TIMOTHY SU BAGS MASSIVE LEAD, TOPS 106 REMAINING PLAYERS IN WSOP MAIN EVENT

July 11, 2019 (Las Vegas) - Timothy Su bagged a more than 7-million chip lead over the next closest player at the end of Day 5 in the World Series Poker Main Event.


Su, who has one WSOP cash in his career before this, bagged 19,235,000 to lead the final 106 players who bagged at the end of the day.


Brian Yoon, a three-time WSOP bracelet winner, was one of players who fell to Su. Yoon hit the rail when he ran into the pocket aces of the man who would be the end of day chip leader. As the final hands approached, Su sent another player to the rail -- eliminating Yulian Bogdanov after Su flopped two pair and held.


Overall, Su has three career results for a total of $2,467 career tournament winnings. He is already set up for the biggest cash of his young career and, if the past is any indication, has at least a good shot of making the final table of the biggest poker tournament in the world.


Here is a quick look at the end of Day 5 chip leaders over the past ten years and where they eventually finished. 


2009 - Ludovic Lacay finished 16th

2010 - Tony Dunst finished 50th 

2011 - David Bach finished 45th, eventual winner Heinz was second in chips

2012 - Kyle Keranen finished 38th

2013 - Sami Rustom finished 39th

2014 - Mark Newhouse finished 9th

2015 - Pierre Neuville finished 7th

2016 - Jerry Wong finished 8th

2017 - Robin Hegele finished 27th

2018 - Michael Dyer finished 3rd

2019 - Timothy Su finished ?


Four of the ten players have reached the final table, and since Su has such a big lead entering the day, it almost feels like one of the final table participants has already been determined.


However, that is not a forgone conclusion as our Day 4 chip leader found out. Dean Morrone, an 888 qualifier, bagged the chip leader in Day 4 and found himself eliminated with about two levels left to play in Day 5. 


He found himself facing the pocket kings of Chris Hunichen, with his main event at risk. He had one over card and could not catch it. He was sent home with $59,295 and his first-ever WSOP cash.


Hunichen had a bit of a day as well after that. He found himself with a decision against Alex Foxen and Foxen had called the clock.


Hunichen mentioned that he would never do the same to Foxen in the same spot and Foxen quickly rescinded his request. Hunichen called and Foxen found a double up. Foxen has consistently found success over the past few years -- finishing runner-up in the Super High Roller Bowl and now making a deep run in the main event.


Add that to the almost $12-million in career live earnings, and it would be impossible not to wonder how far Foxen will go over the next few days.


Perhaps the biggest bust out of the day was Richard Seymour. The former NFL start and Super Bowl Champion gave poker fans who were looking for a main stream breakthrough a real sweat entering the day with 2,750,000.


He found himself short stacked and shoved the button with king high. He got two callers and ended up losing to a Zhen Cai full house. This was Seymour’s first main event cash and he took home $59,295.


 Jill Bryant fell in 116th place and was the last woman standing, heading to the rail late in the evening to the applause of the remaining players and rail birds.


Scott Bohlman (146th), Adam Friedman (150th), Chance Kornuth (184th ), and Todd Brunson were also among those eliminated during Day 5 play.


Sejin Park, who recently won South Korea’s first-ever WSOP bracelet in an open event, was sent home in 119th place.


This year, the main event champion will be a first-time winner for sure, now that the previous champions have all been eliminated. But that doesn’t mean they won’t have a familiar surname, Daniel Hachem, 2005 Champion Joe Hachem’s son, is making a run at history, attempting to join his dad as a main event champion.


Hachem bagged 6,765,000 and finds himself entering Day 6 in 26th position out of 106 players remaining.

 

Another familiar name, Antonio Esfandiari is doing his best to stay out of the commentary booth this year, by bagging 6,630,000 and moving on to Day 6. 


The main event stands out against the rest of the poker tournament world. No matter how successful a player has been in however many other tournaments, success in the main event holds a special place on any player’s resume. 


Jake Schindler is making his deepest run. He is 17th on poker’s all-time money list with $24,455,264, but has never done this well in the main event. His previous best finish was 293rd last year.


Despite great success and the respect of his piers, Schindler still thinks the main event is the top of the poker world.


“It’s the ultimate poker dream, to win the main event. It kind of seems impossible, but now that I’m this deep it’s a more achievable thing,” Schindler said.


At the time, he was returning from a break with about 12 big blinds.


“I got a lot of work to do though, I got about average. I’m trying to just play my game and not get too emotional because it’s tough in the main when you have a bunch of chips and then you lose a bunch of chips.”


Schindler had about 600,000 and bagged 1,390,000 at the end of the day. He peaked at a little over 2-million but settled back down as the evening progressed.


“You kind of just have to stay focused and try to play the best you can without letting any negative emotions get involved. I just try to focus on my general decision making. If that seems good, then I’m good.”


Schindler was at risk against Garry Gates heading to the river and was saved by a ten, giving him a straight to double through Gates.


Gates is having himself a potentially career-defining run, bagging a little under 5-million and already topping his best main event finish.


The main event continues Thursday at noon with 106 players returning to take their shot at the main event title and the $10-million first prize.


Top 10 Chip Counts: (Complete list of Day 5 counts)

1) Timothy Su - 19,235,000

2) Sam Greenwood - 11,950,000

3) Duey Duong - 11,765,000

4) Warwick Mirzikinian - 11,430,000

5) Luke Graham - 11,280,000

6) Nicholas Marchington - 10,835,000

7) Milos Skrbic - 10,715,000

8) Romain Lewis - 10,600,000

9) Laurids Nielsen - 9,955,000

10) Ian Pelz - 9,635,000



Live updates from Day 5