes with a squeeze to 27,000,000 from the big blind, prompting Jones to fold. The action returned to Walton, who responded with an immediate all-in shove of a massive 209,500,000 – a substantial 84 big blinds – to which Weinman promptly accepted the challenge.

Adam Walton

Daniel Weinman

Walton’s audacious strategy had edged him towards elimination many times through the final table, but he managed to scrape together some equity with the flop and the turn. Nonetheless, the river bricked, marking the end of Walton’s run in the third position.

 

Walton’s departure granted Weinman an intimidating advantage, amassing a gargantuan chip lead of 443,000,000 against Steven Jones’ 159,500,000.

Adam Walton
Adam Walton

 

Following a brief break wherein several briefcases stuffed with $100,000 blocks of cash, under the vigilant protection of a Hitman impersonator wielding a shotgun, were unceremoniously deposited on the showcase table and arranged into a tidy pyramid valued at $12,100,000, the heads-up play kicked off. Weinman entered this stage with an imposing lead, still controlling over 200 big blinds.

The final duo opted for cautious play in the following level until a significant clash occurred. The heads-up session was a brief showdown, lasting merely 24 rounds.

Steven Jones
Steven Jones

 

On the last hand of the final table (Hand #164), Jones initiated a bet of 7,000,000 from the button, which Weinman answered. Following a flop, Weinman checked, and Jones continued with a bet of 6,000,000. Weinman retaliated with a check-raise to 18,500,000, which Jones called. Weinman then escalated the stakes by firing a bet of 38,000,000 on the turn, prompting Jones to contemplate for just over four minutes before going all-in with his stack of 146,000,000. Weinman instantly enquired about the total count before leaping up from his seat, taking just 25 seconds to make the life-changing call.

Steven Jones

Daniel Weinman

With the cards revealed, Weinman rushed to his supporters, nervously awaiting the final card. Both players had a top pair, but Weinman had the upper hand with a higher kicker, making him a strong contender to become the next WSOP Main Event champion.

The dealer prolonged the suspense before revealing the river, triggering an outburst of joy from Weinman, who was promptly engulfed in a group embrace by his ecstatic supporters after this emotionally charged victory.

 

Daniel Weinman Poses With His Parents & Girlfriend
Daniel Weinman Poses With His Parents & Girlfriend

 

Final Table Results (USD)

  1. Daniel Weinman – $12,100,000
  2. Steven Jones – $6,500,000
  3. Adam Walton – $4,000,000
  4. Jan-Peter Jachtmann – $3,000,000
  5. Ruslan Prydryk – $2,400,000
  6. Dean Hutchison – $1,850,000
  7. Toby Lewis – $1,425,000
  8. Juan Maceiras – $1,125,000
  9. Daniel Holzner – $900,000

 

Content & Images Courtesy: WSOP

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WSOP 2023: Anirban Das Barrels Into Day 7 of the Main Event Ranked #18 in Chips Among 49 Survivors; Nikita Luther & Aditya Systla Bow Out on Day 6

Day 44 of the ground-breaking 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) delivered on all fronts. Seven captivating bracelet tournaments were underway, with the spotlight shining brightly on the $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship.

Day 6 of Event #76: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship saw three Indians battling fiercely to make Day 7. Out of the triumvirate, only WSOP debutant Anirban Das prevailed, marching forward with 13,375,000 chips, the 18th largest stacks amongst the 49 players left in contention to win the World Championship bracelet. The former Zynga staffer now stands tantalizingly close to eclipsing Nishant Sharma‘s record-setting Main Event run from 2018.

Though Das had a turbulent day on the felts, he played some astonishing hands, one of which was shared by PokerNews.

 

Unfortunately, Indian poker icon Nikita Luther‘s quest came to a heartbreaking conclusion on Day 6, finishing in 96th place with a commendable $78,900 – her second-largest WSOP score. Luther’s exit came in a gut-wrenching hand where her lost to Andrew Hulme‘s . Despite the bitter end, Luther’s formidable run established a new record for the deepest WSOP Main Event run by an Indian woman. As one of the last two female players remaining on Day 6, she passed the baton to France’s Estelle Cohuet, who was eliminated in 68th place for $130,300.

PokerGO tweeted a clip of Luther`s unfortunate dismissal, with even poker legend Phil Helmuth congratulating her on her commendable finish.

 

Aditya Systla was the first among the Indian contenders to bow out on Day 6. His journey ended at the hands of Ukraine’s Artem Metalidi in level 27, finishing in 109th place for $67,700, marking this as his best WSOP cash-in so far.

You can watch the WSOP Main Event Day 6 live stream replay below.

 

Event #79: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em held the potential for an Indian bracelet win, with Kartik Ved and Shashank Jain powering into Day 3 among 24 contenders. Ved was on the brink of making the final table but sadly stumbled at 10th place, bagging $47,516. His second 10th-place finish in the series following the same result in Event #44: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em boosted his series winnings into six figures, i.e., $115,336.

Not long before Luther departed from the Main Event, Shashank Jain met a similar fate in the $2.5K NLHE when his fell against James Anderson‘s , wrapping up his journey in 20th place for $24,635. This marks Jain’s second-best score in the series and his most significant WSOP payout. However, his sixth-place finish in the $2,200 Mystery Bounty at the Wynn Summer Classic for a staggering $104,445 holds the record for the biggest win by an Indian this summer – a record which is no longer valid, with Anirban Das guaranteed at least $188,400 in the Main Event.

Meanwhile, Nishant Sharma narrowly missed advancing to Day 3 in Event #82: $3,000 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha. He was the second last elimination of the day, falling in 37th place for $11,214, with the remaining 35 players set to continue the battle on Thursday.

Day 1B of Event #81: $600 Ultra Stack concluded with 312 players from a massive field of 4,116 entries braving the day’s competition. Among the survivors were two Indian players, Nipun Java (605,000) and Zarvan Tumboli (225,000), both advancing to Day 2 with below-average stacks.

The event also witnessed several Indians posting cash finishes, including Kartik Ved (360th for $1,201), Ankit Ahuja (451st for $1,051), Sivakumar Sachidanandan (467th for $1,051), and Gokul Raj (616th for $960).

Day 44 saw two coveted WSOP bracelets claimed. Josh Arieh triumphed over Dan Heimiller in Event #80: $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. High Roller after a riveting heads-up match to secure his sixth WSOP bracelet and a substantial $711,313 first-place prize. This victory places Arieh in an exclusive club, as he becomes the fifth player this year following Jeremy Ausmus (Online Event #8: $3,200 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller), Shaun Deeb (Event #27: $1,500 Eight Game Mix), Brian Rast (Event #43: $50,000 Poker Players Championship) and Jason Mercier (Event #60: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw) to secure a sixth bracelet this series. Two-time bracelet winner Heimiller didn’t walk away empty-handed, taking home $439,622 for his commendable second-place finish.

Arieh’s recent victory is not an isolated feat, as it closely follows his success earlier in Event #22: $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship. Moreover, this latest triumph has catapulted Arieh into a prime position in the WSOP Player of The Year race, placing him a close second behind Ian Matakis, making him a strong contender to win this prestigious title for the second time in three years.

The second bracelet of Wednesday was secured by Spain’s Samuel Bernabeu. He won his inaugural bracelet in Event #79: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em, netting $682,432 as the first-place prize. Meanwhile, James Anderson earned a respectable $421,761 for his commendable runner-up finish.

Here are the Day 44 highlights!

 

 

Securing his sixth WSOP bracelet, Josh Arieh outplayed a field of 112 seasoned players in Event #80: $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. High Roller, taking home a whopping $711,313 in winnings. Dan Heimiller performed commendably, finishing as the runner-up and earning $439,622. With this remarkable victory, Arieh has risen to prominence as the fifth player to win six gold bracelets in this year’s WSOP, propelling him to the number two spot in the WSOP Player of The Year race, just behind the current frontrunner, Ian Matakis.

Josh Arieh
Josh Arieh

 

After enduring three intense days of competition in an event filled with top-tier players, Samuel Bernabeu triumphantly added his name to the list of WSOP bracelet victors. Conquering a field of 2,068 entries in Event #79: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em, Bernabeu claimed a grand first-place prize of $682,436 and his maiden WSOP gold bracelet. His closest competitor, James Anderson, achieved a commendable second place, earning $421,761.

Samuel Bernabeu
Samuel Bernabeu

 

Notably, online bracelet winner Kartik Ved entered Day 3 with the 16th largest stack, standing at 2,220,000 amongst the 24 remaining competitors. Although he exhibited great resilience, his journey ended in 10th place.

Kartik Ved
Kartik Ved

 

Ved’s elimination came after he raised to 400,000 from the button, only to have Zlatin Penev move all in from the small blind for 2,250,000. Undeterred, Ved risked his tournament life and called.

Kartik Ved

Zlatin Penev

As fate would have it, the board ran , and Penev’s Queen-high flush led to Ved’s departure in 10th place, earning him $47,516.

On the other hand, Shashank Jain had returned on Day 3 as the third shortest stack at 950,000. He managed to strategically climb a few rungs on the prize ladder before being ousted in 20th place.

Shashank Jain
Shashank Jain

 

Jain’s elimination bore striking similarity to Nikita Luther‘s exit in the Main Event. Derek Normand initiated the action with a 200,000 open from the early position, which led to Jain moving all-in for 1,050,000 in the big blind. James Anderson escalated the stakes by going all-in, causing Normand to deliberate. Expressing his dilemma, Normand commented, “Agh, this would be so much easier if it was just me and you,” referring to Jain. After another thirty seconds of consideration, Normand folded, and the cards were tables.

Shashank Jain

James Anderson

Reacting to their hands, Normand lamented, “See, that’s exactly what I didn’t want to see! I had pocket eights!”

The board ran , and with Anderson’s two pair on the flop, Jain’s tournament journey concluded in 20th place, securing him $24,635.

From a record-breaking horde of 10,043 players in Event #76: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship, the field has been whittled down to just 49 hopefuls following a grueling Day 6 filled with dramatic twists and high-profile eliminations.

Emerging at the forefront is 23-year-old Joshua Payne, who stylishly navigated the day’s play donning sleek cyborg sunglasses, amassing a chip-leading stack of 47,950,000. Payne’s closest competitor is Spain’s Juan Maceiras Lapido, the only other player to cross the 40 Million chip threshold, concluding the day with 40,500,000 chips.

Joshua Payne
Joshua Payne

 

Other prominent contenders include Conscious Poker founder Alec Torelli, sitting comfortably with 21,075,000 chips, and Daniel Scroggins close behind with 20,800,000 chips. Noteworthy pros such as Britain’s Toby Lewis and Japan’s vlogger Masato Yokosawa also remain in the hunt.

Among the three Indians that entered Day 6, only one remains standing – Anirban Das. The 37-year-old Gurgaon resident showcased a volatile but tenacious performance throughout the day, concluding the day’s events holding the 18th largest stack, with 13,375,000 chips.

Anirban Das
Anirban Das

 

Entering Day 6 with the sixth-largest stack of 9,230,000, Das got to work immediately. During Level 26, he faced a slight setback against Daniel Scroggins, which shaved his stack down to 7,775,000. However, showcasing his mettle, Das had replenished his holdings to 10,250,000 by the subsequent level.

In Level 28, Das found himself playing a noteworthy hand against Juan Maceiras Lapido. After opening to 240,000 from the middle position, Das contested Lapido’s big blind. Both players cautiously checked the flop . Lapido, taking the lead, bet 400,000 on the turn, which Das called. The river brought further intrigue as Lapido wagered a sizable bet of 1,600,000. Unfazed, Das retaliated with a daring raise to 4,000,000, causing Lapido to fold instantly. Displaying the card, Das added an element of mystery, boosting his stack to 11,000,000.

Despite a slight dip just before the dinner break, Das bounced back remarkably in Level 29, even orchestrating an elimination. Das knocked out Ludovic Geilich (76th for $109,400) when the latter’s failed to overcome Das’ , with the board showing . Das’ stack skyrocketed to 12,150,000, and midway through level 29, he was sitting on a stack of 17,000,000.

The same level witnessed Das execute a stellar bluff against Liran Betito. The crucial hand unfolded as Daniel Scroggins raised to 350,000 on the button, and Das responded with a three-bet to 925,000. Betito attempted to seize control with a four-bet to 2,250,000, forcing Scroggins to fold. After a thoughtful pause, Das called, leading to a flop of . Betito continued with a bet of 975,000, only to face a crafty check-raise to 2,600,000 by Das, resulting in Betito folding. Adding drama, Das revealed his bluff to the stunned table, catapulting his stack to an imposing 24,500,000.

However, by the final break, Das had fallen to 20,000,000. Early in Level 30, he suffered a significant blow against Eric Schneider, further reducing to 18,000,000. Despite bleeding chips against Scott Berko and Lapido in subsequent hands, Das remained resilient.

His clash with Lapido saw a pot exceeding 10 Million at stake. With the board revealing , Das braved a bet of 2,600,000. However, Lapido’s snap-call unveiled a rivered flush against Das’ ace-high, drastically slashing Das’ stack to 10,000,000.

In the night’s closing stages, Das briefly exchanged chips with Schneider but managed to recuperate some losses, concluding the day with a commendable stack of 13,375,000. Despite the fluctuating fortunes, Das’ resilience remains unyielding, setting the stage for an exciting Day 7.

The day witnessed one of the most poignant departures, that of Nikita Luther, the 2018 WSOP Tag Team bracelet winner. She commenced the day with a promising stack of 4,380,000 and claimed a seat at the WSOP feature table for the second day in a row.

Nikita Luther
Nikita Luther

 

Luther’s performance was highlighted by a critical hand during Level 26. WPT commentator Tony Dunst instigated the play by raising it to 175,000 from under the gun, holding . Luther, demonstrating strategic prowess, retaliated with a three-bet to 525,000 from the middle position, her hand consisting of . However, Henry Chan, seated in the hijack, was dealt and boldly went all-in for 2,005,000. Dunst promptly folded, leaving Luther to ponder her options. “Probably a flip,” she commented, weighing her decision. After much deliberation, Luther chose to fold, stating it was “too expensive,” which got her stack down to 3,650,000 as Chan seized the pot.

Later, Luther found herself contending against Nate Silver when he raised to 160,000 from the middle position, followed by Dunst calling from the button. With stakes rising, Luther pushed all in from the big blind, and Silver matched the call for his remaining 2,335,000. Dunst folded, revealing his . Silver’s faced off against Luther’s . The board ran , getting Silver, the FiveThirtyEight founder, a double up, consequently reducing Luther’s stack to a mere 1,230,000.

Fast forward two levels, and Luther, with her last 2,285,000, was all-in from the small blind against Andrew Hulme in the middle position.

Nikita Luther

Andrew Hulme

With a dominant hand, Luther appeared set for a comeback as the flop revealed . However, a startling turn of pushed Hulme ahead, leaving Luther on the precipice of elimination. The final blow came with the river’s , culminating in Luther’s 96th-place exit, earning her $78,900. This left Estelle Cohuet as the last woman standing in the Main Event.

 

Cohuet’s journey, however, concluded one level later when her met its match in Indo-American pro Raj Vohra‘s . The latter’s hand converted into the top pair on the runout, leading to Cohuet’s 68th-place departure, garnering her $130,300.

 

Even though Aditya Systla began Day 6 with a commendable stack of 5,945,000, the momentum seemed elusive. By Level 27, his stack had alarmingly shrunk to 840,000, and his elimination was looming just a few hands away.

Aditya Systla
Aditya Systla

 

Following a considerable loss, Systla put his remaining 7 big blinds at stake, pushing all-in with . Artem Metalidi, holding , decided to call. The showdown played out with opening on the board, and Metalidi’s Ace kicker won him the pot, resulting in Systla’s exit at 109th place with a $67,700 prize.

Amit Makhija (57th for $156,100), Kunal Shah (106th for $67,700), and Senthuran Vijayaratnam (153rd for $67,700) were among the Indian-origin players who fell out on Day 6.

Meanwhile, Sachin Joshi (13,350,000), Raj Vohra (4,300,000), and Harsheel Kothari (1,600,000) were the Indian-origin players who carried stacks through to Day 7.

Day 7 of the Main Event is slated to kick off Thursday, July 13, at noon (local time).

Following 22 grueling levels of play on Day 1B of Event #81: $600 Ultra Stack No-Limit Hold’em, 312 contenders have secured their spots for the upcoming day. This flight attracted a staggering 4,116 participants, elevating the overall field count to 7,207 and creating a substantial prize pool for the subsequent two days of the event. The frontrunner of the pack is Rassoul Malboubi, who wrapped up his day with an impressive 3,615,000 in chips.

Rassoul Malboubi
Rassoul Malboubi

 

Two Indian competitors, Nipun Java (605,000) and Zarvan Tumboli (225,000), managed to secure their positions for Day 2, albeit with stacks slightly below the average.

Other Indian players who cashed on Day 1B include Kartik Ved (360th for $1,201), Ankit Ahuja (451st for $1,051), Sivakumar Sachidanandan (467th for $1,051), and Gokul Raj (616th for $960).

Day 2 of the tournament will resume at 10 AM (local time) on July 13.

The second day of Event #82: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed has drawn to a close, with Dustin Goldklang (4,225,000) securing his position as the frontrunner amongst the 35 finalists progressing to Day 3. The day started with a total of 216 players, whittled down from an initial pool of 1,013 entrants. The fierce competition generated a prize pool of $2,704,710.

Connor Drinan (3,270,000), Marc Lagaze (2,530,000), and Matthew Parry (2,500,000) constituted the upper tier of stacks, being the only contestants marching into Day 3 with over 100 big blinds.

Indian representative, Nishant Sharma, began Day 2 with a healthy stack of 360,000, poised to advance to Day 3. Unfortunately, he narrowly missed the cut, concluding the event as the second-last player to bow out, securing 37th place and earning $11,214. This marked Sharma’s most significant stride in the 2023 WSOP and his sixth series achievement, elevating his total series winnings to $55,431.

Nishant Sharma
Nishant Sharma

 

Each of the remaining 35 players is now guaranteed a minimum payout of $13,343, with the ultimate victor set to claim $480,122 and the prestigious WSOP gold bracelet. The tournament resumes at 1 PM (local time) on July 13 for Day 3.

Event #83: $1,500 Short Deck No-Limit Hold’em was marked by a rapid-paced elimination sequence as the contestant count plummeted from 363 players to a mere nine within the first 15 levels of play.

Emerging at the pinnacle by the day’s end was David Prociak, who amassed an imposing 2,040,000 in chips. Robert James (1,622,000) and Thai Ha (1,200,000) trail closely behind, securing the second and third-largest stacks, respectively.

David Prociak
David Prociak

 

Day 2 is set to commence at noon (local time) on July 13. With each of the nine finalists guaranteed at least $8,586, they will all be vying for the grand prize of $111,170 and the much-sought-after gold bracelet.

Event #83: $50,000 High Roller had an incredibly successful start with 137 participants, significantly surpassing the previous year’s count of 107. Following 12 intense levels of play, only 44 contestants remained in the field.

Yang Wang concluded the day leading the pack, boasting an impressive 2,175,000 chips. Fedor Holz (1,990,000) and Stefan Schilhabel (1,915,000) were hot on his heels, securing the second and third-largest stacks.

Yang Wang
Yang Wang

 

Late entrants still have the chance to register until the start of Day 2, scheduled to kick off at 1 PM (local time) on July 13.

 

Content & Images Courtesy: WSOP

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WSOP 2023: Indian Flag Flying High in the Record-Breaking Main Event; Anirban Das Secures 6th Biggest Stack; Aditya Systla & Nikita Luther Also Fight Through to Day 6 Among 149 Players

Day 43 of the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) was a standout day, as the initial pool of 441 competitors in the historic Event #76: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship diminished to a select group of 149 runners. It was an exceptional day for India, with three national players, Anirban Das (9,230,000), Aditya Systla (5,945,000), and Nikita Luther (4,380,000), advancing to Day 6.

Anirban Das’s maiden journey at the WSOP has been extraordinarily successful! The 37-year-old alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad has been dominantly ruling the WSOP Main Event tables since Day 1A. As Day 5 concluded, the online sensation had amassed the sixth-largest stack of the day at 9,230,000. With this incredible run, Das has not only assured himself at least $67,700, his first-ever cash in the WSOP Main Event, not bad for his maiden WSOP live cash, which could be potentially life-changing if he can keep up this form for a few more days.

Following closely behind Das, Aditya Systla secured a stack of 5,945,000. Among the Indian trio, Systla is the only one with a previous WSOP Main Event cash prize of $25,500 recorded from a 575th place finish in 2022 to his name. With the remaining 149 players all guaranteed a minimum cash of $67,700, Systla has already outperformed his previous Main Event record. Noted for his 14th-place finish in the 2019 WSOP Event #71: Salute to Warriors NLHE, Systla has yet to record a score in the current series. His position on Day 6 guarantees his most significant WSOP earnings to date.

Nikita Luther, the most accomplished live tournament player among the trio and a former bracelet winner, displayed a strong performance throughout Day 5, even earning a place at the Main Event feature table. She featured prominently among the day’s top stacks but lost some chips towards the end of the day. However, despite the minor setback, she confidently made it to Day 6 with an impressive 4,380,000 stack. Similar to Systla, Luther hasn’t scored in the ongoing series, and like Das, she will be collecting her first-ever WSOP Main Event cash. With this run, Luther has set a new record for the deepest finish by an Indian woman in WSOP Main Event history, and she continues to compete fiercely!

While making it to the final table or even winning the WSOP Main Event would be a groundbreaking achievement for any of the three Indian players, the immediate objective is to exceed Nishant Sharma‘s 34th place finish in the 2018 WSOP Main Event, the best performance by an Indian in the WSOP Main Event so far.

Out of the four Indian players who started Day 5, Anil Adiani was the only one who didn’t advance to the next session. Nevertheless, his 244th-place finish for $50,900 marked his highest WSOP earnings to date.

You can watch the WSOP Main Event Day 5 live stream replay below.

 

While the possibility of a Main Event bracelet win is still under speculation, there’s exciting progress in Event #79: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em, where Kartik Ved and Shashank Jain have advanced to Day 3 with 24 players left in the field.

Kartik Ved, Team India’s poster boy from last year’s WSOP, started the series with a bang, finishing 10th in Event #44: $3,000 No-Limit Holdem. The online bracelet winner is poised to expand his collection as he returns for Day 3 with 2,220,000 chips, the 16th largest stack in the field.

Shashank Jain has maintained a low profile in this WSOP run, scoring only once in Event #59: $3,000 Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em. However, he’s been heating things up in other tournaments, which recently culminated in a sixth-place finish in the $2,200 Mystery Bounty at the Wynn Summer Classic for a staggering $104,445 – the largest score by an Indian in Las Vegas this summer – YET. He will be aiming to emulate his successful streak in the $2.5K NLHE as he enters Day 3 with a short stack of 950,000.

India’s only solo bracelet winner, Abhinav Iyer, had also participated on Day 2 but fell out in 142nd place for $5,471, securing his fifth score of the series. Nishant Sharma (193rd for $5,002) and Sajal Gupta (306th for $4,002) rounded out the Indian cashes on Day 2.

Upon his departure from the $2.5K NLHE, Nishant Sharma immediately immersed himself in the opening day of Event #82: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (6-Handed). Concluding the day on a high note, he managed to secure the 13th largest stack of 360,000 among 238 remaining contenders.

Meanwhile, on Day 1A of Event #81: $600 Ultra Stack – No-Limit Hold’em, Ashish Ahuja accumulated a somewhat modest stack of 410,000 for Day 2, positioning himself among the 243 survivors.

Shawn Daniels was the lone player to win a bracelet on Tuesday. He took down Event #77: $777 Lucky 7’s No-Limit Hold’em, clinching his maiden gold bracelet for a career-best $777,777 payday.

Here are the Day 43 highlights!

 

The lone bracelet winner of the day, Shawn Daniels, emerged as the champion of Event #77: $777 Lucky 7’s No-Limit Hold’em, besting a colossal group of 7,323 participants. This triumph marked Daniels’ inaugural gold bracelet win, resulting in a personal-best payday of $777,777. Julien Montois from France claimed the runner-up position, securing an impressive $400,777 prize.

Shawn Daniels
Shawn Daniels

 

In a poignant turn of events, Daniels, though overwhelmed with his victory, had his thoughts far from the poker table in the immediate moments post his win. He confessed, “I recently lost my fiancé, so it’s been a tough summer. I just wish she was here to celebrate it also.” Regardless of his personal grief, he acknowledged the significance of the win, adding, “But it is what it is, it’s nice to get it done.”

Despite his sorrow, Daniels managed to maintain his game focus. He expressed that he “enjoyed it and played well,” acknowledging that the experience of securing the top spot felt “pretty unreal.”

As Day 5 of Event #76: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship closed out, the field has been meticulously trimmed down to the final 149 players. The player in the lead heading into Day 6 is Zachary Hall, who concluded the day’s play with an astounding stack of 16,310,000. Close on Hall’s tail are Bryan Obregon (12,295,000) and Liran Betito (11,140,000).

Among the notable names still in the race for the most coveted title in poker are British professional Andrew Hulme (11,065,000), Masato Yokosawa (6,740,000), and Nate Silver (2,130,000).

Four Indian players carried their stacks forward into Day 5, with three surviving the rigors of the day’s play. Anirban Das, of the surviving trio, emerged as the standout performer. Starting Day 5 with an impressive 2,880,000, Das demonstrated formidable poker skills, wrapping up the day with a remarkable 9,230,000. This exceptional performance puts him in the sixth position as the Main Event moves into Day 6.

Anirban D Das
Anirban D Das

 

Das’ prowess was first spotlighted during Level 21 in the day’s live coverage when he eliminated Edward Bergman. Bergman’s proved no match for Das’ , which improved to a set on the board. Das’ stack skyrocketed to 5,175,000 as Bergman exited in 402nd place with a $40,000 cash prize.

A level later, Das locked horns with three-time bracelet winner Chance Kornuth. Following an open from Das and calls from Kornuth and Jeremy Becker in the blinds, both Kornuth and Becker checked on the flop, while Das continued with 75,000. Becker folded while Kornuth called to see the turn. Both players checked through to the river , with Kornuth making a sizeable bet of 355,000, which Das promptly called. Kornuth turned over , but Das revealed a better to win the pot, boosting his stack to 5,600,000.

Chance Kornuth
Chance Kornuth

 

Das lost some chips to Steven Jones on the next level when the latter’s bested Das’ , bringing Das’ stack to 4,500,000. But by Level 24, Das regained momentum, bolstering his stack to 7,100,000 after taking down a three-way pot against Gabi Livshitz and Christian Harder.

The showdown between Das and Livshitz continued. In Level 25, Livshitz managed a double-up from Das, but the Indian pro quickly retaliated. With the flop showing , Das led out with 450,000, prompting a call from Livshitz. The turn, , saw Livshitz check-call a 675,000 bet from Das. Both players checked the river , and Das tabled for a rivered straight, raking in the 2.30 Million pot and escalating his stack to 9,600,000.

Das also engaged in a series of hands with Hunter Barnett. A short while after doubling up Barnett, Das regained his chips when his came out on top against Barnett’s on the board. This hand elevated Das’ stack to 9,640,000. Despite the turbulent day, Das finished with a meritorious 9,230,000 chips.

Day 5 saw Aditya Systla spearhead the Indian contingent, starting the day with a robust stack of 5,075,000 and concluding the proceedings with the 28th largest stack of 5,945,000.

Aditya Systla
Aditya Systla

 

Systla first made an appearance in the day’s live coverage when he suffered a minor setback against Christopher Ahrens, diminishing his stack to 4,500,000. The remainder of the day was somewhat volatile for Systla, marked by consistent growth of his stack along with occasional chip losses.

During level 24, he experienced a significant setback when faced off against Logan Hoover in a high-stakes hand. Hoover went all-in for 2,385,000 from an early position, holding , while Systla, situated in the middle position, countered with . With anticipation hanging in the air, Hoover’s plea of “Hold up” echoed in the room as he awaited the flop, which unfolded as . Despite Hoover landing a top pair, Systla maintained the lead with his set. However, the turn unveiled a , providing Hoover with a glimmer of hope. His call for an “Ace one time,” didn’t materialize, but the dealer’s reveal of the rewarded Hoover with running quads, severely reducing Systla’s stack to a mere 2,700,000.

Logan Hoover
Logan Hoover

 

Regardless of this setback, Systla showcased his tenacity by managing to escalate his stack to 5,500,000 midway through level 24. Ending the tumultuous day on a positive note, Systla bagged an impressive 5,945,000.

Nikita Luther, the 2018 WSOP Tag Team champion, skillfully advanced her stack from 3,550,000 to an impressive 4,380,000 for Day 6. Among the trio of Indian players proceeding to Day 6, Luther emerged as a central figure in the day’s coverage, even securing a spot at the feature table on the PokerGO live stream.

Nikita Luther
Nikita Luther

 

One memorable hand from Luther’s Day 5 performance occurred during level 23. Luther opened for 80,000 from the middle position, and Roman Hrabec defended his big blind. Both players checked the flop, leading to the turn. Hrabec check-called a 110,000 bet from Luther. When the river revealed , Hrabec again checked, prompting Luther to up the ante with a 350,000 bet. This sent Hrabec deep into contemplation. “I have a very bad hand…” Hrabec mused after pondering his options. Shortly after, he chose to call. Luther tabled for a rivered flush, winning a substantial pot and elevating her stack to 5,895,000.

Later in the same level, Luther engaged in a bracelet winner vs. bracelet winner showdown with John Racener. Racener opened from the early position and was met with calls from the button and Luther in the big blind. The flop checked through, and Luther checked again on the turn. Racener bet 140,000, resulting in a fold from the button and a check-raise of 420,000 from Luther. With a cap obscuring his eyes, Racener called. With the river card bringing the , Luther deliberated for a minute before betting a hefty 1,250,000. Racener eventually folded, further bolstering Luther’s stack to 7,000,000.

One of the most thrilling hands of the day for Luther came in level 24 at the secondary feature table. A pre-flop betting duel with Charles He resulted in He being all-in and at risk for approximately 1,500,000. He held against Luther’s . The flop came , giving He the lead with a pair of kings. The on the turn changed nothing, and Luther had already begun tallying the chips she expected to hand over to He when the river revealed , leading to He’s elimination in 186th place for $58,500. “That never happens to me!” Luther exclaimed while stacking her newly won pot, with her stack surging to 9,260,000.

In the final level of the day, Luther lost a significant pot to Racener. With the board open , Racener went all-in for 1,960,000. This sent Luther deep in the tank as she weighed up a call. After considerable deliberation, she committed to a call, flipping over , but lost to Racener’s flopped set with . This brought Luther’s stack down to 5,750,000.

Despite this late-day setback, Luther concluded with a respectable 4,380,000. She now proudly holds the record for the deepest run by an Indian woman at the WSOP Main Event, a notable accomplishment.

The lone Indian to bow out on Day 5 was Kolkata-based Anil Adiani. Beginning the day with a stack of 1,140,000, Adiani found himself down to 700,000 by the second level after conceding a substantial pot to Henry Li. His fortunes dwindled further by level 23, leaving him with a mere 450,000.

Anil Adiani
Anil Adiani

 

Adiani’s tournament run concluded during level 23 at the hands of Diego Daquilio. Down to his final 190,000, Adiani committed his remaining chips from middle position against Daquilio in early position.

Anil Adiani

Diego Daquilio

Daquilio secured the lead on the flop with a pair of kings. The turn and river offered no assistance to Adiani, eliminating him in 244th place for $50,900. This achievement marked his first earnings of the ongoing series and his most substantial cash prize at the WSOP to date.

Among those of Indian descent advancing to Day 6 are Raj Vohra (7,650,000), Harsheel Kothari (7,075,000), Amit Makhija (6,045,000), Kunal Shah (4,500,500), and Sachin Joshi (2,975,000).

Notable poker giants whose Main Event journey concluded on Day 5 include the likes of Chance Kornuth (302nd for $44,700), Chris Brewer (428th for $37,500), and Jason Koon (441st for $37,500), among others.

Furthermore, it’s been verified that there will be no consecutive Main Event victor this year, as the remaining past champions, including Chris Moneymaker (404th for $40,000), exited in the first half of the day`s play.

Day 6 of the Main Event is scheduled for Wednesday, July 12, at noon (local time), with the remaining 149 contestants set to engage in another five two-hour levels.

Day 2 of Event #79: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em concluded, leaving 24 competitors from the day’s starting roster of 310. The event generated a staggering total prize pool of $4,601,300. The top seven players will secure a lucrative six-figure payday, with the ultimate victor walking away with the prestigious WSOP gold bracelet and a first-place prize of $682,436.

Seth Davies, the Day 1 chip leader, continued his dominance by amassing a formidable stack of 9,425,000, firmly holding the lead. Justin Kindred (6,000,000) trails behind in second place, while Ramon Fernandez (5,020,000) holds the third position in the day-end chip counts.

Seth Davies
Seth Davies

 

Five Indian players entered Day 2, with only two making it to Day 3. Kartik Ved, who had begun the day with the shortest stack of 40,000 among his compatriots, demonstrated skillful survival throughout the day’s proceedings. He bagged a slightly below-average stack of 2,220,000.

Kartik Ved
Kartik Ved

 

Although details of Ved’s Day 2 journey are sparse, it’s known that he ousted George Janssen during Level 25. Ved’s triumphed over Janssen’s , eliminating the latter before the money bubble burst. An early double-up on Day 3 could elevate Ved to an above-average stack, which is crucial if he has to stage a claim for a second WSOP bracelet.

Shashank Jain entered Day 2 with an impressive 187,000 stack. Despite making the cut for Day 3, he now holds the third-shortest stack at 950,000. Known as a seasoned cash game regular, Jain undoubtedly has the expertise to make a comeback.

Shashank Jain
Shashank Jain

 

Unfortunately, of the five Indian players who progressed to Day 2, three were eliminated before the day’s end. Abhinav Iyer (142nd for $5,471), Nishant Sharma (193rd for $5,002), and Sajal Gupta (306th for $4,002) added to their WSOP series tally.

Day 3 is set to resume at 11 AM (local time) on Wednesday, July 12, at Horseshoe Silver, where the remaining players will vie to become the champion.

Day 2 of Event #80: $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. High Roller has concluded, and from the 70 participants that started the day, only 15 advanced to the event’s final day. With a total turnout of 112 players, the event amassed a hefty prize pool of $2,632,000, of which $711,313 is reserved for the winner.

Portugal’s Joao Vieira and China’s Yingi Li lead the pack into the final day. These accomplished professionals from Portugal and China have accumulated 2,595,000 and 2,100,000 in chips, respectively, situating them at the top of the leaderboard as they head into Day 3.

Joao Vieira
Joao Vieira

 

Noteworthy professionals progressing to Day 3 include five-time bracelet winner Josh Arieh (2,040,000), six-time bracelet winner and Hall of Famer John Hennigan (1,588,000), four-time bracelet winner Mike Matusow (705,000), six-time bracelet winner Brian Hastings (600,000), and four-time bracelet winner Scott Seiver (380,000).

The action resumes at 2 PM (local time) on July 12, with play continuing until a winner is declared. Poker enthusiasts can tune into PokerGO to watch the action unfold live.

 

Day 1A of Event #81: $600 Ultra Stack concluded impressively, featuring 3,091 competitors, with 243 players persevering through the day’s challenges. The event has already generated a prize pool of $1,576,410, and with Day 1B on the horizon for Wednesday, July 12, this figure is guaranteed to increase significantly.

Matthew Land closed the Tuesday session in the lead, amassing a notable stack of 2,160,000. He’s closely followed by Jiawei Mao (2,150,000) and Christina Gollins (2,000,000)/

Indians also made their mark, with Ashish Ahuja (410,000) and Rajeevan Poonhath (405,000) carrying stacks to Day 2. WSOP Circuit ring holder, Ahuja, has assured himself his third payout of the series, having previously placed in Event #51: $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold’em (126th for $876) and Event #62: $1,500 Mixed No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha (169th for $3,328).

Ashish Ahuja
Ashish Ahuja

 

Other notables in contention include Alex Bolotin (1,785,000), Robert Schulz (1,500,000), Vladimir Peck (1,040,000), and PokerStars Online Team member Benjamin Spragg (1,020,000).

The top 464 participants are guaranteed a cash prize, with payouts beginning at $961. Day 2 starts at 10 AM (local time) on July 13, at which point the surviving fields from Day 1A and 1B will converge.

 

Simultaneously, Event #82: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (6-Handed) commenced amid excitement, attracting a substantial pool of 1,013 players. The large turnout resulted in a considerable prize pool of $2,704,710. At the end of the first day, 238 competitors managed to accumulate chips for Day 2, all vying for the much sought-after WSOP gold bracelet and the attractive first-place prize of $480,122.

Tyler Gaston ended the day with the most chips, carrying a significant stack of 552,500. He is followed closely by Ian Matakis (490,500), Mitchell Watson (485,000), Lukas Zaskodny (481,500), and Dylan Weisman (455,500), who make up the top five.

Nishant Sharma was the only Indian player to advance to Day 2. Shortly after exiting Event #79: $2,500 NLHE, Sharma joined the PLO event and ended the day ranked 13th among the Day 1 survivors with a stack of 360,000, raising prospects for another bracelet sweat.

Nishant Sharma
Nishant Sharma

 

Sharma, remembered for the deepest run by an Indian in the WSOP Main Event in 2018, has had a respectable summer. He has cashed in five events at the ongoing series, accumulating winnings of $44,217.

The top 152 finishers are guaranteed a minimum payout of $4,829. Day 2 of the $3,000 6-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha will commence at 1 PM (local time) on July 12, with Day 3 scheduled for the same time on July 13. The money bubble is expected to burst on Day 2 as the field reduces to 86 players.

 

Updated at 11:10 PM

Content & Images Courtesy: WSOP

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