Las Vegas’ Bellagio saw day 3 of the World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship come to a close with the field starting to take some shape. Leading the field is Sam El Sayed who took the top position on the chip count after commandeering a big pot after a battle with Andrew Lichtenberger. Originally from Lebanon, El Sayed has taken up Swiss nationality and is here by virtue of his victory in November’s WPT Amneville main event. El Sayed is also one of a handful of players still in with a chance of winning the WPT Player of the Year.
Last year’s WPT World Champion David Williams is also in with a chance and has a strong stack of 480,000 entering day four. Controversy is still rearing its ugly head towards the bottom of the 53 player field returning for day 4. Ali Tekintamgac was called out by every man, woman and dog taking part on the tournament’s first day. Booted for cheating in the Partouche Poker Tour last year means that until he’s been eliminated it will be no easy ride for him. TekinABREAK before the court case is all done and dusted might be wise, Ali.
The top eight in the chip count are as follows:
Sam El-Sayed – 1,107,000
Nenad Medic – 1,098,500
Steven Kelly – 1,000,500
Christian Harder – 887,000
Roger Teska – 846,000
Shannon Storr – 819,500
David Chiu – 772,000
Justin Young – 688,000.
The European Poker Tour (EPT) season 7 came to its conclusion at the weekend giving way to the Champion of Champions event. This closed last night at the Gran Casino in Madrid. Jason Mercier took home the crown of “best player in EPT history” by beating 50 former EPT winners in the free-roll tournament.
Mercier lasted through a late heads-up battle with Galen Hall to win €50,000 of buy-ins for the tour’s 8th season that begins in August. For his troubles, Hall took €25,000 of buy-ins, Max Lykov €15,000, and the only other player to cash was Vicky Coren who won €10,000 of entries.
