World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) Event #5: €2,200 No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE) has reached the final table with Erik Seidel leading, and Event #6: €3,250 Mixed Max Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) concludes its first day of action with WSOP Player of the Year (PLO) leader Matthew Ashton still in contention.
Event #5: €2,200 No Limit-Hold’em
Erik Seidel is going to walk into today’s final table with the chip lead, as he attempts to win his ninth WSOP gold bracelet. A feat that would place him in third place in the all-time WSOP bracelet-winning list alongside the legends Phil Ivey and Johnny Moss.
Leading that list is the 13-time WSOP champion Phil Hellmuth, and the most decorated WSOP player of all time, made a little bit of history in Event #5, when he became the first-ever player to reach 100 WSOP cashes before bowing out in 29th place for a €4,206 cash.
The WSOPE brings out the best in Roger Hairabedian as the Frenchman makes yet another final table (his fourth in two years), and will be hoping to add more gold to the sliver he won in the €5,000 PLO event last year.
Matan Krakow is another player who revels in the WSOPE atmosphere as he makes his third WSOPE final table in as many years. In 2011, Krakow finished fourth in the €2.5k six max event, in 2012 he finished third in the same event, and this year hopes to finish two places higher to take that title.
Max Greenwood is the third player at the final table who has experienced the elation of winning a WSOP title when he captured gold back in 2008. This is Greenwoods first final table at WSOPE and he will start the final table has the short stack.
Then you have the indomitable Mike Watson. Currently ranked fifth in the Global Poker Index (GPI), and the winner of the 2012 WSOPE €50k Majestic High Roller. Watson comes into the final table fifth in chips.
Final Table Standings
1st – Erik Seidel – 711k
2nd – Kevin Song – 442k
3rd – Roger Hairabedian – 267k
4th – Matan Krakow – 204k
5th – Mike Watson – 156k
6th – Erwann Pecheux – 130k
7th – Max Greenwood – 113k
Event #6: €3,250-Mixed Max PLO
The Mixed-Max PLO event attracted 127-players and after the first day of action concluded it was Aku Joentausta leading the field with 29 remaining. The Fin finished third in the €1,650 PLO event in Cannes last year.
The top 16-players will make the money when the second day of action resumes today, and there is a first prize of €104,545 up for grabs.
Notable chip stacks include Jeremy Joseph (75,600), Noah Schwartz (67,400), Phil Laak (62,700), Tommy Vedes (54,500) and the mixed game magician, and WSOP POY leader, Matthew Ashton who is still in the hunt with 35,700.
