Making the biggest noise in the room, “The Colossus” careened onward on Sunday at the 2015 World Series of Poker but, somewhat oblivious to the commotion around the largest live poker tournament ever, Lowball specialists gathered together to determine what is essentially the game’s World Champion.
Event #5 – “The Colossus”
As we documented here earlier, “The Colossus” at the same time excited and irritated the players involved. A $638,880 first place prize was still sitting out there for someone, thus the 3447 players who survived from the initial 22,374 entries that the tournament received pulled themselves together to compete on Day 2. With only 2241 of those players receiving anything for their efforts, 1206 of those in action on Sunday wouldn’t be happy with their performance.
While the credo for “The Colossus” on Day 1 was “survive and advance,” that changed to “move up or perish” for Day 2. Hundreds of players who had nursed shorter stacks into the Day 2 play received an expedited exit from the tournament floor as the event resumed. In fact, it was estimated by some that nearly 300 players were gone from the tournament in the first hour of action alone. Among those taking the “long walk” (not necessarily in the first hour) were such notables as Vanessa Rousso and Joseph Cheong.
As the tournament drew close to the dinner hour, the money bubble hadn’t popped but the players were extremely close. In fact, the players came back from dinner with only five eliminations left to that bubble, so it was decided that hand-for-hand play would begin. After 15 minutes, the field reached the money when nine different players busted on the same hand, splitting up the bottom four places on the payout scale ($1096 times four for $4384, or $487 per player) and making everyone else in the room extremely happy.
Once the celebratory formalities finished, the cash out cage became the place to be. Players started flooding out of the Rio tournament rooms, picking up their $1096 min-cash in most cases. Players such as former World Champion Greg Raymer and Eddy Sabat took that min-cash, while J. C. Tran, Greg Mueller, Allen Kessler and former WSOP Player of the Year Erick Lindgren stuck around a bit longer to receive more cash. By the time the dust settled for the night, only 506 players remained alive in “The Colossus,” with these players sitting the best after Day 2.
1. Valentin Vornicu, 1.237 million
2. Shahen Martirosian, 799,000
3. Travis Miller, 770,000
4. Adam Lamphere, 669,000
5. Alexey Blyakher, 668,000
6. Anthony Miller, 661,000
7. Scott Gould, 637,000
8. Brandon Shane, 635,000
9. Will Givens, 632,000
10. Dale Schuman, 628,000
Another long ten levels of play await “The Colossus” survivors on Monday when action kicks off in the Amazon Room at 2PM (Vegas time).
Event #7 – $10,000 Limit Deuce to Seven Triple Draw Lowball World Championship
Completely oblivious to the uproar of “The Colossus,” some of the most skilled poker players in the world gathered to contest the first $10,000 buy-in event of the 2015 WSOP. The Deuce to Seven Triple Draw Lowball event promised to put a well-known name in every seat at the tables and, after all the entries were counted, the 109 players (down slightly from 2014’s 120 player field) didn’t disappoint.
Virtually every element of the poker world was represented around the tables of the Amazon Room for this tournament. If you were a fan of the “young guns” of poker, players like Calvin Anderson, Scott Seiver and Justin Bonomo were in the field. The international community was represented by defending WSOP Player of the Year George Danzer from Germany, French poker legend Bruno Fitoussi and British pro Stephen Chidwick. And if the “old guard” was your taste, such players as Billy Baxter, Phil Hellmuth and David Chiu were among the crowd.
Although the players knew each other well, they were vicious in clearing off the tables. By the time the end of the night came, only 56 players remained from the 109 who originally started the event. When the tournament resumes on Monday afternoon at 2PM to play down to the final six, here’s how the Top Ten will line up:
1. Craig Hartman, 147,300
2. Rep Porter, 141,800
3. Max Casal, 138,700
4. Ismael Bojang, 121,900
5. Layne Flack, 116,200
6. Mark Gregorich, 115,200
7. Phil Galfond, 112,000
8. Mike Gorodinsky, 110,700
9. Scott Clements, 107,500
10. Matt Glantz, 100,000
Only the final 12 finishers will receive a cash in this tournament (minimum payday $22,110), but the champion will get the laurels of the WSOP bracelet and the $322,756 in cash.
