- Highlights of the day’s action at the WSOP.
Event #37: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha
Of the two bracelets awarded today, the most extended celebrations are likely to come from Brandon Paster. He’s going to play one more event then plans to head for Amsterdam for the rest of the Summer.
“I got everything I want,” he told the collected journalists after his victory, “now it’s time to party my face off.”
{il:news/paster-bracelet.jpg::medium-right}Paster’s route to the top appeared effortless—chip leader after day 1, second in chips after day 2. The reality was different as he started the day with the need to get through an eleven player field that included Kevin Saul, PokerStars Team Online Pro Gabriel Nassif, and bracelet holder Marcel Vonk.
Saul dropped in 8th place, but Nassif and Vonk provided experienced opposition when play got three handed. As Paster explained, the $264k he won was “my biggest score by a couple hundred thousand dollars.”
Nassif came to poker via the strategy game Magic: the Gathering, where he was elected a member of the Hall of Fame in 2010. He cashed in both 2010 and 2011 WSOP Main Events.
Vonk was the first Dutch player to win a WSOP bracelet when he took home $570k for winning Event #54: $1,000 No Limit Hold’em in 2010.
Paster first sent Nassif to the rail, and then three hands later delivered the final blow to Vonk. Trip aces gave Paster his first WSOP cash and enough money to celebrate it in style.
Event #38: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better
George Danzer leaped into pole position for the WSOP Player of the Year with a win in Event #38 and along with his win in Event #18: $10,000 Seven-Card Razz Championship has become the second player to win two WSOP bracelets this year.
Dominik Nitsche’s victories earlier this year in the 2014 National Championship Event and Event #21: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em marked the 15th consecutive year that at least one player has managed to win two bracelets in a single year.
The current streak was started by Chris Ferguson in 2000 when he won Event #9: $2,500 Limit 7 Card Stud and the Main Event.
This is Danzer’s fifth cash in the series including his bracelet victory in Event #18: $10k Seven Card Razz and a ninth place finish in Event #32: $10k No-Limit Hold’em Six Handed.
The German player smashed through some of the toughest opposition the WSOP could offer, including knocking out Richard Sklar (9th) and John Monnette (8th) in a single hand.
By the time they were down to five he faced:
- John Racener —runner-up in the 2010 Main Event for $5.5.
- Calvin Anderson—winner of this year’s $1.5k Seven Card Stud bracelet.
- Brian Hastings—who holds the record for the most money ever won in a single online poker cash game session—$4.18m against Victor Blom, and also a bracelet winner in the 2012 WSOP.
- Jeff Lisandro —with five WSOP bracelets and over $3m in live tournament winnings.
There have been easier final tables.
Finally the game got down to heads up and Danzer faced John Racener, who was fated to repeat his 2010 Main Event performance and come in as runner up.
Danzer started the match with a solid chip lead, and it wasn’t long before Racener was in a perilous chip position. He doubled up, and took chips wherever he could, but the huge chip lead Danzer built up meant that Racener’s luck would not get him back in the game.
Danzer won the bracelet and $352k.
Despite his youthful promise and exuberant confidence, WSOP presenter Norman Chad had to settle for less than 10% of Danzer’s winnings, going back to the commentary box in 10th place.
Events still running
Event #39: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Play on day 2 whittled the field down from 205 to 26, with the initial chip leader James “mig.com” Mackay falling early on to finish in 87th position.
Day three will start with Jacob Schindler holding the largest stack and guaranteed his fourth cash in this year’s series. Behind him is Ryan Olisar who managed six cashes in last year’s events, but has registered only one so far this year.
Layne Flack lies mid-way up the field looking for his seventh bracelet.
Event #40: $10k Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em
The first heads up event of this year’s WSOP comes with a $10k buy-in, $1.2 million in prize money and more competition than a rational poker player should consider.
Phil Ivey survived until late in the day, but with only 16 of the 136 starters left, it is the other half of the prop bet, Daniel Negreanu who is still in the chase. Ivey and Negreanu have wagered up to $1 million at even money that one of them will win a bracelet this year.
Event #41: $1,500 Dealer’s Choice Six-Handed
Sixteen possible poker games are available for the dealer to choose from in the inaugural six handed $1.5k Dealer’s Choice event.
419 players decided that their all around poker skills were up to the challenge, and at the end of the first day, 108 remain.
Larry Tull has the chip lead for the start of play later today; in second place is Jimmy “Gobboboy” Fricke showing that internet players can play more than No Limit Hold’em.
Todd Brunson is fourth in chips and making another good showing is Melissa Burr, who has run so deep so often this year that it may be only a matter of time before she breaks through and wins a bracelet. Her Twitter account describes her poker life, “i sleep. i shop. i play poker. the end.”
Brandon Cantu was given a one round penalty after a scuffle with Jesse Martin. Melissa tweeted the action:
