Six Remain in $1,500 Limit Hold'em; David "ODB" Baker Keeps the Chip Lead After Day 3
Day 3 of Event #66: $1,500 Limit Hold'em has concluded. A total of 541 hopefuls sat down to play at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino three days ago but now the final table has been reached and only six remain.
Everyone who returns for the final day, running Tuesday, July 2, has won at least $24,574 but all have their eyes on the top prize of $161,139, the title and a prestigious WSOP gold bracelet.
Returning as chip leader in the hunt for a second bracelet is David “ODB” Baker with a massive stack of 2,493,000. Baker, who also ended Day 2 in the chip leader position, managed to stay at the top of the leaderboard throughout the day to bag almost one million more than the second largest stack, Japan's Ruiko Mamiya, who sits with 1,551,000.
Baker kept building his stack through numerous hands, including one against Matt Glantz. Baker raised and called a three-bet from Glantz, who was situated in the blinds, before calling Glantz’s continuation bet on a king-high flop. The turn fell a four and this time Glantz check-called. The river bricked and Baker called one last bet, holding ace-king of hearts while Glantz folded. Glantz was left with crumbs after that hand and busted a few minutes later in 15th place for $6,473.
Brian Kim will return third in chips tomorrow (1,106,000). In fourth place is Dominzo Love (620,000). Completing the final six is none other than 2017 Player of the Year Chris Ferguson (246,000), who doubled up twice through Love during the last level of play, with Chicong Nguyen returning as the shortest stack (152,000).
Daniel Negreanu was the second bust out of the day, finishing in 20th for $4,360, pushing his last chips in the middle preflop with ace-nine of diamonds and getting called by Baker and Kim, the latter of whom hit a set of queens on the board. Ronald Piccioli, the eldest of the Day 3 players, hit the rail in 19th ($4,319) before the two table redraw and confessed he lived his dream during those three days of play, after having played poker for more than 50 years.
Final Table Action
At the unofficial final table, Nicholas Pupillo busted in 10th place ($8,132) in a massive hand involving Mamiya and Love. Pupillo four-bet shoved with pocket queens preflop and was called by Mamiya and Love. Things heated between the two remaining active players, as Mamiya found a full house on the turn while Love hit the nut flush river, and Mamiya climbed above the one million chips after the hand.
Joining Pupillo on the rail shortly after was three-time bracelet winner Greg Mueller in 9th place ($10,418). Mueller, who lost a few pots against Baker and Mamiya, was down to less than one big blind in the small blind position and called all-in with ace-three, running into Baker's ace-king. Mueller found no help on the board and had to renounce a chance at a fourth bracelet.
Next to leave was Danny Woolard 8th ($13,609). Woolard moved all in on the turn on a paired board with king-high and a straight draw while Baker had two pair and improved his hand into a full house on the river.
Kenneth Donoghue was out next in 7th ($18,118). He was down to three big blinds due to an unfortunate hand against Love, who rivered a straight while Donoghue held a set of kings. A few minutes later he called all in on a five-high flop with jack-ten and was facing Mamiya who had king-queen. Two nines completed the board and Donoghue had to say goodbye.
Play resumes on Tuesday, July 2, at noon on the main feature table. Players will come back in level 25 with blinds at 30,000/ 60,000 to contest for the bracelet.
Final Table Seat Draw
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David "ODB" Baker | United States | 2,493,000 | 100 |
| 2 | Brian Kim | United States | 1,106,000 | 44 |
| 3 | Ruiko Mamiya | Japan | 1,551,000 | 62 |
| 4 | Dominzo Love | United States | 620,000 | 25 |
| 5 | Chicong Nguyen | United States | 152,000 | 6 |
| 6 | Chris Ferguson | United States | 246,000 | 10 |
PokerNewswill be at the heart of the action from beginning to the very end, bringing you live updates of each and every hand that is played at the final table.