A thrilling day of action across six live bracelet events and two WSOP Online tournaments saw three bracelets won, the Main Event reduced to less than 400 players and an entertaining Hall of Fame bounty event see some of the biggest names arrive to play with a target on their backs. The action was hot at Bally’s and Paris as the Las Vegas Strip was lit up by the poker stars assembling at the felt.
Big Names Lining Up for Main Event Glory
After a total of 1,299 players began the day in the 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event, only 380 players survived a brutal day at the felt which saw players such as feuding poker pros Martin Zamani and Bryn Kenney were joined on the rail by four former world champions in Ryan Riess, Chris Moneymaker, Greg Merson, and John Cynn.
The chip leader at the close of play was Taylor von Kriegenbergh, who ended the day with 5,305,000 chips and the only stack above 5 million. He was followed in the chipcounts by Dan Colpoys (4,835,000), Johan Schumacher (4,600,000) and overnight leader Aaron Mermelstein (4,285,000) who had another excellent day at the felt.
Six former world champions started the day, but while the 2020 ‘Hybrid’ Main Event winner Damian Salas (2,355,000) and defending 2021 Main Event champion Koray Aldemir (1,285,000) both made the cut, players at the top end of the chipcounts included Yuliyan Kolev (3,500,000), Alex Keating (3,000,000) and PokerStars Ambassador and Alejandro Lococo (3,200,000), who finished seventh in last year’s Main Event and will be looking to last six more places this year.
WSOP 2022 Event #70 $10,000 Main Event Final Table Results:
- Tyler von Kriegenbergh – 5,305,000
- Dan Colpoys – 4,835,000
- Johan Schumacher – 4,600,000
- Aaron Mermelstein – 4,285,000
- Victor Li – 4,200,000
- Rafael Mota – 4,050,000
- Carlos Leiva – 3,860,000
- Shelby Wells – 3,840,000
- Jorge Hou – 3,800,000
- Dingxiang Ong – 3,630,000
Strelitz Goes Wire-to-Wire to Win Second Bracelet
Daniel Strelitz won his second bracelet by taking down Event #73, the $1,500-entry Razz event for a top prize of $115,723. Getting the better of Lynda Tran heads-up Strelitz confirmed that a game he’s focused on a lot recently is one he is fasting becoming a great in as he swept the field aside and claimed victory.
With eight players making the official final table, Andres Korn was the first player to depart that final as the Argentinian lost out to Mark Gerencher for a score of $10,611. Gerencher may have won that pot, but he was the next player to leave, busting in seventh place for $13,860. After a long time, the field was trimmed from six to five when Kijoon Park made hs exit.
Later in the final table, Frank Kassela busted in fourth for $34,996 before Calvin Anderson departed in third for $49,557, but not before holding the chip lead. That was grabbed by Strelitz, however, and he held on after a topsy-turvy heads-up match to claim his second WSOP bracelet and a top prize of $115,723.
WSOP 2022 Event #73 $1,500 Razz Final Table Results:
- Daniel Strelitz – $115,723
- Lynda Tran – $71,527
- Calvin Anderson – $49,557
- Frank Kassela – $34,996
- Sergio Braga – $25,198
- Kijoon Park – $18,506
- Mark Gerencher – $13,869
- Andres Korn – $10,611
Penultimate Day Reached in $1,111 One Drop Event
Chip leader Jorge Walker will be ahead of the field when he sits down to play the penultimate day of action in the $1,111-entry One More for One Drop event, with 3,665,000 chips to his name. There are a number of terrific players in the top 10 however, with Andrew Moreno (2,470,000), 2013 WSOP Main Event winner Ryan Riess (2,110,000) and Joao Simao (2,075,000) all over two million chips as they bid to derail the leader.
Others to make it to the next day’s play where 319 will start in seats included Sejo Kasic (2,300,000), Michael Stephenson (2,160,000), WSOP bracelet winner David Williams (1,560,000), Lily Kiletto (1,900,000) and Christina Gollins (1,600,000) and the 2003 Main Event winner Chris Moneymaker (1,550,000).
WSOP 2022 Event #71 $1,111 One More for One Drop Top 10 Chipcounts:
- Jorge Walker – 3,665,000
- Andrew Moreno – 2,470,000
- Benjamin Thomas – 2,345,000
- Sejo Kasic – 2,300,000
- Dragos Trofimov – 2,210,000
- Michael Stephenson – 2,160,000
- Ryan Riess – 2,110,000
- Joao Simao – 2,075,000
- Kfir Nahum – 2,070,000
- Dylan Cechowski – 2,050,000
King Has Huge Lead in Bounty PLO Event
The unofficial final table of nine has been reached in the $1,500-entry Bounty PLO evetn, otherwise known as Event #74 on this year’s World Series schedule. While the final table isn’t officially set, everyone will be around the same felt on the final day and one player has a huge chip lead.
Nolan King (12,700,000) has a big chip lead in the event as he races towards the final day with more than double his nearest rival Pei Li (5,525,000) and four times the chips of anyone else. Short stack is the microscopic pile belonging to Diogo Veiga (540,000), while the only previous bracelet winner to make the final nine is Bulgarian player Konstantin Angelov (2,850,000).
WSOP 2022 Event #74 $1,500 Bounty PLO Final Day Chipcounts:
- Nolan King – 12,700,000
- Pei Li – 5,525,000
- Konstantin Angelov – 2,850,000
- Eemil Tuominen – 2,800,000
- Ryan Scully – 2,700,000
- Raul Esquivel – 2,370,000
- William Gross – 2,350,000
- Eric Lescot – 2,330,000
- Diogo Veiga – 540,000
Anderson in Charge in Lucky 7’s Event
In any other field, a Day 1 where 1,056 players were reduced to 44 in a single day might be random carnage, but this is the World Series of Poker and legends know how to rise to the top. They also know that Day 1b takes place tomorrow. One such luminary is Calvin Anderson, who ended Day 1 of the $777 buy-in Lucky 7’s event with 2,280,000 chips good for the chip lead.
Anderson has some stellar company at the felt when he returns for the final day, with closest rivals Phong Than Nguyen (2,000,000) and Kevin O’Harra (1,845,000). Joined by stars such as Ben Yu (1,330,000), Jason Wheeler (640,000), Andrew Barber (580,000), and WSOP legend Allen Cunningham (160,000). Plenty more bust-out heavy action will dominate tomorrow before we have a combined field.
WSOP 2022 Event #75 $777 Lucky Sevens Top 10 Chipcounts:
- Calvin Anderson – 2,280,000
- Phong Than Nguyen – 2,000,000
- Kevin O’Harra – 1,845,000
- Mohammadreza Soltany – 1,580,000
- Pieter Susebeek – 1,550,000
- Kenny Lau – 1,535,000
- Vladimir Vasilyev – 1,525,000
- Matthias Habernig – 1,480,000
- Ariel Albilia – 1,420,000
- Joseph Crowley – 1,380,000
Poker Hall of Fame Bounty Event Draws the Stars
One of the most popular events on the WSOP schedule is Event #76, the $1,979-entry Poker Hall of Fame Bounty event, which sees Poker Hall of Fame members start with a bounty on their heads that is appropriate to the year they were inducted. This year’s inductee, Layne Flack, was heralded as the HoF’s newest member before the kick off as everyone paid their respects to the man who sadly passed in 2021.
This year’s event saw a total of 835 entries, and while 139 players made the next day, only 130 of them will get paid, meaning we are nine from the bubble with Day 2 starting tomorrow. Expect an early period of tension then, where the big stacks get bigger and the smaller stacks get nervous.
There will be no end of glee about that situation from the leaders, who are headed by Shaun Deeb, who totalled 574,000 chips by the close of the day’s action. He was followed in the chicpounts by Marsel Backa (510,000) and Kfir Litman (503,000), with other top 10 stacks belonging to the dangerous David Lappin (430,000) and dedicated Daniel Weinman (370,000).
Players to lose both the bounties on their heads and their stacks by the close of play included Daniel Negreanu, Chris Moneymaker and Johnny Chan but plenty of other stars survived, with Barry Greenstein (327,000), Perry Friedman (320,000), Anatolii Zyrin (290,000) and Ole Schemion (246,000) all making the cut.
WSOP 2022 Event #76 $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty Top 10 Chipcounts:
- Shaun Deeb – 574,000
- Marsel Backa – 510,000
- Kfir Litman – 503,000
- Shane Rose – 483,000
- Michael Brown – 467,000
- Joseph DiPascale – 444,600
- David Lappin – 430,000
- Noah Bronstein – 417,000
- Bradley Gelbwaks – 409,000
- Daniel Weinman – 370,000
The 2021 WSOP Player of the Year winner Josh Arieh has accepted that his reign as champion is over.
It’s been real! I started this @wsop on fire and faded down the homestretch. After nearly 25 yrs as a pro, I still have many areas I can improve! Best of luck to my boys still fighting the fight! I’m throwing in the towel.
— Joshua Arieh (@golferjosh) July 11, 2022
Chris Moneymaker decided to take a break from WSOP Main Event action. He’ll pop back in 12 months.
Woke up with 1010 with 30bb. Bb had AA. I have decided to not play anymore in this event.
— Chris Moneymaker ⭕ (@CMONEYMAKER) July 10, 2022
Bracelet winner Patrick Leonard was a little frustrated at having the clock called on him.
40 left in 1600 runners wsop event. I haven’t taken more than 15 seconds in any decision in tournament. I’m in 1.2m pot (avg 700k) guy puts me all in on turn in super complex spot and call floor after 1 min 15 seconds. Floor insta comes and I have 45 seconds. Reasonable?
— Patrick Leonard (@padspoker) July 11, 2022
Phil Hellmuth caught up with another Poker Hall of Famer as Huck Seed made a rare appearance on camera.
Hello old friend Huck Seed! Good guy, World Champion of poker (1996), Poker Hall of Fame’r, and poker legend. I believe the poker world will finally see Huck today at @WSOP in $1979 buy in “Hall of Fame Bounty tourney.” (He says he may play) #POSITIVITY #NeverKnowWhoYouSeeAtAria pic.twitter.com/noqyTKmgeV
— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) July 10, 2022
The Halll of Fame Bounty players took a line-up photograph for the ages, via our friends PokerNews.
The Poker Hall Of Fame showed up today for @WSOP Event 76: $1,979 Poker HOF Bounty! Look at all of these amazing legends of the game!
Follow our live updates here:https://t.co/xlFohLDlJn pic.twitter.com/xykC1YNVxU
— PokerNews (@PokerNews) July 11, 2022
Finally, Dan Smith is the hero we all need right now. Perhaps never more so than in this day and age of poker.
I’m at table w/Ali & @Dansmithholla. Dan gets in a hand w/a chatty player that has bet pot on the river.
Dan asks “Did you hit that 7 on the river?”
Player: “Can I answer that? Is that allowed”Dan looks at Ali and says “They let Ali play here so I don’t think they will care!”
— Angela Jordison (@Angelajordison) July 11, 2022
Official photographs courtesy of PokerGO, the home of live-streamed action throughout the 2022 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
