Monday, July 18, 2016 3:30 PM Local Time
First Break of Day 7: Michael Ruane Jumps into the Lead, Two Players Eliminated So Far
Michael Ruane holds the chip lead after Level 31
Players are on their first break of Day 7. Play will resume at roughly 1:43 p.m.
Day 7 started with 27 players remaining. Vojtech Ruzicka led the field when play resumed partway through Level 31. While Ruzicka held the lead, Cliff Josephy seemed to grab the headlines. The two-time bracelet winner who first made a name for himself in the world of online poker started Day 7 in third place with 23,860,000 in chips. Josephy quickly took over the chip lead today, and stayed there for much of the level.
However, perhaps the most interesting story from Level 31 this afternoon is the meteoric rise of Michael Ruane. Ruane started the day in second place, between Ruzicka and Josephy. Ruane took the lead from Cliff Josephy after winning a huge hand with over 20,000,000 in the pot. He now has 39,050,000 in chips, well ahead of Kenny Hallaert, who's in second with 26,520,000. Josephy is third with 25,700,000.
Chris Kusha was the first player eliminated on Day 7
The first bustout of Day 7 came after less than 30 minutes of play. Chris Kusha was left severely short-stacked after Jared Bleznick doubled through him, and he was eliminated the next hand. Kusha finished in 27th place, earning $269,430.
One other player was eliminated this level. Just a few minutes after Kusha’s bustout. Philip Postma was eliminated in 26th place ($269,430) when his pocket queens ran into James Obst’s pocket aces.
