Day 3 of Event #59: $1,000 Super Seniors No-Limit Hold'em at the World Series of Poker concluded with thrilling action at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, leaving only 11 players vying for the prestigious bracelet and the top prize of $368,025. Each remaining player has secured at least $28,474, with aspirations to climb higher in the payout ladder.
Turkey's Yucel Eminoglu leads the pack with an impressive 15,900,000 in chips. Known as the "Mad Turk," Eminoglu boasts $1,500,000 in poker earnings and gained momentum with a decisive hand where he eliminated Daniel Bizoza with pocket aces.
End of Day 3 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chips | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yucel Eminoglu | Turkey | 15,900,000 | 80 |
| 2 | Buck Bucceri | United States | 7,725,000 | 39 |
| 3 | Sean Jazayeri | United States | 7,050,000 | 35 |
| 4 | Paul Runge | United States | 6,750,000 | 34 |
| 5 | Gary Fisher | United Kingdom | 4,975,000 | 25 |
| 6 | Michael Minetti | United States | 4,875,000 | 24 |
| 7 | Manelic Minaya | United States | 4,600,000 | 23 |
| 8 | Kevin Song | United States | 4,400,000 | 22 |
| 9 | Philip Muller | United States | 4,375,000 | 22 |
| 10 | Gregory Nichols | United States | 3,500,000 | 18 |
| 11 | Felix Barriga | Chile | 2,675,000 | 13 |
Buck Bucceri enters Day 4 with 7,725,000 chips, enough for second place. Bucceri was inspired by positive messages from his son throughout the day, something he hopes will continue on Day 4, while Sean Jazayeri, holding 7,050,000 in chips, brings extensive experience with over $2,000,000 in tournament earnings and a notable World Poker Tour victory.
Paul Runge from Oregon, previous owner and frequent flyer of the Bend Poker Club, stands strong with 6,750,000 chips, while Gary Fisher, representing the United Kingdom, aims to convert his 4,975,000 chips into a spot at the final table while secretly hoping for some Battenberg cake.
In the middle of the pack, you find the likes of Michael Minetti, a seasoned grinder with over $500,000 in poker earnings and a previous runner-up in the Seniors Event, continues his quest with 4,600,000 chips. Manelic Minaya, boasting over $2,000,000 in tournament winnings, built on his impressive Day 2 performance and returns in the thick of the action.
Kevin Song, a decorated player with $4,000,000 in tournament earnings and multiple final table appearances since his first bracelet win in 1997, starts with 4,400,000 chips. Song is the only returning player to have already captured some WSOP hardware. His stack on Day 4 is the equivalent of 22 big blinds.
Philip Muller, Greg Nichols, and Chile's Felix Barriga are the three shortest stacks, the latter sitting down armed with 13 big blinds.
Big Names Fall By the Wayside
Day 3 began with 119 players from a record-breaking 3,362 entrants on Day 1. Some of the better known players included the always entertaining Grammy award-winning player Anthony Johnson aka Tony Mercedes aka Hot Chocolate according to the drink server, finishing 30th for $11,848, and bracelet winners, Lee Markholt, Larry Wright, Tong Li, Vince Burgio, and Barry Greenstein all making significant runs.
Players will reconvene at the Horseshoe Event Center on Thursday, June 27, at 11 a.m. local time for the fourth and final day. They will start at Level 31, with blinds set at 100,000/200,000 and a big blind ante of 200,000. Regular breaks are scheduled every two levels.
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