LAS VEGAS (Nov. 6, 2011) – After roughly seven hours and 45 minutes of play on Sunday, the 2011 World Series of Poker® (WSOP) Main Event is down to its final three players. Pius Heinz, Ben Lamb and Martin Staszko will return to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino on Tuesday to compete for the top prize of more than $8.7 million and the game’s most coveted prize, a WSOP gold bracelet.
Tuesday’s action will be carried nearly live – with just a 15-minute delay – on ESPN and ESPN3 beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern and will feature hole cards following the conclusion of the hand. Heinz, Lamb and Staszko will be vying for a share of more than $18 million.
In addition to the top prize of $8,715,638, the second-place finisher will receive $5,433,086 and the third-place finisher will take home $4,021,138.
Heinz is the chip leader going into the final day of play. The 22-year-old is a resident ofCologne,Germany. The student and poker professional has a chip count of 107,800,000. Lamb, a 26-year old poker professional who splits time betweenLas VegasandTulsa,Oklahoma, is currently second in chips with 55,400,000. Staszko, 35, ofTrinec,Czech Republic, will enter Tuesday’s play as the short stack, with 42,700,000.
Sunday’s action, which saw six of the final nine players eliminated, was carried nearly live on ESPN2 and ESPN3 beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern. The competitors broke out in the following order, collecting the following prize money:
9th place: Sam Holden, 22, of Sussex,Great Britain: $782,115
8th place: Anton Makiievskyi, 21, ofDnipropetrovsk,Ukraine: $1,010,015
7th place: Badih Bou-Nahra, 49, ofBelize City,Belize: $1,314,097
6th place: Eoghan O’Dea, 26, ofDublin,Ireland: $1,720,831
5th place: Phil Collins, 26, ofLas Vegas,Nevada: $2,269,599
4th place: Matt Giannetti, 26, ofLas Vegas,Nevada: $3,012,700
The 2011 WSOP Main Event began in July with a total of 6,865 entrants. The event’s total prize pool was $64,540,858, with $28,279,223 going to the final nine players. A total of 693 entrants cashed in the event.
As has become tradition in recent years, Main Event play was suspended in July when the tournament reached its final nine players. It resumed with the “November Nine” taking to the felt Sunday with 34 minutes, 57 seconds remaining in Level 36, with antes 50,000 and blinds at 250,000 and 500,000.
The 2011 WSOP attracted a record 75,672 players from 105 different nations competing for a total prize pool of $192,008,868 over the 58-event, 50-day extravaganza.
