Thursday, June 8, 2017 6:00 PM Local Time
Bernard Lee and Frank Kassela Battle, Tim McGuigan In Third Position
Bernard Lee and Frank Kassela have been playing a few big pots over the last few minutes. After more than an hour of no three-betting pre-draw, Lee and Kassela both did it.
The first hand, Lee opened to 42,000, and Kassela three-bet to 120,000. Lee checked Kassela's remaining stack but decided to fold.
Then, Kassela opened to 55,000, and Lee raised to 143,000. Kassela called.
Lee stood pat, and Kassela drew one. Lee checked, and Kassela checked behind.
Lee showed , and Kassela mucked.
| Bernard Lee | 1,120,000 | 160,000  |
| Frank Kassela | 430,000 | -145,000  |
| Tim McGuigan | 379,000 | -76,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 5:51 PM Local Time
Pots for McGuigan and Kassela
After climbing over the million-chip mark, Bernard Lee has released some chips to his two opponents. A couple of pots have gone to Frank Kassela and a couple to Tim McGuigan.
Kassela picked up a pot against McGuigan when the latter raised to 55,000 pre-draw and Kassela fired 120,000 after the draw. The next hand, Kassela opened, and McGuigan called. Kassela fired a bet of 80,000 after the draw, and McGuigan folded.
Not long after, McGuigan and Kassela tangled again. This time, Kassela called a McGuigan open, and they both checked. Kassela announced a ten-nine but was bested by McGuigan's ten-eight.
| Bernard Lee | 960,000 | -140,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 575,000 | 80,000 |
| Tim McGuigan | 455,000 | 29,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 5:35 PM Local Time
Level 24 started
Level: 24
Blinds: 10000/20000
Ante: 5000
Thursday, June 8, 2017 5:27 PM Local Time
Frank Kassela Wins With a Nine
In a relatively uneventful level, Frank Kassela picked the second-to-last hand to win a big pot against Tim McGuigan.
Kassela opened to 42,000 from the button, and McGuigan called from the big blind. McGuigan drew one, and Kassela stood pat.
Tim McGuigan appeared to check without looking at his card. Kassela bet 105,000. McGuigan checked his hand, then looked at Kassela. For about a minute, he glanced at Kassela, then grabbed a drink of water. He finally put in a stack of pink chips for a call.
Kassela showed and won the pot against what McGuigan said was a smooth ten.
| Bernard Lee | 1,100,000 | 70,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 495,000 | 165,000 |
| Tim McGuigan | 426,000 | -104,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 5:11 PM Local Time
Lee Crosses the Million-Chip Mark
Bernard Lee has crossed into seven-figure stack territory. In a recent pot, Lee opened to 42,000, and Frank Kassela called. Kassela drew one and fired a bet of 80,000. Lee had stood pat and took a moment before calling.
Kassela tabled a pair of fours, and Lee took down the pot with a nine-eight.
| Bernard Lee | 1,030,000 | 180,000 |
| Tim McGuigan | 530,000 | -150,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 330,000 | -160,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 4:55 PM Local Time
Small Pots: Tim McGuigan Performing For Ohio, Bernard Lee Keeps Making a Jack
Over the last 20 minutes, the three-handed $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 final table has played only small pots. Bernard Lee is holding the chip lead and seems to be only able to make a jack.
Tim McGuigan, from Ohio, just won one of those small pots when he called from the small blind after Lee raised to 41,000 from the button. Both players drew one and then checked. McGuigan won the hand with .
| Bernard Lee | 850,000 | -35,000 |
| Tim McGuigan | 680,000 | 65,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 490,000 | 62,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 4:31 PM Local Time
Lee Pressing the Action
The first few hands after the break were pretty quiet until Bernard Lee and Frank Kassela created a 250,000-chip pot pre-draw. Lee fired again after the draw, making it 110,000, and Kassela tossed his cards in the muck.
| Bernard Lee | 975,000 | 158,000 |
| Tim McGuigan | 723,000 | -62,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 253,000 | -146,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 4:17 PM Local Time
Level 23 started
Level: 23
Blinds: 8000/16000
Ante: 4000
Thursday, June 8, 2017 4:05 PM Local Time
Updated Counts at the First Break
Two levels are down, and the players are rewarded with their first 15-minute break. Here is a look at how the final three stack up:
| Bernard Lee | 817,000 | 17,000 |
| Tim McGuigan | 785,000 | -95,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 399,000 | 29,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 3:56 PM Local Time
Tim McGuigan on the Upwsing
Tim McGuigan is making the most of his first WSOP tournament cash. He is already guaranteed $37,032, which is roughly $35,000 more than his current recorded live tournament earnings so far.
The 53-year-old is now the slight chip leader over Bernard Lee and Frank Kassela.
Lee and McGuigan were heads-up after McGuigan opened to 25,000 on the button and Lee defended the big blind. Each player drew one, and Lee led for 56,000. McGuigan raised but had less than a min-raise, so he had to make it 112,000. Lee called before all of McGuigan's bet was even in the pot.
McGuigan showed a seven — and won the pot. Lee said he had an eight.
| Tim McGuigan | 880,000 | 200,000 |
| Bernard Lee | 800,000 | -98,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 370,000 | -50,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 3:46 PM Local Time
Lee Pulls in a Big One
Frank Kassela opened to 30,000, and Bernard Lee three-bet to 96,000. Kassela called. Both drew one and checked it down. Lee announced a nine-eight, and Kassela mucked, informing the table he had a ten.
| Bernard Lee | 898,000 | 123,000 |
| Tim McGuigan | 680,000 | 110,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 420,000 | -230,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 3:34 PM Local Time
Matt Waxman Eliminated in 4th Place ($25,451)
Matt Waxman was eliminated in fourth place by Tim McGuigan after the two went all in pre-draw.
McGuigan opened on the button to 30,000, and Waxman shoved all in for a total of 153,500. McGuigan took about two minutes and eventually called.
Each player drew one and laid their four-card hands on the table.
Waxman:
McGuigan:
The two players received their draw, and Waxman asked McGuigan if he could flip a nine real quick for a pair to end the drama.
Waxman showed first and was not too impressed with his draw. He pulled a jack for .
McGuigan peeled a ten for , and after a brief celebration, apologized to Waxman. Waxman finished in fourth place for $25,451.
| Bernard Lee | 775,000 | 60,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 650,000 | 10,000 |
| Tim McGuigan | 570,000 | 160,000 |
| Matt Waxman | 0 | -160,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 3:22 PM Local Time
McGuigan and Lee Rise, Waxman and Kassela Drop
Tim McGuigan gained some ground during the last few hands. In a recent pot, McGuigan opened to 21,000, Frank Kassela three-bet to 65,000, and McGuigan called. Frank stood pat, McGuigan drew one, Kassela bet 50,000 and McGuigan snap-called.
McGuigan tabled an eight-seven, and it was good, besting the ten-seven of Kassela.
| Bernard Lee | 715,000 | 43,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 640,000 | -100,000 |
| Tim McGuigan | 410,000 | 63,000 |
| Matt Waxman | 160,000 | -29,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 3:03 PM Local Time
Mostly Quiet With Four Left
After Jared Bleznick finished in fifth place, the final four players passed around chips for about ten minutes. For about seven hands, a player would raise, and everyone else would fold. There was no draw phase until Frank Kassela tried to bluff Bernard Lee a moment ago.
Kassela opened on the button to 25,000, and Lee defended the big blind. Lee drew one, and Kassela drew two.
Lee led for 36,000, and Kassela raised to 86,000. Lee called.
"Pair of twos," said Kassela.
Lee showed .
"Good call," Kassela said as Lee raked in the pot.
| Frank Kassela | 740,000 | -75,000 |
| Bernard Lee | 672,000 | 94,000 |
| Tim McGuigan | 347,000 | 47,000 |
| Matt Waxman | 189,000 | -36,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 2:52 PM Local Time
Jared Bleznick Eliminated in 5th Place ($17,890)
Jared Bleznick open-jammed for less than 10 big blinds and table chip leader Frank Kassela made the call, putting Bleznick at risk.
Bleznick stood pat and tabled a jack-ten with . Kassela drew one, revealing . The dealer slid over the final card and Kassela tossed it in face up. The card was a , giving Kassela the best hand with a nine-eight and Bleznick was eliminated in fifth place, taking home $17,890.
| Frank Kassela | 815,000 | 120,000 |
| Jared Bleznick | 0 | -90,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 2:42 PM Local Time
Stuart Rutter Eliminated in 6th Place ($12,868)
Stuart Rutter was the first person eliminated on Day 3 of Event #13.
Rutter was in the big blind when Frank Kassela opened on the button to 25,000. Rutter called and both players drew one.
Rutter took a moment to calculate his next move and then bet 50,000. Kassela asked to see Rutter's remaining stack and then went all in, putting Rutter at risk. Rutter had 169,000 behind.
Rutter took about two minutes before announcing his intention.
"I call," he said deliberately.
Kassela flipped over his hand and showed an . Rutter mucked his hand and headed to the rail. Rutter said he had and was eliminated in sixth place.
| Frank Kassela | 695,000 | 185,000 |
| Stuart Rutter | 0 | -225,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 2:33 PM Local Time
Kassela Climbs, Lee and McGuigan Stay Neutral, Rest Slide
Action has been touchy-feely through the first few orbits with players feeling each other out after a night off.
In one hand, Tim Mcguigan picked up a pot from Matt Waxman with a patted ten-nine.
In another, Bernard Lee fired a bet of 37,000 against Stuart Rutter after a predraw raise and them both drawing one. Rutter folded.
Meanwhile Frank Kassela has been the biggest mover on the plus side. Kassela won three hands in a row, twice against Waxman.
On the most recent hand, Kassela opened and Waxman called. Kassela drew one and Waxman stood pat. Kassela led with a bet of 40,000 and Waxman went into the tank. A few moments went by and Waxman eventually called. Kassela tabled a nine-eight and Waxman reluctantly released.
| Bernard Lee | 578,000 | 16,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 510,000 | 144,500 |
| Tim McGuigan | 300,000 | 500 |
| Stuart Rutter | 225,000 | -43,000 |
| Matt Waxman | 225,000 | -131,000 |
| Jared Bleznick | 90,000 | -55,000 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 2:19 PM Local Time
Bernard Lee Has His Third No-Limit 2-7 Top 10 Finish
Bernard Lee has 45 WSOP cashes and has found success in many forms of poker. Today, he is the final table chip leader for Event #13: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw.
This is his third top 10 finish in a 2-7 tournament. He finished eighth in the $10,000 2-7 at the 2015 WSOP. Literally, that is the final table of the event, but officially only the final seven are considered the final table. He earned $19,824 for his finish.
Earlier in 2011 he finished fourth in this same event and took home $28,422. Today he is guaranteed at least $12,868.
| Bernard Lee | 562,000 | 0 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 2:12 PM Local Time
Jared Bleznick Shoves Into the Pat Hand of Bernard Lee
After chip leader Bernard Lee raised 35,000 from the small blind and won the first pot of the day, Matt Waxman opened to 25,000 on hand number two.
Lee called on the button and Jared Bleznick called from the small blind, and Tim McGuigan folded from the big blind. Bleznick and Waxman both drew one and Lee stood pat.
Bleznick checked his cards, appeared to count the size of the pot and then shoved for 57,500. Waxman quickly folded, but Lee wanted a count.
After about 45 seconds, Lee folded and Bleznick won the second hand adding 50,000 to his Day 3 starting stack.
| Bernard Lee | 562,000 | -9,000 |
| Matt Waxman | 356,000 | -39,500 |
| Jared Bleznick | 145,000 | 47,500 |
Thursday, June 8, 2017 2:04 PM Local Time
Shuffle Up and Deal!
Our six finalists have taken their seats, unbagged their stacks and are ready to rumble. The dealers have been given the thumbs up and cards are in the air.
