One of the great things about the 2023 World Series of Poker is that it seems to have been bringing more attention to the non-Texas Hold’em tournaments. Whether they are High Roller events or mixed game tournaments, these disciplines of poker are certainly demonstrating that they are viable and extremely popular around the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. On Thursday Texas Hold’em will be in play, but two different Hi/Lo events will draw a great deal of attention as they continue onward.
Maximillian Schindler Leads Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo Championship
Seventeen players will return on Thursday to carry on the fight in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo 8 or Better tournament, Event #63 on the slate for the 2023 WSOP. The original field of 141 entries topped the 2022 numbers (137), always a sign that a playing format is strong. The leaderboard has some highlights among the players left in the fray, including a living legend in a former Poker Hall of Fame nominee, and a highly controversial figure.
Leading the way for Championship Day will be Maximillian Schindler, who is currently the only player over the million-chip mark. Looking a bit further down the leaderboard for potential threats, you’ll come across the name of Bruno Fitoussi, arguably the “godfather” of French poker and a former nominee for the Poker Hall of Fame. The “controversy” comes from Bryn Kenney, who has been mysteriously silent before getting into this particular WSOP event. Both Fitoussi and Kenney are chasing Schindler, with the standing looking like this:
1. Maximillian Schindler, 1.25 million
2. Andres Korn, 926,000
3. Joao Vieira, 837,000
4. Yong Wang, 752,000
5. Bryn Kenney, 601,000
6. Craig Chait, 498,000
7. Bruno Fitoussi, 467,000
8. Eddie Blumenthal, 427,000
9. Dan Colpoys, 419,000
10. Calvin Anderson, 383,000
This event could take a while to conclude, with the split pot nature of Hi/Lo. The goal is to play to a champion tonight, with the winner earning the $344,677 first-place prize and the WSOP bracelet.
Two Tournaments Enter Day Two Play
Two events will be entering their Day Two phase on Thursday, including a PLO Hi/Lo battle and a six-handed Texas Hold’em fight.
In the $5000 Six-Handed No Limit Hold’em tournament, 381 players will come back on Thursday for action, with the official field size yet to be determined because of late registration. Yuliyan Kolev of Bulgaria has been able to surge to the overall lead, but there are three dangerous players in pursuit in the Top Five in the forms of Punnat Punsri, Matt Berkey, and Ren Lin.
1. Yuliyan Kolev, 521,000
2. Ting Yi Tsai, 471,500
3. Punnat Punsri, 422,500
4. Matt Berkey, 370,000
5. Ren Lin, 369,000
For the $1500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better tournament, Event #66 on the calendar, 168 players are coming back with dreams of a WSOP bracelet in their heads. Once again, the official field size is not set due to the late registration, but it is threatening last year’s total of 1303 players (currently there are 1125 entries). Nick Guagenti is in the driver’s seat in the event, holding the chip lead, but he has the 2019 WSOP Player of the Year, Robert Campbell, and Amnon Filippi looking to chase him down.
1. Nick Guagenti, 656,000
2. Philipp Krieger, 542,000
3. Mike Linster, 540,000
4. Robert Campbell, 497,000
5. Amnon Filippi, 489,000
Thursday also marks the start of the $10,000 Ladies’ No Limit Hold’em Championship. The tournament, which features a $9000 discount for women, will look to top last year’s 1074 entries. This, along with the tournaments listed above and much more, will make for a busy start to the fourth week of the 2023 World Series of Poker.
