Photography by Katerina Lukina
2019 World Series of Poker
Event #85: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2019 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$3,000
Prize Pool
$2,254,500
Entries
835
Level
34
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
0
Event #85: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed
Day 3 Completed
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 0 ante
Day 3 of Event #85: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed has been completed and at the end of the day six players remain with a chance to win the bracelet.
Millard Hale ended the day in pole position with a chip count of 5,410,000. He gathered most of those chips in one of the last hands of the day as he eliminated Joao Vieira in 7th place and destroyed most of Joseph Cheong’s stack in one fell swoop as his aces held to surge to a huge chip stack as the day came to an end.
The start of day chip leader, John Richards finished 2nd in chips with 4,800,000, coming off a fairly steady day that saw him maintain a large stack throughout.
Alan Sternberg (2,625,000) and Evangelos Kokkalis (2,525,000) ended the day as the middling chip counts, Kokkalis having been short at the beginning of the day but chipped up as play wore on.
Ka Kwan Lau joined the aforementioned Cheong as the two super short stacks left as play concluded, having just 695,000 in chips. Meanwhile Cheong finished with 650,000 which is the shortest stack left but may actually seem like a boon for him as he was down to one big blind with 50,000 after the critical hand vs Hale.
The day began with 24 players and began very fast, with the elimination of Caleb King on the very first hand of the day. More eliminations were to follow in quick succession as half the field was trimmed swiftly. What was a speedy day turned into a slow affair. It took just over two hours for the field to be cut from 24 to 11 but it took two and a half hours before Juha Helppi was eliminated in 11th to reduce the field from 11 to 10. The eliminations would come spaced out after that to reduce the field to the final six.
The final six will return on July 15th at 12 p.m. local time with play at level 26 with blinds at 25,000/50,000 and will continue until a winner is determined. PokerNews will as always bring the action live as it happens.
| Room | Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 1 | 1 | Joseph Cheong | United States | 650,000 | 11 |
| Amazon | 1 | 2 | Ka Kwan Lau | Hong Kong | 695,000 | 12 |
| Amazon | 1 | 3 | Evangelos Kokkalis | Greece | 2,525,000 | 42 |
| Amazon | 1 | 4 | Millard Hale | United States | 5,400,000 | 90 |
| Amazon | 1 | 5 | John Richards | United States | 4,800,000 | 80 |
| Amazon | 1 | 6 | Alan Sternberg | United States | 2,625,000 | 44 |
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
5,410,000
-1,340,000
|
-1,340,000 |
|
||
|
4,800,000
-400,000
|
-400,000 |
|
2,625,000
425,000
|
425,000 |
|
|
||
|
2,525,000
-675,000
|
-675,000 |
|
695,000
410,000
|
410,000 |
|
|
||
|
650,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 0 ante
Day 3 is complete, as the field has trimmed down to the final six players. A recap of today's play will follow shortly.
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 0 ante
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joseph Cheong | United States | 650,000 |
| 2 | Ka Lau | Hong Kong | 695,000 |
| 3 | Evangelos Kokkalis | Greece | 2,525,000 |
| 4 | Millard Hale | United States | 5,410,000 |
| 5 | John Richards | United States | 4,800,000 |
| 6 | Alan Sternberg | United States | 2,625,000 |
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 0 ante
Joseph Cheong opened with a raise, Millard Hale called. Joao Viera moved all in, Cheong then repoted and Hale called again.
It was a dramatic pot as two players lives were at stake.
Vieira held 
, Hale had 
and Cheong revealed 
.
The dealer ran the board out a little slower than normal as it came 
to give Hale the winning hand, eliminate Vieira and leave Cheong with a small nub for a stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,750,000
4,390,000
|
4,390,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
50,000
-2,880,000
|
-2,880,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 0 ante
Michael Benko and Evangelos Kokkalis got all the chips in preflop, with Benko at risk.
Michael Benko: 
Evangelos Kokkalis: 
Board: 
The running fives on the turn and river gave Kokkalis trips, and Benko's tournament run is over.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,200,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 0 ante
Joao Vieira raised pre-flop and Ka Lau raised enough to put him all in and Vieira called after a moment of hesitation.
Vieira held 
while Lau had 
The board was good for Vieira as it came down 
and he got a big double up and greatly hurt Lau.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
760,000
375,000
|
375,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
285,000
-165,000
|
-165,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: 25,000/50,000, 0 ante
John Richards opened to 125,000 on the button, and Michael Kuney raised from the small blind, leaving just over 100,000 chips behind. Richards called, and the rest of Kuney's chips went in on the flop, with Richards calling.
Michael Kuney: 
John Richards: 
Board: 
Kuney was ahead preflop, but the flop gave Richards top two pair. No help came for Kuney on the turn or river, and he hits the rail in ninth place.
The win gave Richards a formidable stack of more than 100 big blinds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,200,000
2,480,000
|
2,480,000 |
|
Busted |