With 26 events accounted for the 2007 WSOP is almost at the half way stage. Although numbers have dwindled slightly down from the record breaking Event #3 the Rio is still buzzing, and a number of events have topped the 1,500 mark since.
Event #22: $5,000 NL Hold’em. James Mackey wins one of the most exciting final tables of this year’s WSOP. The red-headed 21 year-old doesn’t look a day over 14, but that didn’t stop him from steamrolling this insane final table to claim the $730,740 first prize. Incredibly all but two players are eliminated in the second hour of play, and Stuart Fox, who eventually finishes runner-up to Mackey, has only played ONE hand by the time he reaches heads-up play. Mackey goes into the battle with a 12:1 chip lead, and pushes all-in every hand until Fox finally makes the call. Fox tables K-4o and is ahead of Mackey’s T-2, but a ten on the turn and another on the river ensures Mackey walks away with the bracelet.
Event #23: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha. 576 players come to the felt for this low buy-in PL Omaha event but most of them needn’t have bothered. Scott Clements dominates from Day One, just as he has done in every other tournament he’s won. Clements takes the chip lead early on Day One and never gives it back, taking his second WSOP bracelet in two years, along with the $194,206 first prize.
Event #24: $3,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo. As expected the seven card stud format produces a stellar cast for the final table, with Scotty Nguyen, Dutch Boyd, David Slansky, Thor Hansen and Eli Elezra the biggest of the big names. In the end it comes down to an entertaining battle between 1998 WSOP Champion Scotty Nguyen and ‘Big Game’ regular Eli Elezra. Both players are chugging beers like there’s no tomorrow, with Elezra at one point proclaiming: “I’m drunk,” which is met by a huge roar from the crowd. Eli actually jumps onto the table when he finally wins his first WSOP bracelet. Rumour has it that he won over $500,000 in side bets to go with the $198,984 official first prize.
Event #25: $2,000 NL Hold’em. Another massive field shows up for the latest in the ever-popular NL Hold’em tournaments. 1,619 runners start out but by the time we get down to the final table almost all the recognisable faces are gone. Ben Ponzio eventually takes down the $599,467 first prize, with David Hewitt finishing runner-up.
Event #26: $5,000 H.O.R.S.E. Just 192 players turn up to compete in another pro-heavy line-up. Strangely the density of pros in the field doesn’t translate into a star-studded final table, although Phil Ivey and Bill Gazes do finish in the top four. But in the end the lesser known Ralph Schwartz takes top prize, defeating Gazes in the heads-up stage. First prize was $275,683.