Chan Chasing 11th Bracelet as Gwinn Grabs Chip Lead in Event #41: $1,500 Big O
With just 18 players remaining in Event #41: $1,500 Big O of the 2023 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, the legendary Johnny Chan is trying to snag an elusive 11th bracelet.
Gary Gwinn ended the day on top of the pile, with 4,570,000 in chips,over a million more than his nearest rival Victor Ramdin, on 3,495,000.
But nobody could begrudge Chan for stealing the headlines. A true icon of the game, he battled his way through the field and currently sits in 12th place with 1,360,000 in chips, and a chance of capturing another WSOP title. Chan is tied with Phil Ivey and the late Doyle Brunson on ten bracelets and hasn't added to his collection since 2005. Could June 19 be the day Chan ends his bracelet drought?
End of Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gary Gwinn | United States | 4,570,000 | 76 |
| 2 | Victor Ramdin | United States | 3,495,000 | 58 |
| 3 | Scott Abrams | United States | 3,200,000 | 53 |
| 4 | Bjorn Verbakel | Netherlands | 3,090,000 | 51 |
| 5 | William Haffner | United States | 2,805,000 | 47 |
| 6 | Adam Owen | United Kingdom | 2,705,000 | 45 |
| 7 | Robert Williamson III | United States | 2,700,000 | 45 |
| 8 | Xu Zhu | United States | 2,400,000 | 40 |
| 9 | Owais Ahmed | United States | 2,225,000 | 37 |
| 10 | Billy Ward | United States | 1,980,000 | 33 |
Veterans Turn Back the Clock
Day 2 was full of action, as the 219 players who survived Day 1 were whittled down to three tables of six. Those lucky few will return ton June 19 with at least $11,434 locked up, but with one eye on the $315,203 that will be awarded to the winner of this inaugural event.
It was a day when the old-school stalwarts showed that they can mix it with the best of the young guns. Aside from Chan and Ramdin, the field still contains Robert Williamson III (2,700,000) and Jon Shoreman (1,175,000).
Other notables who will fancy their chances include Adam Owen (2,705,000) and bracelet winner Owais Ahmed (2,225,000).
However, several big names did not make it through the day. The likes of Jeffrey Lisandro, Mike Gorodinsky, Brad Ruben, Ari Engel, and Yuval Bronshtein were all sent to the rail as the field thinned.
Players will return on Monday at 1:00 p.m. local time in the Horseshoe and play down to a winner. Play will start at Level 26, with blinds of 30,000/60,000 and a 60,000 ante. Levels will last 60 minutes, with a 15-minute break at the end of every two levels.
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