WSOP main event takes a break

The World Series of Poker’s main event will take a break today. A bunch of journalists, bloggers and other media types (including yours truly) will take part in the annual non-cash media event.

When play resumes on Friday, 2,044 players will still have their eyes on the event’s $8.55 million first place prize and the world championship bracelet.

The field of 6,494 players that began play in the $10,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em world championship has been reduced. Sometime on July 15, the final table of nine players will be established. The group will return to the Rio in November to play for the championship.

The current chip leader is Amir Lehavot of Weston Fla. He’s a 38-year-old poker professional who worked as an engineer.

All players started the tournament with 30,000 in chips. Lehavot, who played on Monday in the last of the four-day opening round, was down to 7,000 in chips at one point.

He crawled back up the leader board and ended the day with 80,000 in chips. On Wednesday, Lehavot took his initial stack of 80,000 and ran it up to 610,500 and the chip lead.

"It feels great. But I have played in a lot of tournaments and I know,” Lehavot said. “There is a long way to go and it does not necessarily mean that much (to be chip leader) at this point. It's nice, but there is still a long way to go."

The highest-ranked former World Series of Poker bracelet winner is Phil Ivey of Las Vegas, who is in the top 20, with 346,200 in chips.

Nine former World Series of Poker world champions are still alive in the event, including 2008 winner Peter Eastgate of Denmark. CityCenter Chief Executive Officer Bobby Baldwin, the 1978 champion, is also still alive in the tournament, as is 1989 winner Phill Hellmuth, 2000 winner Chris “Jesus” Ferguson and recent winners Greg Raymer and Joe Hachem.

Three of Eastgate’s final table competitors are also still playing: Kelly Kim, Dennis Phillips and Darus Suharto.

Jeff Lisandro, who has won three individual event bracelets this year, is still in the competition, as is Ville Wahlbeck. The two players are vying for the World Series of Poker Player of the Year crown.

Celebrities of note still competing include actors Lou Diamond Phillips and Jason Alexander and NBA player Jordan Farmar of the Los Angeles Lakers.