There’s just one former World Series of Poker Main Event champion left in this year’s main event race and that’s Jim Bechtel, who won his spurs in the 1993 tournament. Both Ryan Riess and Joe Hachem were busted at 426th and 298th respectively, whilst Phil Hellmuth was eliminated at 417th by his friend Daniel Negreanu in a 650,000 chip pot.
Negreanu described the experience of eliminating a friend as “bitter sweet”, but he remains among the Day 4 finishers with a credible stack of 1.33 million.
Of the 661 players who started the day just 237 remained when the chips were bagged, with the chip lead now in the hands of experienced pro and two WSOP Circuit ring winner Joe McKeehen on 3.122 million, with his nearest challenger Upeshka De Silva on 3.06 million chips.
Failing to make it through were notables like Phil Laak, Scott Montgomery, Fatima Moreira, David Sands, JC Tran, Andre Akkari and George Danzer, whilst those who survived a tough day with million or more chip stacks intact included Bechtel on 1.12 million, Brian Hastings (2.46 million), Justin Bonomo (1.35 million), Max Steinberg (1.23 million), Mark Kroon (1.90 million) and Matt Jarvis (1.40 million).
Smallest survivor stack was 72,000, held by Thomas Winters.
Other interesting incidents in the day included the elimination at 524th of the oldest competitor, the remarkable 94-year-ol ex-navy man William Wachter, who took home $19,500 to applause from the field.
888Poker online satellite winner Tommy Yates, who owns a bar in Greece and leveraged a 1c satellite win into a $13,000 prize package to the World Series, finished in the money to the tune of $19,500 and was over the moon about the experience, which he intends to repeat.
Australian cricketing legend Shane Warne, who gave an impressive performance at the poker tables, was eliminated at 597th and cashed for $23,000.