What to Watch For: July 4, 2017
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After winning the $50,000 Poker Players Championship two times already, Michael Mizrachi is among the chip leaders returning for Day 3. Meanwhile Ian O'Hara leads the final 28 players in the $888 Crazy Eights and Ryan LaPlante tops the counts currently in the $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed Mix.
Event #60: $888 Crazy Eights No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed
After two full days of poker, Ian O'Hara will have the chip lead to start Day 3 with 5,660,000. O'Hara has more than $1.7 million in tournament winnings and has already notched six cashes this summer, though he is still looking for his first WSOP final table and gold bracelet.
Rounding out the top six are Alexandru Papazian (4,840,000), Michael Tureniec (4,640,000), Eric Baldwin (4,505,000), Vlad Darie (4,420,000) and Guillaume Diaz (4,090,000).
Other notables still left in the field include Pablo Mariz (2,500,000), Danny Wong (2,400,000) and Ben Yu (610,000). Mariz has been on a heater this summer, winning his first bracelet in the Millionaire Maker and cashing in several other events.
Besides the bracelet, a first prize of $888,888 awaits the winner.
Play resumes today at 2 p.m. and PokerNews will again have every big hand covered.
Click here for all the updates.
Event #62: $50,000 Poker Players Championship (6-Handed)
As noted, Michael Mizrachi is looking to add a third Poker Players Championship title to his collection. "The Grinder" is currently third in chips with 44 players returning on Tuesday for Day 3.
Leading the field at present is Aaron Katz (1,642,000) followed by Talal Shakerchi (1,480,500), Mizrachi (1,087,000), Elior Sion (1,033,500) and Andrey Zaichenko (962,000).
The event ended up drawing an even 100 players, creating a huge $4.8 million prize pool. The top 15 finishers divide those riches, with a $1,395,767 reward awaiting the winner.
Unsurprisingly there are many other notables still in the hunt, including end-of-Day-1 leader Matthew Ashton, Shaun Deeb, Jason Mercier, David Bach, Mike Matusow, Phil Galfond, Daniel Negreanu, Mike Sexton, Jason Mercier, Josh Arieh, James Obst, Robert Mizrachi, Scott Sevier, Cary Katz, Ian Johns, Paul Volpe and Marco Johnson.
With a stack of 673,500 heading into Day 3, Matusow is confident he can continue his big run:
When its you're time no-one can stop you and by end of Thursday night everyone will realize its my time!! #positivity #wsop50k # unstoppable
— Mike Matusow (@themouthmatusow)
When i have my greatest card run tomorrow to set myself up for a final table run in 50kppc i will do this for all people that stood by me
— Mike Matusow (@themouthmatusow)
Play resumes on Tuesday at 2 p.m. and PokerNews will have all the high roller excitement covered from our live updates team.
Event #63: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
A low buy-in of $1,000 attracted a big field for this event as 1,750 signed up to create a prize pool of $1,575,000. Just 182 players remain, led by Michael Telker with 195,200. Telker already has six cashes this summer and more than $1.2 million in lifetime tournament earnings as he seeks a first career WSOP bracelet.
They've already gotten past the bubble as the top 263 players are getting paid, with $262,501 still up top for the winner.
Nearest Telker in the counts right now are Marcos Fernandez (187,000) and Koen Breedsits (167,800). Other notables returning to Day 2 include Jackie Glazier (66,800), Eddy Sabat (62,800), Dylan Wilkerson (62,200), John Monnette (52,500), Ismael Bojang (43,600), Joe McKeehen (32,500), John Dolan (24,300), Marvin Rettenmaier (23,600) and Cliff Josephy (22,300).
Play resumes on Tuesday at 12 noon and you can follow the live updates by clicking here.
Event #64: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed Mix
This event attracted 1,058 entries for a prize pool of $1,428,300, and only 158 players return for Day 2 on Tuesday. The winner will take home a first-place prize of $268,555.
Leading the field is Ryan Laplante with a big stack of 245,000. Laplante is looking for his second WSOP title after winning the $565 Pot-Limit Omaha event in 2016 for $190,328. He also made the final table in the $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Tag Team event this summer, one of several recent cashes he's earned in tournament series in Las Vegas.
Following LaPlante in the counts are Chris Moorman (200,500) and David Schwind (195,100). Other notables still remaining include defending champion Loren Klein, Tom Marchese, Jared Jaffee, Juha Helppi, Shannon Shorr, Carlos Mortensen, Matt Affleck, Esther Taylor and Jeff Gross.
PokerNews will have all of the big-bet action covered from this one, so stick close to follow all of the live updates.
Event #65: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em (30 minute levels)
Celebrate America's independence with some turbo no-limit hold'em. This two-day event features fast levels and should provide plenty of excitement. Last year's event drew 1,397 entries for a $1,257,300 prize pool, and it was Corey Thompson earning the victory and $221,163 first prize.
Play begins at 11 a.m. Be there to enjoy the fireworks in this one as PokerNews will be on hand to report on all of the Fourth of July fun. You can follow the updates, right here.
