The 2019 MSPT Poker Bowl III at The Venetian attracted 1,022 entries (355 on 1A, 667 on 1B) - blowing past last year’s 827 entries - and crushing the $650K guarantee by creating a prize pool of $996,450. That will be paid out to the top 108 players with a min-cash being worth $2,093 and first place taking home a massive $184,349.
After a little over 14 levels of play on Day 1B, 91 players bagged and tagged, with last year’s MSPT Poker Bowl II champ Kfir Nahum and his 435,000 chip stack leading the way. That is behind Day 1A chip leader Shannon Shorr, who advanced with 527,500.
Nahum, a 44-year old businessman who owns a travel agency, took down last year’s MSPT Poker Bowl II after a four-way chop, and the $108,410 first place prize was the second biggest score of his career. Nahum was able to keep the streak going in the WSOP last summer, cashing six times and making deep runs in both the Colossus and the Millionaire Maker events.
The remaining top five big stacks from the 1B flight include Giuseppe Pantaleo (390,000), Hendrik Joosten (345,500), Ira Friedman (335,000), and WSOP Bracelet winner Jared Jaffee (335,000).
Others to advance to Saturday’s Day 2 include Minnesota’s Tyree Johnson (290,000), two-time WSOP Bracelet winners Scott Clements (284,500) and Upeshka De Silva (241,000), Jewook Oh (171,500), Season 9 MSPT POY Aaron Johnson (126,500), and Chris “Moorman1” Moorman (52,000).
Not everyone was fortunate enough to bag in today’s final flight, including a full contingent from Minnesota, including Vic Peppe, birthday boy Brian Berthiaume, Charlie Workman, John Morgan, DJ Buckley, and Matt Weller. Likewise, Colorado’s Bobby Sanoubane, Tom Bouziden, and Sammy Aweida, 2013 WSOP Main Event champ Ryan Riess, “American Idol” viral sensation William Hung, Chip Leader Coaching coach Chance Kornuth, pros Lisa Costello, Kathy Liebert and Casey Carroll, November Niner Joseph Cheong, WSOP Colossus II champ Ben Keeline and Phil “the Unabomber” Laak all failed to bag.
Day 2, which will see 132 players return to action (41 from 1A, 91 from 1B), will get underway at 11 a.m. local time on Saturday and play down to a winner.
Be sure to join us tomorrow as we bring you all the action and eliminations straight from The Venetian tournament floor.