With the 2019 World Series of Poker Championship Event into its Day 2 action, the contenders have begun to make themselves known for the Player of the Year award. While it might be obvious that a two-time bracelet winner is in the lead, what might be surprising is just how small that lead might be. Toss into the mix the defending champion within stalking distance and it is plain to see that there’s still a ways to go in the race.
So What Does Two Bracelets Earn You?
At the end of June, Robert Campbell picked up his second bracelet of the 2019 WSOP and, with that, took the lead in the POY race. By winning the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo Eight or Better tournament (for a nice payday of $385,763), Campbell not only went over the million mark in career earnings at the WSOP but also picked up a partner bracelet for the one he won in the $1500 Deuce to Seven Limit Lowball Triple Draw event on June 13. His seven cashes at the WSOP in 2019 have given him 3079.31 points, the only player over the 3K mark.
Surprisingly, though, winning two bracelets doesn’t give Campbell a massive lead. Daniel Zack has been hovering around the top of the POY leaderboard seemingly since the start this year, earning a WSOP bracelet along with his 11 cashes so far in 2019. The sheer number of cashes by Zack has seen him rack up 2920.76 points for second place, well within shooting distance of Campbell.
$50,000 Poker Players’ Championship victor Phillip Hui has moved into third place with his 2830.68 points, but it is the player right behind him that has many people talking. Reigning WSOP Player of the Year Shaun Deeb has yet to win a bracelet this year, his 13 cashes have come from the Poker Players’ Championship to the $600 online events. With those 13 cashes, Deeb has picked up 2458.48 points as he looks to defend his championship, something no past POY has been able to do.
Another POY Coming from Behind
There are five bracelet winners which have been able to put their names in the running for the POY award. They are as follows:
5. Anthony Zinno, 2443.22
6. Scott Clements, 2368.02
7. Jason Gooch, 2333.00
8. Rick Alvarado, 2180.71
9. Upeshka De Silva, 2162.02
There is another former WSOP POY that is making his move up the leaderboard and that would be the 2017 victor, Chris Ferguson. The 2000 World Champion is utilizing a similar method that he used in 2017, making a boatload of cashes to replace not winning a bracelet (yet – in 2017, he would seal the deal with a bracelet win at the WSOP-Europe). All totaled, Ferguson has 16 cashes in 2019, good enough to earn him the 10th place slot on the 2019 WSOP POY with 2140.58 points.
There’s Still A Ways to Go…
Even though the Championship Event is going on, there are still a slew of tournaments left to go in Las Vegas. 10 events are left on the schedule, including the “Little One for One Drop,” the $50,000 “Final Fifty,” “The Closer” (a $1500 event) and a $100,000 High Roller event. Add in the slate of tournaments on the WSOP-Europe schedule and anyone who is in the Top Ten – and maybe even as far back as another former two-time WSOP POY, Daniel Negreanu, in 17th place with 2009.51 points – might have a chance of making their run up the ladder to the WSOP Player of the Year championship.
