Dan Cates Looks to Defend $50,000 Poker Players Championship Title with Chip Lead of Final 5
He was at or near the chip lead most of the day, but a wild final hand of the day solidified Dan Cates’ spot in Friday’s final five players of Event #56: $50,000 Poker Players Championship.
The poker icon and defending champion of this event scored a crazy double knockout of Koray Aldemir and Taylor Paur in Pot-Limit Omaha to end the day and finish with the chip lead of 9,075,000, just ahead of four-time WSOP bracelet winner Benny Glaser of Great Britain, and two-time bracelet winner Yuri Dzivielevski of Brazil.
Not far behind them at this illustrious international final table are bracelet winner and 2017 PPC runner-up Johannes Becker from Germany, and Naoya Kihara from Japan.
Event #56: $50,000 Poker Players Championship Seat Assignments Day 5
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Bets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naoya Kihara | Japan | 3,265,000 | 11 |
| 2 | Benny Glaser | United Kingdom | 8,260,000 | 28 |
| 3 | Johannes Becker | Germany | 5,470,000 | 18 |
| 4 | Yuri Dzivielevski | Brazil | 7,535,000 | 25 |
| 5 | Dan Cates | United States | 9,075,000 | 30 |
Recap of the Day
Day 4 began with 13 players, spread through three tables. The day’s first elimination to set up the final two tables came early as Matthew Gonzales fell in 13th place to Kihara in a Pot-Limit Omaha hand where his top two pair couldn’t hold against Kihara’s litany of draws.
The next elimination wouldn’t come until after the first break, when John Racener, who came into the day with just two big bets was eliminated in Omaha Hi-Lo by Dzivielevski to claim 12th place money.
Philip Sternheimer dropped just a couple of hands later in 11th place when his king-high flush was second-best to Cates’ ace-high flush.
After that, another pair of quick eliminations sent the entertaining Lou Garza home in 10th place and WSOP Player of the Year contender Daniel Weinman out in ninth.
Pot Limit Omaha brought another elimination as Cates felted 2013 PPC champion Matthew Ashton in eighth place to bring the field to the unofficial final table.
The final seven would then play for nearly four hours without anyone else sent to the rail before Cates finished the day with his PLO one-two punch of Aldemir and Paur.
Results on Day 4 and Remaining Payouts
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (in USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,449,103 | ||
| 2 | $895,614 | ||
| 3 | $639,257 | ||
| 4 | $464,420 | ||
| 5 | $343,531 | ||
| 6 | Koray Aldemir | Germany | $258,812 |
| 7 | Taylor Paur | United States | $198,661 |
| 8 | Matthew Ashton | United Kingdom | $155,421 |
| 9 | Daniel Weinman | United States | $155,421 |
| 10 | Lou Garza | United States | $123,974 |
| 11 | Philip Sternheimer | United Kingdom | $123,974 |
| 12 | John Racener | United States | $100,866 |
| 13 | Matthew Gonzales | United States | $100,866 |
A New Champion or a Successful Title Defense?
Cates has played the entire tournament with his 2021 PPC bracelet by his side on each table he’s played at, almost daring his opponents to come and take it, like a professional wrestler goading their challengers to take their championship belt.
The final stage of Cates’ title defense begins at 4 p.m. local time in the Thunderdome inside the Bally’s Event Center, with live streaming of the event beginning an hour later on PokerGO.
There are five hands remaining in Pot-Limit Omaha with 47:46 left in level 26 and the dead button will be on Dan Cates with Naoya Kihara in the single big blind.
PokerNews will provide coverage in sync with the streaming delay so as not to spoil any of the action.
Join us from the 53rd World Series of Poker’s new home at Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas for the thrilling conclusion of the most prestigious mixed game tournament in the world as the winner will be awarded the Chip Reese Memorial trophy and the $1,449,103 first prize.
![[user38873]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
flop. Aldemir checked to Becker, who bet 300,000. Cates then cut out a raise to 1,275,000 and Aldemir mulled it over for half a minute before sigh-calling all-in.
very much to the disbelief of not only Becker.
turn improved Cates to two pair and he held onto the lead on the 
river to eliminate Paur in 7th place and Aldemir in 6th place, ending Day Four.
, and Dzivielevski led right out with a bet. Both his opponents called, with Aldemir down to just over one big bet.
turn, the players all checked to see the 
fall on the river, ensuring that this huge pot would be scooped.
and Cates checked. Ashton then bet the size of the pot (450,000), which represented a bit under half his remaining stack.
on the river couldn't save the 2013 PPC champion, solidifying Cates' chip lead as the unofficial final table was reached.
/ 
/ 
flop. On the 
flop before doing so again on the 
turn and 
river.
, which was scooped by Kihara's 
/
/
turn and 
, and Ashton mucked his cards, sending a healthy pot to Cates, who now soars over 7,000,000 chips.