It’s on to the penultimate day of the 2023 WPT World Championship, as just 16 players remain in the quest for the $5,678,000 first prize. Most players are in at least halfway decent shape heading into Day 6, but the man with the top stack is Ben Jacobs with 46.400 million chips. Two other players, Maxime Chilaud (38.200 million) and Artur Matirosian (36.200 million), have over 30 million chips.
As often happens in large tournaments, it was an elimination late in the day that helped the chip leader reach his lofty heights. In fact, it was the last elimination of the day (though not the last hand).
With blinds and antes at 250,000/500,000/500,000, Chilaud raised pre-flop to 1 million chips. Andrei Boghean re-raised to 9.475 million, effectively telling everyone he was all-in, as he had just 100,000 remaining. Jacobs called and Chilaud folded.
On the flop of Q-Q-6, Boghean, likely just having a bit of fun, used every one of his time banks before checking. Jacobs, joining in on the goof, also used a time bank and then finally put Boghean all-in for those last few chips. Boghean called, again after a lot of thought.
Jacobs had T-T, beating Boghean’s A-T. Neither the turn nor river was of any help to Boghean and he was knocked out in 17th place, while Jacobs grew his stack to 45.500 million chips.
There is just one player among the final 16 who has a WPT title to his name: Chris Moorman.
At this point in the tournament, the pay jumps are significant. The first two players eliminated on Wednesday will each cash for $291,700. The next two will make $363,300, and the pay jumps only get larger from there.
Day 6 is just getting underway at Wynn Las Vegas and will continue until the six-handed final table is determined. Everyone who makes the final table will make cash for six figures, with a sixth place finish coming to $1,207,000. Fans can watch Day 6 on the World Poker Tour’s YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook channels on a 30-minute delay.
2023 WPT World Championship – Day 5 Chip Counts
- Ben Jacobs – 46,400,000
- Maxime Chilaud – 38,200,000
- Artur Martirosian – 36,200,000
- Carl Shaw – 29,000,000
- Daniel Sepiol – 27,900,000
- John Richards – 26,400,000
- Georgios Sotiropoulos – 24,600,000
- Ben Heath – 22,300,000
- Chris Moorman – 21,200,000
- Andrew Lichtenberger – 19,500,000
- Jason Min -19,200,000
- Henrique Zanetti – 17,300,000
- Ade Olonoh – 15,500,000
- Raphael Blouet – 15,400,000
- Mark Mounsey – 14,000,000
- Paulius Vaitiekunas – 10,000,000
