WSOP Day 3: The bubble man (or woman) co...

Simon Young It’s got to that stage where the play, after days of relentless carnage, has become tighter than a gnat’s wotsit. With the bubble now only 2o places away, no one wants to go out so close to the money. It means the short-stacks dare not play a hand unless it’s a massive pair – and the big stacks are betting out and picking up the blinds and antes at...

WSOP Day 3: Jiri doubles up at tough tab...

By Simon Young Jiri Hlavaty is at a tough table. Down to 80,000 chips he had little room for serious moves, but when his moment came, he seized it with both hands. “Finally I was able to get the chips in with Q-Q against J-J and it held up. There are some good players at the table and they are playing excellent poker. For most of the day I have not been able to do anything –...

WSOP Day 3: Marc’s out of here...

By Simon Young Marc McLoghlin has had a ball at the WSOP. Jetting over to Vegas from Limerick in Ireland, he’s been lapping up the atmosphere at the biggest poker show of the year. He’d not been doing badly, either, but now his run has come to an end. Busted: Marc McLoghlin The PartyPoker qualifier, who works as a chef in a restaurant, started today with little more than...

WSOP Day 3: Rasmus running hot again...

By Simon Young Rasmus Nielsen has already had a fantastic World Series, narrowly missing out of a bracelet when he finished second in the $1,500 NL event, picking up a cool $389,500. And that cash came after a bumper payday at the EPT Copenhagen earlier this year when he finished fourth for $274,907. Rasmus Nielsen: big stack at the start of Day 3 Now the PartyPoker qualifier from...

WSOP Day 3: Now it gets even more seriou...

By Simon Young After four Day 1s, and two Day 2s, the monster field at the WSOP has finally combined to chase its dreams into Day 3. Of the 6,844 players who started this thing, 1,308 are still left, and 666 of them will get in the money. PartyPoker is delighted for 11 of our qualifiers who are still in the hunt, several with menacing stacks that could see them go really deep. Relaxing...

WSOP Day 2B: McManus creates a monster...

By Simon Young PartyPoker’s James McManus has had something of an eventful day. Starting with 63,000, he’s been up to over 120,000, down, up, down and now up again to 140,000. James McManus, right, escapes a punishing pot But as I passed his table, his pre-flop raise started off an incredible hand that he did well to escape with his stack intact. Early position player...

WSOP Day 2B: Johnny Chan pays his respec...

By Simon Young Johnny Chan glances across the table as Stephen Kenna makes a raise from early position. The legend of poker looks at our PartyPoker qualifier, then down at his chips, then back again before passing his small blind – not something he likes to do too often. The big blind does the same, and Stephen picks up the blinds and antes to add to his 120,000 stack. Johnny...

WSOP Day 2B: Facing the haunting reality...

By Simon Young The short-stacks have a haunted expression while their dreams are being systematically smashed to pieces. Some may get a rush of cards and flourish again, but the great majority will shrivel and die like the autumn leaves and join the 700 of today’s 2,379 starters who have already gone to the rail. And we’ve only played two levels. Quite frankly, there’s...

WSOP Day 2B: Dream table for Stephen Ken...

By Simon Young It takes all sorts to make up the colourful mix of qualifiers vying for a life-changing cash at the World Series of Poker Main Event. Many prefer a table full of unknowns so they can quietly go about their business. Others, like PartyPoker qualifier Stephen Kenna from Ireland, like to take on the the big guns. He’s certainly got just that today with not one, but...

WSOP Day 2B: PartyPoker players lead cha...

By Simon Young Welcome back for the second and last of our Day 2 sessions at the Rio in Las Vegas. A monster was spawned yesterday in Brian Schaedlich, who finished with an amazing 801,000 chips, setting a target that will be tough to match before both days merge into Day 3 tomorrow. Leading the charge in today’s 2,379 runners – nearly twice as many as yesterday – is...