The 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) consists of 95 bracelet events and is almost entirely tournament-focused, but there are also opportunities to play high-stakes cash games at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas this summer.
Located in the back of the Paris Convention Center, the fabled King’s Lounge is lined with high-stakes cash game tables where you may spot Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius or Daniel Negreanu playing No-Limit Hold’em or Pot-Limit Omaha.
Here’s an inside look at the premiere cash game location of the World Series of Poker.
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What is King’s Lounge?
The King’s Lounge has a rich history going back to when the WSOP was at the Rio. It is sponsored and operated by King’s Resort Rozvadov in the Czech Republic, which has been home to the WSOP Europe festival since 2015.
A glance inside the new King’s Lounge at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, which is lined with enlarged photos of King’s Casino regulars like Fedor Holz and Aliaksandr Shylko and WSOP legends like Phil Hellmuth, Ivey and the late Doyle Brunson, will reveal a state-of-the-art poker room equipped with TVs, drink service and fancy break areas.
The tables inside the King’s Lounge are matched with tan desk chairs that are perfect for receiving a massage. Additionally, the tournament area is lined with digital versions of the luxurious pillars designed by Sans Souci that decorate the King’s Resort Rozvadov back in the Czech Republic.
What Cash Games Can You Play in King’s Lounge?
The King’s Lounge is not the place to go for a $1/$2 game. That’s because the stakes inside the high-stakes cash game area start at $5/$10 and climb as high as $50/$100 and $75/$150.
Starting with the no-limit games, players can hop into $5/$10 or $10/$25 games or make their way up to the $25/$50 tables.
But high-stakes No-Limit Hold’em games are only part of the appeal of the King’s Lounge. For every Hold’em table you see, there will be mixed games tables running, including Pot-Limit Omaha, Big O, Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better, and Stud Mix.
The PLO games start off at $5/$5/$5 with double board PLO tables and go up to $10/$25/$50 and $25/$50/$100, while Big O typically runs at $5/$10/$25. Meanwhile, the Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better features betting limits between $50/$100 and $75/$150.
There are also a number of Stud variants offered, with Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better running at $50/$100 and Stud Mix running at $50/$100 and $75/$150.
Additionally, there are other games and stakes available on demand, including $5/$5/$5 double board bomb pot PLO Hi-Lo 8 or Better and $100/$200 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better.
A list of various cash games available to play inside the WSOP King’s Lounge is available in the table below.
The 2023 World Series of Poker has just kicked off at Bally’s, Las Vegas and thousands upon thousands of poker fanatics are starting to arrive in Sin City for the biggest poker event of the year.
For many players, the WSOP is a dream come true, and the experience can be both thrilling and overwhelming, especially for those attending for the first time. Here are five questions to ask yourself at your first WSOP to help you make the most of your experience.
2023 World Series of Poker Hub
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1. What Are My Goals?
The WSOP can be a long and grueling tournament series, with dozens of events spanning over several weeks. Before you arrive, it’s essential to set realistic goals for yourself.
Are you looking to win a bracelet? Do you want to cash in at least one event? Or are you simply there to gain experience and have fun? Whatever your goals may be, make sure they’re specific, measurable, and realistic. Having clear goals will help you stay focused and motivated throughout the tournament series.
2. How is My Bankroll?
Playing in WSOP events can be expensive, with buy-ins ranging from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands. Before you register for an event, make sure you have a solid understanding of your bankroll and how much you can afford to spend.
You don’t want to find yourself busting out of multiple events and unable to play in the events you really want to play in. It’s essential to be honest with yourself about your bankroll, so you don’t end up putting yourself in a tough financial situation.
Poker Bankroll Management: An Introduction
3. How Will I Handle the Stress?
The WSOP can be a high-pressure environment, with the stakes and competition at an all-time high. It’s important to have a plan for how you’ll handle the stress and pressure that comes with playing in these events.
Some players find it helpful to meditate or do breathing exercises to help them stay calm and focused. Others might take breaks throughout the day to clear their minds and relax. Whatever strategy you choose, make sure it’s something that works for you and helps you stay in the right mental state to play your best.
2023 Main Event Maynia Could Be Your Best Chance of Playing at the WSOP
4. Who Do I Want to Meet??
The WSOP is a great opportunity to meet and network with other poker players, industry professionals, and fans. Take some time to think about who you’d like to meet and what connections you’d like to make.
Attend player parties, join poker forums and social media groups, and strike up conversations with other players during breaks. Building relationships with others in the poker community can open doors for future opportunities and help you stay connected in the industry.
How to Stay Healthy in Las Vegas During the WSOP
5. What Can I Learn From this Experience?
Win or lose, playing in the WSOP is a valuable learning experience for any poker player. Take time after each event to reflect on what you learned and how you can improve your game. Think about what strategies worked well and what mistakes you made.
Take notes on your opponents and their playing styles. The more you can learn from each experience, the more prepared you’ll be for future WSOP events and other poker tournaments.
Final Thoughts
attending your first WSOP can be a thrilling and overwhelming experience. By asking yourself these five questions, you can stay focused, motivated, and prepared throughout the tournament series. Remember to set clear goals, be honest about your bankroll, have a plan for handling stress, network with others in the poker community, and take time to reflect and learn from each experience.
With these strategies in mind, you’ll be well on your way to making the most of your WSOP experience.
Editor & Live Reporter
Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum’s proudest poker achievement is winning the only tournament he has ever played in Las Vegas, the prestigious $60 Flamingo evening event.
Allen Kessler recorded his 100th World Series of Poker (WSOP) cash on Saturday, and although he still hasn’t won a bracelet, “The Chainsaw” is now in an exclusive club.
There are millions of poker players who’ve never taken down a WSOP event, but only a select few who’ve surpassed 100 cashes in bracelet events. He’s also among a group of just eight individuals with over 200 overall WSOP cashes, which includes online and World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) scores.
With the now 100 bracelet event cashes, he has 220 cashes overall (120 in WSOPC events). Only Roland Israelashvili (419), Arkadiy Tsinis (326), Ari Engel (266), Daniel Negreanu, (227), and Ian Steinman (224) have more.
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What Kessler has Accomplished at the World Series of Poker
No one will ever confuse Kessler with Phil Hellmuth, widely considered the GOAT of the WSOP with a record 16 bracelets. He’ll never receive the recognition of all-time greats such as Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Alex Foxen, or Phil Ivey.
But 100 cashes at the WSOP is 100 cashes. It’s so rare that only 26 out of the hundreds of thousands of players who’ve entered the World Series of Poker over the years have cashed as many times in bracelet events.
Kessler often receives criticism from poker fans on social media for failing to win tournaments and playing too tight (also for his eating habits that include plain hamburgers and frequent fast-food trips). But hitting a rare milestone in poker is impressive any way you slice it.
How Kessler Stacks Up
Kessler told PokerNews he has “no clue” how many bracelet events he’s entered, so figuring his return on investment (ROI) is nearly impossible. He’s competed in a wide range of events, from the lowest stakes tournaments up to the $10k’s and above. A bulk of his cashes have been for small amounts relative to the buy-in.
But he’s finished in the top 10 of 10% of the events he’s cashed in. That includes four runner-up finishes, his last in 2017 in a World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) event.
On Saturday, the “Chainsaw” finished 34th out of 361 in Event #9: $1,500 Seven Card Stud for $3,051, his 100th bracelet event cash and second of the current series. He now ranks 26th all-time in that category, one below Mike Matusow, Tom McCormick, Dylan Linde, and Ismael Bojang.
With the addition of hundreds of online bracelet events, the numbers are a bit inflated. Kessler isn’t too thrilled with that. In fact, he said “there should be a separate category” for online tournaments. The long-time poker player who first cashed at the World Series of Poker in 2001 doesn’t want the online bracelet events grouped in with those who cash over the summer in Las Vegas or at King’s Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic for WSOP Europe.
The WSOP, however, acknowledges the online bracelet events as cashes just the same as the tournaments at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. As such, despite Kessler’s opinion, we’ll do the same for statistical purposes in this article.
Only two other players on the 100-cashes list — Roland Israelashvili and Tom McCormick — are without a bracelet. Israelashvili is the ultimate min-casher as he has 197 cashes — second only to Daniel Negreanu — for $2,559,354, an average score of just $12,991. Kessler averages $14,486 per cash, in comparison.
Not only does Negreanu top the charts for cashes in bracelet events (219). He’s second all-time behind Antonio Esfandiari in earnings at $20,790,853. Esfandiari’s totals ($21,917,461) are skewed significantly due to a WSOP record $18,346,673 score for winning the 2012 Big One for One Drop, the first ever $1 million buy-in poker tournament.
Kessler will never catch those players in earnings or bracelets won, but he’s still accomplished something in poker that few others have or ever will achieve.
Poker Players with 100 WSOP Bracelet Event Cashes
Rank
Player
Cashes
Bracelets
Earnings
1
Daniel Negreanu
219
6
$20,790,853
2
Roland Israelashvili
197
0
$2,559,354
3
Phil Hellmuth
186
16
$16,758,078
4t
Chris Ferguson
161
6
$5,513,486
4t
Yueqi Zhu
161
1
$3,242,186
6
Ben Yu
154
4
$5,566,512
7
Arkadiy Tsinis
142
1
$2,427,168
8t
Shaun Deeb
138
5
$8,528,174
8t
Erik Seidel
138
9
$7,422,939
10
Jeff Madsen
132
4
$3,411,893
11
Barry Greenstein
127
3
$3,302,862
12
Ryan Riess
116
1
$10,589,843
13
Ryan Laplante
115
1
$1,602,116
14
Eric Baldwin
112
2
$2,467,113
15
Mike Leah
110
1
$2,287,217
16t
Men Nguyen
107
7
$3,381,405
16t
Max Pescatori
107
4
$2,777,965
18
Chris Moorman
106
2
$4,080,453
19t
Anthony Zinno
103
4
$4,347,252
19t
David “ODB” Baker
103
2
$3,499,097
19t
John Racener
103
1
$8,506,556
22t
Mike Matusow
101
4
$4,541,106
22t
Tom McCormick
101
0
$1,118,135
22t
Dylan Linde
101
1
$1,495,337
22t
Ismael Bojang
101
1
$2,109,690
26
Allen Kessler
100
0
$1,448,638
*Stats pulled from WSOP.com website. Some may not be updated for 2023.
MGM Resorts International and Galaxy Entertainment Group, two of the biggest casino operators in the world, are reportedly looking at potentially lucrative new markets. Bloomberg reported on Friday that the companies are investigating the possibility of opening casinos in Thailand.
both have significant exposure to the Macau gaming market
They both have significant exposure to the Macau gaming market and the industry as a whole is planning to hedge against an uncertain outlook in the special administrative region of China. Galaxy Entertainment is also reportedly looking at opportunities to launch gambling operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Angela Hanlee estimated that annual gaming revenue in the region could reach US$6.6bn and eventually outperform the Singapore market.
Casino gambling is not yet legal in the UAE or Thailand, but industry experts expect that to change in the coming years as they are both popular destinations for tourists. Galaxy has offices in the two countries, while MGM has established a base in Thailand and is set to manage a Dubai entertainment resort.
The post MGM Resorts and Galaxy Entertainment Eyeing Potential New Casino Markets appeared first on VegasSlotsOnline News.
Day 5 of the 2023 World Series of Poker hosted by Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, has come to an end. There were lows as players found themselves outside the rail, but there were plenty of highs too.
Two bracelets found two wrists today, the Tournament of Champions and $1,500 Limit Hold’em. Doug Polk is mid-deep run in the No-Limit Hold’em Championship. The $10k Dealer’s Choice.
Meanwhile, the $1,500 7-Card Stud event played down to a final table and the Mystery Bounty prepared to move on to Day 2.
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Doug Polk Will Return for $25k Heads Up Championship Semifinal
Doug Polk has a serious reputation as a heads-up shark. That reputation is standing up to the heat of competition this year as he heads into the round of four in Event #8: $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship
Polk will be facing off against Chris Brewer tomorrw, while the other bracket pits Sean Winter against Chanracy Khun.
When asked about his match with Brewer, Polk said, “It should be a fun one. I’ve played Chris a bunch online. When I was prepping for my match against Daniel Negreanu, we played a good chunk of hands, and I smashed him pretty good. But he played pretty well. His frequencies and stuff were quite good, quite balanced.”
The heads-up action returns Sunday at 4 p.m. Vegas time. You can follow tomorrow’s action on PokerNews and by live stream (with a one-hour delay) on PokerGO from 5 p.m. onwards.
2023 WSOP Event #8: $25,000 Heads Up Championship Full Bracket
Ronnie Day Is The Champion of Champions in This Year’s TOC
Ronnie Day won his seat in this year’s Event #4: Tournament of Champions by taking down a $400 WSOPC ring event in Indiana. He managed to turn that $400 seat and a ring into $200,000 and a bracelet when he won the Tournament of Champions outright.
“It’s so surreal right now,” Day said of his victory. “It’s unbelievable, I don’t even know how to explain it.”
This TOC is a unique freeroll event. Players can only enter by invite, and invites are only available to winners of WSOP bracelets or WSOPC rings in the last year.
Event #4: Tournament of Champions Final Table Results
Place
Name
Country
Prize
1
Ronnie Day
United States
$200,000
2
Brent Gregory
United States
$120,000
3
Patrick White
United States
$87,000
4
Hunter McClelland
United States
$63,000
5
Wissam Gahshan
United States
$46,000
6
Justin Hotte-McKinnon
Canada
$35,000
7
Barry Schultz
United States
$26,000
8
Daniel Marx
United States
$20,000
9
Zachary Gruneberg
United States
$16,000
Sabishchenko: From A Chip and a Chair To Runner Up
The second bracelet of the day went to Ukrainian player Vadim Shlez in Event #7: $1,500 Limit Hold’em. Despite the US heavy field, Shlez found himself in the unusual position of playing a fellow countryman, Rostyslav Sabishchenko, heads-up for the gold.
There was a cheery air of camaraderie even as they tried to take each other’s chips. The slava ultimately went to Shlez, who took down $146,835 for first.
However, Sabishchenko’s second-place finish also deserves plaudits after he came back from being down to just one big blind on Day 2. He turned two chips and a chair into $90,753.
Event #7: $1,500 Limit Hold’em Final Table Results
Place
Player
Country
Prize
1
Vadim Shlez
Ukraine
$146,835
2
Rostyslav Sabishchenko
Ukraine
$90,753
3
Kerry Welsh
United States
$63,577
4
Raul Celaya
United States
$45,301
5
John Armbrust
United States
$32,840
6
Chairud Vangchailued
United States
$24,228
7
Jason Duong
Canada
$18,196
8
David “ODB” Baker
United States
$13,917
John Hennigan Leads Dealer’s Choice Rast and Baker follow
John “World” Hennigan has the chip lead with 309,500 when Day 2 of Event #10: $10,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship reconvenes tomorrow.
Hennigan has six WSOP bracelets to his name, but he is dogged in the chip rankings by plenty of other bracelet winners. With 114 entries left, and more late registrations to come, Hennigan can’t sit still. Marco Johnson is right on his tail with 297,500 in chips and three-time bracelet winner David Bach is in third with 273,000.
These players and more will be back at the table on June 4 at 1 p.m. local time to play another seven 90-minute blind levels.
Event #10: $10,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts
Rank
Player
Country
Chip Count
1
John Hennigan
United States
309,500
2
Marco Johnson
United States
297,500
3
David Bach
United States
273,000
4
Anatolii Zyrin
Russia
255,000
5
Larry Tull
United States
208,500
6
Ray Henson
United States
203,000
7
Patrick Leonard
United Kingdom
202,500
8
Zack Freeman
United States
202,000
9
Brian Rast
United States
190,000
10
David “Bakes” Baker
United States
190,000
Mystery Millions Attracts 18,188 Entries
With the close of Day 1d action late last night, the combined tally for entries to Event #3: $1,000 Mystery Millions hit 18,188.
Just 477 players survived the 8,061-player field on Day 1d, bringing the total number of Day 2 players to 1,005. Everyone in Day 2 is already in the money, but more excitingly, Day 2 is also when the mystery bounties start. The randomized bounties with a guaranteed top prize of $1,000,000.
The event resumes early tomorrow with a Day 2 kick-off at 10 a.m. on Sunday, June 4.
Event #3: Mystery Millions Top Ten Chip Counts (Day 1s Combined)
Rank
Name
Country
Chip Count
Big Blinds
1
Ronan Nally
United Kingdom
2,820,000
71
2
Francis Anderson
United States
2,750,000
69
3
Shaun Davis
United States
2,475,000
62
4
Calvin Anderson
United States
2,390,000
60
5
Tal Avivi
Israel
2,380,000
60
6
Zachary Wilson
United States
2,350,000
59
7
Bohdan Slyvinskyi
United States
2,310,000
58
8
Stanley Lee
United States
2,280,000
57
9
Joseph Dornish
United States
2,250,000
56
10
David Gonia
United States
2,245,000
56
Stacked Final Table is Set for $1,500 Seven Card Stud
For a small event, Event #9: $1,500 Seven Card Stud has pulled together some big names.
Playing from 101 players to the final nine on Day 2, distilled the field down to a table that includes Shaun Deeb, Tim Frazin, John Monnette, and Nick Schulman.
These stars will be returning to the table at 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 4. PokerGO will live stream the final table with a one-hour delay (start time 5 p.m. local).
Event #9: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Final Table Seat Draw
Seat
Player
Hometown
Chip Count
Big Bets
1
Shaun Deeb
Troy, New York
675,000
8
2
Bruce Levitt
Los Angeles, Califorinia
665,000
8
3
Andrew Hasdal
Chicago, Illinois
770,000
9
4
Tim Frazin
Dallas, Texas
430,000
5
5
Tab Thiptinnakon
Downey, California
1,135,000
14
6
Hojeong Lee
Brick, NJ
1,140,000
14
7
John Monnette
Las Vegas, Nevada
1,985,000
24
8
Nick Schulman
Manhattan, New York
1,375,000
17
9
DJ Buckley
Eden Prarie, Minnesota
880,000
11
You can catch all the ongoing World Series of Poker action with PokerNews live reporting.
Are you ready to climb the great Mount Olympus and meet with the great Zeus? Don’t be afraid – Booming Gaming made a great effort to make this adventure thrilling and fruitful for its players. Join the Greek god in the newest blockbuster Booming Games release, Power of Olympus!
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Free Spins:
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A total of 17 players entered Day 3 of Event #7 Limit Hold’em at the 2023 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Only one was left standing when it mattered the most.
In a heads-up showdown featuring an all-Ukrainian flavor, Vadim Shlez outlasted the field and his fellow countryman Rostyslav Sabishchenko ($90,753) to win Event #7: $1,500 Limit Hold’em .
With the victory, Shlez secured his first WSOP bracelet.
2023 World Series of Poker Hub
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Final Table Results
Place
Player
Country
Prize
1
Vadim Shlez
Ukraine
$146,835
2
Rostyslav Sabishchenko
Ukraine
$90,753
3
Kerry Welsh
United States
$63,577
4
Raul Celaya
United States
$45,301
5
John Armbrust
United States
$32,840
6
Chairud Vangchailued
United States
$24,228
7
Jason Duong
Canada
$18,196
8
David “ODB” Baker
United States
$13,917
Path to the final table
Shlez’s path came with plenty of obstacles, as he entered Day 3 with the 13th-most chips in play. Then he picked a good time to go on a run.
He conquered a formidable group of players. The field included multiple WSOP bracelet winners, including Adam Friedman, David “ODB” Baker, Joe McKeehen, Jason Gola, Mike Leah, Nick Schulman, Yueqi Zhu, Patrick Leonard, Justin Pechie, Ryan Leng, Tom Schneider, Richard Alsup, Erick Lindgren, Jim Collopy, Ryan Hansen, Humberto Brenes, Nick Guagenti, and Kevin Song.
Baker, who made the final table, finished in eighth place for $13,917.
Shlez also had to contend with notable WPT winners Scott Eskenazi, who busted in 10th place, and Lee Markholt.
A total of 527 entries turned out and generated a prize pool of $703,545.
Kerry Welsh finished in third for $63,577, while Raul Celaya took fourth for $45,301.
Winner’s Reaction
Shlez has been playing poker for more than 20 years, so he knows the significance of winning a WSOP bracelet.
Perhaps that’s why he was almost overcome with emotion when he discussed his journey.
“I’ve been working on it for pretty much my whole life,” Shlez told PokerNews with a wide smile. “I started poker pretty much with the World Series of Poker. … I didn’t expect to win in this discipline, even though it was my favorite game when I started.”
Shlez, who sported a Ukrainian flag lapel pin and draped himself in the flag after winning, said playing against Sabishchenko proved special.
“It was unbelievable,” Shlez said. “We thought it would be cool yesterday (Friday) when it went down to three tables. We hoped it was going to happen, but nobody expected this to happen. I mean, even making the final table together was great. It was unbelievable. To win it, it was unbelievable.”
Shlez acknowledged the stout competition he faced en route to his first WSOP bracelet, and he never got overconfident, even though he rode a hot streak to the final table. To him, victory arrived on the table.
“Not until the last cards hit,” he said.
Schlez isn’t going anywhere anytime soon after securing his first WSOP bracelet. He plans to continue playing other WSOP events with his wife and has his eyes on another bracelet.
“Hopefully,” Shlez said. “Hopefully for her, too”
This concludes coverage of Event #7 of the 2023 WSOP, but make sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates of your favorite events throughout the summer.
On the latest PokerNews Podcast episode, Chad Holloway and Jesse Fullen continue The Chad & Jesse Poker Show straight from the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
This week, they are joined by the legendary WSOP commentator Lon McEachern, who talked about his career, winning a WSOP Circuit gold ring, and playing in the Tournament of Champions. He also shares some fond memories of the late Doyle Brunson.
Chad and Jesse then do a new “Calling the Clock” segment in which they offer quick two-minute dialogues for topics on “The Board.”
Here’s a look at this episode’s topics:
Hustler Casino Live (HCL) – Tom Dwan
Hustler Casino Live (HCL) – Doug Polk
Accused Cheaters
Traffic Troubles
Table Needling
First Bracelet Win – Negreanu or Hellmuth?
Phil Hellmuth’s Tracksuit – Hot or Not?
$25K Fantasy Draft
Listen to those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!
Time Stamps
Time
Topic
00:35
Sponsor: Global Poker
01:10
Welcome to the show
01:43
Bounty Series V kicks off on Global Poker on June 5
02:47
Chad & Jesse go deep in Event #1: $500 Casino Employee
03:36
Jesse Fullen interviews… Jesse Fullen?!?
08:30
Peter Thai wins Event #1: Casino Employees for $75,535
09:57
Alexandre Vuilleumier wins Event #2: $25,000 High Roller 6-Handed for $1,215,864
11:15
Calling the Clock (intro by Bob Smith)
11:45
Hustler Casino Live – Tom Dwan wins record $3.1 million pot
14:06
Doug Polk randomizing with aces
16:36
Accused cheaters at the WSOP
18:41
Traffic around the WSOP
20:46
Is table needling an issue?
22:50
Who will win a bracelet first – Negreanu or Hellmuth?
25:00
Hot or Not – Phil Hellmuth’s new tracksuit
27:04
What team do you like in the $25K Fantasy Draft
29:00
Guest Lon McEachern joins the show
31:00
How did you come to work the WSOP back in 2002?
33:55
Lon’s early learning curve – mistaking Phil Gordon for Phil Hellmuth
35:46
Craziest story from the WSOP
37:50
Favorite Doyle Brunson memories
39:20
Getting to play against “Texas Dolly”
41:20
Favorite WSOP Main Event winner
43:20
Winning a WSOP Circuit ring
45:40
Playing the Tournament of Champions
49:05
Ever think about writing a poker book?
51:51
The “Llama Karen” nickname
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Veteran pro Ronnie Day was the last WSOP champion standing at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Day earned his first gold bracelet, $200,000 in cash and the title of Tournament of Champions after four days of play.
“It’s so surreal right now, it’s unbelievable, I don’t even know how to explain it,” Day told PokerNews after posing for photos with his newest piece of jewelry.
This unique invitation-only event provided a $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and was open to WSOP bracelet or WSOP circuit ring winners in the last year. Just last month, Day won his way into the field by earning his first circuit ring in Elizabeth, Indiana. The Ohio native had three previous WSOP cashes on his resume, but this top prize represents more than his previous WSOP career earnings combined.
2023 World Series of Poker Hub
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Final Table Payouts
Place
Name
Country
Prize
1
Ronnie Day
United States
$200,000
2
Brent Gregory
United States
$120,000
3
Patrick White
United States
$87,000
4
Hunter McClelland
United States
$63,000
5
Wissam Gahshan
United States
$46,000
6
Justin Hotte-McKinnon
Canada
$35,000
7
Barry Schultz
United States
$26,000
8
Daniel Marx
United States
$20,000
9
Zachary Gruneberg
United States
$16,000
Final Table Action
A total of 741 players entered the freeroll event out of 989 qualifiers, with the final seven returning for an added fourth day to battle for WSOP glory.
Barry Schultz won his way into the field by taking down the senior’s event at Horseshoe Tunica in January. Schultz entered the day as the short stack and was the first to exit after seeing his pocket jacks cracked on the turn.
The lone Canadian at the final table, Justin Hotte-McKinnon, was the next to go in sixth place. Hotte-McKinnon earned his spot in the Tournament of Champions field by winning a ring on WSOP.ca in March. Wissam Gahshan qualified with a win at The Bicycle Casino in December and the start of the day chip leader collected a career-best score with a fifth-place finish.
As Day was vaulting his way up the leaderboard, the eliminations continued around him at the table. Hunter McClelland was the next to go, earning a nice payday after taking down two ring events on WSOP PA. Patrick White followed in third place at the hands of Day, adding a nice score to his resume to go along with a win at the WSOP circuit stop at Turning Stone.
Crowning a Champion
Heads-up play did not last long, as Brent Gregory’s significant chip disadvantage provided a path to victory for Day. Gregory earned a career-best score with the runner-up finish after qualifying with a win at the WSOP Circuit event in Tulsa in March.
As for our champion, Day says his next challenge will be looking for a third career cash in the WSOP Main Event. “I was sitting there thinking, this is very good practice for the main instead of just jumping right into the fire,” Day said after reflecting on his experience this week.
The winning hand was J-5 offsuit, to which Day quipped, “Motown is back, right?”
Sharelines
The Tournament of Champions is a $1,000,000 invitational freeroll for players who have won a WSOP Bracelet or Circuit ring since the 2022 WSOP.
Doug Polk built his poker reputation on heads-up play. It’s where he’s most comfortable, staring at a single opponent directly across the table. And tomorrow, when the Final Four of Event #8: $25,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship begins at 4 p.m. local time, he can capture the one thing missing from his resume, the WSOP Heads Up bracelet.
Polk headlines the four remaining players who will gather on the main feature stage inside the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. He’ll be joined by Sean Winter, Chris Brewer, and Chanracy Khun, three opponents who have navigated through the grind of four heads-up matches to reach this stage.
2023 World Series of Poker Hub
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Full Bracket
Day 2 Action
Polk began the day by defeating Reiji Kono in the Round of 16, complimenting the young Japanese star after the match. The highlight of his day, though, was still to come. Facing Roberto Perez, who had a passionate rail chanting “Davy” for his online handle “DavyJones,” Polk called a preflop shove with ace-queen. Perez had seven-five and took the lead with a five on the turn, but Polk hit a three on the river to complete a wheel as he took a victory lap around the rail.
Kono and Perez provided Polk with differing challenges before making the Final Four. “Normally, I think when you think of a good player, you think of an aggressive player. But the thing about heads-up is if you become too aggressive, it becomes bad. So it’s all about balancing that aggression into your overall play style,” Polk said after booking his ticket for the event’s final day.
“[Kono] I think he had his foot fully on the gas, and I was able to make a couple of reasonable call downs versus him to do well. I’m usually not the guy you can run over in heads-up no-limit…[Perez] legitimately never had a hand. He made some nice calls. He tried a couple of bluffs, and got a couple through here and there. I don’t think what we saw from him today indicates how he plays as a whole.”
Polk, who makes only occasional appearances at the WSOP while running the Lodge cardroom in Austin, Texas, already has three WSOP bracelets. His three opponents on Sunday are all still chasing their first. Winter and Brewer would be near the top on a list of the game’s best players without a bracelet. Winter gave an indication of his incredible poker talent when he called a river bet of 350,000 with just ace-high to take a commanding lead over Eric Wasserson on his way to finishing off the match a short time later. Brewer hit a queen on the river to beat Anthony Zinno and set up a match against Polk in the semifinals. It’s one Polk is looking forward to.
“It should be a fun one. I’ve played Chris a bunch online. When I was prepping for my match against Daniel Negreanu, we played a good chunk of hands, and I smashed him pretty good. But he played pretty well. His frequencies and stuff were quite good, quite balanced. I thought he was a good player,” Polk said.
The Montreal, Canada native Khun isn’t the household name that Polk, Winter, and Brewer are in the poker community, but he still has WSOP cashes going back more than a decade and more than $400,000 in total earnings. After a gruelling match against Gabor Szabo in the Round of 16, Khun made quick work of poker prodigy Landon Tice in the quarterfinals when he flopped two pair to beat Tice’s pair of aces.
Polk vs. Brewer. Winter vs. Khun. The Final Four is set, and it all gets underway on Sunday. They are matchups that ChatGPT nearly correctly predicted at the beginning of the day. Action will be streamed on PokerGO from 5 p.m. until a winner is crowned. Polk is the star and headliner and does not doubt who should be considered the favorite.
“I feel really good about my chances. I’m probably the favorite tomorrow,” he said. “I guess the only thing I would say is my short-stack game isn’t particularly great, but as long as the stacks are deep, I feel extremely good about my chances. I would imagine I’ll be the best deep-stacked No-Limit Hold’em player tomorrow. This is my favorite event. I think it’s no surprise that I tend to do best in this event. There’s only one other guy. That’s what I usually do. That’s what I’ve done my whole life. So I feel great.”