Tim McGuigan is making the most of his first WSOP tournament cash. He is already guaranteed $37,032, which is roughly $35,000 more than his current recorded live tournament earnings so far.
The 53-year-old is now the slight chip leader over Bernard Lee and Frank Kassela.
Lee and McGuigan were heads-up after McGuigan opened to 25,000 on the button and Lee defended the big blind. Each player drew one, and Lee led for 56,000. McGuigan raised but had less than a min-raise, so he had to make it 112,000. Lee called before all of McGuigan's bet was even in the pot.
McGuigan showed a seven — and won the pot. Lee said he had an eight.
Frank Kassela opened to 30,000, and Bernard Lee three-bet to 96,000. Kassela called. Both drew one and checked it down. Lee announced a nine-eight, and Kassela mucked, informing the table he had a ten.
Tim McGuigan gained some ground during the last few hands. In a recent pot, McGuigan opened to 21,000, Frank Kassela three-bet to 65,000, and McGuigan called. Frank stood pat, McGuigan drew one, Kassela bet 50,000 and McGuigan snap-called.
McGuigan tabled an eight-seven, and it was good, besting the ten-seven of Kassela.
After Jared Bleznick finished in fifth place, the final four players passed around chips for about ten minutes. For about seven hands, a player would raise, and everyone else would fold. There was no draw phase until Frank Kassela tried to bluff Bernard Lee a moment ago.
Kassela opened on the button to 25,000, and Lee defended the big blind. Lee drew one, and Kassela drew two.
Lee led for 36,000, and Kassela raised to 86,000. Lee called.
"Pair of twos," said Kassela.
Lee showed .
"Good call," Kassela said as Lee raked in the pot.
Jared Bleznick open-jammed for less than 10 big blinds and table chip leader Frank Kassela made the call, putting Bleznick at risk.
Bleznick stood pat and tabled a jack-ten with . Kassela drew one, revealing . The dealer slid over the final card and Kassela tossed it in face up. The card was a , giving Kassela the best hand with a nine-eight and Bleznick was eliminated in fifth place, taking home $17,890.
Stuart Rutter was the first person eliminated on Day 3 of Event #13.
Rutter was in the big blind when Frank Kassela opened on the button to 25,000. Rutter called and both players drew one.
Rutter took a moment to calculate his next move and then bet 50,000. Kassela asked to see Rutter's remaining stack and then went all in, putting Rutter at risk. Rutter had 169,000 behind.
Rutter took about two minutes before announcing his intention.
"I call," he said deliberately.
Kassela flipped over his hand and showed an . Rutter mucked his hand and headed to the rail. Rutter said he had and was eliminated in sixth place.
Action has been touchy-feely through the first few orbits with players feeling each other out after a night off.
In one hand, Tim Mcguigan picked up a pot from Matt Waxman with a patted ten-nine.
In another, Bernard Lee fired a bet of 37,000 against Stuart Rutter after a predraw raise and them both drawing one. Rutter folded.
Meanwhile Frank Kassela has been the biggest mover on the plus side. Kassela won three hands in a row, twice against Waxman.
On the most recent hand, Kassela opened and Waxman called. Kassela drew one and Waxman stood pat. Kassela led with a bet of 40,000 and Waxman went into the tank. A few moments went by and Waxman eventually called. Kassela tabled a nine-eight and Waxman reluctantly released.