THE WSOP DAILY SHUFFLE: THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012
Photo Caption: Thursday is going to be a busy day at the Rio with three different gold bracelets being handed out, including the prestigious $50,000 Poker Players Championship.  The big buy-in event will take center stage on the ESPN feature table starting at 2pm. (Photo by Neil Stoddart for PokerNews/WSOP)
 
To see more photos from the 2012 WSOP, please visit the official WSOP PHOTO BLOG.

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DAILY HEADLINES

9 to 9:  Terrence Chan Cashes Again, Now Tied with Konstantin Puchkov for Most Cashes in 2012

Joey Weissman is No Underdog – Young Poker Pro Wins First Gold Bracelet with Help of A Special Friend

Weissman Wins First Gold Bracelet and $696,609

Can the Grinder Repeat Victory in Poker Players Championship? – 2009 Champ Mizrachi Starts Thursday’s Final Table as Chip Leader

“Ante-Only No-Limit Hold’em” Debuts Strongly at 2102 WSOP

Ladies World Championship Coming on Friday – Another Big Turnout Expected
 
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JOEY WEISSMAN WINS $2,500 BUY-IN NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM GOLD BRACELET AND $696,609 (EVENT #45)
 
Joey Weissman won the most recent event at the 2012 World Series of Poker.  The 24-year-old poker pro originally from Syosset, NY won the $2,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament, classified as Event #46.  He earned this victory, big time.
 
Weissman not only received the game’s most coveted prize – the championship gold bracelet – but a whopping $694,609 in prize money, as well.  This was his biggest career score, by far.
 
The three-day competition drew another sizable field.  The tournament began with 1,607 entrants on Monday, and concluded early on Thursday morning on the ESPN Main Stage, in front of a large crowd and a worldwide viewing audience following final table action on the WSOP.com live stream broadcast.
 
Weissman absolutely dominated the nine-hour long final table -- at least up until the next-to-last opponent.  His was as dominant a performance in the closing stages of the tournament as has been seen at this year’s WSOP.
 
However, Jeremy Quehen, from Nice, France wasn't about to let Weissman win too easily.  He got into the scene when heads-up and played the match of his life.  Quehan put up a ferocious fight during the final three hours and came close to winning France's second gold bracelet of 2012.  But ultimately, the Frenchman was no match for Weissman, who was mobbed by a huge gallery of supporters, including his special friend, a service dog named "Revis."
 
This was truly a dog-day afternoon.

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MICHAEL MIZRACHI TAKES CHIP LEAD AND A CHANCE AT HISTORY INTO THE POKER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL TABLE 
 
The $50,000 Poker Players Championship final table never fails to disappoint.  It is always stacked with top talent and some fascinating personalities.  To suggest the event isn't a must-watch affair for poker fans would be silly.  However, to suggest that this year has the potential to be one of the most memorable final table in the event's seven-year history doesn't seem like hyperbole either.
 
The stacked final eight includes a chip leader with a lot on the line.  Michael Mizrachi has a chance to become the first two-time Poker Players Champion as well as pick up a third career gold bracelet.   He has the slight edge in chips at the moment, but with a line-up that includes past $50,000 Poker Players Championship final tablists Andy Bloch and Bruno Fitoussi, gold bracelet winner Bill Chen, and a strong line-up of British and East Coast pros, nothing is a forgone conclusion save for the fact that we have a great final table to watch today.
 
9 TO 9:  TERRENCE CHAN CASHES AGAIN – NOW TIED WITH KONSTANTIN PUCHKOV (BOTH PLAYERS ONE OFF ALL-TIME RECORD)
 
Meanwhile, 2011 gold bracelet winner Konstantin Puchkov (Moscow, Russia) is not known to have a poker nickname.  Perhaps he should consider “Mr. Cash.”  That’s all the former champion seems to do these days.
 
Puchkov cashed for the ninth time this year, with a ninth place finish in Event #46.  His nine cashes surpassed Terrence Chan, at least temporarily – as in for a couple of hours.  Chan must have been watching his leadership status fall to second place with some alarm.  He barely squeaked into the money in Event #47, finishing in 117th place in an event where 117 places paid.
 
The all-time record holder for most cashes in a single year at the WSOP is the late Nikolay Evdakov, from Russia.  He cashed ten times in 2008.
 
With about 15 events till to be played in Las Vegas, Chan and Puchkov are likely to match, if not crack the old record.  Seven gold bracelet events played at WSOP Europe in September will count, as well.
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WSOP TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY

Question of the Day:  Poker fans likely know Tony Cousineau, a.k.a. “Top Cat” as the player with the most WSOP cashes (52) without a gold bracelet victory.  Which player ranks second in this category?    

Answer coming in tomorrow’s WSOP Daily Shuffle.

Yesterday’s Question of the Day:  Here’s an odd question.  During the $50K buy-in Poker Players Championship, one very well-known player was reading a thick book during the first day of play.  He spent many hours absorbed in the pages of the book, when he was not involved in a hand.  The book was a series of political and social essays by the late controversial author Christopher Hitchens.  Who was this poker player who was reading Hitchens’ book while at the poker table?  

 
Answer:  Gus Hansen.
 
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DAY 31:  THE WSOP TODAY – THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012


9:00 AM
Today’s first tournament is a $75 buy-in TURBO MEGA-SATELLITE.

12:00 NOON
EVENT #50, the $5,000 buy-in NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM tournament, begins with the play of Day One.  Registration will be available up through the completion of four levels, plus two breaks, which is estimated to be about 4:40 pm.  Action takes place inside Brasilia.  This is a three-day event.  Last year’s tournament drew 904 entrants.

EVENT #50 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 #50 can be viewed HERE

1:00 PM
EVENT #47, the $1,500 buy-in POT-LIMIT OMAHA HIGH-LOW SPLIT tournament, continues with Day Three – including the final table.   There are 10 players remaining from the starting field of 978.  Charalampos Lappas is the current chip leader.  Chip counts can be found HERE.

EVENT #49, the $1,500 buy-in ANTE ONLY NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM tournament, continues with Day Two.  There are 110 players remaining from the starting field of 939, all of which are already in the money.  Sameer Aljanedi is the current chip leader.  Chip counts from the end of the first day of play can be found HERE.

2:00 PM
EVENT #45, the $50,000 buy-in POKER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP (EIGHT-GAME MIX) tournament continues with the play of Day Five – including the final table.  There are eight players remaining from the starting field of 108.  Michael “the Grinder” Mizrachi is the current chip leader in this ultra-prestigious event. The event will stream live on WSOP.com with commentary.

EVENT #48, the $1,500 buy-in LIMIT HOLD’EM tournament, continues with Day Three – including the final table.   There are 20 players remaining from the starting field of 247.  Paul Berende is the current chip leader.  Chip counts from the end of the second day of play can be found 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
There will be no official gold bracelet ceremony today.  Joey Weissman, winner of Event #46, will be honored on Friday.

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.

7:00 PM – SPECIAL EVENT
The BIG ONE FOR ONE DROP ($1 MILLION BUY-IN) tournament is holding a mega-satellite, which costs $1,570 to enter.  This nationally televised (near-live, on 15-minute delay) and historic gold bracelet tournament begins on July 1st.  

8:00 PM
The second MEGA-SATELLITE of the day begins. The game is No-Limit Hold’em, which feeds into Event #50 (Note: This event regularly features different games – so be sure and check the schedule in advance). 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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* Please note that all listed times are estimates and subject to change

-- by Nolan Dalla