Lee Davy pores through the pages of WSOP.com to bring you an update of all the major news stories emerging from a 35th day of action at the 46th Annual World Series of Poker.
Takahiro Nakai has become the second Japanese player to win a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet in the past 46-years. Nakai follows in the footsteps of his countryman Naoya Kihara after winning Event #57: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em.
There was a huge turnout for the event. 2,497 players putting down the grand, and that mass would lead to a fourth day of action; although that final day was nothing short of sending a lamb to the slaughter.
After Nakai defeated the bullish Brit, Paul Vas Nunes, in third place he would take on the former WSOP bracelet winner Mel Weiner for the $399,039 first prize. Weiner is a veteran of the game, as proven by the date of his last WSOP victory: 1996. He overcame a rogue’s gallery of Russ Hamilton, Chris Ferguson and Annie Duke to win that one.
The critical hand came in the last hand of Day 3. The pair got it in on [Jd] [Ts] [3s] with the Japanese player holding [Ad] [Qs], and Weiner holding [As] [8s]. Neither the eight nor the spade hit, and that’s how close you come to nearly winning a second gold bracelet.
Nakai came back for a fourth day of action with a 11,170,000 v 1,315,000 chip lead, and dutifully and diligently did his business. It was Nakai’s second WSOP cash of his career, after finishing 493rd in the Draftkings 50/50 event. He had only ever cashed twice in anything before that.
Final Table Results
1st. Takahiro Nakai – $399,039
2nd. Melvin Wiener – $248,034
3rd. Paul Vas Nunes – $175,559
4th. Glenn Lafaye – $126,612
5th. Jonas Lauck – $92,453
6th. Robert Piltz – $68,317
7th. David Martinezcano – $51,103
8th. Frederico Dabus – $38,676
9th. Barry Schultz – $29,619.
Other notables to cash include Mayu Roca (15th), Jude Ainsworth (23rd) and Kelly Kim (24th).
Anthony Zinno Leads the $25,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha
Anthony Zinno is one of the hottest properties in poker right now. The reigning World Poker Tour (WPT) Player of the Year (POY) is having a WSOP to be proud of.
He has cashed five times, all of them final tables, with 6th, 7th, 5th, 7th placements, close to $800,000 in cashes and he now leads the final 12 players in the $25,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha.
If you didn’t know Zinno could play, you do now. His cashes have come in four different formats of poker, his minimum buy-in has been $5,000, and his maximum buy-in $111,111.
Zinno won’t be getting the steamroller out of the garage for this one though. Juha Helppi, Alexander Kostritsyn and Shaun Deeb occupy top five spots, with Christian Harder 8th, Ismael Bojang 10th and Talal Shakerchi 11th also lurking in the field.
175 entered, and there is $1.1m for first.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Anthony Zinno – 2,460,000
2nd. Juha Helppi – 2,214,000
3rd. Alexander Kostritsyn – 1,812,000
4th. Michael Ferrell – 1,488,000
5th. Shaun Deeb – 942,000
Giuliano Bendinelli Leads Event #59: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
37 players return for Day 3 of Event #59: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em, and Giuliano Bendinelli leads the field.
The Italian rose to prominence, earlier in the year, when he was voted the Global Poker Master’s Most Valuable Player. 2006 WSOP Main Event champion Jamie Gold is second in chips, and there are some heavyweights remaining in the field such as Ari Engel (673,000), Harrison Gimbel (645,000), and Joe Kuether (598,000).
There is $531,037 up top in this one.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Giuliano Bendinelli – 1,551,000
2nd. Jamie Gold – 1,067,000
3rd. Jesse Yaginuma – 773,000
4th. Aurelien Guiglini – 734,000
5th. Luis Freitas – 711,000
Jason Manger Leads The Little One for One Drop
The Little One for One Drop saw a 1% increase in field size year-on-year. 4,555 players entered the event, spread over two flights, and a series of re-entries. 468 players will receive a minimum of $1,803, with $645,969 reserved for the winner. Jason Manger currently has the chip lead, but there is a long way to go in that one.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Jason Manger – 160,600
2nd. Gautam Lillaney – 159,700
3rd. Geoffrey Rasmussen – 156,000
4th. Youze Tian – 142,600
5th. Brian Pinkus – 140,400
Other notables with chips include Maurice Hawkins (128,400), David Pham (126,400), and Michael Mizrachi (112,300).
