2016 World Series of Poker Daily Update:  Summer Solstice Winding Down, Gold for Zaichenko

On the 22^nd day of the 2016 World Series of Poker, a Russian won a bracelet, the popular Summer Solstice tournament got interesting, and Ian Johns had another great day.

Last year’s World Series of Poker Main Event champion Joe McKeehen starts Thursday in the number 16 spot for Event #38, the $3,000 Six-Handed Limit Hold’em. Thursday will be Day Two of play and gets cards in the air at 2 pm at the Rio in Las Vegas. (Image: pokersites.com exclusive)

Johns has already won a pair of bracelets this summer, for Event #8, the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. and Event #28, the $10,000 Limit Hold’em. Now he’s trying to beat Jason Mercier and Benny Glaser to three 2016 bracelets.

After Day One of Event #38, the $3,000 Six-Handed Limit Hold’em, Ian is third in chips (109,000). Warwick Mirzikinian is the chip leader (136,400). Rep Porter, another 2016 bracelet winner, is second in chips (131,900).

The tournament started with 245 players on Wednesday, but only 64 will be coming back for Day Two on Thursday. We should have a final table and champion by end of play on Friday.

For Johns to win his third bracelet, he’ll need to play well for two more days and hope the cards fall his way. Some of the top limit players in the world remain in the field.

Although Johns would love to be the first to three bracelets this summer, that might not be possible. Jason Mercier is one of 13 remaining players in Event #36, the $2,500 Mixed Omaha-Stud Hi-Low 8 or Better. A champion in that event will be crowned on Thursday, before Johns will have an opportunity to win. However, Mercier is dead last in chips, so it won’t be easy for him. Play resumes today at 2 pm Pacific time.

Nasdrovya to the Champ

Event #34, the $1,500 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (Limit), concluded on Wednesday. Moscow’s Andrey Zaichenko was the last man standing out of 358 entrants. He’ll be going back to Russia with an extra $117,947 in his bank account.

Russian Andrey Zaichenko took down Wednesday’s only bracelet in the $1,500 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) championship, Event #34. (Image; WSOP.com)

Zaiechenko is an accomplished poker player. The 38-year old has won $1,160,546 during his impressive World Series of Poker career. This was his first bracelet, and was overdue.

Summer Solstice Nearing Conclusion

One of the most anticipated events of the summer, Event #33, the inaugural $1,500 Summer Solstice No-Limit Hold’em championship, is four days in, with just one remaining. There were 1,840 players when the tournament started on Sunday. Now, there are only 17 bracelet hopefuls left.

Adrian Mateos, a Spaniard, has a sizeable chip lead over Israel’s Alexey Blyakher. Mateos is best-known for his victory in the 2013 WSOP Europe Main Event. That’s his only bracelet to date.

Kathy Liebert is the lone remaining woman in the field. If she hopes to win her second career bracelet (her first was in 2004), she’ll need to go on a pretty sick run on Thursday. Liebert, a long-time poker pro, is last in chips heading into the tournament’s final day.

Negreanu Bags Big Stack

Daniel Negreanu has gotten off to a good start in numerous tournaments this summer, but hasn’t been able to win a bracelet as of yet. But the all-time live tournament money winner bagged a big stack after Day One in Event #37, $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (98,000).

Negreanu is 12^th in chips out of 128 remaining players. Dieyar Kakel tops the leaderboard with 151,800 chips. Poker pro Joe Serok is right behind him with 150,800. The tournament still has two days of play before crowning a champion.

Coming Up Today

Thursday is going to be an action-packed day at the WSOP. At 11 am PT, Event #39, the $10,000 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em championship, will get underway. Then at 3 pm, Event #40, the $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw/Badugi will start up. Both events will last three days.

What most will be watching today is the conclusion of Event #36, $2,500 Mixed Omaha/Stud Hi-Low 8 or Better. There are 13 players left, including Jason Mercier (gunning for his third bracelet of the summer) and the GPL Paris Aviator’s team manager, Fabrice Soulier.

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