Thursday, June 8, 2017 12:20 PM Local Time
One Table Remains, Gold on the Line, The Final Battle Commences
At 2 p.m. local time this afternoon inside the Brasilia room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, the final six players in Event #13: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw will return to battle for a coveted WSOP gold bracelet. Though they have all locked up $12,868, only one will walk away with the top prize of $89,151.
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|
| 1 | Stuart Rutter | United Kingdom | 286,000 |
| 2 | Bernard Lee | United States | 571,000 |
| 3 | Jared Bleznick | United States | 97,500 |
| 4 | Timothy Mcguigan | United States | 299,500 |
| 5 | Frank Kassela | United States | 365,500 |
| 6 | Matt Waxman | United States | 395,500 |
In seat one is the only non-American left in the field. The UK's Stuart Rutter comes in as the second shortest stack, mostly staying quiet on Day 2. Rutter made a splash late on Day 2 when he eliminated fellow countryman Benny Glaser on the second-to-last hand of the night. Rutter has 29 career WSOP cashes totaling $601,893. Rutter's largest cash came back in 2010 when he finished third in the $5,000 Shootout for $179,617.
Coming in as the overwhelming chip leader, Bernard Lee occupies the two seat. Lee doesn't need much of an introduction. Few have done as much on both sides of the poker community as the Boston native has. Lee has hosted "The Bernard Lee Poker Show" for 10 years and has been writing columns, articles, and pieces for numerous outlets including ESPN and The Boston Herald. Lee has amassed more than $1,000,000 at the world series including 45 cashes, with his best coming in the 2005 WSOP Main Event where Lee finished in 13th place earning $400,000.
Jared Bleznick is another player who has found great success at the WSOP. Resuming play with the shortest stack, Bleznick will have to gather all his wits and experience from his 15 WSOP cashes in order to triumph today. Bleznick has $1,224,498 in career WSOP earnings including a 16th-place score of $338,288 in last year's Main Event and a runner-up finish in the 2013 $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship for $526,625.
Taking up the four seat and coming in fourth in chips is Tim Mcguigan. This will be Mcguigan's first-ever WSOP cash and by far the largest cash of his career. As a rather unknown, Mcguigan wasn't pushed around during play through the first two days. Mcguigan was even the chip leader early on Day 2.
Arguably the most notable player on the final table, Frank Kassela comes in third in chips. Kassela is the proud owner of two WSOP bracelets and over $2,000,000 in career world series earnings. Both of his bracelets came in 2010. His first was the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Championship and then two weeks later Kassela shipped the $2,500 Razz event. Kassela went on to win the WSOP Player of the Year and has picked up a total of 32 cashes.
The final seat at the table belongs to Matt Waxman. Amazingly, Waxman started Day 2 with just five big blinds and came in sitting dead last. Waxman now sits in the second position. The American pro is well-seasoned when it comes to the World Series and holds a gold bracelet of his own. Waxman captured the title in 2013 when he won a $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event for $305,952. In total, Waxman boasts 45 WSOP cashes amassing $1,427,668 in the process.
Stick with PokerNews for all the action from Event #13's final day until one of these gentlemen hoists a shiny, new WSOP gold bracelet.