WSOP Day 29: Benjamin Ector Leads the Final Six in the Monster Stack
Day 29 of the 2019 World Series of Poker will be a big one with five continuing events and two new ones including the COLUSSUS which should attract a monster field.
A big bracelet is scheduled to be awarded today with just six players left in the Monster Stack. Benjamin Ector enters the action with the chip lead in hopes of parlaying it into winning the $1,008,850 top prize.
Meanwhile, Phil Ivey is in the hunt for his eleventh career bracelet with the chip lead in the Poker Players Championship with just 36 players remaining.
Here's what's on tap today, in the daily What to Watch For on PokerNews, sponsored by 888poker.
Event #50: Monster Stack - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
The massive field of 6,035 entrants is down to a final table of just six players with Benjamin Ector in the lead with a stack of 84,300,000.
It's common when players bag big stacks on earlier days that they are unable to parlay that into a final table appearance. This wasn't the case in this event with Day 2 chip leader Kainalu McCue-Unciano (68,300,000) and Day 3 chip leader Vincent Chauve (36,700,000) both advancing. Also still competing for WSOP gold in this event are Gregory Katayama (55,100,000), Bart Hanson (40,600,000), and Igor Yaroshevskyy (17,000,000).
Short-stacked Yaroshevskyy is the most experienced of the bunch with nearly $3.7 million in live tournament earnings leading into this event. While none of the other final tablists have won a bracelet, Yaroshevskyy has come close before finishing in second place in the $5,000 No Limit Hold'em Turbo in 2015 for $303,767. Bart Hanson has finished seventh in a WSOP event twice, already improving that here this year.
The action will resume at noon PDT today with the final 32 minutes of Level 40 with blinds at 600,000/1,200,000 and a big blind ante of 1,200,000. After the conclusion of this blind level, blinds will increase every hour as they have throughout the event. The final day of action will be live streamed at CBS All Access in the United States, Canada, and Australia and at PokerGO in the rest of the world starting at 1 p.m. PDT.
Event #50: Monster Stack - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Seat Draw
Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Vincent Chauve | France | 36,700,000 | 31 |
2 | Igor Yaroshevskyy | Ukraine | 17,000,000 | 14 |
3 | Kainalu McCue-Unciano | United States | 68,300,000 | 57 |
4 | Benjamin Ector | United States | 84,300,000 | 70 |
5 | Bart Hanson | United States | 40,600,000 | 34 |
6 | Gregory Katayama | Canada | 55,100,000 | 46 |
Event #50: Monster Stack - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Payouts
The remaining six players are each guaranteed $195,687 after the eliminations late yesterday of Javier Zarco (ninth - $88,817), Andre Haneberg (eighth - $114,694), and Bryan Kim (seventh - $149,247). The pay jumps are steep the rest of the way with the winner walking home with a huge seven-figure prize of $1,008,850 and the coveted trophy.
Place | Player | Country | Prize |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $1,008,850 | ||
2 | $623,211 | ||
3 | $461,369 | ||
4 | $344,079 | ||
5 | $258,517 | ||
6 | $195,687 | ||
7 | Bryan Kim | United States | $149,247 |
8 | Andre Haneberg | Germany | $114,694 |
9 | Javier Zarco | Spain | $88,817 |
Follow PokerNews as our Live Reporting team will be covering the event from start to finish with live updates, beginning with today's final table action at noon PDT. Live updates can be found here.
Event #57: $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold'em
Emotions have run high in this four-day event that attracted 976 teams to generate an $878,400 prize pool and a $168,395 top prize with teammates cheering on or sharing the dismay bad beats.
The field is down to just 35 teams heading into today's penultimate day with all returning teams guaranteed at least a $3,970 payout.
Team Geiger, consisting of Ohad Gieger, Daniel Dayan, and Barak Wisbrod, lead with 1,340,000 in chips. Several other teams are breathing down their neck with big chip stacks. Other teams heading into today with a seven-figure stack are Tuan Le and Thanh Tran (1,141,000), Kenny Hallaert and Steven van Zadelhoff (1,129,000), Jason Koon and Sosia Jiang (1,072,000), Nicolas Betbese, Leandro Bianchini, and Martin Pineiro (1,003,000), and Ryan Leng, Lisa Leng, Nikki Grandt, and Ilana Grandt (1,001,000).
The action will resume today at 1 p.m. with blinds at 8,000/16,000 and a big blind ante of 16,000 and will conclude at the tournament director's discretion.
Follow PokerNews as our Live Reporting team will be covering the event from start to finish with live updates, beginning with today's Day 3 action at 1 p.m. PDT. Live updates can be found here.
Event #58: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
The five-day Poker Players Championship added ten players on yesterday's Day 2 to create a total field of 74 players and a $3,552,000 prize pool. While this is the smallest field in the event's history, it is one to watch with so many big names still in contention with 35 players battling it out for three more days in hopes for the bracelet, the David "Chip" Reese Memorial Trophy, and the $1,099,311 top prize.
Ten-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey has made himself heard in this event in a big way and heads into today's Day 3 in the chip lead with 1,254,000 in chips.
You can read more about this event in our dedicated $50,000 Poker Players Championship Day 2 recap.
Follow PokerNews as our Live Reporting team will be covering the event from start to finish with live updates, beginning with today's Day 3 action at 2 p.m. PDT. Live updates can be found here.
Event #59: $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack Championship
The Rio Convention Center was packed yesterday with this event attracting a massive field of 6,140 entrants on its opening day yesterday. As predicted by even the worst of gamblers; the $500,000 guarantee was smashed with the prize pool reaching $3,223,500 and first place set to win a $397,903 top prize. In addition to the big money and the bracelet, the last player standing will also be awarded a WSOP Main Event seat valued at $10,000, which was added to the prize pool by festival organizers.
There has already been a change in the schedule with perhaps more to come. Yesterday was initially scheduled to play 15 blind levels. However, instead 17 blind levels were played, and the money bubble was reached with 921 players guaranteed at least an $875 payout.
Another change could be on the horizon as this event was originally scheduled to be a three-day affair. However, with 917 players remaining it wouldn't be surprising if a fourth day was tacked onto the end.
Bracelet winner (and 2019 WSOP $600 mixed hold'em/PLO runner-up) Dan Matsuzuki leads with 868,000 in chips before Dian Lei Zhang (790,000), Bobby Oboodi (764,000), Mohammed Suhail (729,000), and Eric Rivkin (718,000).
Bracelet winners Benjamin Moon (601,000), Asi Moshe (544,000), and Kathy Leibert (440,000) are among the players to bring big stacks into today's action.
The action resumes today at 2 p.m. PDT with blinds at 4,000/8,000 and a big blind ante of 8,000 and will increase every hour. The day is scheduled to end after ten blind levels. However, there could be another change in the tournament structure based on the tournament director's discretion.
Follow PokerNews as our Live Reporting team will be covering the event from start to finish with live updates, beginning with today's Day 2 action at 2 p.m. PDT. Live updates can be found here.
Event #60: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
This three-day event attracted 1,117 entrants on its opening day yesterday to create a $1,507,950 prize pool and a $279,920 top prize. This crushes the 935 entrants last year when Joseph Couden won the bracelet and the $244,730 top prize.
Nine-time WSOP Circuit gold ring winner Ari Engel, who is fresh off winning his first WSOP bracelet after shipping Event #48: $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em for $427,399, is among the chip leaders after bagging a big stack of 216,200. Ray Medlin (240,100), Richard Bai (225,200), and Danny Woolard (217,500) are the only ones amongst the 417 Day 1 survivors who bagged more.
Other notables to bag chips include Mike Sexton (82,800), Daniel Negreanu (77,200), Joseph Cheong (73,900), Mike Matusow (73,500), Barry Greenstein (61,200), Erik Seidel (45,400) Barny Boatman (36,600), Joe Hachem, (34,000), Joao Vieira (29,700), Kristen Bicknell (29,400), and Chris Ferguson (7,100).
Today is scheduled to play ten blind levels of an hour each starting at 800/1,600 at 2 p.m. PDT. It is possible that this could change with 417 players remaining and the tournament scheduled to end tomorrow.
Follow PokerNews as our Live Reporting team will be covering the event from start to finish with live updates, beginning with today's Day 2 action at 2 p.m. PDT. Live updates can be found here.
Event #61: COLOSSUS - $400 No-Limit Hold'em
If you thought the field in the Deepstacks was huge, get ready for something even bigger with the COLUSSUS likely to attract a field even bigger. Last year witnessed Roberly Felicio outlasted a massive field of 13,070 entrants to win the bracelet and a cool $1 million.
It's not unlikely that this tournament will attract fewer players than last year as the number of opening flights has been reduced from six to two, and the fact that there are many more low-buy-in events on offer. Other changes in the tournament structure include the buy-in reduced from $565 to $400, and the starting chips increased eight-fold from 5,000 to 40,000 in chips.
Both of the opening flights, starting with today's Day 1a, will kick off at 10 a.m. PDT and play for 16 blind levels. Players have four chances to bag a big stack with each flight allowing for one reentry up until late registration closes at the conclusion of Level 12.
Surviving players from both opening flights are scheduled to play for two more days on June 28-29 until a winner is crowned.
Follow PokerNews as our Live Reporting team will be covering the event from start to finish with live updates, beginning with today's Day 1a action at 10 a.m. PDT. Live updates can be found here.
Event #62: $10,000 Razz Championship
The latest Championship event kicks off the first of its four days today at 3 p.m. PDT where the object of this seven-card game is to have the lowest five cards possible with a wheel consisting of ace-two-three-four-five being the nuts. Players start with 60,000 in chips and will bag for the day after ten blind levels of an hour each.
While no re-entry is allowed in this freezeout event, the final tally on entrants and the prize pool won't be known until tomorrow with late registration closing just before cards are in the air on Day 2.
Players bagging chips and those entering late will compete for three more days with more extended 90-minute blind levels until one player is left with all of the chips.
History of the $10,000 Razz Championship
This will be the sixth rendition of the $10,000 Razz Championship with George Danzer winning the inaugural event for $294,792 after finishing on top of a field of 112 players. The field was smaller the next three years when Phil Hellmuth (2015 - $271,105), Ray Dehkharghani (2016 - $273,338), and James Obst (2017 - $265,138) all won bracelets.
The event rebounded in a big way last year with a record field of 119 players when Calvin Anderson triumphed in the event for his second career bracelet and the $309,220 top prize.
Year | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Country | Prize |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | 119 | $1,118,600 | Calvin Anderson | United States | $309,220 |
2017 | 97 | $911,800 | James Obst | Australia | $265,138 |
2016 | 100 | $940,000 | Ray Dehkharghani | United States | $273,338 |
2015 | 103 | $968,200 | Phil Hellmuth | United States | $271,105 |
2014 | 112 | $1,052,800 | George Danzer | Germany | $294,792 |
Follow PokerNews as our Live Reporting team will be covering the event from start to finish with live updates, beginning with today's Day 1 action at 3 p.m. PDT. Live updates can be found here.
In this Series
- 1 WSOP Day 1: 50th Annual WSOP Begins with Casino Employees Championship and $10K Super Turbo Bounty
- 2 WSOP Day 2: Daniel Negreanu Hunts Bracelet Number 7 at $10K Bounty Final Table
- 3 WSOP Day 3: WSOP's Own Isaac Hanson Leads Casino Employees FT, $50K Gets Underway
- 4 WSOP Day 4: Ali Imsirovic Leads the $50,000 High Roller
- 5 WSOP Day 5: Ben Heath Leads High Roller; John Esposito Leads Omaha Hi-Lo Final Table
- 6 WSOP Day 6: Gabe Patgorski Leads Modest $10K Short Deck Event
- 7 WSOP Day 7: Chance Kornuth Leads $10K Short Deck Final Seven
- 8 WSOP Day 8: Benny Glaser Leads Dealer's Choice Heading into Final Day
- 9 WSOP Day 9: Cunningham in the Hunt for Bracelet #6 in the BIG 50; Shorr Leads $5K NLHE
- 10 WSOP Day 10: Fashakin Leads Final 7 in BIG 50; Millionaire Maker Begins
- 11 WSOP Day 11: Four Bracelets to be Awarded Today; Lehr, Baron, and Katz in the Hunt
- 12 WSOP Day 12: Robert Mizrachi Hunting for Fifth Bracelet in $10K Omaha Hi-Lo Championship
- 13 WSOP Day 13: Eli Elezra and Anthony Zinno Lead $1,500 Stud Final Table
- 14 WSOP Day 14: Jean-Robert Bellande Leads the Final Seven in the $10K 2-7 Championship
- 15 WSOP Day 15: Kazuki Ikeuchi Leads Final Six in the Millionaire Maker
- 16 WSOP Day 16: Michael Mizrachi Hunts For Fifth Bracelet With the Final Table Lead in the $1,500 Stud Hi/Lo
- 17 WSOP Day 17: Can Dario Sammartino Parlay a Massive Lead Into His First Bracelet?
- 18 WSOP Day 18: Hanh Tran and Benny Glaser Aim for Repeat Bracelets in the $1,500 2-7 TD
- 19 WSOP Day 19: Will Adam Friedman Win Back-to-Back Championships in the $10K Dealers Choice?
- 20 WSOP Day 20: Deeb Leads $10K Dealer's Choice Final Five; Bonomo at Shootout Final Table
- 21 WSOP Day 21: Scott Seiver Leads the $10K Stud Championship
- 22 WSOP Day 22: Can Daniel Negreanu Win His 7th Bracelet in the $10K Stud Championship?
- 23 WSOP Day 23: Will Rainer Kempe Win His First Bracelet?
- 24 WSOP Day 24: Tsang Leads Record-Breaking $25K PLO; Monster Stack Kicks Off
- 25 WSOP Day 25: Chidwick in Prime Position for His First Bracelet in the $25K PLO High Roller
- 26 WSOP Day 26: Ben Lamb Bags Big in $10K Pot Limit Omaha Championship
- 27 WSOP Day 27: Alaei Leads $10K PLO Championship; $50K Poker Players Championship Begins
- 28 WSOP Day 28: Jennifer Tilly Looking for Bracelet #2 in $1,500 Razz
- 29 WSOP Day 29: Benjamin Ector Leads the Final Six in the Monster Stack
- 30 WSOP Day 30: Akkari Leads $10,000 Razz, Givens Looking for Second Bracelet in $600 Deepstack
- 31 WSOP Day 31: Seidel Hunting For Ninth Bracelet at $1,500 PLO8 Final Table
- 32 WSOP Day 32: Seiver Leads Heads-up in the $10,000 Razz Championship
- 33 WSOP Day 33: Can Yueqi Zhu Win Back-to-Back Bracelets in the $1,500 Omaha Mix?
- 34 WSOP Day 34: Nick Schulman Leads the Final Seven in the $10K PLO8 Championship
- 35 WSOP Day 35: 888poker Ambassador Vivian Saliba Bags Big in the Crazy Eights
- 36 WSOP Day 36: Main Event Begins; Saliba Makes Final Day of Crazy Eights
- 37 WSOP Day 37: Day 1b of Main Event Begins; Vieira Leads Final Six of $5k 6-Max
- 38 WSOP Day 38: Day 1c of the Main Event Begins; Carroll Leads SALUTE TO WARRIORS
- 39 WSOP Day 39: Campanello Leads Main Event; Little One for One Drop Begins
- 40 WSOP Day 40: November Niner Cannuli Among Day 2c Big Stacks in the Main Event
- 41 WSOP Day 41: $50,000 Final Fifty High Roller Begins
- 42 WSOP Day 42: Stefan Ivanov Leads the Little One for One Drop; Main Event and Final Fifty Resume
- 43 WSOP Day 43: Shaun Deeb Leads Little One for One Drop
- 44 WSOP Day 44: Dentale Leads Little One for One Drop; Nemeth Leads $3K NLHE
- 45 WSOP Day 45: Tommy Nguyen Leads Final Eight in the Bracelet Winners Only Event
- 46 WSOP Day 46: Ayaz Mahmood Hunting For His Second Bracelet
- 47 WSOP Day 47: Shaun Deeb Bags Big in the Closer; Main Event Final Table Begins
- 48 WSOP Day 48: Brian Hastings Hunting for Back-to-Back Titles in the $3K H.O.R.S.E.
- 49 WSOP Day 49: Hellmuth Aiming for 16th Bracelet in $5,000 Event