2023 Updates from Various WSOP Events
Fifth Bracelet for Josh Arieh in Event #22: $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship for $316,226
Josh Arieh, the 2021 WSOP Player of the Year, defied the odds in Event #22: $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship. Despite starting as the short stack on the fourth day, Arieh made an impressive comeback at the final table to secure his fifth WSOP bracelet. The event had a total of 134 entries, resulting in a prize pool of $1,246,200. Arieh claimed the first-place prize of $316,226.
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In the intense heads-up battle, Arieh emerged victorious against Daniel Idema, who took home $195,443. Nozomu Shimizu also saw a significant boost to his bankroll, earning an additional $144,069.
Arieh’s WSOP cashes now exceed $8.5 million. His most notable cash came in 2005 when he finished in third place in the Main Event, earning $2,500,000. Interestingly, his poker journey began in 1999, where he not only secured his first cash but also won his first bracelet in the $3,000 Limit Hold’em event.
When asked about his victory, Arieh expressed visible emotions and struggled for words, stating his aspiration to enter the prestigious Hall of Fame. He acknowledged that poker players were once stigmatized as questionable characters, but his success brought validation to the profession. Arieh mentioned other notable figures in the industry, such as Brian Rast, Matt Savage, and Isai Scheinberg, reflecting on the honor of being considered alongside them.
By claiming his fifth bracelet, Arieh sees this accomplishment as another significant step toward potentially being inducted into the Hall of Fame, a distinction reserved for one person each year. He believes that the recognition bestowed upon poker players helps break down negative stereotypes associated with the profession, demonstrating its legitimacy and generating a sense of amazement when his name is mentioned alongside the industry’s greats.
Deeb Dominates Day 1 of the $1,500 Eight Game Mix
Shaun Deeb, a seasoned poker player with an impressive five WSOP bracelets, has kicked off his quest for a sixth title in style. Leading the pack on Day 1 of Event #27: $1,500 Eight Game Mix, Deeb holds 311,200 chips. Sampo Ryynanen trailed behind with 282,000 and Kao “Chill” Saechao held the third-largest stack of 279,500. Interestingly, Saechao’s stack includes chips that were once owned by Chad Holloway, a well-known figure in the world of poker media.
Impressive Lineup Survives in the Gladiators of Poker
With Event #18: $300 Gladiators of Poker entering its final phase, only 14 players remain out of a staggering field of 23,088 participants. Among them, Eric Trexler takes the lead with a formidable stack of 97,400,000 chips, closely followed by Caio Sobral from Brazil with 94,000,000 chips. Notably, none of the remaining 14 players have won a WSOP bracelet before, creating an exciting opportunity for someone to claim their first from playing poker. Each of these players is already guaranteed a prize of $23,298, with the potential to increase it to $46,051 by reaching the final table. Ultimately, the champion will walk away with a sum of $499,852. The final showdown, which will showcase some incredible poker skills, takes place on Day 3, starting at 12:00 p.m. local time on June 12.
Seidel’s Shot at Omaha Hi-Lo Championship Glory
Erik Seidel, a renowned figure in the poker world, has a realistic chance of joining the exclusive club of players with at least ten WSOP bracelets. In Event #25: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship, Seidel finished Day 2 in third place among the 21 players returning for Day 3. Seidel’s stack of 1,010,000 chips puts him in contention to match the bracelet count of iconic players like Johnny Chan, Phil Ivey, and the late Doyle Brunson. However, Seidel still has a way to go to catch up to the record holder, Phil Hellmuth, who boasts an impressive 16 WSOP bracelets. Joining Seidel at the top are Jay Kerbel (1,065,000), Jose Luis Velador (1,040,000), and Johannes Becker (1,010,000), each holding seven-figure chip stacks. Other notable players, including Kyle Cartwright, Ben Lamb, John Hennigan, Brad Ruben, and Sammy Farha, are still in contention. The action resumes on June 12 at 1:00 p.m. local time.
$800 No-Limit Hold’em Field Narrowed Down
Event #26: $800 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack has witnessed a significant reduction in the field as Romania’s Cosmin Joldis emerged as the chip leader at the end of Day 1. With only 339 players bagging chips out of the initial 4,747 entrants, Joldis’s stack of 2,040,000 puts him in a commanding position. Having previously finished as the runner-up in the 2022 Mini Main Event, where he earned $367,233, Joldis is eyeing an even bigger payday and a coveted WSOP bracelet. However, he faces stiff competition from skilled players like Thomas Boivin (1,575,000), JJ Liu (1,245,000), and Ryan Riess (1,025,000). Day 2 commences on June 12 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Action-Packed Day 14 of the 2023 WSOP
Day 14 of the 2023 WSOP promises an eventful day of poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. The Gladiators of Poker (Event #18) and the $800 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack (Event #26) are both set to conclude, determining their respective champions. Simultaneously, the field of the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship (Event #25) will undergo further reduction, bringing the title race into clearer focus. Additionally, three new events will kick off on Day 14. Event #28, the $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em, is expected to attract a large field, while the $100,000 High Roller (Event #29) will draw elite players from the poker world. Furthermore, Event #30 introduces the first draw poker tournament event with the $1,500 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw.