Electrical Engineer Adrian Buckley wins the Millionaire Maker in his first-ever World Series of Poker cash, and Matthew Elsby defeats Gabriel Nassif, in heads-up action, to take the crown in the $3,000 Limit Hold’em event.
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is many things to many people. There are those that have lofty goals. They enter each year with the expectation that they will one day win a bracelet. Then there are those who just flick it in. It’s an 
opportunity to cross something off the bucket list. The opportunity to experience the electricity of the greatest poker tournament in the world. Adrian Buckley falls into the latter category.
The 27-year old electrical engineer has won the Millionaire Maker. It was his first-ever WSOP cash, he defeated 7,527 players, he topped a final table that included four previous WSOP bracelet winners, he came back from as low as 6bb, and he won $1,277,193. It’s little wonder Buckley called his experience ‘the run of the century.’
It was the sixth largest field in live tournament history, and unusually for such a large crowd, it produced a sumptuous final table. Mike Sexton, Erick Lindgren, David Miscikowski, and Justin Pechie had all been there before, done it, and wore the slinky gold bracelet, whilst Olivier Busquet is one of the most exquisite performers on the world scene.
But Buckley beat the lot.
“It’s surreal to live the dream.” Buckley told the WSOP after his win.
Not as surreal as his decision to return to work when the WSOP ends.
Final Table Results
1st. Adrian Buckley – $1,277,193
2nd. Javier Zarco – $791,690
3rd. Olivier Busquet – $589,569
4th. Randy Pfeifer – $441,465
5th. Mohammad Siddiqui – $333,038
6th. David Miscikowski – $253,093
7th. Erick Lindgren – $193,675
8th. Justin Pechie – $149,238
9th. Mike Sexton – $115,890
Event #17: $3,000 Limit Hold’em 6-Handed
Matthew Elsby has won Event #17: $3,000 Limit Hold’em Six-Handed after beating the online wizard Gabriel Nassif in heads-up action. Elsby was making his third WSOP cash, and his second final table, whereas the experienced Nassif was making his 31st WSOP cash.
319 players created a total prize pool of $870,870 and Elsby picked up $230,799 for the win. Nassif, a former Magic the Gathering star, told the WSOP that he intends to return to the card game after the WSOP Main Event has ended.
Brian Hastings bubbled the final six places, and Keven Stammen followed up on his runner-up spot at the Mid-Stakes Poker Tour (MSPT) Main Event at the Venetian with an eighth place spot in this one.
Final Table Results
1st. Matthew Elsby – $230,799
2nd. Gabriel Nassif – $142,631
3rd. Dave Tobin – $92,582
4th. Joseph Thomas – $61,892
5th. Alexander Kuzmin – $42,515
6th. Harun Sapmaz – $29,975
Frankenberger and MacPhee in the Hunt in Event #20: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
There are 35 players remaining from a field of 1,844 in Event #20: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em. Garrett Beckman has the chip lead with 1,288,000 chips, but it’s the names of Andy Frankenberger (495,000), Jacob Dahl (234,000), and Kevin MacPhee (225,000) who are the most intriguing as we fight down to the bracelet.
Frankenberger has two bracelets in his trophy cabinet, Jacob Dahl recently finished runner-up to Robert Mizrachi in Event #3: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo Split-8 or Better, and MacPhee is coming off the best year of his tournament life since he won a European Poker Tour (EPT) title back in 2010.
All the remaining 35 players are guaranteed $11,003. There is $460,640 waiting at the top.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Garrett Beckman – 1,288,000
2nd. Caufman Talley – 1,076,000
3rd. Darrell Funk – 781,000
4th. Paul Ephremsen – 640,000
5th. Wenlong Jin – 603,000
A Prince Leads Event #21: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
There are 18 players left from a field of 157 in this one, and there is a Prince at the top of the chip counts.
Prince of Docness (I know) leads the way with 583,000, but there are some talented players left in the field. Daniel Alaei, Scott Clements, and the World Poker Tour (WPT) Player of the Season Anthony Zinno are in the top five. Joe Cassidy (425,000), Ken Aldridge (208,000), Erik Seidel (158,000), Bart Hanson (138,000), Stuart Rutter (91,000), Jeremy Ausmus (60,000) and Eli Elezra (55,000) are all still in contention.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Prince of Docness – 583,000
2nd. Kyle Miaso – 568,000
3rd. Daniel Alaei – 520,000
4th. Scott Clements – 503,000
5th. Anthony Zinno – 455,000
Kyle White Leads Event #22: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em
1,951 players entered Event #22: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em and only 207 remain. The money bubble will be breached on Day 2 with 198 players getting paid.
There is $318,977 up top and quite a few stars vying for that win. Jose Barbero, Matt Stout and Jason Wheeler are in the top five chip counts. Sam Greenwood (107,700), Zo Karim (100,400), Antonio Esfandiari (93,500) and David “ODB” Baker (81,900) are also in contention.
Once again, it seems the post Colossus aftershocks have worn off as we see yet another drop in field size. 12% less than when Kyle Cartwright defeated 2,224 entrants to take the top prize back in 2014.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Kyle White – 184,900
2nd. Jose Barbero – 175,600
3rd. Talesh Patel – 158,500
4th. Matt Stout – 147,700
5th. Jason Wheeler – 123,100
Christian Pham Leads Event #23: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball
40 players remain in one of the series’ smallest prize pools. 219 players entered the $1,500 No-Limit 207 Draw Lowball event, and 28 will be paid $2,578.
There is $81,314 up top and Christian Pham leads the way with 145,175 chips. Dan Smith (58,175), Jon Turner (57,525), Jorryt van Hoof (56,350) and Huck Seed (41,425) are also in contention.
The field size has dropped 10% since Steve Wolansky beat 241 players on his way to the title in 2014.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Christian Pham – 145,175
2nd. Nicholas Verkaik – 90,000
3rd. Daniel Ospina – 71,550
4th. Andrey Zhigalov – 70,975
5th. Eric Wasserson – 63,600
