Matt O'Donnell Leads the Final 10
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After playing 20 minutes short of 10 levels today, the $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em Championship got down to an unofficial final table of 10 and stopped play for the night.
Some big names will come back tomorrow with a shot at the bracelet including the likes of three-time WSOP final table participant Chino Rheem, two-time WSOP final table participant Dan Shak, and WSOP bracelet winners Todd Brunson and Barny Boatman. But they will all be looking up at chip leader Matt O'Donnell, making his second WSOP final table already this year after a fifth-place finish in Event #4: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em at the beginning of the Series.
The rest of the table is filled with a number of skillful players, including 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $25,000 High Roller champ Alex Bilokur, 2012 $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em fourth-place finisher Alexander Venovski, two-time WSOP final table participant Richard Lyndaker, GuangDong Asia Millions eighth-place finisher Pratyush Buddiga, and two-time WSOP final table participant (including one already this year) Ismael Bojang.
The day started with just 66 players, but did not pass through the money bubble until late in the evening, which is when the top 18 finishers would earn a return on their investment. Players like Phil Ivey, Mike Matusow, Jason Mercier, Phil Galfond, Justin Bonomo, and John Hennigan all busted before the payouts started.
Don Nguyen grabbed a massive chip lead midway through the day, but it didn't last and he joined end-of-day-one chip leader Tony Ruberto busting in the first half of the final 18 and in the money.
Top pros like Erik Seidel, Scott Seiver, John Juanda, and Dani Stern also made the final 18, but they couldn't hold on to the final 10, while Humberto Brenes joined them, making his series-leading seventh cash so far.
The field must lose one more player before the official final table is set, and they will start the effort towards that at 2 p.m. PT on Saturday. The PokerNews Live Updates Team will be here from the start until a champion is crowned, so stay tuned right here for all the action.