Photo Caption: Joe Cassidy -- shown on the ESPN Main Stage at Wednesday night's final table -- is on the verge of his first WSOP victory. He holds a commanding chip lead in the Omaha High-Low Split World Championship. All that stands between Cassidy and the elusive gold bracelet is one player -- five-time champion Scotty Nguyen. The heads-up match re-starts on Thursday at 2 pm (local Las Vegas time). Indeed, Thursday should be a thrilling day, as three gold bracelets are expected to find new owners. To see more photos from the 2012 WSOP, please visit the official WSOP PHOTO BLOG.
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DAILY HEADLINES
Omaha High-Low Split Championship Comes to a Halt – Plays Resumes Thursday at 2 PM
Joe Cassidy Enjoys 4 to 1 Chip Advantage Over Scotty Nguyen Entering Heads-Up Finale
In Phil Ivey’s Third Final Table Appearance in 2012 -- Third Time Not a Charm – Eight-Time Champ Busts Third
Phil Ivey Takes the Lead in the WSOP Player of the Year Race
Simon Says: "I Won a WSOP Gold Bracelet"
Canadian Simon Charette Wins Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em Title
Limit Hold’em Shootout Down to Final Ten – Final Table on Thursday
Pot-Limit Omaha Down to 18 – Vadzim Kursevich from Belarus is Chip Leader
New Tournament Debuts Today: Four-Handed No-Limit Hold’em Makes First-Ever Appearance at the WSOP
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JOE CASSIDY APPROACHING THE MOUNTAINTOP, AND THE VIEW IS MAGNIFICENT, BUT THE FALL IS OMINOUS – OMAHA/EIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP RE-STARTS THURSDAY
The 2012 Omaha High-Low Split World Championship will play an unscheduled fourth day. On Wednesday, 27 survivors played down to the final two players.
All that stands in the way of Joe Cassidy winning his first WSOP gold bracelet is five-time title holder Scotty Nguyen, who has two gold bracelets won playing Omaha/Eight.
Yeah, baby!
Nguyen will face a daunting challenge. Not only is Cassidy playing great poker at the moment, he will also begin heads-match holding a 4 to 1 chip lead over Nguyen.
Late on Wednesday night, after Phil Ivey busted out in third place, the two finalists were given the option of playing the tournament out to a conclusion. WSOP rules generally mandate a hard-stop time of 3 am. In this case, the two players agreed to resume play on Thursday, starting at 2 pm (local Las Vegas time).
We shall see if Cassidy slays the final dragon in a succession of poker heavyweights that have hit the rail over the past day. If not, Nguyen will be there to collect a sixth gold bracelet, which would be his first victory in four years.
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SIMON CHARETTE WINS SIX-HANDED NLHE (EVENT #23)
Charette has steadily emerged as one of as one of the WSOP’s next potential stars in recent years. He first cashed in 2009 and has steadily improved his performance in each subsequent year.
Following his first in-the-money finish three years ago, Charette posted three more cashes the following year. Then, in 2011 made the money five times, including a second-place finish in a $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament.
Based on his steady progression, the natural next step was a gold bracelet victory, which Charette managed to accomplish amidst an absolutely stacked field of 924 of the world’s top short-handed Hold’em players. It took him three days to reach his moment of triumph, which took place on the Pavilion stage at the Rio.
Charette’s WSOP career winnings prior to this tournament were right at $444,000. With this huge score, he crosses the million-dollar threshold in career WSOP earnings.
No doubt, Charette’s best days may still be ahead. He'll collect his gold bracelet in Thursday's official gold bracelet ceremony, at 2:20 pm.
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REMINDER: 10 AM START FOR SENIORS THIS FRIDAY
Wake up!
Get out of that bed!
Get Dressed!
Get down to the Rio by 10 am, because that’s when this year’s SENIORS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP begins, this coming Friday.
This is one of the earliest tournament starts ever for any WSOP gold bracelet event The reason why shuffle up and deal has been moved up is to accommodate what is expected to be a huge field size. Last year’s seniors championship drew 3,752 players – which obliterated the previous high mark and was the largest Seniors Event ever held anywhere.
Indeed, Friday should be a huge day for the WSOP and for our special guests, the seniors. We want you to have a great experience. So, here’s a reminder to be on time!
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WSOP TRIVIA -- QUESTION OF THE DAY
Poker Trivia: Everyone knows about the WSOP gold bracelet and what it represents to poker players. However, over the past 43 years, other items have also been presented to the champion to commemorate a victory. In all, there have been five different items used to represent winning a WSOP tournament. What were those items?
Note: Answer in tomorrow’s “WSOP Daily Shuffle.”
Yesterday’s Poker Trivia: Through the completion of Event #20 this year, who has the most WSOP cashes since the start of last year’s WSOP (in 2011) – which means the last 84 gold bracelet events?
ANSWER: It’s a tie. Shawn Buchanan and Victor Ramdin both have 12 cashes each since the start of last year’s WSOP. Note: On Wednesday, both players picked up their 13th cashes. Buchanan finished in-the-money again in the $3,000 Pot Limit Omaha event, while Victor Ramdin made the Limit Hold’em Shootout final table, which begins at 1 pm.
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THE WSOP TODAY – THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2012
9:00 AM
Today’s first tournament is a $75 buy-in TURBO MEGA-SATELLITE.
NOON
EVENT #28 is a $2,500 buy-in Four-Handed No-Limit Hold’em tournament that begins with the play of Day One. Late registration will be available for this event up until about 4:40 pm.* Action takes place inside Amazon. The Pavilion White and Black sections will be used for overflow. This is a three-day event.
This is the first time in WSOP history that a Four-Handed No-Limit Hold’em tournament has ever been played.
EVENT #28 UPDATES can be followed at WSOP.com. Coverage includes chip counts as well as written updates supplied from the tournament floor by our friends at PokerNews.com.
The official Structure Sheet for EVENT #28 can be viewed HERE.
1:00 PM
EVENT #25, the $1,500 buy-in LIMIT HOLD’EM SHOOTOUT tournament continues with Day Three – including the final table. There are 10 players remaining from the starting field of 366. Action will take place on the Pavilion Stage. Brock Parker, Victor Ramdin, and Sean Rice are among the finalists. The full list of survivors and chip counts is available HERE.
EVENT #27, the $1,500 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. tournament continues with Day Two. There are 165 players remaining from the starting field of 889. Action will take place inside Amazon. The full list of survivors and chip counts is available HERE.
2:00 PM
EVENT #26, the $3,000 buy-in POT-LIMIT OMAHA tournament continues with Day Three – including the final table. There are 18 players remaining from the starting field of 589. Belarusian player Vadzim Kursevich is currently the chip leader. Action will take place inside Amazon. The list of survivors and chip counts is available HERE.
The first DAILY DEEP STACK NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM tournament begins. The entry fee is $235. Registration is open for four (30 minute) levels, plus one break – which means until about 4:20 pm.
2:20 PM
Today’s gold bracelet ceremony includes two winners – Simon Charette (winner of EVENT #23) and Randy Ohel (winner of EVENT #22). The Canadian national anthem (Oh Canada!) will be played first. The U.S. anthem (The Star Spangled Banner) will be played second in commemoration of these victories.
4:00 PM
The first MEGA-SATELLITE begins. The entry fee is $330
5:00 PM
There is no 5 pm tournament today.
6:00 PM
The second DEEP STACK NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM tournament begins. The entry fee is $185. Registration is open for four (30 minute) levels, plus one break – which means until about 8:20 pm.
8:00 PM
The second MEGA-SATELLITE of the day begins. The entry fee is $550.
10:00 PM
The third and final DEEP STACK NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM tournament begins at 10 pm. The entry fee is $135. Registration is open for four (30 minute) levels, plus one break – which means until about 12:20 am.
3:00 AM
All WSOP gold bracelet tournaments end for the night.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
REMINDER – REGISTER EARLY!
In order to avoid long lines which may take place on tournament day, the WSOP encourages all players to register as early as possible. This is particularly true for the $1,000 buy-in SENIORS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (EVENT #29), which is coming up this Friday – June 15th and has a 10:00 am start.
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* Please note that all listed times are estimates and subject to change
-- by Nolan Dalla