WSOP: Newcomer Timothy Su Leads Final 106 in Main Event
After Day 5 of the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event, just 106 players remain in contention for the $10 million top prize. Antonio Esfandiari is among them, as is Sam Greenwood, Alex Foxen, and former PocketFives #1 Chris Hunichen, but it’s Timothy Su leading the way.
Newcomer Su in the Lead
Su bagged 19.235 million in chips and is hands down making the biggest splash of his poker career. Not only has Su never cashed in the WSOP Main Event before, but he’s never played it. He’s a software engineer by trade, not a professional poker player.
Prior to the 2019 WSOP Main Event, Su had just three cashes on record and a combined $2,467 in live tournament earnings. His largest cash to date was for $1,080. He did place in the money in the $400 Colossus at the 2019 WSOP, but the $927 that he earned for his 814th-place finish is a far cry from the $59,295 he’s guaranteed. Although that’s what Su is guaranteed, he’s favored to earn a lot more due to his towering chip position.
Immediately following up Su on the leaderboard at the conclusion of Day 5 were Greenwood (11.95 million), Duey Duong (11.765 million), Warwick Mirzikinian (11.43 million), and Luke Graham (11.28 million).
Top 10 Chip Counts
- Timothy Su – 19,235,000
- Sam Greenwood – 11,950,000
- Duey Duong – 11,765,000
- Warwick Mirzikinian – 11,430,000
- Luke Graham – 11,280,000
- Nicholas Marchington – 10,835,000
- Milos Skrbic – 10,715,000
- Romain Lewis – 10,600,000
- Laurids Nielsen – 9,955,000
- Ian Pelz – 9,635,000
Esfandiari “Feels Great” Reaching Day 6
Antonio Esfandiari has won a lot in his career. He has more than $27.7 million in live tournament earnings and has won three WSOP gold bracelets. His best result in the WSOP Main Event came in 2009 when he took 24th for $352,832. Outside of that result, Esfandiari has never finished in the top 150 of the WSOP Main Event. That’s where he finds himself this year and he’ll be headed to Day 6 with 6.63 million in chips.
“It feels great,” Esfandiari told PocketFives. “I think I’ve only made it to Day 6 one time and that was a long time ago, so to come back and have a chance at making the final table, it feels pretty good.”
Hunichen and Dzivielevski Representing Former PocketFives #1
Joining Esfandiari on the Day 6 run will be a couple of former PocketFives #1 players, Hunichen and Yuri Dzivielevski. Hunichen bagged 6.28 million, with Dzivielevski coming in at 3.53 million.
Hunichen received a nice boost to his stWSOPack when start-of-day chip leader and 888poker qualifier Dean Morrone five-bet shoved into him with the 
. Hunichen was waiting with the 
after he had four-bet and made the call. An ace flop, but a king also flopped, and Morrone was eliminated as the board ran out 
. Hunichen did lose some chips towards the end of the night when Foxen doubled through him, but he was still able to bag a very healthy stack for Thursday. Foxen bagged 2.655 million for Day 6.
Down To Four from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania online poker is just about ready to go. It’s been legalized and the launch date is coming up soon. When things get up and running, four players left in the field of the 2019 WSOP Main Event are going to have some extra money to deposit thanks to deep runs and could even become representatives of PA online poker rooms.
Chad Power is the one with the most chips for Day 6 at 7.48 million, and then it’s Thomas Parkes with 7.31 million. Kenny Smaron has 2.505 million and Jake Schindler has 1.39 million.
Former NFL Players Seymour and Stocz Bow Out
Starting Day 5 was a group of 354 players. Plenty of them hit the rail on the way to 106, including former NFL players Richard Seymour and Eric Stocz. Seymour and Stocz started at the same table and it was Stocz to bust first when his pocket tens couldn’t hold up against the king-ten of Chance Kornuth for a 347th-place finish. Seymour made it a bit deeper but ultimately came to the same fate.
Seymour’s exit happened in 131st place. He was all in against Zhen Cai and Anuj Agarwal on the same hand. Seymour had the 
, Cai had the 
, and Agarwal had the 
. The flop came Seymour the lead with the 
falling, but the turn was the 
to give the hand to Cai. The 
on the river meant nothing. Seymour’s run earned him $59,295.
Also hitting the rail on Day 5 were Scott Bohlman (146th – $59,295), Mike Matusow (199th – $50,855), Matt Glantz (205th – $50,855), Matt Stout (217th – $50,855), and Allen Kessler (320th – $38,240).
Jill Bryant was this year’s last woman standing in the WSOP Main Event. The Illinois native went out in the late stages of Day 5 with a 116th-place exit. She earned $59,295 for the result to add to the near $200,000 in live tournament earnings she had entering the event.
Day 6 of the 2019 WSOP Main Event starts at 12 pm PT on Thursday, July 11 at the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino.
