Event #70: $10,000 MAIN EVENT No-Limit Hold'em World Championship

An eventful Day 5 of the 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event saw a field of 380 players whittled down to just 123. The remaining players are all guaranteed $62,500, with the pay jumps on Day 6 coming with 98 ($73,100) and then 89 ($86,000) players remaining.

One name that stands out towards the top of the counts is Alejandro "PapoMC" Lococo who appears to have picked up where he left off last year when he finished seventh for $1,225,000 and is safely through to Day 6 with a stack of more than 10 million.

Event #70: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event Top 10 Chip Counts

Since his deep run last November, Lococo has cashed for over $600,000 including two titles in the Czech Republic earlier this year. Here at the 2022 WSOP, the Argentinian has cashed in three events so far but nothing compared to his deep run in this year's Main Event.

The most eye-catching hand of the day came after the dinner break, after Lococo tangled with Karim Rebei who had led the remaining players going into dinner.

You can read the full hand history here, but Lococo's six-bet shove got through against Rebei and he vaulted up the counts. Lococo says the importance of this hand cannot be understated, calling it perhaps the most important hand he's played in his life so far.

"It's not my plan preflop to go all-in for 100 big blinds," he told PokerNews. "But I was playing for many hours with this player and there were many factors that went into the decision. I could spend many hours discussing it."

Did Alejandro Lococo Pull Off Best WSOP Main Event Bluff Since Moneymaker?

Some may think Lococo will be experiencing déjà vu heading into Day 6 for the second year in a row, but with a different stack size compared to last year, the Argentinian says it will not be the same at all.

"Last year I started Day 6 with a below-average stack, and this year I have much more, so clearly there will be different decisions and strategy, with different ranges and open raises."

Another notable making another deep run is, of course, defending champion Koray Aldemir. He spent most of Day 5 under the lights of the TV table, but took it in stride eliminating multiple opponents over the course of the day to bag a healthy stack.

Aldemir and Lococo are joined in Day 6 by 2020 WSOP Main Event champion Damian Salas (2,435,000), along with 2018 WSOP Main Event ninth-place finisher Antoine Labat.

Several players who won their first bracelets here at the 2022 WSOP are still in contention for a memorable second, including Espen Jorstad, Andrew Yeh and Dan Smith. Smith nursed his short stack through the day, but with the help of some timely doubles he remained alive to bag 2,030,000.

"You kind of just have to play every hand the way it needs to be played," Smith told PokerNews. "The structure of the tournament does mean there is a lot of play and that does help. Having a short stack here is more valuable than in other tournaments.

"I am fully aware that the most likely result is that I'm not going to make the final table. But, I'm having a great time and I'm trying to enjoy the experience and do my best, and whatever happens, happens."

Other players through to Day 6 include the last remaining women in the tournament Shelby Wells (1,900,000) and Efthymia Litsou (11,675,000). They will be joined by bracelet winners Timur Margolin (1,095,000), Andrew Yeh (5,830,000) and Marco Johnson (2,820,000).

Players falling on Day 5 included Jake Schindler, Ali Imsirovic, five-time bracelet-winners Brian Rast and John Juanda, as well as former tenth-place WSOP Main Event finisher Gaelle Baumann.

Having played five-and-a-half levels on Day 5, play will resume halfway through Level 26 (40,000/80,000/80,000) at 1 p.m. local time in Bally's Event Center.

Stay tuned to PokerNews for all the updates as they happen as we get that one step closer to crowning a new poker world champion.

Day 5 has come to an end with the tournament clock reading a total of 123 players remaining. The players are now bagging up their chips and the action will resume tomorrow at 1 p.m. local time. Chip counts and a recap of the day's action will be posted shortly.

PokerStars ambassador Alejandro Lococo, aka "Papo MC," made one of the greatest bluffs you'll ever see in the World Series of Poker Main Event Monday night.

Lococo, an Argentinian freestyle rapper with 2.8 million Instagram followers, is attempting to return to the Main Event final table after finishing in seventh place for $1,225,000 last year.

Read the story here!

Players will play three more hands before bagging and tagging for the night.

William Nunley opened to 175,000 with    from early position. Nicholas Ramsey then made it 575,000 with    in the hijack. Daan Smith looked down at    on the button and four-bet to 1,180,000.

Nunley made the quick field with his premium hand Ramsey went into the tank and ended up calling.

There was 2,725,000 in the pot and the     flop was dealt. Smith jammed and Ramsey snap-folded to send Smith close to five million.

Dan Smith	4,860,000	1,520,000
Nicholas Ramsey	2,630,000	-2,495,000

Karim Rebei opened to 225,000 in middle position and Kamal Bittar three-bet to 600,000 on his left. Alejandro Lococo gave it some thought from the small blind but opted to lay his hand down.

With the action back on Rebei, he pushed out a four-bet to 1,525,000 which put Bittar in the tank. Just over a minute had passed and Bittar slid his cards into the muck, sending the French rail into cheers.

Karim Rebei	9,970,000	5,310,000
Kamal Bittar	5,400,000	300,000

A player in late position opened to 160,000 and was called by Cameron Blazevich on the button as well as the big blind.

Action checked to the late position player on the     flop and he continued for 500,000. Blazevich called while the big blind folded to generate heads-up action heading to the turn.

The late position player did not slow down after the   turn, instead firing off 1,000,000. That bet was not enough to get rid of Blazevich, who again called.

The river came   and the late position player checked. Blazevich moved all in, sending his opponent into the tank. It took some time but eventually the late position player opted to fold, sending a large pot Blazevich's way.

Cameron Blazevich

6,300,000

400,000

Zilong Zhang, with   , opened to 120,000 and was called by Dan Smith in the big blind with   .

Smith check-called bets of 85,000 and 225,000 to have the board show the      .

Smith checked again and Zhang went into the tank. He eventually settled on a jam to put the action on his opponent.

Smith asked Zhang what he thought he held and while Zhang was trying to conjure up a response, he called to scoop the pot.

Zilong Zhang	5,575,000	-1,625,000
Dan Smith	3,340,000	1,645,000

Dan Smith limped with    before Zilong Zhang made it 240,000 with   . George Turner called on the button with his    and Smith also came along.

Zhang made the best hand on the     and bet 465,000. Both opponents mcuked and Zhang moved over seven million.

Zilong Zhang	7,200,000	895,000
George Turner	2,220,000	-280,000
Dan Smith	1,695,000	365,000