Monday, July 16, 2018 11:22 PM Local Time
Year of Bonomo Continues as he Bags Big Lead on One Drop Bubble
Justin Bonomo has busied himself through the first six months of 2018 putting together arguably the greatest year in the history of tournament poker, and one thing that could absolutely cement that would be a victory in a $1 million tournament.
After two days of play, Bonomo has positioned himself for exactly that, as he has bagged a huge chip lead with six players remaining in Event #78: $1 Million Big One for One Drop at the World Series of Poker. Bonomo totes 48.95 million into the final day of play, more than double second-place Fedor Holz's 22.125 million.
The others in contention are Dan Smith, Rick Salomon, David Einhorn and Byron Kaverman. Here's how they'll look when they return for play on Tuesday with the tournament on a $2 million money bubble:
Chips and Seats for Day 3 of One Drop
Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
1 | Rick Salomon | United States | 19,650,000 | 39 |
2 | Byron Kaverman | United States | 10,525,000 | 21 |
3 | David Einhorn | United States | 12,300,000 | 25 |
4 | Fedor Holz | Germany | 22,125,000 | 44 |
5 | Justin Bonomo | United States | 48,950,000 | 98 |
6 | Dan Smith | United States | 21,450,000 | 43 |
Bonomo's 2018 has been truly legendary. He already won both Super High Roller Bowl China for $4.8 million and the domestic $300,000 Super High Roller Bowl for $5 million more. He also shipped five other high rollers for varying amounts between $300,000 and $557,000 and found time to sneak over to Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and pocket his second bracelet, winning the $10,000 Heads-Up Championship.
"I have been on the streak of the lifetime, obviously never expected anything like this," he said. "I mean, I think I am a great player, but what I have done is above and beyond what I ever expected or even deserved, to be honest.
"Today, I just made a ton of big hands. I didn't have any of those super cooler situations, but I just won small pot after small pot where I had monster hands."
Bonomo actually came in below the starting stack, so the three buzzer-beating entries — Rainer Kempe, Brian Rast and Kaverman — began the day with more chips than him. As elites like Mikita Badziakouski, Adrian Mateos and Daniel Negreanu fell on en route to the final table, though, Bonomo stacked up by busting Jason Koon and Matthew Siegal. The former ran tens into queens and the latter got unlucky with ace-king against king-jack in a three-bet pot, with Bonomo calling a flop shove after flopping open-ended and binking the ace right away.
Bonomo's ace-king then bested the ace-queen of Dominik Nitsche and his kings held against Ivey's ace-jack reshove to send the high-stakes legend out in eighth.
Nick Petrangelo was the final player eliminated, when he jammed ace-eight suited on 19 big blinds and ran into Bonomo's nines.
Now, poker's biggest bubble looms as the next man out walks away empty-handed while everyone else secures $2 million. Here's a look at the full payout table, determined shortly after play began when registration closed with 27 total entries:
Place | Payout |
1st | $10,000,000 |
2nd | $6,000,000 |
3rd | $4,000,000 |
4th | $2,840,000 |
5th | $2,000,000 |
While Bonomo acknowledged the massive potential windfall of $10 million is his chief motivation, he said another goal also looms.
"One thing I have been thinking about is the all time money list and it would be kind of sweet if I passed Negreanu," he said. "I was actually thinking at the start of this tournament I really hope Negreanu doesn't win, because that'll set me back five years. Of course, now, I have a really good shot to pass him."
Bonomo sits just under $7 million back of Negreanu's record $39.6 million, and a min-cash will push him past Seidel for second place. Still, with nosebleed rivals like Holz and Smith in his way, there's plenty of work to be done.
"Tomorrow is a very big day, so I am not going to think about the accolades and accomplishments, but I will think about how to maximize my expectations," Bonomo said. "All I am thinking about is how my opponents are going to play, what are their stack sizes, what do I need to be prepared for. That's what is going through my head right now. I am not thinking about some destiny or anything like that."
While Bonomo must focus on the task at hand, as he outlined, everyone else in the poker world will be tuning in to see if he can raise the bar once again and reach heights of dominance rarely, if ever, seen.
The final day of One Drop, and the final day of the 2018 WSOP, kicks off at 5:30 p.m. local time with just under 26 minutes remaining at 250,000/500,000/500,000. Come back to PokerNews for hand-for-hand coverage of the priciest poker event of the year to see how it all ends.
Monday, July 16, 2018 11:03 PM Local Time
End of Day 2 Counts
Players have bagged up for the day on the bubble as the TV time slot has ended. The action will resume at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow and a full recap of the day's action will be posted shortly.
Justin Bonomo | 48,950,000 | -50,000 |
Fedor Holz | 22,125,000 | -1,275,000 |
Dan Smith | 21,450,000 | -1,050,000 |
Rick Salomon | 19,650,000 | -50,000 |
David Einhorn | 12,300,000 | 0 |
Byron Kaverman | 10,525,000 | 25,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 11:01 PM Local Time
Nick Petrangelo Eliminated in 7th Place
Hand #53: Nick Petrangelo shoved all in for 9,425,000 from middle position. Small blind Justin Bonomo got a count and then moved in. Petrangelo opened and Bonomo had him dominated with .
The flop made it short on drama and the ended things before the could even hit the felt.
Justin Bonomo | 49,000,000 | 10,500,000 |
Nick Petrangelo | 0 | -9,700,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 10:59 PM Local Time
Hands #50-52: Three for Bonomo
Hand #50: Justin Bonomo raised to 1 million second to act and got action from Rick Salomon in the cutoff and David Einhorn in the big blind. Everyone checked to the river on . Einhorn fired out 1.5 million, Bonomo called and Salomon folded. Bonomo's was a winner.
Hand #51: Bonomo opened for 1 million under the gun. Everyone folded.
Hand #52: Salomon opened for 1.3 million in second position and Bonomo defended big blind. Bonomo bet 1.1 on after two checks and Salomon stuck around. The paired the board and Bonomo bet 1.7 million. Salomon gave it up.
Justin Bonomo | 38,500,000 | 8,100,000 |
Rick Salomon | 19,700,000 | -3,400,000 |
David Einhorn | 12,300,000 | -3,300,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 10:50 PM Local Time
Hands #46-49: Salomon Doubles Through Smith
Hand #46: Rick Salomon opened to 1,300,000 from under the gun and Dan Smith shipped all in from the big blind. Salomon called off for another 9,275,000 and the cards were tabled.
Rick Salomon:
Dan Smith:
Salomon was slightly ahead with his ace high and the board of changed nothing. Salomon scored a full double up through Smith to keep his tournament hopes alive.
Hand #47: David Einhorn raised to 1,100,000 in the hijack and Smith put in a three-bet to 3,600,000 from the small blind. Einhorn threw his cards to the muck and Smith picked up the pot.
Hand #48: Justin Bonomo bumped it up to 1,150,000 in the cutoff and it was Salomon's turn to three-bet to 3,250,000 in the small blind. Bonomo quickly folded and Salomon scooped the pot.
Hand #49: Smith opened to 1,100,000 in the cutoff and Nick Petrangelo called in the big blind. The flop came and Petrangelo check-folded to a bet of 1,400,000 from Smith.
Justin Bonomo | 30,400,000 | -1,400,000 |
Fedor Holz | 23,400,000 | 0 |
Rick Salomon | 23,100,000 | 12,500,000 |
Dan Smith | 22,500,000 | -7,100,000 |
David Einhorn | 15,600,000 | -1,100,000 |
Byron Kaverman | 10,500,000 | -1,300,000 |
Nick Petrangelo | 9,700,000 | -1,600,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 10:40 PM Local Time
Hands #42-45: Holz Plays Every Pot
Hand #42: Fedor Holz raised to 1.1 million and that won the blinds and big blind ante.
Hand #43: First to act, Holz made it 1.1 million to go and scooped the second pot in a row without resistance.
Hand #44: Justin Bonomo opened to 1 million from the under-the-gun position and Holz defended the big blind. The flop came and Holz checked, Bonomo bet 800,000. Holz called to see the on the turn and checked once more, Bonomo checked behind.
The appeared as the final community card and both players checked. Holz revealed the for a flush and raked in the chips.
Hand #45: Holz limped the small blind and Bonomo checked his option from the big blind. Both players checked the flop and the turn brought a bet of 1.1 million by Holz, Bonomo called.
The river was the and Holz showed a , which Bonomo had beat with the .
Justin Bonomo | 31,800,000 | -200,000 |
Dan Smith | 29,600,000 | 0 |
Fedor Holz | 23,400,000 | 3,000,000 |
David Einhorn | 16,700,000 | -1,200,000 |
Byron Kaverman | 11,800,000 | -200,000 |
Nick Petrangelo | 11,300,000 | -1,200,000 |
Rick Salomon | 10,600,000 | -200,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 10:27 PM Local Time
Hands #41: Smith Gets Three Streets from Kaverman
Hand #41: Dan Smith opened for 1 million on the button and Byron Kaverman defended big blind. Kaverman checked and Smith bet 1.5 million on . Kaverman called and they saw the arrive. Smith barreled again for 3 million and Kaverman used an extension before sticking around for the river. Kaverman checked and Smith blasted in 8 million, nearly all of his remaining chips. Again, Kaverman needed an extension. When that one was up, he used three more.
Finally, Kaverman called and Smith showed for aces up.
Dan Smith | 29,600,000 | 14,300,000 |
Byron Kaverman | 12,000,000 | -14,000,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 10:20 PM Local Time
Level 18 started
Level: 18
Blinds: 250000/500000
Ante: 500000
Monday, July 16, 2018 10:19 PM Local Time
Hands #37-40: Holz Wins with a Couple of Three-Bets
Hand #37: Rick Salomon raised to 1,000,000 in the hijack and Fedor Holz shipped all in from the big blind. Salomon instantly slung his cards to the muck and Holz raked in the pot.
Hand #38: David Einhorn bumped it up to 1,100,000 on the button and Holz re-raised to 3,500,000 in the small blind. Einhorn let his hand go and Holz took his second three-bet pot in a row.
Hand #39: Byron Kaverman opened to 1,000,000 in middle position and picked up the blinds and antes.
Hand #40: Justin Bonomo raised to 1,000,000 on the button and Rick Salomon called in the big blind. The flop came and Salomon check-folded to a bet of 2,000,000 from Bonomo.
Justin Bonomo | 32,000,000 | 600,000 |
Byron Kaverman | 26,000,000 | 1,000,000 |
Fedor Holz | 20,400,000 | 3,100,000 |
David Einhorn | 17,900,000 | -1,300,000 |
Dan Smith | 15,300,000 | -1,000,000 |
Nick Petrangelo | 12,500,000 | 0 |
Rick Salomon | 10,800,000 | -2,400,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 10:10 PM Local Time
Hands #32-37: Smith Wins Battle of Blinds Against Salomon
Hand #32: Fedor Holz opened for 1 million on the button. He won the blinds and antes.
Hand #33: Action folded to Dan Smith in the small blind and he completed, and he and Rick Salomon saw a board for free until Smith bet 400,000. Salomon peeled to see the river. Smith bet 1 million, Salomon called and Smith took it down with .
Hand #34: Smith opened for 800,000 on the button and Byron Kaverman defended big blind. Smith continuation-bet 800,000 on the flop and Kaverman continued, bringing a turn. Kaverman checked again and Smith bet 1.7 million. Kaverman gave it up.
Hand #35: David Einhorn opened for 1.1 million under the gun and Justin Bonomo made it 3 million a couple of seats over. Einhorn agreed to that price and they saw a flop. Einhorn checked the dry flop and Bonomo fired in 2 million. Einhorn released.
Hand #36: Bonomo opened for 950,000 and Einhorn defended big blind, seeing flop. Bonomo bet 800,000 and Einhorn check-raised to 3 million. Bonomo immediately folded.
Justin Bonomo | 31,400,000 | 2,100,000 |
Byron Kaverman | 25,000,000 | -2,200,000 |
David Einhorn | 19,200,000 | -1,100,000 |
Fedor Holz | 17,300,000 | 1,000,000 |
Dan Smith | 16,300,000 | 3,600,000 |
Rick Salomon | 13,200,000 | -2,400,000 |
Nick Petrangelo | 12,500,000 | -1,000,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 9:54 PM Local Time
Hands #28-31: Salomon Slips in the Counts
Hand #28: The action folded to Byron Kaverman in the small blind who just called. Nick Petrangelo checked the big blind and the flop came . Kaverman led out for 400,000 and Petrangelo called. The turn brought the and both players checked to the on the river. Two more checks and Petrangelo tabled for the best hand.
Hand #29: Justin Bonomo opened to 900,000 from middle position and Rick Salomon re-raised to 3,100,000 in the cutoff. The action folded back to Bonomo who ripped all in, putting Salomon to the test for his remaining chips. With 16,700,00 behind, Salomon elected to give his hand up.
Hand #30: Salomon raised to 1,100,000 from the hijack and Fedor Holz defended his big blind. Both players checked the flop and the landed on the turn. Holz led out for 1,100,000 and Salomon instantly mucked his hand.
Hand #31: Kaverman raised to 1,000,000 in the hijack and Petrangelo shoved all in for 11,500,000 in the cutoff. The action came back to Kaverman who asked for a count. He used up his allotted 30 seconds and then tossed his cards away.
Justin Bonomo | 29,300,000 | 3,300,000 |
Byron Kaverman | 27,200,000 | -1,800,000 |
David Einhorn | 20,300,000 | -2,100,000 |
Fedor Holz | 16,300,000 | 1,100,000 |
Rick Salomon | 15,600,000 | -4,200,000 |
Nick Petrangelo | 13,500,000 | 2,600,000 |
Dan Smith | 12,700,000 | 0 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 9:41 PM Local Time
Hands #25-27: Three Extensions Used by Bonomo
Hand #25: Rick Salomon made it 1.1 million under the gun. He won the pot.
Hand #26: David Einhorn opened for 1.1 million in middle position and Dan Smith shoved all in for 10.8 million, folding everyone out.
Hand #27: Justin Bonomo opened for 900,000 in the cutoff and Byron Kaverman defended big blind, bringing . Kaverman checked and called 700,000. On the turn, he came out betting with 1.4 million. The river was a . Kaverman used an extension and then bet 3.5 million. Bonomo used his own extension, then another, then a third. About 20 seconds later, he released.
Byron Kaverman | 29,000,000 | 3,200,000 |
Justin Bonomo | 26,000,000 | -3,200,000 |
Dan Smith | 12,700,000 | 1,100,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 9:30 PM Local Time
Hands #20-24: Kaverman Gets Sticky with Second Pair
Hand #20: Justin Bonomo raised it up to 850,000 in the cutoff and Dan Smith shoved all in for 9,775,000 on the button. The action folded back to Bonomo whose cards followed into the muck.
Hand #21: David Einhorn opened to 1,100,000 from under the gun and Bonomo called in the hijack. Nick Petrangelo also called in the big blind and the flop came . The action checked around to the on the turn. Petrangelo and Einhorn checked again which led to a bet of 1,500,000 from Bonomo. Petrangelo and Einhorn both laid their hands down.
Hand #22: Fedor Holz made it 850,000 from under the gun and picked up the blinds and antes.
Hand #23: Petrangelo raised to 800,000 on the button and the blinds folded.
Hand #24: Byron Kaverman opened to 900,000 from the hijack and Einhorn flat-called on the button. Bonomo also called in the big blind to see a flop of . Bonomo checked, Kaverman checked, and Einhorn tossed in a bet of 1,200,000. Bonomo quickly folded but Kaverman stuck around.
The fell on the turn and Kaverman checked again. Einhorn fired another 2,600,000 and Kaverman still called. The river was the and Kaverman checked one more time. Einhorn used up a time extension before checking back. Kaverman turned over and Einhorn sent his cards to the muck.
Justin Bonomo | 29,200,000 | 600,000 |
Byron Kaverman | 25,800,000 | 3,375,000 |
David Einhorn | 22,400,000 | -6,950,000 |
Rick Salomon | 19,800,000 | -1,025,000 |
Fedor Holz | 15,200,000 | 0 |
Dan Smith | 11,600,000 | 2,425,000 |
Nick Petrangelo | 10,900,000 | -700,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 9:14 PM Local Time
Hands #16-19: Petrangelo Shows Down a Winner
Hand #16: Byron Kaverman raised to 900,000 in the cutoff and Fedor Holz defended big blind. Holz checked and Kaverman bet 900,000 more on the flop. Holz continued and they saw an fall. They checked and a arrived. Holz came out with 3.3 million just before his 30 seconds expired. Kaverman released.
Hand #17: Nick Petrangelo raised to 800,000 and won the blinds and antes from the cutoff.
Hand #18: Justin Bonomo completed the blind and Dan Smith checked. Bonomo bet 400,000 on and then folded to 1.3 million from Smith.
Hand #19: Petrangelo raised to 800,000 second to act and got action from Bonomo on the button. It went heads up to and they checked to the . Bonomo bet 1 million and Petrangelo continued to the river. They checked and Petrangelo won with for queens up.
Players stepped away from the table for a commercial break.
Justin Bonomo | 28,600,000 | -3,375,000 |
Fedor Holz | 15,200,000 | 1,775,000 |
Nick Petrangelo | 11,600,000 | 3,775,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 9:00 PM Local Time
Level 17 started
Level: 17
Blinds: 200000/400000
Ante: 400000
Monday, July 16, 2018 8:38 PM Local Time
Break Time
The remaining seven players are taking a break until 9 p.m. when the coverage will resume on ESPN.
Monday, July 16, 2018 8:35 PM Local Time
Hands #14-15: Einhorn Gets Paid on a Rivered Flush
Hand #14: David Einhorn opened to 700,000 from under the gun and Nick Petrangelo defended his big blind. The flop came and Petrangelo checked to Einhorn who bet 700,000. Petrangelo called to see the on the turn.
Petrangelo checked again and Einhorn pushed in a bet of 1,200,000. Petrangelo wasn't going anywhere yet as he made the call and the rolled off on the river. Petrangelo checked for the third time and Einhorn reached back for a bet of 4,000,000. Petrangelo looked him and Einhorn turned over for a flush, raking in the pot.
Hand #15: Byron Kaverman raised it up to 700,000 on the button and Einhorn called in the big blind. The flop fell and both players checked to the on the turn. Einhorn led out for 800,000 and Kaverman called. The river brought the and both players tapped the table. Einhorn tabled and that earned him the pot.
Justin Bonomo | 31,975,000 | -25,000 |
David Einhorn | 29,350,000 | 8,750,000 |
Byron Kaverman | 22,425,000 | -1,075,000 |
Rick Salomon | 20,825,000 | 225,000 |
Fedor Holz | 13,425,000 | 25,000 |
Dan Smith | 9,175,000 | -425,000 |
Nick Petrangelo | 7,825,000 | -7,175,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 8:27 PM Local Time
Phil Ivey Eliminated in 8th Place
Hand #13: Justin Bonomo opened for 700,000 in the hijack and called the shove of Phil Ivey on the button. Bonomo had and Ivey had . The flop brought little for Ivey. The turn likewise. The river was icing on the cake for Bonomo, sending Ivey to the rail.
Justin Bonomo | 32,000,000 | 7,300,000 |
Phil Ivey | 0 | -7,600,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2018 8:26 PM Local Time
Hands #10-12: One Flop Seen
Hand #10: Byron Kaverman opened for 700,000 in middle position and Dan Smith defended big blind. Smith check-folded to 800,000 on .
Hand #11: Smith opened for 1 million in the small blind and Phil Ivey mucked.
Hand #12: Ivey completed the blind and folded 1 million from Rick Salomon.
Monday, July 16, 2018 8:23 PM Local Time
Hands #6-9: Solomon Grabs a Couple Healthy Pots
Hand #6: Rick Salomon raised to 700,000 on the button and Nick Petrangelo came along from the big blind to see a flop of . Petrangelo checked and called a continuation bet worth 800,000 before the turn paired the board.
Petrangelo checked once more and Salomon made it 1.3 million to go. Petrangelo called again and the river brought a check from Petrangelo. Salomon checked behind and won the pot with for kings and fours.
Hand #7: First to act, Fedor Holz raised to 675,000 and David Einhorn defended the big blind. The flop showed and Einhorn checked, Holz bet 600,000 and the call of Einhorn followed. The turn came the and both players checked.
The river completed the board. Two checks resulted in the showdown and Einhorn won the pot with .
Hand #8: Salomon opened to 800,000 and Einhorn three-bet to 3.15 million in the small blind, Salomon came along to make it heads up to the flop. Einhorn continued for 2 million and Salomon used one time bank before raising to 5.2 million, Einhorn let his shot clock run down to all but one second and folded.
Hand #9: Einhorn made it 800,000 on the button and Justin Bonomo called out of the big blind. The flop brought a check of Bonomo, who then called a bet of 800,000 by Einhorn. On the turn, Bonomo quickly checked and Einhorn fired a second barrel for 2 million, Bonomo called.
The river was the and both players checked. Bonomo showed the for a pair of kings and Einhorn had that beat with to drag in a big pot.
Justin Bonomo | 24,700,000 | -3,900,000 |
Byron Kaverman | 23,500,000 | -200,000 |
David Einhorn | 20,600,000 | 300,000 |
Rick Salomon | 20,600,000 | 9,000,000 |
Nick Petrangelo | 15,000,000 | -3,200,000 |
Fedor Holz | 13,400,000 | -2,100,000 |
Dan Smith | 9,600,000 | 0 |
Phil Ivey | 7,600,000 | 0 |