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THE WSOP DAILY SHUFFLE: WED., JUNE 13, 2012
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DAILY HEADLINES
Shocking Surprise -- Randy Ohel Wins $2,500 buy-in Deuce-to-Seven Triple-Draw Lowball (Limit) Championship
Most Exciting Heads-Up Match of Year Includes 14 Chip-Lead Changes and Three Stunning Comebacks by Ohel Over Ben Lazar
Michael Gathy, from Brussels, Becomes Only Second Player in History from Belgium to Win a Gold Bracelet
Belgium -- Now a Nation of Beer, Chocolates, and Gold Bracelets
Poker Great Phil Ivey Leads in Omaha High-Low Entering Final Day
UK’s Artem Metalidi Atop Six-Handed No-Limit Field
Gathy collected his first WSOP gold bracelet in the $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament, pocketing $440,829 in the process. He topped a massive field totaling 2,799 entrants, ultimately winning poker’s most coveted prize late on the third and final day of competition.
Gathy’s victory gives him his first WSOP title in what was his first time ever to cash at the WSOP. Indeed, this was the first year Gathy has attended the WSOP. He also becomes only the second champion ever from the nation of Belgium. The first Belgian winner was Davidi Katai, who won the $2,000 buy-in Pot-Limit Hold'em event back in 2008.
RANDY OHEL WINS 2-7 TRIPLE-DRAW (EVENT #22)
Randy Ohel, a 26-year-old professional poker player from Las Vegas, won his first WSOP gold bracelet at the Rio in Las Vegas. He won the $2,500 buy-in Deuce-to-Seven Triple-Draw Lowball (Limit) title, collecting a $145,247 in prize money.
Ohel topped a strong field totaling 228 entrants, ultimately winning poker’s most coveted prize late on the third and final day of competition. He topped a final table which included some of the games most respected and accomplished pros.
Of special note was Benjamin Lazer’s runner-up finish -- in what was remarkably his first WSOP event ever.
In fact, the final heads-up duel between Lazar and Ohel was unquestionably the most grueling battle of this year's WSOP, to date. The chip lead changed 14 times, by one estimate. The bout went 6.5 hours -- making it one of the longest duels in the history of any limit match.
The rest of the finale included David Baker, Farzad Bonyadi (3 wins), Jason Lavallee, and Shawn Buchanan. As much as this stellar lineup appeared to be destined for as the stars of the finale, instead it was two relatively unknown players who stole the show and put on the poker performance of the year, to date.
New champ Ohel is originally from Coral Springs, FL. He’s been playing poker full time for the past four years. His total combined tournament winnings up to this point amounted to about $200,000 (in live play). However, he nearly doubled that amount with this victory.
WSOP TRIVIA -- QUESTION OF THE DAY
Sammy Cahn (Entertainer)
Tony Curtis (actor)
Estelle Getty (actress)
Walter Matthau (actor)
Zero Mostel (actor)
Jerry Stiller (actor and comedian)
Keenan Ivory Wayans (actor and comedian)
THE WSOP TODAY – WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2012
9:00 AM
Today’s first tournament is a $75 buy-in TURBO MEGA-SATELLITE.
NOON
EVENT #27 is a $1,500 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. tournament that begins with the play of Day One. Late registration will be available for this event up until about 4:40 pm.* Action takes place inside Amazon. The Pavilion White and Black sections will be used for overflow. This is a three-day event.
EVENT #27 UPDATES can be followed at WSOP.com. Coverage includes chip counts as well as written updates supplied from the tournament floor by our friends at PokerNews.com.
The official Structure Sheet for EVENT #27 can be viewed HERE.
1:00 PM
EVENT #23, the $3,000 buy-in SIX-HANDED NO--LIMIT HOLD’EM tournament continues with Day Three – including the final table. There are 18 players remaining from the starting field of 924. Artem Metalidi is currently the chip leader. Action will take place inside Amazon. The list of survivors and chip counts is available HERE.
EVENT #25, the $1,500 buy-in LIMIT HOLD’EM SHOOTOUT tournament continues with Day Two. There are 50 players remaining from the starting field of 366. Action will take place inside Amazon at ten five-handed tables with the winner of each table advancing to final table action on Thursday. Three -time bracelet winner and Limit Hold'em specialist Matt Matros, Greg Mueller, Justin Bonomo, Scott Seiver, and Brock Parker. The full list of survivors and chip counts is available HERE.
2:00 PM
EVENT #24, the $5,000 buy-in OMAHA HIGH-LOW SPLIT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP tournament continues today with Day Three – including the final table. There are 27 players remaining from a starting field of 256. As mentioned previously, Phil Ivey is currently the chip leader. Action will take place inside Amazon. The list of survivors and chip counts is available HERE.
EVENT #26, the $3,000 buy-in POT-LIMIT OMAHA tournament continues with Day Two. There are 150 players remaining from the starting field of 589. Joseph Ressler is currently the chip leader. The field hits the money when 63 players remain. Action will take place inside Amazon. The list of survivors and chip counts is available HERE.
The first DAILY DEEP STACK NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM tournament begins. The entry fee is $235. Registration is open for four (30 minute) levels, plus one break – which means until about 4:20 pm.
2:20 PM
Today’s gold bracelet ceremony includes two winners – Ben Scholl (winner of EVENT #20) and Michael Gathy (winner of EVENT #21). The Belgium national anthem will be played first. The U.S. anthem will be played second.
4:00 PM
The first MEGA-SATELLITE begins. The entry fee is $330
5:00 PM
There is no 5 pm tournament today.
6:00 PM
The second DEEP STACK NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM tournament begins. The entry fee is $185. Registration is open for four (30 minute) levels, plus one break – which means until about 8:20 pm.
8:00 PM
The second MEGA-SATELLITE of the day begins. The entry fee is $550.
10:00 PM
The third and final DEEP STACK NO-LIMIT HOLD’EM tournament begins at 10 pm. The entry fee is $135. Registration is open for four (30 minute) levels, plus one break – which means until about 12:20 am.
3:00 AM
All WSOP gold bracelet tournaments end for the night.
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WSOP REDUX: IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
A QUICK NOTE ABOUT THE GOLD BRACELET CEREMONIES
Questions have been asked about why the WSOP chooses to place certain players together, or why – in the case of many recent gold bracelet winner – the official ceremony is delayed by a few days, or sometimes longer.
The easy explanation is that the WSOP tries to accommodate players to the greatest extent possible. Some winners have urgent travel plans or other obligations to return home the day after their victory. Other have requested to have their ceremonies take place after friends and relatives arrive in Las Vegas. Still other ceremonies have been postponed on days when the schedule event did not provide enough of an audience to celebrate the winner (the Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship, for instance).
In the case of some recent gold bracelet winners, Phil Hellmuth is scheduled to receive his record 12th this coming Saturday. Andy Frankenberger, collecting his second gold bracelet, will take the stage on Sunday.
“The WSOP Daily Shuffle” attempt to keep everyone informed of upcoming gold bracelet ceremonies and dates, so stay tuned.
REMINDER – REGISTER EARLY!
In order to avoid long lines which may take place on tournament day, the WSOP encourages all players to register as early as possible. This is particularly true for the $1,000 buy-in SENIORS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (EVENT #29), which is coming up this Friday – June 15th and has a 10:00 am start.
-- by Nolan Dalla
