World Series of Poker: Day 16

By DAVID SCHOEN LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

8 years ago

World Series of Poker officials announced Saturday night that the “Colossus II” No-limit Hold ’em tournament drew 21,613 entrants to the Rio Convention Center, making it the second-largest live poker tournament in history. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @Erik_Verduzco

Here’s what to expect today in the World Series of Poker.

Thursday’s schedule:

11 a.m. — $2,500 No-limit Hold ‘em (3-day event)

Noon — $2,500 No-limit Hold ‘em (Day 2); $3,000 Six-handed No-limit Hold ‘em (Final table)

2 p.m. — $1,000 Limit Hold ‘em (Day 2); $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship (Day 2)

3 p.m. — $1,500 Omaha Hi-Low/8 or Better (3-day event)

Player(s) to watch:

* Doug Polk, one of the top online high-stakes cash players and a 2014 WSOP bracelet winner, has received plenty of attention lately for his Twitter beef with popular poker pro Jason Mercier. Polk will be in ninth place when action in the $3,000 buy-in Six-handed No-limit Hold ‘em event resumes.

Six-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu also is one of the 26 players still alive in the tournament.

Wednesday’s highlights:

* Ray Dehkharghani, a 45-year-old professional poker player from Leawood, Kansas, won the $10,000 buy-in Seven-card Razz Championship ($273,338), denying Mercier of his second victory in three days and a mid-six-figures payout in side bets.

The Iranian-born Dehkharghani finished second to legendary poker pro Doyle Brunson in the $1,500 Limit Razz event in 1998. It is the first career bracelet for Dehkharghani and brings his career WSOP earnings to $780,912 from 17 cashes.

* Sam Soverel of West Palm Beach, Florida, won $1,000 buy-in Pot-limit Omaha tournament ($185,317). It is the first career bracelet for the 25-year-old high-stakes cash game specialist.

Quotable:

“That’s what I’m most disappointed about right now. I had a bunch of bets on winning two bracelets, and the huge one on winning three. It’s like almost impossible to win three when you get a second-(place finish), because it means you’re going to have to get heads-up four times. That’s tough to do. I’m just a little disappointed for the equity of my bet. Obviously I won more money, and you can’t be too disappointed anytime you get heads-up for a bracelet, but I’m pretty disappointed. I don’t feel like there was too much I could have done heads-up. He played very well, and it just wasn’t meant to be.” — Mercier, after finishing as runner-up in the $10,000 buy-in Seven-card Razz Championship.