WSOP Day 34: Nick Schulman Leads the Final Seven in the $10K PLO8 Championship

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Jul 01, 2019 6 min read Last updated Dec 19, 2019

Day 34 of the World Series of Poker features six events including two new ones in the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed and the much-anticipated $1,000 Mini Main Event.

All eyes are on Nick Schulman as he's in the hunt of a third WSOP gold bracelet with the chip lead in the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship with just seven players remaining.

In other news, David "ODB" Baker bagged a massive chip lead in the $1,500 Limit Hold'em Event entering the final day with 21 remaining. Six-time bracelet winners Chris Ferguson and Daniel Negreanu are also still bracelet hunting in this event.

Here's what's on tap today, in the daily What to Watch For on PokerNews, sponsored by 888poker.

Event #64: $888 Crazy Eights No-Limit Hold'em

This event attracted a massive field of 10,188 entrants, including nearly 4,500 on yesterday's Day 1d, to smash the previous attendance record of 8,598 entrants when Galen Hall won the bracelet and the $888,888 top prize last year. While the final prize pool will be released later today, the remaining players are aware that once again the winner will take home $888,888 as has been the tradition in the three prior years this event has taken place.

A total of 1,223 players survived the opening flights and will compete for three more days starting today at noon PDT until a winner is declared.

Portugal's Luis Pinho bagged the overall chip lead during yesterday's final opening flight and will head into Day 2 with 1,419,000 in chips. Pinho is followed by Day 1b chip leader Michael Kane (1,360,000), Day 1a chip leader Arsenii Karmatckii (1,323,000), Day 1c chip leader and online poker streamer Ian Simpson, and Day 1b qualifier Gal Erlichman (1,275,000).

Among the bracelet winners to enter today's action with big stacks are Chance Kornuth (979,000), Ryan Leng (900,000), Mark Radoja (717,000), and Josh Arieh (700,000).

Event #64: $888 Crazy Eights No-Limit Hold'em Top 10 Chip Stacks

In a series that has been mostly dominated by Americans, thus far this event has been one of the exceptions with just one American in Muhammed Abdel Rahim (1,118,000) in the top ten on the leaderboard entering Day 2.

Event #65: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship

This four-day event resumes at noon PDT with seven hopefuls out of an original field of 193 entrants competing for the coveted gold bracelet with blinds at 40,000/80,000 and increasing every 90 minutes. CBS All Access will be broadcasting the action starting at 1 p.m. PDT in the United States, Canada, and Australia, while PokerGO will be doing the same in the rest of the world.

PokerGO will need to find a replacement for one of its commentators as two-time bracelet winner Nick Schulman (3,335,000) (lead photo) enters the action with the chip lead. Chasing Schulman are four-time bracelet winner Brian Hastings (2,735,000), 2005 WSOP Main Event champion Joe Hachem (2,430,000), two-time bracelet winner Christopher Vitch (1,940,000), Denis Strebkov (885,000), Corey Hochman (170,000), and Michael McKenna (65,000), who squeaked onto today's t.v. table with less than one big blind.

Event #65: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship Final Day Seat Draw

Event #65: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship Final Table Payouts

After the eliminations of Ryan Miller (ninth - $35,950) and Bryce Yockey (eighth - $45,551), the remaining seven players are each guaranteed a payout of $58,918 with the eventual winner going home with a $463,670 top prize and the coveted gold bracelet.

Event #66: $1,500 Limit Hold'em

After two days of play, this tournament is down to 21 players out of the original field of 541 entrants with the action resuming today at 2 p.m. PDT and blinds at 6,000/12,000 and limits at 12,000/24,000. All returning players are guaranteed at least a $4,360 payout with the winner going home with the $161,139 top prize.

Former bracelet winner David "ODB" Baker bagged a massive chip lead heading into today with a stack of 1,275,000. This is more than double that of his nearest competitor Ronald Carmona (488,000). Also in the top five on the leaderboard are Ruiko Mamiya (486,000), Nicholas Pupillo (403,000), and Brian Kim (373,000).

Six-time bracelet winners Chris Ferguson (361,000) and Daniel Negreanu (206,000) are among the survivors into the final day as is three-time bracelet winner Greg Mueller (262,000) and Matt Glantz (247,000).

Event #67: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship

This four-day Championship event began yesterday with 134 entrants with 68 players surviving after ten levels of an hour each. The final field size won't be known until later today with late registration open until cards are in the air on Day 2 starting at 2 p.m. PDT.

It does seem plausible by the time the final players get into the mix that this event will exceed the 141 players that participated last year when Dan Matsuzuki won the $364,387 top prize. Matsuzuki could easily be one of the late registrants as he wasn't in the mix during yesterday's opening day.

Ali Eslami (275,500) enters today's action with the chip lead, followed by bracelet winner Yueqi Zhu (272,000) and Andres Korn (266,500). However, the big story could be the player behind this trio with four-time bracelet winner Eli Elezra coming into play with 264,000 in chips. Elezra won this Championship event the first year it took place in 2007 for $198,984 when the buy-in was a much smaller $3,000.

Also near the top of the chip counts are two-time bracelet winner Anthony Zinno (223,000), five-time bracelet winner Jason Mercier (216,500), six-time bracelet winner Jeff Lisandro (182,000), and three-time bracelet winner Frankie O'Dell (174,000).

Event #69: $1,000 Mini Main Event

This new event is expected to draw a big crowd starting with today's Day 1 at 11 a.m. PDT. Scheduled for a two-day affair, it is possible another day will be added depending on the turnout and the flow of play.

Today's opening day features 20 blind levels of 30 minutes each with players starting with a big stack of 60,000 in chips. Unlike some of the other lower limit bracelet events, this one is a freezeout. This means while players can late register during the first 12 blind levels, they can't reenter the tournament if they lose all of their chips during this time.

Event #70: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed

This four-day event will see short-handed enthusiasts battle it out with each table showcasing a maximum of six players. The opening day kicks off today at 3 p.m. PDT with players starting with 30,000 in chips and is scheduled to end after ten blind levels of an hour each.

The final field size and prize pool won't be known until tomorrow with late registration open until the start of tomorrow's Day 2 at 2 p.m. PDT.

Last year witnessed Jean-Robert Bellande sail through a field of 621 players to win his only bracelet and the $616,302 top prize.

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• Tags Ali Eslami Anthony Zinno Brian Hastings Chance Kornuth Chris Ferguson Daniel Negreanu Eli Elezra Galen Hall Greg Mueller Jason Mercier Jean Robert Bellande Joe Hachem Josh Arieh Mark Radoja Nick Schulman World Series of Poker WSOP 888poker 888
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• Related Players Daniel NegreanuJoe HachemChris FergusonNick SchulmanJason MercierEli Elezra