Day 4 saw 648 players reach one of the most desired goals in a player’s career: a money finish at the World Series of Poker. Young unknown player Matt Affleck leads the field with over 1.8 million in chips. Day 3 chip leader Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier is in sixteenth place at the end of Day 4 with 1.25 million, while multiple bracelet winner Phil Ivey is just ahead of him in fifteenth place with 1.276 million.
Amateur Kia Hamadani came up one spot shy of finishing in the money when he lost his last five hundred chips to Reed Hensel. Hamadani held four-three offsuit and Hensel held nine-two offsuit, but Hensel paired his nine on the turn and caught a third nine on the river. Although Hamadani did not finish in the money this year, tournament sponsors agreed to cover his US$10,000 buy-in for next year’s event as a consolation prize.
2000 World Champion Chris “Jesus” Ferguson fell short of winning another Main Event Title on Day 4. This time, Ferguson held nine-two offsuit while his opponent held ace-six offsuit. The flop was jack-six-six, giving Ferguson’s opponent three sixes. Many players commented on how the man they call “Jesus” was knocked out by “6-6-6”, the legendary number used to represent the “Antichrist”.
Another former World Champion to see the rail on Day 4 was 1989 winner Phil “Poker Brat” Hellmuth. With a flop of jack-ten-five with two clubs, Hellmuth held pocket aces, spades and clubs, Kevin Jenkins held eight-nine of hearts and Kenny Hsiung held jack-ten offsuit. The turn was the seven of diamonds, giving Hsiung the straight and eliminating Hellmuth.
Last year’s World Champion, Peter Eastgate, is clinging to life going into Day 5 with 397,000 in chips. Can he stage a tremendous comeback and repeat as champion, or will another unknown take the US$8.5 million and the biggest title in poker? Check in with us every day to find out!
Sources: http://www.gamblingplanet.org/