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The third and final stage of the 2017 World Series of Poker’s unofficial "Triple Crown" of H.O.R.S.E. events kicks off today with the "Belmont Stakes" of the summer, or rather Event #44: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. With two separate winners in the first two runnings, we'll see who among the mixed-game playing thoroughbreds claims the title in this one.
The defending champion Marco Johnson will most likely be in the field. In 2016, Johnson topped 400 to claim his second bracelet and a first-place prize of $259,730. What made Johnson’s victory even more special was a newlywed wife in his corner, six months pregnant with their first child.
Earlier this series, the most prestigious H.O.R.S.E. title was taken down by David Bach. Bach won the "Kentucky Derby" of H.O.R.S.E. races earning a victory in the $10,000 event for $383,208. A little more than a week before that the "Preakness Stakes" or $1,500 running was shipped by David Singer. Singer earned a prize of $203,709.
Former Champions:
Year
Name
Entries
Prize
2016
Marco Johnson
400
$259,730
2015
Dan Idema
376
$261,774
Another top-billed cast will flood the felt of the Amazon room this afternoon when the action gets underway at 3:00 p.m. local time. Play is scheduled for 10 hour-long levels on Day 1 with a 15-minute break every second level. Players start with 15,000 in chips and late registration will remain open until the end of the break following the eighth level, approximately midnight.
Stay tuned to PokerNews throughout the event as we bring you live coverage until a new WSOP champion is crowned.
There aren't too many huge pots this early in a limit tournament, but here's a fun one worth a mention.
Razz
Marco Johnson: / /
Noaya Kihara: / /
There was almost no action while the players checked through to seventh street amidst some giggles from the table at the runout for both players. Johnson ended up winning the pot when he showed for a ten-low. Kihara could not come close, showing a king in his hand and then mucking.
A player limped from middle position, and Naoya Kihara raised on the button. Ron Ware reraised from the big bind, and both his opponents called.
The flop came , and Ware bet. The preflop limper called, and Kihara raised. Ware and the other player called. The turn was the , and the action checked to Kihara on the button. He bet, and Ware raised. Kihara was the lone caller. The river was the , and both Ware and Kihara checked.
A mound of chips had been assembled in the middle of a pot between Phil Hellmuth and a heads-up opponent. The action was on the river of a board and Hellmuth's bet had been called. Hellmuth table for nines full of aces and his opponent mucked.
Daniel Negreanu (5th) and James Obst (1st) are both in the top five of the World Series of Poker Player of the Year race. Both players have had a great series already and have now made Day 2 of Event #44. They will join the 154 other players in Day 2, starting at 2 p.m. Friday.
Negreanu and Obst both joined around level four and Negreanu bagged 44,900, while Obst bagged 62,100.
Andre Akkari bagged the unofficial chip lead with 110,100. He went on a roll after busting Paul Volpe and gained about 50,000 in the last level of play.
Phil Hellmuth bagged 36,100 in his quest for the so-far elusive bracelet number 15. Ben Yu has had a solid couple days since winning his second bracelet in the $10,000 2-7 Triple Draw tournament and finishing fourth in the $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship. He also finished 40th in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Max Championship right before registering for this event. He bagged 44,900.
Jason Mercier (76,400) and Natasha Mercier (21,000) each bagged as well. Jason fell short early, getting to half of the starting stack in the early levels, but managed to bag one of the bigger stacks in the remaining field.
Brandon Shack-Harris also had trouble early, but he was unable to run it back up and was eliminated early in play today. James Woods, Esther Taylor, and Jared Bleznick all fired today and missed the Day 2 cut.
You can follow all the Day 2 action right here on PokerNews as Negreanu, Obst, and the rest of this star-studded field compete for a spot in Day 3 and take another step closer to WSOP gold.