Monday, July 11, 2016 11:36 PM Local Time
Level 4 Concludes; Officially the Largest Main Event in the Last Five Years
The largest Main Event in the last five years drew a total of 6,737 entries
Level 4 has come to a close and the players are now on their final 20-minute break of the evening.
Registration for the Main Event officially closed following dinner break. Today's starting flight drew a record of 4,240 players, making it the largest individual starting flight in history. The Main Event drew a grand total of 6,737 entries over three starting days. This is the highest turnout in the last five years and the fifth-largest of all time. This turnout generated for a total prize pool of $63,327,800. The top 1,011 players will make the money and will each be guaranteed a payday of at least $15,000. From that point on, each player will vie for the top-prize of a cool $8,000,000, the title of world champion, and of course, the prestigious gold bracelet. A full breakdown of the payouts will be available under the Prizepool tab.
Leading the field going into the final break of the night was Timothy Sheehan. Sheehan gained a solid portion of his chips during a confrontation with 2011 WSOP Player of the Year Ben Lamb late in the level. During the hand in question, Lamb moved all in on the river with ace-high. Sheehan called holding pocket treys and they were good. Sheehan finished the level with approximately 295,000, which seems to be the largest stack across the rooms.
Other big stacks belong to the likes of Alexandre Reard (232,000), Duy Ho (186,000), Joseph Julian (180,000), Doug Kim (175,000), and Hector Alvarez (175,000).
Well-known Circuit grinder Jamie Kerstetter also had a stellar level and soared well above the starting stack. In one particular hand, Kerstetter and three other players saw the flop. Kerstetter flopped a full house and an opponent moved all in against her while holding an ace-high flush draw. Kerstetter's tens full of nines held and she moved her stack over 135,000. Kerstetter ultimately finished the level with approximately 146,000 to her name.
Jamie Kerstetter having a successful day
William Wachter, a World War II veteran, who was this year's oldest participant, was eliminated from play this level. Wachter cashed last year's Main Event in 524th place and netted a score of $19,500.
WSOP bracelet winner Chance Kornuth was also among those to fall during this level. Kornuth was set all in by Lamar Wilkinson on a completed ace-high board. Kornuth called with ace-trey, only to be bested by Wilkinson's ace-queen for the same pair and a better kicker. Others eliminated from play this level include Scott Baumstein, Brandon Cantu, former November Niners Phil Collins and Ylon Schwartz, Dani Stern, Marsha Wolak, and Shawn Buchanan.
Play will resume at 250/500 blinds with an ante of 75. At the end of the following level, players will bag and tag for the evening and the final starting flight of the 2016 Main Event will come to a close.