Friday, June 2, 2023 2:05 PM Local Time
Racener Doubles Through Roeder
No-Limit Hold 'em
After a raise from Ryan Roeder in late position, John Racener got his last 200,000 or so in the middle and got a call from Roeder.
John Racener:
Ryan Roeder:
The board ran out and Racener continued to rebuild through another small double-up.
| Ryan Roeder | 800,000 | 270,000  |
| John Racener | 460,000 | 135,000 |
Friday, June 2, 2023 1:59 PM Local Time
Nick Pupillo Eliminated in 11th Place ($7,842)
Pot-Limit 2-7 Triple Draw
Nick Pupillo had lost half of his stack while James Johnson leaped into the top spot and the latter then also claimed the remainder of Pupillo's stack. After the second draw, Pupillo moved all in for the 380,000 he had behind and that sent Johnson into the tank before he called.
Both discarded one card and turned them over.
Nick Pupillo:
James Johnson:
Johnson spiked the and Pupillo peeled his last card, then shook his head and exposed another as he paired up to become the first casualty on Day 3.
| James Johnson | 2,700,000 | 600,000 |
| Nick Pupillo | 0 | -600,000  |
Friday, June 2, 2023 1:52 PM Local Time
Racener Doubles Through Eveslage
Badacey
John Racener and Chad Eveslage exchanged raises before the drawing rounds until Racener was all in for a bit more than 100,000.
The players each drew two in all three rounds with Evesalge exposing after the final draw. Unfortunately for him he picked up , leaving him with a three-card and a pair.
Racener showed for a better three-card and was freerolling for a scoop. He did just that after turning over for a five Badugi and a queen low.
| James Johnson | 2,100,000 | 450,000 |
| Chad Eveslage | 695,000 | -445,000 |
| Nick Pupillo | 600,000 | -700,000 |
| John Racener | 325,000 | -205,000 |
Friday, June 2, 2023 1:45 PM Local Time
Kelsall Wins a Pot Without Showdown
Razz
Nick Kost: / folded on fifth street
James Johnson: / folded on fifth street
Andrew Kelsall: /
Nick Kost invested a portion of his short stack three ways when Andrew Kelsall was the one to bet fourth street with the superior board, earning calls from James Johnson and Kost. Kelsall bet fifth as well and earned two folds.
"Am I really going to win a pot?" Kelsall joked and then showed that he had it with a made ten. He claimed to "be a better Day 2 player than a Day 3 player".
Andrew Brown then completed with a four but folded when Kost raised with a five showing.
| Andrew Kelsall | 1,750,000 | -50,000 |
| James Johnson | 1,650,000 | -10,000 |
| Andrew Brown | 1,650,000 | 200,000 |
| Nick Kost | 245,000 | -60,000 |
Friday, June 2, 2023 1:40 PM Local Time
Kelley Scoops Twice to Chip Up
Stud 8 or Better
John Racener: / /
Gregory Kelley: /
Gregory Kelley recovered the losses against John Racener right after when he bet until sixth street and they checked seventh. Kelley tabled kings and queens to win the pot.
Gregory Kelley: /
Ryan Roeder: / /
Kelley then also took chips off Ryan Roeder when he bet the superior board and got paid off on seventh with a flush, as he more than doubled across the two hands.
| Gregory Kelley | 1,150,000 | 720,000 |
| John Racener | 530,000 | -220,000 |
| Ryan Roeder | 530,000 | -430,000 |
0Friday, June 2, 2023 1:37 PM Local Time
Racener Essentially Doubles Without Showdown
Stud 8 or Better
John Racener: / /
Gregory Kelley: / /
John Racener completed and Gregory Kelley raised for Racener to call. Racener paired his queen and bet all further streets including seventh street on which he moved all-in.
Kelley peeled his last card and sighed, mucking the blank king of spades face-up. "That's not me calling," he said and then asked if someone could make the run-outs better.
| John Racener | 750,000 | 240,000 |
| Gregory Kelley | 430,000 | -370,000 |
Friday, June 2, 2023 1:32 PM Local Time
Stud 8 is Costly For Kost
Stud 8 or Better
Nick Kost: /
James Johnson: /
James Johnson raised Andrew Kelsall's bring-in and got called by Nick Kost before Kelsall folded.
Kost then faced bets on fourth through sixth streets and called them all until the end before laying his hand on seventh.
Nick Kost: / - folded
Andrew Brown: /
In the following hand, Kost called bets from Andrew Brown on fourth and fifth streets, then when faced with another on sixth street and down to just over 300,000 chips, he thought for almost two minutes before electing to release his hand.
| Andrew Kelsall | 1,800,000 | -150,000 |
| James Johnson | 1,660,000 | 195,000 |
| Andrew Brown | 1,450,000 | 625,000 |
| Nick Kost | 305,000 | -600,000 |
Friday, June 2, 2023 1:18 PM Local Time
More for Brown and Pupillo
Omaha 8 or better
In a battle of the blinds, David Levi and Nick Pupillo invested one bet each on the turn and Levi checked the on the river, Pupillo quickly bet and Levi pulled out of his chair to study the board before electing to fold.
Soon after, Andrew Brown tangled with chip leader Andrew Kelsall and earned three-quarters on a board of . His for a set beat the of Kelsall in a medium-sized pot, confirming his decent start into Day 3.
| Nick Pupillo | 1,300,000 | 195,000 |
| Andrew Brown | 825,000 | 165,000 |
| David Levi | 450,000 | -195,000 |
Friday, June 2, 2023 1:14 PM Local Time
Brown Chipping Up With Small Pots
Andrew Brown came into the day as the short stack, but thanks to a couple of early small pots he is making his way up the leaderboard.
In the day's first round of Stud 8 or Better, Brown raised the bring-in with the and got a round of folds. A couple of hands later, he himself was the bring-in, but the table folded and he earned the antes.
The game changed to Omaha 8 or Better and Brown raised in early position which got folds from the table. He showed as the chips were pushed his way for another small pot which collectively has added almost 200,000 chips to his stack to start the day.
| Andrew Brown | 660,000 | 195,000 |
Friday, June 2, 2023 1:09 PM Local Time
Racener Loses Two Small Pots
Big O
In a limped battle of the blinds, the flop showed and John Racener folded to a bet by Chad Eveslage.
One hand later, Clayton Mozdzen raised to 60,000 and Racener called from one seat over on the button. Gregory Kelley then raised the pot out of the big blind and Mozdzen quickly folded. Racener double-checked his stack behind and folded as well.
| Clayton Mozdzen | 1,500,000 | -55,000 |
| Chad Eveslage | 1,140,000 | 45,000 |
| Gregory Kelley | 800,000 | 105,000 |
| John Racener | 510,000 | -55,000 |
Friday, June 2, 2023 1:07 PM Local Time
Rooting From the Home State
Friday, June 2, 2023 1:03 PM Local Time
Shuffle Up and Deal for the Final Two Tables
All 11 players are back in their seats in the Horseshoe Event Center. Table 672 has three more hands of Stud 8 or Better remaining while Table 672 has one hand of Badacey, after which a new game will be selected.
Friday, June 2, 2023 10:48 AM Local Time
Andrew "AJ" Kelsall Aiming for Elusive Second Bracelet in $1,500 Dealer's Choice
"I gotta run good tomorrow. I always run good until this stage."
These were some of Andrew Kelsall's parting thoughts as he bagged up his tournament-leading chip stack at the conclusion of Day 2 of World Series of Poker Event #5: $1,500 Dealer's Choice.
While Kelsall has 158 cashes and a bracelet on his esteemed WSOP resume, there are several 'so close yet so far' moments attached to that WSOP CV, most notably a runner-up finish in this very event in 2021.
Kelsall's words aren't unfounded, as a look at his results in recent WSOP Day 3's confirms that he has been within sniffing distance of more WSOP gold but has come just short.
Andrew Kelsall Recent WSOP Day 3 Results
| YEAR | EVENT | RESULT | PRIZE |
|---|
| 2022 | Event #23: $3,000 6-Handed Limit Hold 'em | 6th | $21,170 |
| 2022 | Event #31: $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Championship | 9th | $31,552 |
| 2022 | Event #38: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Championship | 8th | $31,796 |
| 2021 | Event #7: $1,500 Dealer's Choice | 2nd | $60,514 |
| 2021 | Event #36: $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship | 6th | $42,646 |
To return to that elusive mountaintop, Kelsall will have to navigate through ten talented remaining opponents including a pair of bracelet winners in Chad Eveslage (1,095,000) and John Racener (565,000).
Other notables still in the mix include Andrew Brown (465,000), who has deep run experience in this event, having placed 3rd in 2016. David Levi (645,000) is a long-time veteran of the WSOP who's right in the mix for his first-ever bracelet. Nick Pupillo (1,105,000) has more recently ventured into the WSOP mixed game arena but has a pair of final table appearances in WSOP Circuit H.O.R.S.E. events this year.
Event #5: $1,500 Dealer's Choice Day 3 Seat Draw
| Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|
| Feature 1 | 1 | James Johnson | United States | 1,465,000 |
| Feature 1 | 2 | Andrew Brown | United States | 465,000 |
| Feature 1 | 3 | Nick Kost | United States | 905,000 |
| Feature 1 | 4 | Andrew Kelsall | United States | 1,950,000 |
| Feature 1 | 5 | David Levi | United States | 645,000 |
| Feature 1 | 6 | Nick Pupillo | United States | 1,105,000 |
| | | | | |
| Feature 2 | 1 | Clayton Mozdzen | Canada | 1,555,000 |
| Feature 2 | 3 | John Racener | United States | 565,000 |
| Feature 2 | 4 | Chad Eveslage | United States | 1,095,000 |
| Feature 2 | 5 | Gregory Kelley | United States | 695,000 |
| Feature 2 | 6 | Ryan Roeder | United States | 960,000 |
The action kicks off at 1 p.m. local time on two of the feature tables in the Horseshoe Event Center and PokerNews will be there to bring you all the action until someone claims the WSOP gold bracelet and the $131,879 first prize it comes with.
PokerNews is your official live reporting home for every WSOP event this summer at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.