Friday, May 29, 2015 2:15 AM Local Time
Carl Westcott will lead just 20 players into Day 3 of the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em event Friday afternoon.
Westcott, a recipient of the Horatio Alger Award in 2003, holds 1,066,000 of the chips in play, but Artur Koren is not far behind with 1,062,000.
Former Main Event Champion Greg Merson remains in the hunt with 800,000. But Day 2 wasn't as kind to Main Event champions Ryan Riess and Martin Jacobson, both of whom failed to advance deep into the day.
After another 10 levels of play Thursday, the field of 171 entrants who advanced to Day 2 has been whittled down to the final three tables. The money bubble burst around 10:45 p.m. as Zachary Gruneberg finished in 46th position. Further results and payouts are available here.
On Day 3, the remaining players will play down to a final nine, and those players will return Saturday for a final table to be streamed online at WSOP.com on a 30-minute delay. The first place prize is $466,120 and a World Series of Poker bracelet.
Doc Sands, Jason Wheeler, Barry Hutter, and Kevin MacPhee will all return to the Amazon Room Friday when Day 3 play begins.
Event #2 of the 2015 World Series of Poker attracted a number of notable poker pros, many of whom saw their tournament hopes dashed on Day 2. Phil Hellmuth, Antonio Esfandiari, Maria Ho, and others were all sent to the rail during Thursday's play.
Day 3 is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Friday with play beginning at 6,000/12,000 with a 2,000 ante. Live updates throughout Day 3 will be available on WSOP.com.
Friday, May 29, 2015 2:14 AM Local Time
The clock has struck zero, and Day 2 has run out. Stay tuned for a recap of the day's action.
Friday, May 29, 2015 2:12 AM Local Time
Long Nguyen opens to 25,000, and Jesse Martin three-bet shoves for 138,000. Behind him, Artur Koren calls, and Nguyen calls as well when the action returns to him.
The three men see the flop come , and Nguyen check-folds to a Koren bet. Martin is at risk of elimination as the cards are turned up.
Martin:
Koren:
It's a case of bad timing for Martin, and the turn and river are the last cards he'll see today. He's out in 21st place.
Artur Koren - 1,000,000 (100 bb)
Jesse Martin - Eliminated
Friday, May 29, 2015 1:40 AM Local Time
Doc Sands opens to 23,000 from middle position, and Corey Hochman three-bets to 93,000 in the cutoff. From the big blind, Jason Wheeler seems to be thinking sinister thoughts, and he does indeed put in another raise, making it 163,000 total. Sands folds, Hochman moves all in for about 180,000 total, and Wheeler quickly calls.
Hochman:
Wheeler:
There's no help for Hochman on the board, and he's been sent to the cashier to collect 22nd-place money, good for more than $14,000.
Jason Wheeler - 650,000 (65 bb)
Corey Hochman - Eliminated
Friday, May 29, 2015 1:36 AM Local Time
Jason Wheeler opens to 22,000, and Doc Sands three-bets to 53,000 from the cutoff. On the button, Brian Altman cold four-bet shoves for nearly 300,000. Wheeler spends some time in the tank before folding with a sigh, but Sands quickly calls to put Altman to the test. Wheeler says he folded pocket tens.
Sands:
Altman:
The board runs , and Altman finds nothing useful there. He's out in 23rd place, giving Sands a big chip boost in the process.
Doc Sands - 825,000 (82 bb)
Brian Altman - Eliminated
Friday, May 29, 2015 1:29 AM Local Time
Michael Wang sits at more than 650,000 chips after busting Andy Frankenberger and Ronald Lee.
Under the gun, Frankenberger shoves all in and, in middle position, Lee moves all in over the top. Sitting in the big blind, and having both all ins covered, Wang wakes up with pocket kings and makes the call.
Wang -
Frankenberger -
Lee -
Wang spikes a set on the flop. The turn comes and the river fails to help either Frankenberger or Lee.
Michael Wang - 650,000 (65 bb)
Andy Frankenberger - Eliminated in 25th place ($14,280)
Ronald Lee - Eliminated in 24th place ($14,280)
Friday, May 29, 2015 1:20 AM Local Time
Michael Wang opens to 22,000, and Kevin MacPhee three-bet shoves for 71,000. Wang calls, and MacPhee is flipping for his tournament life.
Wang:
MacPhee:
MacPhee has to sweat it all the way out, but the river saves his tournament life on the board. He has doubled up.
Kevin MacPhee - 165,000 (16 bb)
Michael Wang - 460,000 (46 bb)
Friday, May 29, 2015 1:10 AM Local Time
Level: 20
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 1,000
Friday, May 29, 2015 1:10 AM Local Time
In early position, Steve Merrifield opens to 17,000, and Amir Lehavot three-bets to 45,000 a few seats over. Action comes to Charles Klapproth, and he four-bet shoves for about 170,000 total. Merrifield folds quickly, Lehavot calls just as quickly, and the cards are on their backs.
Lehavot:
Klapproth:
The board runs out , and Klapproth's pair falls by the wayside. He's out in 26th place.
Amir Lehavot - 470,000 (58 bb)
Charles Klapproth - Eliminated
Friday, May 29, 2015 1:06 AM Local Time
Jeremy Ausmus opens to 16,000 on the button, and Artur Koren three-bets from the big blind. Ausmus moves all in for about 135,000 total, and Koren calls with his big stack, seeking the knockout.
Ausmus:
Koren:
The suited flop makes things interesting, and the turn ends any further drama. Ausmus is already drawing dead to the river, and he's been eliminated in 27th place, earning a pay jump up over $14,000.
Artur Koren - 970,000 (121 bb)
Jeremy Ausmus - Eliminated
Friday, May 29, 2015 1:05 AM Local Time
Table 353
Seat 1. Ronald Lee
Seat 2. Jeremy Ausmus
Seat 3. Jesse Martin
Seat 4. Artur Koren
Seat 5. Michael Brenden
Seat 6. Michael Wang
Seat 7. Kevin MacPhee
Seat 8. Andy Frankenberger
Seat 9. Long Nguyen
Table 359
Seat 1. Alex Bolotin
Seat 2. Amir Lehavot
Seat 3. Carl Westcott
Seat 4. Charles Klapproth
Seat 5. Byron Kaverman
Seat 6. Greg Merson
Seat 7. Rong Li
Seat 8. Steve Merrifield
Seat 9.Joe Ebanks
Table 360
Seat 1. Doc Sands
Seat 2. Brian Altman
Seat 3. Corrie Wunstel
Seat 4. Jack Schanbacher
Seat 5. Corey Hochman
Seat 6. Bryn Kenney
Seat 7. Barry Hutter
Seat 8. Jason Wheeler
Seat 9. Nam Le
Friday, May 29, 2015 12:52 AM Local Time
Byron Kaverman opens to 17,000 before Mike Gorodinsky three-bets all in for 89,000 total. Kaverman doesn't appear to love the spot he's put himself in, but he shakes his head and drops another chip into the pot to signify the call.
Kaverman:
Gorodinsky:
The board runs out , and Kaverman improves to the winning pair of kings. Gorodinsky can't beat that, and he's been sent off in 28th place.
Byron Kaverman - 520,000 (65 bb)
Mike Gorodinsky - Eliminated
Friday, May 29, 2015 12:51 AM Local Time
Brian Hastings' pocket fours run into the pocket aces of Michael Wang, sending Hastings to the rail in Level 19.
Hastings shoves all in with and Wang instantly calls with . The board runs , adding more chips to Wang's growing stack.
Michael Wang - 455,000 (56 bb)
Brian Hastings - Eliminated in 29th ($11,523)
Friday, May 29, 2015 12:45 AM Local Time
Action starts with a raise to 19,000 from Rong Li under the gun. Brian Hastings makes the call, and so do the button and cutoff. In the big blind, Long Nguyen reraises to 108,000. Rong Li makes the call before Hastings announces all-in. The two other guys get out of the hand but Long Nguyen makes the call for his tournament life. Li folds.
Hastings:
Nguyen:
Board:
Long Nguyen - 1,075,000
Rong Li - 630,000
Brian Hastings - 150,000
Friday, May 29, 2015 12:44 AM Local Time
Greg Merson opens the pot with an early-position raise, and Tommaso Briotti three-bets from the blinds. Merson calls, and off they go to the flop.
The first four cards off the deck are with Briotti getting bets in on both the flop and the turn. Merson calls the first bet, but shoves over top of the ~60,000-chip turn bet. It's just over 200,000 total, and Briotti calls to put his own tournament life on the line.
Merson:
Briotti:
Briotti's overpair has him in front, but the poker gods aren't on his side this evening. The river is the dastardly , improving Merson to two pair and sending Briotti out in 30th place.
Greg Merson - 725,000 (90 bb)
Tommaso Briotti - Eliminated
Friday, May 29, 2015 12:37 AM Local Time
Tony Gregg open-shoves for 122,000 and Carl Westcott makes the call.
Gregg:
Westcott:
The flop isn't a bad start for Gregg, but turn and river provide no further help.
Carl Westcott - 605,000
Tony Gregg - Eliminated
Friday, May 29, 2015 12:29 AM Local Time
On a flop, Jesse Martin checks, and Rong Li bets 50,000 into a pot of just more than that. Martin gets check-raisey, moving all in for 120,000 total. Li calls.
Martin:
Li:
Martin's pair has him in front, and the turn and river secure his double up.
Jesse Martin - 305,000 (38 bb)
Rong Li - 740,000 (92 bb)
Friday, May 29, 2015 12:25 AM Local Time
On a flop of , Scott Baumstein moves all in and is quickly called by Barry Hutter.
Hutter flips over for a flopped flush and Baumstein shows . The turn falls and the river fail to improve Baumstein's hand.
Barry Hutter - 580,000 (72 bb)
Scott Baumstein - 32nd place ($11,523)
Friday, May 29, 2015 12:17 AM Local Time
Following an opening raise from Bryn Kenney, Jack Schanbacher moves all in from the small blind for 186,000. Greg Merson, sitting in the big blind, moves all in over the top, forcing out Kenney, and pitting Merson and Schanbacher heads up to the flop.
Merson -
Schanbacher -
The board runs giving Schanbacher the royal flush and keeping his tournament alive.
Jack Schanbacher - 395,000 (49 bb)
Greg Merson - 390,000 (48 bb)
Friday, May 29, 2015 12:15 AM Local Time
Bryan Piccioli and Artur Koren tangle up in a preflop raising war that leaves Piccioli all in for just over 200,000. It's a big coin flip:
Piccioli:
Koren:
The board runs out dramatically, coming to give Koren the winning flush. Piccioli is out in 33rd place, and Koren has become the first player to cross the million-chip mark.
Artur Koren - 1,050,000 (131 bb)
Bryan Piccioli - Eliminated