WSOP Review Day 3: Jesse Klein Wins $25,000 H.O.R.S.E., Jake Daniels Leads NLHE High Roller

An exciting third day of World Series of Poker action saw one bracelet awarded and three more events enjoy plenty of drama at different stages of play as the Rio in Las Vegas hosted more fantastic poker action.

The second event on the schedule, the $25,000-entry H.O.R.S.E. event saw plenty of big names take part over the course of three days, with relative unknown Jesse Klein taking the title to win his first-ever WSOP bracelet and over half a million dollars into the bargain.

The action at the final table got heated very quickly as Klein enjoyed a period of holding the Indian sign over Phil Hellmuth. He may have mellowed over the past few years but the ‘Poker Brat’ was back in the form of two blow-ups that preceded his exit from the event in sixth place for $95,329.

It wasn’t just Hellmuth who missed out on the bracelet at the expense of someone new on the scene. After Philip Sternheimer and Day 1 chip leader Chad Eveslage followed Hellmuth from the room, an extended period of play defined the end of the event, with Benny Glaser, Jesse Klein and French poker legend David Benyamine both holding the power at the table with three players remaining.

Ultimately, Benyamine busted to Klein, and that proved vital to the maiden winner as he used those chips to take down Glaser at the last, which led to a warm handshake between the two men as one WSOP veteran with three bracelets congratulated the other man on winning his first.

Event 4, ‘The Reunion’ attracted thousands more players to the $5 million guaranteed event as 4,455 players were whittled down to just over 200 by the final hand of the day.

With players such as Ronnie Bardah (2,005,000) and Tyler Jamieson (3,040,000) making the top 10 chipcounts, it was Robert Brobyn who piled up an amazing 5 million chips to look down on the field after both Day 1a which took place yesterday, and today’s Day 1b.

Event #5 saw players battle for supremacy on Day 2 of the $1,500-entry Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better event. With 230 players reduced to just 15, the chip leader at the close of play was former WSOP bracelet winner Connor Drinan, with 2,415,000 chips.

Drinan is some way clear of his nearest challenger, Robert Mizrachi (1,410,000), but between them, the two men have four WSOP bracelets, with none of their 13 opponents heading into the final day having won gold before.

Finally, Event #6 kicked off, with the $25,000-entry NLHE High Roller attracting many of the world’s best poker players on its way to 54 players surviving from a field of 135.

As expected, plenty of the world’s regulars at this buy-in took part, but there were early exits for players such as Niall Farrell, Ryan Laplante, Event #3 winner Jeremy Ausmus and former WSOP Main Event winner Ryan Riess.

As play progressed, only 54 players survived the day, although players will have the opportunity to re-enter until the first card of Day 2 hits the felt. With players such as Michael Addamo busting two bullets, not everyone will have that chance, with only two entries permitted.

It will be Jake Daniels who leads the field into Day 2 with 1.1 million chips, with players such as Chance Kornuth (570,000), Jake Schindler (667,000) and Michael Liang (1,028,000) all racking up big stacks on the opening day. There is still everything to play for, with the chip leader Daniels’ table draw for Day 2 only having five seats filled, there’s every chance of a big name joining a chip-heavy battle for glory on Day 2.

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