Event #60: Poker Players Championship 6-Handed

One of the highlights of the 2021 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas has kicked off as Day 1 of Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship has concluded. The pinnacle mixed game of the year attracted a field of 43 entries so far and 39 players bagged up chips.

Leading the way after six levels of 140 minutes each is Bryce Yockey, who turned his starting stack of 300,000 into 653,000. During the last edition of the Poker Players Championship in 2019, Yockey finished in 4th place and will aim to finish a few spots higher this time around. Another two players claimed more than half a million in chips including Dario Sammartino (520,500) and Chris Vitch (504,500).

Eli Elezra and Randy Ohel both bagged up healthy stacks and four repeat bracelet winners during the current festival also finished in the top 10 as well.

Top 10 Counts Day 1 Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship

Shaun Deeb just claimed his fifth career bracelet in Event #53: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller, jumped right into Event #57: $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship to finish in 13th place before entering the mixed game contest and bagging up 448,500. Yuval Bronshtein (two WSOP bracelets), two-time PPC champion Brian Rast (five WSOP bracelets) as well as Ryan Leng (three WSOP bracelets) also increased their WSOP gold bracelet tally during the ongoing series as well and follow close behind Deeb on the leaderboard.

Only four players were eliminated during Day 1 of the pinnacle mixed game contest of the year. The 2013 Poker Players Championship winner Matthew Ashton was the first casualty of the day after he lost a big portion of his stack early on and his run ended when John Monnette made a king-high straight flush in a Seven Card Stud hand. Michael Noori followed after a clash with Chad Campbell and Jake Schwartz also lost his entire stack in a round of Pot-Limit Omaha.

Last but not least, Albert Daher's hopes of making it through to the next day vanished in the last level of the night.

The first day of this challenge of endurance and versatility started with a bang when Scott Seiver ended up all-in against Bradley Berman in the first hand of No-Limit Hold'em. No call by Berman followed and Seiver topped the leaderboard for the first half of the day thereafter. Both made it through to Day 2 with 366,000 and 49,000 in chips respectively.

Among those to make their first appearance during the 2021 WSOP were Timofey "Trueteller" Kuznetsov, Aaron Katz and Roman Yitzhaki. All of them have, however, participated regularly in mixed game events at the WSOP throughout the years. Both Robert and Michael Mizrachi also entered the fray and the latter is chasing an unprecedented fourth title in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship.

Day 2 continues at 2pm local time and the late registration for the event remains open until the end of level 10 and following break on Day 2, which will be at approximately 10.20 pm local time on Monday, November 1, 2021. Some of the biggest names in the world of poker are still expected to take advantage of the extended late registration period and the PokerNews team will be on the floor from start to finish in order to provide as many key hands as possible.

Limit Hold'em

In a previous hand, Nacho Barbero had complained about a ruling that was given differently for the same situation and he ultimately lost the pot to Shaun Deeb. It was then Yuri Dzivieleveski who defended against Deeb and bet the      turn, Deeb raised and Dzivielevski called.

The   came on the river and Dzivieleveski check-folded to Deeb's bet. "I had either the ace or nine of spades," Barbero said. "You had ace-nine? Me too," Deeb grinned and then collected the pot in what turned out to be the final hand of the night.

Shaun Deeb	448,500	-26,500
Nacho Barbero	430,000	140,000
Yuri Dzivielevski	351,000	-24,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Nacho Barbero raised to 5,000 from the cutoff and was called by Jake Schwartz in the big blind.

Schwartz check-called a 7,000 bet from Barbero on the     flop.

The turn brought the   and Schwartz checked again to Barbero, who bet the pot for 26,500. Schwartz then re-potted for 106,000, which left himself just 15,000 behind. Barbero called.

The   completed the board and Schwartz checked to Barbero, who bet enough to put Schwartz all in.

"I'm gonna need a little bit, sorry," a pained Schwartz said.

Schwartz eventually announced a fold and Barbero scooped the pot.

Schwartz busted on the next hand to Shaun Deeb after getting all-in preflop and ending up second-best.

Shaun Deeb	475,000	175,000
Nacho Barbero	290,000	170,000
Jake Schwartz	0	-233,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Bryce Yockey raised to 5,500 and Michael Mizrachi then three-bet to 15,000, which Chad Campbell cold-called. Yockey made it three ways to the     flop. It checked to Mizrachi and he bet 27,000 to force out his two opponents.

"I folded ace-king," Paul Volpe mentioned in table chat. Mizrachi peeked at his cards and then exposed the   before raking in the pot.

Bryce Yockey	570,000	3,000
Chad Campbell	460,000	-15,000
Michael Mizrachi	305,000	45,000

Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

Randy Ohel raised from the cutoff and was three-bet by Daniel Negreanu on the button. Action folded back to Ohel, who called.

Both players drew two and Ohel bet. Negreanu called.

Ohel took one off on the second draw, while Negreanu drew two again. Negreanu then called another bet from Ohel.

Both players drew one on the final draw and Ohel checked to Negreanu, who bet. Ohel folded and Negreanu scooped the pot.

Randy Ohel	400,000	-15,000
Daniel Negreanu	140,000	10,000

Omaha Hi-Lo

Paul Volpe raised under-the-gun and was three-bet by Michael Mizrachi on the button. Action folded back to Volpe, who called.

Volpe check-called a bet from Mizrachi on the     flop and then check-raised a bet from Mizrachi on the   turn. Mizrachi called.

The   completed the board and Volpe bet. Mizrachi called and Volpe announced, "Aces full," as he fanned out     .

Mizrachi mucked and Volpe dragged the pot.

Paul Volpe	390,000	50,000
Michael Mizrachi	260,000	-50,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Heads-up to the      turn, Benny Glaser bet for 12,000 out of the big blind. Chris Vitch raised the pot to 57,000 on the button and was called by Glaser.

The   river went check, check, and Glaser briefly exposed his cards but Vitch had the best of it with      for the seven-high straight.

Chris Vitch	380,000	60,000
Benny Glaser	280,000	-35,000

No-Limit Hold'em

After defending his big blind against a button raise by Michael Mizrachi, Chad Campbell checked his option on the     flop and Mizrachi bet. Campbell then check-raised to 30,000 and received a call. On the   turn, Campbell fired a bet of 60,000 and Mizrachi eventually folded, mentioning in table chat he had have folded a set of fives.

Campbell flashed the    for the bottom set and then joked it would have been interesting if Mizrachi had claimed to have folded a set of treys. "I was thinking about that but would never do it," Mizrachi grinned back.

Chad Campbell	475,000	75,000
Michael Mizrachi	310,000	-20,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Daniel Negreanu raised to 4,500 from under-the-gun and was called by Felipe Ramos on the button.

The flop came     and Ramos check-called a 5,000 bet from Negreanu.

The turn brought the   and Ramos check-called again — this time for a 17,000 bet from Negreanu.

Ramos checked once more on the   river and Negreanu fired 55,000 into the middle. Ramos let his hand go and Negreanu scooped the pot.

Felipe Ramos	278,000	23,000
Daniel Negreanu	155,000	40,000