The field of the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open was slashed by 500 on Sunday, as just 69 players made it through Day 2 from the 567 that began action. Orlando’s Richard Pyne emerged as the chip leader at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and heads into Day 3 with a stack of 2.825 million chips.
Like many of us, Pyne said that he got into poker after watching Chris Moneymaker win the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event. He told WPT.com that though he is approaching two decades in the game, he only plays one or two live tournaments a year because he just doesn’t like live poker
Pretty nice hit rate so far this year. “My day went really well, good timing,” he said.
That timing – or luck, as some might say – was front and center at one point on Day 2 when Pyne shoved all-in with Ace-Jack, only to be confronted with pocket Aces. As many do when facing long odds, Pyne stood up to prepare for his exit, even as the dealer laid out a Jack on the flop. Fortunately for him, another Jack came through on the river and Pyne was able to continue in the tournament.
The money bubble burst on the fifth hand of hand-for-hand play when Chris Carey called all-in with A-Q against Jerry Wong and his Q-T. Wong hit a Ten on the flop to take the lead, but then made a flush on the turn to seal Carey’s fate. Though Carey went home likely at least a bit disappointed, Wong was a hero to everyone else in the room, as now the nearly 200 remaining players were all guaranteed at least $6,150.
Monday’s Day 3 will consist of six 90-minute levels. As such, there is no guarantee that we will know the composition of the final table by the end of play tonight. Though it is always nice to have a clean break where one day plays down to the final table and the last day of the tournament is reserved solely for final table play, the World Poker Tour often just runs a set number of levels, regardless of how many people remain.
That said, Tuesday will be the final day of the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open, the first major tournament in the United States to return live since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
2021 World Poker Tour Lucky Hearts Poker Open – Day 2 Chip Leaders
- Richard Pyne – 2,825,000
- James Anderson – 2,225,000
- Justin Bond – 2,200,000
- Ronnie Bardah – 2,155,000
- Carlos Dorca – 2,125,000
- Ivan Zufic – 2,000,000
- Nick Yunis – 1,935,000
- Jonathan Lagace Bastien – 1,750,000
- Ryan Hiller Jr – 1,595,000
- Robel Andemichael – 1,535,000
