All posts by BJ Nemeth

$3,250 High Roller: Stephen Song Leads the Field at the Break with 796,000

$3,250 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | StructurePayouts
Level 19:  4,000/8,000 with an 8,000 ante
Players Remaining:  13 of 104

Stephen Song
Chipleader Stephen Song

The players return from break to begin Level 19, with blinds at 4,000-8,000 and an 8,000 ante. With 13 players remaining, the average chip stack is about 320,000 (40 big blinds).

Here are the official chip counts from the break:

TABLE 1
Seat 1.  
Seat 2.  Arkadiy Tsinis  –  134,000  (17 bb)
Seat 3.  Jamey Kramer  –  242,000  (30 bb)
Seat 4.  Anthony Askey  –  66,000  (8 bb)
Seat 5.  Brock Wilson  –  315,000  (39 bb)
Seat 6.  Stephen Song  –  796,000  (100 bb)
Seat 7.  Mark Zullo  –  517,000  (65 bb)
Seat 8.  Gary Lucci  –  255,000  (32 bb)

TABLE 2
Seat 1.  Mukul Pahuja  –  540,000  (68 bb)
Seat 2.  Russell Jaicks  –  144,000  (18 bb)
Seat 3.  
Seat 4.  David Prociak  –  403,000  (50 bb)
Seat 5.  
Seat 6.  Faraz Jaka  –  252,000  (32 bb)
Seat 7.  Jake Schwartz  –  258,000  (32 bb)
Seat 8.  Michael Browne  –  214,000  (27 bb)

The remaining players are all guaranteed to earn at least $5,828 each. Here are the players who have been eliminated in the money so far, along with their payouts:

14th:  Michael Rossitto  –  $5,828
15th:  Peter Walsworth  –  $5,481
16th:  Jason Daly  –  $5,481

$3,250 High Roller: Faraz Jaka Doubles Thru Jake Schwartz

$3,250 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | StructurePayouts
Level 18:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  13 of 104

Faraz Jaka Doubles Thru Jake Schwartz
Jake Schwartz (right) tanks as he considers the all-in river shove of Faraz Jaka (left).

In the final hand of Level 18, Faraz Jaka (small blind) and Jake Schwartz (big blind) were battling over a board of KsKh7h3d2s with about 105K already in the pot.

Jaka moved all in for about 70,000, and Schwartz went into the tank for a long time.

After a while, Schwartz apologized for thinking so long, saying, “Sorry guys.” Then he realized that the level had ended and most of the players had left the table to take their 15-minute break. “Oh well, sorry Faraz.”

Eventually, Schwartz called with As7d for two pair, kings and sevens, but Jaka turned over Kd6d to win the pot with trip kings and double up in chips.

Faraz Jaka  –  252,000  (42 bb)
Jake Schwartz  –  258,000  (43 bb)

Level 18 comes to an end, and the players take a 15-minute break.

$3,250 High Roller: Michael Rossitto Eliminated in 14th Place by Mukul Pahuja

$3,250 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | StructurePayouts
Level 18:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  13 of 104

Mukul Pahuja
Mukul Pahuja

Michael Rossitto got it all in from the button for about 60,000 with 3d3c, but he needed to improve to stay alive against Mukul Pahuja’s 9s9h in the hijack.

The board came Qd10h6s9dQs, and Pahuja turned a set of nines and rivered a full house to win the pot and eliminate Rossitto in 14th place.

Mukul Pahuja  –  365,000  (61 bb)
Michael Rossitto  –  Eliminated in 14th Place  ($5,828)

With 13 players remaining, the average chip stack is about 320,000 (53 big blinds), and the remaining players are all guaranteed at least $5,828 each.

$3,250 High Roller: Jake Dollinger Eliminated on the Money Bubble by Stephen Song

$3,250 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | StructurePayouts
Level 18:  3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 ante
Players Remaining:  16 of 104

Stephen Song
Chipleader Stephen Song

There were no all-in-and-call situations in the first eight hands of hand-for-hand play on the Money Bubble.

In Hand #9, chipleader Stephen Song moved all in from the cutoff, and Jake Dollinger called all in from the button for 58,500 with Ah7s.

Song turned over 8c3c, and Dollinger needed his hand to hold to stay alive.

There was a seven in the window, but the flop came 7h3s3d, and Song took a huge lead with trip threes.

The turn card was the 8d, giving Song a full house, but Dollinger could still catch a seven on the river to stay alive.

The river card was the Ac, and Song won the pot with his full house to eliminate Dollinger on the Money Bubble.

Peter Walsworth says, “How did every single card hit somebody?”

Stephen Song  –  630,000  (105 bb)
Jake Dollinger  –  Eliminated on the Money Bubble

The remaining 16 players redraw for random seats at the final two tables, and an updated seat map will be posted soon, when the players take their next break. The average chip stack is about 245,000 (41 big blinds), and the remaining players are all guaranteed to earn at least $5,481 each.

$3,250 High Roller: Nicholas Agnew Out in 18th; Money Bubble Begins

$3,250 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | StructurePayouts
Level 17:  2,500/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining:  17 of 104

Event 9 Money Bubble
Event 9 Money Bubble

Nicholas Agnew was just eliminated in 18th place, and the remaining 17 players begin hand-for-hand play on the Money Bubble.

With 17 players remaining from a field of 104, the average chip stack is about 245,000 (49 big blinds), and the final 16 players will finish in the money, guaranteed at least $5,481 each.

$3,250 High Roller: Christopher Dandrea Eliminated by Stephen Song; David Prociak Doubles Thru Gary Lucci

$3,250 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | StructurePayouts
Level 17:  2,500/5,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining:  18 of 104

Stephen Song
Stephen Song

Stephen Song (big blind) and Christopher Dandrea (button) put in about 50,000 each to see a flop of Qd5c3c.

Song bets 30,000, Dandrea raises to 75,000, and Song thinks for a few moments before three-betting all in for about 250,000. Dandrea has about 110,000 left in his stack, and he goes into the tank for a long time.

Eventually, somebody calls for a clock, and a floorperson gives Dandrea 30 seconds to act on his hand. With about 10 seconds remaining, Dandrea calls with Qc10s for a pair of queens.

But Song turns over 5d3h for bottom two pair, fives and threes, and Dandrea needs to improve to stay alive.

The turn card was the 3s, the river card is the 7c, and Song turns a full house, threes full of fives, to eliminate Dandrea in 19th place.

Stephen Song  –  520,000  (104 bb)
Christopher Dandrea  –  Eliminated

David Prociak
David Prociak

David Prociak raised under the gun, Gary Lucci reraised from the big blind to 40,000, and Prociak moved all in for 145,500.

Lucci thought for a bit. before he called with AdKc, and Prociak turned over QhQc. Prociak needed his hand to hold to stay alive.

The board came Qs9d8sAc2h, and Prociak flopped a set of queens to win the pot and double up in chips.

David Prociak  –  298,500  (60 bb)
Gary Lucci  –  253,000  (51 bb)

With 18 players remaining from a field of 104, the average chip stack is about 230,000 (46 big blinds), and the final 16 players will finish in the money, guaranteed at least $5,481 each.

$3,250 High Roller: Steve Brite Doubles Thru Brock Wilson, Then Wilson Knocks Out Brite

$3,250 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | StructurePayouts
Level 16:  2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining:  20 of 104

Steve Brite
Steve Brite

Javier Zarco was just eliminated when he got it all in with 2x2x, but failed to improve against Mark Zullo’s 10x10x.

Mark Zullo  –  235,000  (59 bb)
Javier Zarco  –  Eliminated

The next hand, with no small blind, Steve Brite got it all in from the big blind for 46,000 with As8s against Brock Wilson’s Jc3c on the button.

The board came Qc10c2sAhAd — Wilson flopped a club flush draw and turned a gutshot straight draw, but Brite won the pot with trip aces to double up.

Steve Brite  –  95,000  (24 bb)
Brock Wilson  –  135,000  (34 bb)

Brock Wilson
Brock Wilson

A round later, Brock Wilson was back on the button, and Faraz Jaka raised UTG+1 to 9,000. Mark Zullo called from the hijack, and Wilson reraised from the button to 35,000. Steve Brite moved all in from the small blind, and Jaka and Zullo both folded.

Wilson quickly called with QsQc, and Brite turned over AdKs. Brite needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came Jh7d6d2c5h, and the pocket queens held up for Wilson to win the pot and eliminate Brite from the tournament.

Brock Wilson  –  256,000  (64 bb)
Steve Brite  –  Eliminated

With 20 players remaining from a field of 104, the average chip stack is about 208,000 (52 big blinds), and the final 16 players will finish in the money, guaranteed at least $5,481 each.

$3,250 High Roller: Jamey Kramer Leads the Field at the Break with 458,500

$3,250 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | StructurePayouts
Level 16:  2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining:  24 of 104

Jamey Kramer
Chipleader Jamey Kramer

The players return from break to begin Level 16, with increased blinds of 2,000-4,000 and a 4,000 ante. With 24 players remaining from a field of 104, the average chip stack is about 173,500 (43 big blinds).

A scan of the field during the break turned up four players with at least 300K in chips, creating an unofficial leaderboard:

1.  Jamey Kramer  –  458,500  (115 bb)
2.  Gary Lucci  –  365,500  (91 bb)
3.  Mukul Pahuja  –  359,500  (90 bb)
4.  Russell Jaicks  –  307,500  (77 bb)

The final 16 players will finish in the money, guaranteed at least $5,481 each.

Main Event Day 1A: Tyler Phillips and Dapo Ajayi Lead the Field at the Second Break

$1,700 WSOPC Main Event (Single Re-Entry)
$1,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure
Level 7:  300/500 with a 500 ante
Flight A Entries:  363

Tyler Phillips
Tyler Phillips

The players return from their second break to begin Level 7, with increased blinds of 300-500 and a 500 ante. Registration for Day 1A remains open with unlimited re-entries until 8:45 pm.

A scan of the field during the break turned up four players with at least 100K in chips, creating an unofficial leaderboard:

1.  Tyler Phillips  –  139,800  (280 bb)
2.  Dapo Ajayi  –  135,700  (271 bb)
3.  Raffaello Locatelli  –  102,000  (204 bb)
4.  Richard Rice  –  101,000  (202 bb)

Tyler Phillips was the chipleader at the first break, and he has held onto the top position.

Dapo Ajayi
Dapo Ajayi

Dapo Ajayi is new to the leaderboard, but he is coming off a very strong 2019, when he racked up three six-figure scores — in January he finished second in the WSOP Circuit Main Event in Choctaw ($198,265), in July he finished 39th in the WSOP Main Event ($211,945), and in October he finished second in WPT Montreal ($254,966). And while it was just shy of a six-figure score, Ajayi finished second last month at the WSOP Circuit Main Event in Thunder Valley to earn $91,009.

$3,250 High Roller: Faraz Jaka Doubles Up and Then Knocks Out Romeo Mendoza

$3,250 High Roller (Re-Entry)
$100,000 Guaranteed | StructurePayouts
Level 14:  1,000/2,500 with a 2,500 ante
Players Remaining:  31 of 104

Faraz Jaka
Faraz Jaka

With the final board showing Jh9h8cKd5c on the river with nearly 30K already in the pot, last night’s Event 8 champion Romeo Mendoza checked the small blind, and David Prociak bet 20,000 from the big blind, leaving himself just 12,000 behind.

Mendoza thought for a bit before he called, and Prociak turned over 9s8s for two pair, nines and eights. Mendoza mucked, dropping down to just 9,000 in chips.

David Prociak  –  81,000  (32 bb)
Romeo Mendoza  –  9,000  (4 bb)

A short while later at the same table, with the final board showing Ah9c4c10c8s, the player in the big blind bet 30,000, Faraz Jaka moved all in under the gun for 63,500, and the big blind called with Ac9s for two pair, aces and nines.

But Jaka turned over KcJc to win the pot with a king-high flush, doubling up in chips.

Faraz Jaka  –  160,000  (64 bb)

Faraz Jaka vs Romeo Mendoza
Faraz Jaka (top left) and Romeo Mendoza (top right) watch as the dealer puts out the flop.

The next hand, Romeo Mendoza moved all in from UTG+1 for 9,000, and Faraz Jaka called from the big blind with Ks4d. Mendoza turned over 7s6s, and he needed to improve to stay alive.

The board came Kh9c5sKcJh — Mendoza flopped a gutshot straight draw, but Jaka flopped a pair of kings and turned trips to win the pot and eliminate Mendoza from the tournament.

Faraz Jaka  –  170,000  (68 bb)
Romeo Mendoza  –  Eliminated

With 31 players remaining from a field of 104, the average chip stack is about 134,000 (54 big blinds). The final 16 players will finish in the money, guaranteed at least $5,481 each.