The Race to the Final Table on Day 3 of Event #42: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed High Roller
After an excruciating money bubble last night, the total field of 230 entries in Event #42: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-Handed High Roller has been whittled down all the way to just 35 hopefuls, all guaranteed a portion of the massive $5,462,500 prize pool. A min-cash of $37,500 is locked up for all those that bagged up chips in the early morning hours, while the eventual champion on Saturday can look forward to a payday of $1,402,683 and the coveted gold bracelet.
In prime position to earn that prize is two-time WSOP bracelet winner Ben Yu, who ran very hot after the dinner break on Day 2 to bag 3,695,000.
The remaining top five stacks all belong to big names in Jason Koon (2,540,000), Ryan Tosoc (2,220,000), Shaun Deeb (2,120,000) and Scotty Nguyen (2,010,000). Koon may not have a bracelet to his name yet, but he is enjoying an excellent year thus far. The High Roller regular has earned six six-figure and three seven-figure scores already to boost his total cashes on the live circuit to more than $20 million.
Other notables still in contention in a field filled with some of the biggest names on the international poker circuit include the WSOP bracelet winners Jason Mercier (1,905,000), Luis Velador (1,045,000), David Prociak (1,020,000), Robert Mizrachi (1,005,000), Erik Seidel (725,000), defending champion James Calderaro (705,000), Mike Leah (660,000), Craig Varnell (625,000), Christopher Frank (565,000), David Benyamine (425,000), Sam Soverel (380,000), Paul Volpe (370,000), and Jarred Graham (300,000)..
A total of 10 levels of 60 minutes each are scheduled for the penultimate day of the tournament with a break every two levels and a 60-minute dinner break after the sixth level. The action is expected to shift into high gear right from the bat as several players have been left extremely short stacked by the prolonged bubble phase, Level 21 will resume with blinds of 15,000/30,000.
As always, the PokerNews live reporting team will be on hand to provide live updates on all of the action, and when three tables remain, the action will be live streamed on PokerGO.
Day 3 Seat Assignments
| Room | Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 429 | 1 | Jeffrey Palarino | United States | 310,000 | 10 |
| Amazon | 429 | 2 | Christopher Santora | United States | 90,000 | 3 |
| Amazon | 429 | 3 | Chase Steely | United States | 145,000 | 5 |
| Amazon | 429 | 4 | Sam Soverel | United States | 380,000 | 13 |
| Amazon | 429 | 5 | Mike Leah | Canada | 660,000 | 22 |
| Amazon | 429 | 7 | Jarred Graham | Australia | 300,000 | 10 |
| Amazon | 429 | 8 | Grazvydas Kontautas | Lithuania | 405,000 | 14 |
| Amazon | 430 | 1 | Ben Yu | United States | 3,695,000 | 123 |
| Amazon | 430 | 2 | Christopher Frank | Germany | 565,000 | 19 |
| Amazon | 430 | 3 | Bogdan Capitan | Romania | 510,000 | 17 |
| Amazon | 430 | 4 | Martin Kozlov | Australia | 375,000 | 13 |
| Amazon | 430 | 5 | Tom Marchese | United States | 440,000 | 15 |
| Amazon | 430 | 7 | Jason Mercier | United States | 1,905,000 | 64 |
| Amazon | 430 | 8 | Dominykas Karmazinas | Lithuania | 120,000 | 4 |
| Amazon | 431 | 1 | Jason Koon | United States | 2,540,000 | 85 |
| Amazon | 431 | 2 | Shaun Deeb | United States | 2,120,000 | 71 |
| Amazon | 431 | 3 | Craig Varnell | United States | 625,000 | 21 |
| Amazon | 431 | 4 | David Benyamine | France | 425,000 | 14 |
| Amazon | 431 | 5 | George Wolff | United States | 535,000 | 18 |
| Amazon | 431 | 7 | Omar Zazay | United States | 415,000 | 14 |
| Amazon | 431 | 8 | Jacob Kalb | United States | 440,000 | 15 |
| Amazon | 439 | 1 | Scotty Nguyen | United States | 2,010,000 | 67 |
| Amazon | 439 | 2 | Robert Mizrachi | United States | 1,005,000 | 34 |
| Amazon | 439 | 3 | Len Ashby | United States | 130,000 | 4 |
| Amazon | 439 | 4 | Adam Owen | United Kingdom | 85,000 | 3 |
| Amazon | 439 | 5 | Erik Seidel | United States | 725,000 | 24 |
| Amazon | 439 | 6 | Luis Velador | Mexico | 1,045,000 | 35 |
| Amazon | 439 | 8 | Paul Volpe | United States | 370,000 | 12 |
| Amazon | 447 | 1 | Jonathan Depa | United States | 1,180,000 | 39 |
| Amazon | 447 | 2 | James Calderaro | United States | 705,000 | 24 |
| Amazon | 447 | 3 | Ryan Tosoc | United States | 2,220,000 | 74 |
| Amazon | 447 | 5 | Veselin Karakitukov | Bulgaria | 205,000 | 7 |
| Amazon | 447 | 6 | Michael Song | United States | 135,000 | 5 |
| Amazon | 447 | 7 | Konstantin Beylin | United States | 900,000 | 30 |
| Amazon | 447 | 8 | David Prociak | United States | 1,020,000 | 34 |
, the stacks of both collided and Kalb was the player at risk with the 
. Wolff had the 
for the middle set and a gutshot, and the board completed with the 
turn and the 
river, which ended Kalb's run in 34th place.
flop and Seidel moved all in, Velador called.
turn left Seidel with just the hearts flush draw as outs, and the 
river was a blank to eliminate Seidel in 26th place.
flop, Tosoc bet pot to put Leah all in. Leah, with 295,000 behind, tanked for a while before he called. 
hit the turn and the 
completed the board, making Tosoc the winning hand. Down and out for Leah.
were cards in favor of Wolff as he made a straight to beat Palarino's two pair.
, and Beylin's kings up were good for the pot, and the elimination. Zazay takes 19th place for $46,190.
