2021 WSOP Day 29: Lamb Registers Late In $25K PLO and Bags Lead

Day 29 of the 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP) was an uncharacteristic quite day with no new champions crowned and only three events in action at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. Do not mistake a lack of tournaments for a lack of action because chips were flying all day long in the $1,000 Seniors Championship, $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller, and a brand new event in the $2,500 Nine-Game Mix.

Ben Lamb Leads $25K PLO After Registering Late

Ben Lamb was one of a host of stars who took advantage of the extended late registration period in Event #53: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller. He bought in during Level 11 when the blinds were 1,500/3,000/3,000a, and received 150,000 chips. Fastforward to conclusion of the 20th level and Lamb was sat behind a stack of 3,885,000 chips.

Lamb already has a WSOP bracelet to his name after winning the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship in 2011. he is now on course to win another piece of poker jewelry because he goes into Day 3 with a substantial chip lead over the remaining 24 players.

Day 2 started with 116 players but the attendance figure grew up to late registration slamming shut. The top 32 finishers received a slice of the $5,008,500 prize pool, and it was Lamb who sent all the players into the money. Lamb busted Ian Bradley in 33rd place when his flush got there against Bradley’s flopped two pair.

The field lost the likes of Ben Diebold, Ian O’Hara, and bracelet winners Ben Yu, Joseph Cheong, Scott Seiver, and Chance Kornuth before the end of play.

While Lamb is by far the chip leader going into Day 3, there are some incredibly talented players in the chasing pack.

Joao Vieira (2,805,000) is Lamb’s nearest rival while David Benyamine (2,340,000), Bryce Yockey (1,420,000), and Jeremy Ausmus (1,280,000) have top ten stacks.

Lurking outside the top ten are stars including PLO specialist Tommy Le (1,035,000), four-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb (975,000), and short-stacked high-stakes cash game grinder Ka Kwan Lau (525,000).

The returning players have locked up $44,807 but there is $1,251,860 awaiting the eventual champion.

Event #53: $25,000 Pot Limit Omaha High Roller Top 10 Chip Counts

Dany Georges Claims Chip Lead in Huge Seniors Championship Day 1b Field

Day 1b of Event #52: $1,000 Seniors Championship drew in a massive crowd of 2,972 entrants, surpassing the 2,432 who chose Day 1a to start their quest for glory. When the curtain came down on Day 1b, only 622 players punched their Day 2 tickets, and nobody bagged up more chips than Dany Georges (464,000).

Georges finished with 92,000 chips more than anyone else in the Day 1b field, with Scott Sisler (372,000), Mike Rutter (345,000), Ali Pabarja (336,500), and Randy Marker (311,500) making up to the top five in the overnight counts.

Poker legend Barry Greenstein (156,500) made it through to Day 2, as did defending champion Howard Mash (127,000), and Dan Heimiller (88,500) .

Play resumes at 10:00 a.m. on October 29 and sees 811 of the returning 1,108 players finish in the money and receive at least $1,601. Ten 60-minute levels are scheduled which should be enough to whittle the field down towards the final table.

Event #52: $1,000 Seniors Championship Top 10 Chip Counts

Brian Rast Bags Big in the $2,500 Nine-Game

A new event kicked off on Day 29, Event #54: $2,500 Nine-Game 6-Handed. The mixed game format proved popular with 319 players buying in, but only 136 players made it through the shark-infested Day 1 field.

Kao Saechao (240,000) leapt to the top of the chip counts before the final break of the night after he came out on the right side of a confrontation with Randy Ohel and Adam Friedman. Saechao holds a narrow lead over Brian Rast (212,100) who is fresh off winning his fifth WSOP bracelet.

Poker Hall of Fame nominee Eli Elezra (196,100) bagged up a top five stack, but those are not the only superstars to keep an eye out for as this tournament marches towards crowning is champion.

Three-time WSOP champion Kevin Gerhart (158,300) is in the hunt with a healthy stack, while mixed game specialist Robert Mizrachi (138,000), Maria Ho (135,900), Josh Arieh (129,700), Mike Matusow (97,700), Greg Mueller (78,500), and Daniel Negreanu (62,000) also bagged up chips at the close of play.

Day 2 shuffles up and deals at 2:00 p.m. local time on October 29, and another ten 60-minute levels are on the cards.

Event #54: $2,500 Nine-Game Mix 6-Handed Top 10 Chip Counts