You get 1 million chips, you get 1 million chips, everyone gets 1 million chips

12 July 2015

By Vin Narayanan

LAS VEGAS -- Attention shifted from the small stacks to the monster stacks on Day 4 of World Series of Poker Main Event.

When play began Saturday afternoon, only 661 players from the original field of 6,420 players remained -- and only three players had more than 1 million in chips. By the time play ended Saturday night, 237 players remained in the tournament, 73 players had at least 1 million in chips and 10 players had more than 2 million.

Two players ended the day with more than 3 million in chips. Joseph McKeehen leads the tournament with 3.122 million in chips. Upeshka De Silva is second with 3.067 million.

McKeehen toiled in the outer tables of the Amazon Room for most of the day while better-known players took their turns playing on TV tables.

Phil Hellmuth opened the day on ESPN's featured table. Daniel Negreanu joined Hellmuth at the featured table towards the end of the second level. And in the third level of the day, Negreanu eliminated Hellmuth from the tournament. After a series of pre-flop raises, Hellmuth pushed all in for 295,000 in chips with Qs-Qh. Negreanu called with Ac-Kc. A flop of Ks-9h-3s gave Negreanu a pair of kings. The rest of the board was of no help to Hellmuth, who exited the tournament in 417th place. He won $21,786 for his efforts. Negreanu finished the day with 1.335 million in chips.

Hellmuth's elimination prompted two distinctly different reactions in the Amazon Room at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. The crowd at the featured table applauded respectfully as the 14-time bracelet winner left the stage. When Hellmuth's tournament departure was announced to the Amazon Room, the applause from players was a little more raucous. A tough competitor had been knocked out of the tournament -- and they weren't sorry to see him go.

Hellmuth isn't the only player that busted out of the tournament with pocket queens vs. ace-king Saturday. It happened on at least two other tables. According to the Wizard of Odds, pocket queens are a 53.59 percent favorite against ace-king suited.

Antonio Esfandiari displayed good humor at his TV table, making fun of a player that kept up with the Kardashians while using every bit of magic he had to stay alive in the Main Event. He finished the day with 195,000 in chips.

The oldest player in the tournament -- 94-year-old William Wachter -- kicked off play Saturday by telling the field "he wasn't here to lose" before asking dealers to "shuffle up and deal." Wachter busted out of the tournament in 524th place and won $19,500. Wachter is the oldest player to cash in a WSOP Main Event.

Other notable chip stacks
Erasmus Morfe 2.502 million
Brian Hastings 2.464 million
Thomas Cannuli 2.271 million
Matt Jarvis 1.406 million
Justin Bonomo 1.35 million
Amar Anand 1.26 million
Anton Morgenstern 1.254 million
Jim Bechtel 1.125 million
Matt Glantz 802,000
Men Nguyen 373,000

Other notable eliminations
Scott Montgomery ($34,157)
Joe Hachem ($29,329)
Blair Rodman ($29,329)
Phil Laak ($24,622)
Ryan Riess ($21,786)
JC Tran ($21,786)
David Sands ($21,786)
Jonathan Duhamel ($17,282)
Victor Ramdin ($17,282)
Shane Warne ($17,282)
Chris Bjorin ($17,282)