Blumstein continues to hold WSOP chip lead

The plan for the World Series of Poker Main Event on Friday was to play until three players remained.

It took more than four hours to finally happen.

Englishman John Hesp was eliminated in fourth place shortly before 10 p.m. at the Rio Convention Center, ending his magical run in the Main Event.

The $10,000 buy-in No-limit Texas Hold ’em World Championship concludes Saturday with the winner of the $8.15 million first prize crowned.

Scott Blumstein, a professional poker player from Morristown, New Jersey, increased his lead late Friday and holds more than 60 percent of the chips in play.

Daniel Ott of Altoona, Pennsylvania, is second, and France’s Benjamin Pollak sits third.

Hesp, who has become a worldwide poker celebrity during the Main Event, went out to a standing ovation when he was eliminated by Pollak in the final hand of the evening.

Hesp, a semiretired owner of a caravan vacation home company in Bridlington, England, earned $2.6 million and left a lasting impact on the poker community.

“If I’ve done anything in my life, I think I’ve managed to show that this game doesn’t have to be boring,” Hesp said. “I’ve loved it. I’ve absolutely loved it.”

Play opened Friday with seven players remaining, but with several double-ups occuring, it appeared the action might run into early Saturday.

Damian Salas, who saw his stack whittled down to five big blinds, was knocked out in seventh place. He was looking to become the first Argentine to win the Main Event.

“It is a great honor for me to represent Argentina and Latin America,” Salas said. “I’m very proud of the way I played and I hope that everybody in Latin America is happy with their representative.”

Salas was well ahead in the final hand, but Ott made a straight on the river to score the elimination. Salas took home $1.425 million for his efforts.

“Unfortunately that’s poker, but I think I had a good plan in the hand,” Salas said. “My plan was to do a stop-and-go play to get him to fold a better range on the flop. But once I hit my ace, I went for the check to allow him to bluff, and unfortunately the results I can’t control.”

Tournament officials were prepared to play deep into the night, but all that changed in the span of about 30 minutes with three quick eliminations.

First to go was Bryan Piccoli, who ran into Ott’s pocket kings and was eliminated in sixth place.

“I’ve been in this tournament for 13 calendar days,” an exhausted Piccoli said. “It was incredible. I always dreamed of making it here.”

Next to hit the rail was France’s Antoine Saout, who lost a massive pot to Blumstein when he called an all-in bet on the river.

Saout took home $2 million for fifth place, but was unable to match his third-place showing from 2009.

Ivey, Ulliott inducted

Phil Ivey, a 10-time WSOP bracelet winner, and the late David “Devilfish” Ulliott were inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame on Friday.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.