Day 12 was a relatively quiet one at the 38th
World Series of Poker. While the giant Amazon room was still abuzz with the usual activity, it was not quite as frantic as earlier days, as many players and spectators apparently chose to take a breather from the unrelenting action.
Bracelets wait for no man though. Or woman. And events unfurled with their regular rhythm.
The $1,000 world championship ladies tournament (event 17) saw 1,286 players generate a first prize of $262,007, with uber-shrewd German Katja Thater, perhaps unsurprisingly, making the final nine. However, the blogging bombshell foundered after some frustrating final table play in fifth place. While the $49,151 payday will help ease her disappointment, she will likely rue this missed opportunity. Until next year at least.
Event 18, the $5,000 world championship limit hold'em tournament, saw an unexpectedly strident European presence at the final table, with Gabriel Nassid of France, Thor Hansen of Denmark, and William Thorson of Sweden reaching the final nine from a field of 257. Nassid was first out for $21,742, the hardy two-time bracelet winner Hansen picked-up his third cash of this series for $93,008, and Thorson, an Irish
EPT final table veteran, scored $136,493. Italian Max Pescatori busted out in 15th for $13,891. The event was won by American Saro Getzoyan, who lifted $333,379.
The second day of the $2,500 no-limit hold'em game (event 19) saw Frenchman Bertrand Grospellier make his third cash and first serious challenge for a bracelet, reaching the final nine with $416,000 in chips, along with Dane Lars Bonding, who comes back as chip leader on $882,000.
Event 20, the $2,000 seven-card stud eight-or-better tournament, echoed the rest of the day with a muted European showing, headed up by Russian-born Alexander Kravchenko finishing 22nd from 340 players for $5,879 prize money.
Day one of event 21, the $1,500 no-limit hold'em shootout, played down to a final table, but the European contenders fell shy, with Rob Hollink, Paul McCaffrey, Marco Traniello, Ross Boatman, Barny Boatman, Ram Vaswani, Andy Black, Roland De Wolfe, Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott, Max Pescatori, John Gale, and Thomas Wahlroos all failing to reach the last nine.
Wednesday, June 13, sees the final tables of event 19 ($2,500 no-limit hold'em), event 20 ($2,000 seven-card stud eight-or-better) and event 21 ($1,500 no limit hold'em shootout), as well as the start of event 22 ($5,000 no limit hold'em).
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