The end is near. If the players remaining in the 2015 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event couldn’t visualize the final table before, they should most definitely be able to now. There are just 69 players left after Sunday’s Day 5 of the Main Event and virtually all of them have a reasonable shot to advance to the November Nine. One man has the best shot, though, and that would be the chip leader, Pierre Neuville, who has 7.105 million chips heading into Monday’s action.
Neuville, from Belgium, is a strong player with nearly $2.2 million in live tournament earnings to his credit. He cashed eight times at the WSOP last year, but interestingly, this Main Event represents only his second cash at this year’s WSOP, the first coming from a 179th place finish in the $1,500 Millionaire Maker. He has cashed once in the Main Event previously, eeking into the money in 2010.
For those who like storylines, a few are possible as the next couple days unfold. Last year, Mark Newhouse became the first player to make back-to-back November Nines, a feat which earned him the “Tournament Performance of the Year” trophy at the 2014 GPI American Poker Awards. He did have the dubious honor of being the first player knocked out at the final table both times, but he still got there and won a lot of money, so hopefully that eased the pain. Matthew Jarvis can’t quite equal that record, but he is currently sitting in seventh place and has a chance to become the second player to make two November Nines. He finished eighth in 2010.
Speaking of November Nines and final tables, there are no more past Main Event champions remaining in the field. 1993 WSOP Main Event winner, Jim Bechtel, was the last former champ left standing, but he bowed out in 121st place on Day 5.
We still have not seen a female WSOP Main Event champion, but we could. Just one woman has chips in front of her: Arizona’s Kelly Minkin with 2.145 million chips.
Other notables still alive include a couple successful, yet infamous online players, Brian Hastings (10th) and Justin Bonomo (56th). Hastings has already won two bracelets at the 2015 WSOP; his deep run in the Main Event puts him in contention for the WSOP Player of the Year award. 2014 Poker Hall of Fame inductee and one of the most popular poker players of all time, Daniel Negreanu, will also be continuing play on Monday. Negreanu has six bracelets to his name and finished second in last year’s Big One for One Drop. He is in 22nd place with 3.62 million chips.
The 69 remaining players will resume the competition at noon Pacific time today and will play until only 27 are left. Tomorrow they will play down to the final table.
2015 World Series of Poker Main Event – Day 5 Chip Leaders
1. Pierre Neuville – 7,105,000
2. David Stefanski – 6,480,000
3. Thomas Paul – 6,140,000
4. David Peters – 6,130,000
5. Mozheng Guan – 6,030,000
6. Andrew Moreno – Matt Jarvis
7. Thomas Cannuli – 5,070,000
8. George McDonald – 4,940,000
9. Brian Hastings – 4,740,000
