Sunday, November 8, 2015 10:52 PM Local Time
Chip Leader Joe McKeehen
The first day of the 2015 Main Event final saw the November Nine whittled down to six hopefuls.
Joe McKeehen picked up right where he left off in July—gathering chips and busting out other players. He started the day with the chip lead with about 1/3 of the chips in play. Now, after eliminating all three players who hit the rail today, he’s up to about nearly half the chips on the table.
The day got off to an exciting start, as the first elimination occurred on just the second hand of the day. Patrick Chan, who started the day eighth in chips, clashed with chip leader Joe McKeehen. Chan’s fell to McKeehen’s , and just like that, Chan was out. He earns $1,001,020 for his ninth-place finish.
Federico Butteroni, who started the final table just behind Chan, took a different approach. He preferred to avoid confrontation, and was involved in very hands. His stack dwindled from just over 6,000,000 to under 3,000,000. And about three hours after play began, he was all in with against Joe McKeehen’s . Butteroni got no help from the deck, and McKeehen busted a second player.
After that, it was about another two and a half hours before the next elimination. There wasn’t much movement in the chip counts during that time, except McKeehen’s stack continued to grow. At one point, Pierre Neuville lost a big pot against Neil Blumenfield, dropping him down to 7,500,000. Neuville made his short stack last, though. And after about another 90 minutes, he found himself all in and ahead with against McKeehen’s . McKeehen, though, couldn’t be stopped today. He rivered a flush, and Neuville was eliminated in seventh place.
Tomorrow, the remaining six players return to the Penn and Teller Theater at 4:30 p.m. We’ll have live updates of every hand here on wsop.com, and ESPN2 will broadcast each hand on a 30-minute delay.
Here are the chip counts when the players return:
Joe McKeehen – 91,450,000
Ofer Zvi Stern – 32,400,000
Neil Blumenfield – 31,500,000
Max Steinberg – 16,000,000
Josh Beckley – 10,875,000
Thomas Cannuli – 10,425,000
Pierre Neuville during his elimination hand Sunday, November 8, 2015 10:34 PM Local Time
Joe McKeehen raises to 1,200,000 from middle position and Pierre Neuville moves all in for 3,000,000 total. McKeehen calls and Neuville has him dominated with .
The flop falls and Neuville picks up a gutshot straight draw. The on the turn does bring a flush draw McKeehen.
The river brings the completing McKeehen's flush draw and sending the elder statesman of the table home at the hands of a backdoored hand. Neuville is out and McKeehen notches his third knockout of the night, bringing Day 1 of the final table to a close.
Joe McKeehen - 91,450,000 (152 bb)
Pierre Neuville - Eliminated in seventh place for $1,203,293
Sunday, November 8, 2015 10:29 PM Local Time
Joe McKeehen raises to 1,200,000 and Ofer Zvi Stern calls out of the big blind.
The flop comes and Stern quickly checks. McKeehen bets 1,300,000, Stern folds, and McKeehen takes the pot.
Joe McKeehen - 87,700,000 (146 bb)
Ofer Zvi Stern - 32,775,000 (55 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 10:26 PM Local Time
Max Steinberg raises to 1,700,000 from the button, Joe McKeehen reraises to 4,400,000 out of the big blind, Steinberg folds, and McKeehen takes the pot.
Joe McKeehen - 85,750,000 (143 bb)
Max Steinberg - 16,150,000 (27 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 10:23 PM Local Time
Josh Beckley raises to 1,325,000 from middle position and Thomas Cannuli moves all in from the small blind for 8,200,000. Beckley, who is sitting on around 12,500,000, folds, and Cannuli takes the pot.
Thomas Cannuli - 10,650,000 (18 bb)
Josh Beckley - 11,100,000 (19 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 10:21 PM Local Time
Neil Blumenfield raises to 1,400,000 from middle position, winning the blinds and antes.
Neil Blumenfield - 32,700,000 (55 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 10:18 PM Local Time
The players are on a short break.
Seat 1: Ofer Zvi Stern - 34,275,000 (57 bb)
Seat 2: Pierre Neuville - 3,375,000 (6 bb)
Seat 3: Josh Beckley - 12,575,000 (21 bb)
Seat 4: Max Steinberg - 18,375,000 (31 bb)
Seat 5: Thomas Cannuli - 8,950,000 (15 bb)
Seat 6: Joe McKeehen - 83,750,000 (139 bb)
Seat 9: Neil Blumenfield - 31,350,000 (52 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 10:07 PM Local Time
Thomas Cannuli moves all in from under the gun for his remaining 7,525,000, winning the blinds and antes.
Thomas Cannuli - 8,950,000 (15 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 10:06 PM Local Time
Joe McKeehen raises to 1,200,000 from middle position, winning the blinds and antes.
Joe McKeehen - 83,825,000 (140 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 10:04 PM Local Time
Joe McKeehen raises to 1,200,000 from the cutoff and Neil Blumenfield reraises to 3,500,000 on the button. McKeehen folds and Blumenfield takes the pot.
Neil Blumenfield - 32,900,000 (55 bb)
Joe McKeehen - 82,475,000 (137 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 10:01 PM Local Time
Joe McKeehen
Joe McKeehen raises to 1,200,000 on the button and Ofer Zvi Stern defends the big blind. The flop comes and Stern checks. McKeehen bets 1,300,000 and Stern calls.
The turn brings the . Stern checks, McKeehen bets 3,200,000, Stern folds, and McKeehen takes the pot.
Joe McKeehen - 83,750,000 (150 bb)
Ofer Zvi Stern - 33,350,000 (56 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 9:55 PM Local Time
Ofer Zvi Stern raises to 1,400,000 from under the gun and Joe McKeehen reraises to 4,100,000 out of the small blind. Stern folds and McKeehen takes the pot.
Joe McKeehen - 80,500,000 (134 bb)
Ofer Zvi Stern - 35,925,000 (60 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 9:51 PM Local Time
Joe McKeehen gets a walk in the big blind.
Sunday, November 8, 2015 9:51 PM Local Time
Neil Blumenfield raises to 1,500,000 from middle position and Josh Beckley reraises to 4,500,000 on the button. Bluemnfield folds and Beckley takes the pot.
Josh Beckley - 13,925,000 (23 bb)
Neil Blumenfield - 31,475,000 (52 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 9:48 PM Local Time
Joe McKeehen raises to 1,200,000 from middle position and Ofer Zvi Stern reraises to 3,350,000 total. McKeehen calls and they go heads up to a flop of . McKeehen checks and Stern bets 2,600,000. McKeehen folds and Stern takes the pot.
Ofer Zvi Stern - 37,550,000 (63 bb)
Joe McKeehen - 77,375,000 (129 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 9:44 PM Local Time
Thomas Cannuli waves to his friends and fans in the crowd.
Thomas Cannuli shoves all in from early position for 7,600,000, winning the blinds and antes.
Thomas Cannuli - 9,025,000 (15 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 9:43 PM Local Time
Thomas Cannuli raises to 1,400,000 from middle position and Ofer Zvi Stern reraises to 4,700,000 out of the small blind. Cannuli thinks about it a bit before folding, and Stern takes the pot.
Ofer Zvi Stern - 32,925,000 (55 bb)
Thomas Cannuli - 1,475,000 (13 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 9:38 PM Local Time
Neil Blumenfield completes his option and Ofer Zvi Stern quickly checks his option in the big blind.
The flop comes and Blumenfield checks. Stern bets 700,000 and Blumenfield calls.The turn is the . Blumenfield checks, Stern bets 1,300,000, Blumenfield folds, and Stern takes the pot.
Ofer Zvi Stern - 30,475,000 (51 bb)
Neil Blumenfield - 33,275,000 (55 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 9:34 PM Local Time
Ofer Zvi Stern raises to 1,400,000 from under the gun and Joe McKeehen calls in the small blind. The flop comes and McKeehen checks. Stern bets the flop, McKeehen folds, and Stern takes the pot.
Ofer Zvi Stern - 28,725,000 (48 bb)
Joe McKeehen - 81,025,000 (135 bb)
Sunday, November 8, 2015 9:32 PM Local Time
Max Steinberg
Max Steinberg raises to 1,400,000 from the button and Joe McKeehen calls in the big blind.
The flop comes and McKeehen checks. Steinberg takes a few seconds, then checks behind.
The turn is the and McKeehen checks. Steinberg bets 1,900,000. McKeehen calls.
The river is the and McKeehen once again checks. Steinberg bets 4,000,000. McKeehen thinks for a minute or so, then folds, prompting big cheers from Steinberg's rail.
Max Steinberg - 20,825,000 (35 bb)
Joe McKeehen - 82,500,000 (138 bb)