Just when you think you can pause for a breath, the 2022 World Series of Poker kicks the games back into action. Now comfortable in their new digs at Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas, things have become almost normal (including waiting for a part for the air conditioning for the Bally’s playing arena). With that normal brings another hectic day of action, including last year’s WSOP Player of the Year trying to rekindle a second run at the title.
Josh Arieh Leads Final Table of $25K High Roller PLO
Looking to start his run at a second Player of the Year award, possibly? Josh Arieh is setting himself up for that opportunity on Sunday. Arieh will be a part of the five-man final table in Event #19, the $25,000 Eight Handed Pot Limit Omaha High Roller tournament, but he has a bit of a mountain to climb if he is to do it.
Day Three chip leader Scott Ball was able to work his way to the final table also, but he will be the short stack with his 5.3 million in chips. Everyone is looking up at Austria’s Fabian Brandes, who has amassed 13.175 million in chips to have a comfortable advantage over the field. As anyone knows who has played Pot Limit Omaha, however, no lead is comfortable!
1. Fabian Brandes, 13.175 million
2. Josh Arieh, 8.9 million
3. Tong Li, 6.35 million
4. Sam Stein, 5.875 million
5. Scott Ball, 5.3 million
The five men are battling over the lion’s share of the $6.237 million prize pool. Everyone is assured of $342,590, but everyone also wants to be the one to capture the bracelet and the $1,467,739 first place prize.
MONSTER STACK Already in Day Two Action
The MONSTER STACK has wasted little time in starting its Day Two festivities, already in action on a way too early Sunday morning for many! There are 2053 players remaining in the tournament as Linus Richter, the Day 1B chip leader, heads the overall leaderboard:
1. Linus Richter, 788,000
2. Frank Lagodich, 635,000 (Day 1A chip leader)
3. Justin Lee, 631,000
4. Andrew Rosen, 592,000
5. Jordan Reid, 587,000
Adam Friedman Leads Another $10K Championship Event
He may have been denied a four-peat in his quest for another $10K Dealer’s Choice title, but Adam Friedman’s non-Hold’em skills are still strong. Friedman is the leader for today’s final table of the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship tournament, Event #21 on the schedule, holding nearly half the chips in play. There are quality players who will look to run him down, however, including Jean ‘Prince’ Gaspard, former chip leader Yuval Bronshtein, and some guy named Phil Ivey.
1. Adam Friedman, 2.385 million
2. Jean Gaspard, 1.231 million
3. Yuval Bronshtein, 837,000
4. Ben Diebold, 375,000
5. Marco Johnson, 236,000
6. James Paluszek, 235,000
7. Yueqi Zhu, 231,000
8. Phil Ivey, 174,000
If you are going to lead the cheering squad for Ivey, you might need to get there close to the 2PM (PDT) start time for final table action in Paris Las Vegas. The eventual winner of the tournament captures the WSOP Championship bracelet for their $10,000 events AND earns a decent payday of $248,254.
Several Events Still in Early Stages
Several tournaments on the WSOP roster are still in their embryonic phase, either starting Day Two on Sunday or just kicking off their action at Bally’s or online.
Day Two is on the agenda for the $3000 Six Handed Limit Hold’em players, 93 who survived from the original 213 players. They will be looking to make it to the six handed final table, but with Limit Hold’em, you cannot be assured they will reach that point. Daniel Vampan leads Phuong Nguyen at this mark and will be looking to firm up his position at the head of the pack.
Four tournaments, three live events and one online soiree, will start off their WSOP engagements on Sunday. The highly controversial FLIP & GO, in which players pony up $1000, go to a table, play a Pineapple style hand of poker and, if victorious, move on with an official WSOP cash into the REAL part of the tournament, will be featured. Additionally, the $800 Deepstack tournament, the $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship, and the online $400 Ultra Deepstack tournament (Events #25 through #27 on the schedule), will be a part of the festivities. You might say there will be something for everyone on Sunday at the 2022 World Series of Poker.
