2022 WSOP Day 40: Main Event Enters the Money, Six Former Champs Still In

The fortieth day of the 2022 World Series of Poker action saw one gold bracelet awarded and the always electric scenes of the $10,000 Main Event money bubble bursting. Check out the video below to get a feel of the energy inside the WSOP's new home of Bally's and Paris Las Vegas.

Day 3 of the 2022 World Series of Poker $10,000 Main Event saw a field of 2,993 contenders cut down to 1,299 remaining in the second-largest field in WSOP history. Out of a field of 8,663 entrants, three hopefuls chopped the min-cash of $15,000 and ensured that a tiny fraction of the $80,782,475 prize money has already been awarded in the flagship event of the 2022 WSOP.

After the frantic bubble tension had subsided and all players bagged their chips for the night, Aaron Mermelstein emerged atop the leaderboard with a stack of 2,059,000. He appears to be the only one above two million, while Nick Howard (1,850,000) and Gabi Livshitz (1,835,000) follow not far behind.

2022 WSOP Main Event Day 3 Top 10 Chip Counts

"It's dope. [to be chipleader] I have been going out and partying and having fun. I am fortunate to be in this position and I am sticking with what I know best and not changing anything," Mermelstein mentioned at the night's end. He claimed a large portion of his large tower of chips in the final stages when his king-nine flopped trips in a three-bet pot, and he ousted an opponent with pocket kings.

Another WSOP bracelet winner can be found among the big stacks after the completion of Day 3, and that happens to be Martin Zamani (1,483,000, lead photo). Several other winners of live poker's most coveted hardware will bring healthy stacks into Day 4, such as Michael Moncek (1,244,000), and Ryan Torgersen (1,134,000). Mitchell Halverson (1,044,000) also has a bracelet to his name and will aim to finish even better than his 15th place finish in the 2021 WSOP Main Event.

Among the former champs still in contention are defending champion Koray Aldemir (537,000), Damian Salas (405,000), John Cynn (343,000), Chris Moneymaker (268,000), Ryan Riess (243,000) and Greg Merson (168,000).

Former Main Event Champions on Day 4

On the hand-for-hand money bubble, there was a round with five simultaneous all-ins and calls on different tables. Three of those hoping to stay alive came up short of the goal as Robert Lipkin, Ognjen Sekularac and Tom McCormick all ran out of chips entirely. They chopped the $15,000 min-cash for $5,000 each and Lipkin was fortunate enough to win the blind flip for the WSOP $10,000 Main Event entry for the next year after that. Kevin Campbell was the bubble boy in the 2021 WSOP Main Event and was among the Day 3 survivors with an above-average stack.

With plenty of notables now gone, the field of contenders for Day 4 still contains plenty of big names. They will all be back in action at noon local time in pursuit of the $10 million top prize in the biggest live poker event of the year during the 2022 WSOP at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas.

The blinds will be 4,000-8,000 with a big blind ante of 8,000 and a total of five levels of two hours each are scheduled.

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India's Neel Joshi Leads Event #71: $1,111 One More for One Drop Day 1c

Day 1c of Event #71: $1,111 One More for One Drop at the 2022 World Series of Poker in its new home at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas attracted 2,713 entries, and those who survived will join the 783 survivors from flights 1a and 1b and any player who chooses to register on Day 2, as late registration is open until the end of level 12. The field will be expected to rise as those who busted out the Main Event may choose to join the action.

The overnight chip leader is India's Neel Joshi (543,000), who, along with Mauricio Parodi (521,000) was the only player to bag more than half a million in chips.

Event #71: $1,111 One More for One Drop Day 1c Top 10 Chip Counts

Those who also found a bag at the end of 1c included Brit Wil Kassouf (221,000) as well as WSOP bracelet winners Pat Lyons (69,500) , David "ODB" Baker (156,000) and Jason Wheeler (58,500). They will join Day 1a chip leader Renmei Lui (445,500) and Day 1b chip leader Andre Cohen (456,000) for Day 2, which will take place in Paris on Sunday 10th July at 12 p.m.

Martin Kabrhel was eliminated in one of the last hands of the night as his pocket aces were cracked by his opponent's pocket jacks which made a straight flush. Other notables who didn't make it to Day 2 include Vanessa Kade, who also busted towards the end of the day. Those failing to find a bag can re-enter for the first two levels of Day 2.

The structure remains the same as players will play ten 60-minute levels. There will be a 15-minute break every two levels and a 60-minute dinner break after level 16 at approximately 6:30.

Daniel Strelitz Leads the Final Nine into Day 3 of Event #73: $1,500 Razz

After 10 levels of play, a field of 123 in Event #73: $1,500 Razz Day 2 was brought down to nine, with WSOP bracelet winner Daniel Strelitz, who comes into tomorrow's final table with a stack of 2,215,000, leading the way.

The California resident won his first WSOP bracelet in 2019 in the $5,000 No-Limit Hold 'em event and followed it up with a second place in the same event in 2021. Strelitz has another chance to add himself to the list of two-time bracelet holders with the positioning he has put himself in with this final table.

Event #73: $1,500 Razz Unofficial Final Table Counts

Also making the final table are other bracelet winners, including three-time bracelet winner Frank Kassela (1,630,000), two-time winner Calvin Anderson (1,360,000), and Andres Korn (575,000) who is coming off of his second final table of the series after coming in seventh place in the Seniors event.

Each one of them possessed the chip lead at some point throughout the day and are each looking to etch their way into the WSOP history books with another title. The other five players; Kijoon Park (1,740,000), Sergio Braga (1,150,000), Mark Gerencher (510,000), Timothy Dalessandro (215,000), and Phuong Tran (180,000) are all looking to add a first bracelet to their resumes and will have a chance to do so tomorrow.

Each player is now guaranteed $8,291, with all eyes on the $115,723 for first-place and the WSOP gold bracelet.

Alex Livingston Among Event #74: $1,500 Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha Chipleaders

After 15 levels of play, Event #74: $1,500 Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha has wrapped up with 124 players bagging and tagging for Day 2. Those who made it through Day 1 will be playing for a $190,219 first-place prize.

The day saw 1,390 entrants take to the tables in the Paris Ballroom, with each knockout giving the winner a $500 bounty prize.

Event #74: $1,500 Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts

Day 1 saw Player of the Year leader Dan Zack and second place Daniel Weinman, with Zack making the money to extend his lead at the top of the POY race. Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu were two other notables who joined Day 1, they were even found sat next to each other at one point, shortly before they both busted.

The bubble burst with Craig Hartman, as well as three other players, being eliminated, and they all chopped the min-cash of $1,504 for $376 each, plus any bounties they had won throughout the day.

Notable players with stacks going into Day 2 include recent bracelet winner Patrick Leonard (368,000), Michael Watson (104,000), Joao Vieira (269,000), Connor Drinan (208,000), Anthony Zinno (260,000).

Players will return to play on Day 2 at 2:00 p.m. local time, with ten 60-minute levels. There will be a 15-minute break after every two levels with a 60-minute dinner break after level 21, six levels into the day.