Phil Ivey busts to cruel runner-runner in WPT World Championship

Wednesday’s Day 3 of the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas began with 241 players remaining from 1,865.

With 233 places paid, 8 would leave with nothing, while another 169 would hit the door with a payout slip before the day was done.

That leaves 64 players still in the hunt for one of the more imposing trophies available on the world poker circuit, as well as over $2.5 million in first place prize money. Sadly, for his many fans, Phil Ivey isn't among them — you can check out his unexpected exit hand below. 

The Mike Sexton Championship Trophy is too big for most mantels.

Held leads the field

You can’t win a 5-day tournament on Day 3, but you can certainly start building a case, and Germany’s Konstantin Held spent the day doing just that.

Starting with a top 10 stack, Held built quickly, grabbing the chip lead early and wielding it well. A dominating performance saw him continue to put more distance between himself and the chasing pack, with the German ending the day with a stack of around 168 big blinds. His nearest rival, Soheb Porbandarwala of Connecticut, has 106.

Can Konstantin Held hold?

Others who have maneuvered their way into the top 15 overnight chip counts include livestream regular Eshaan ’Brownball’ Bhalla (4th, 103bb), Poker Hall-of-Famer Johnny ‘World’ Hennigan (12th, 67bb), and winner of last week’s $3K 5-card PLO event Maxx Coleman (13th, 66bb).

Zak VanKeuren, who won over $1.1 million in last year’s WPT Prime Championship, is in 16th with 59bb, while the field also still includes the likes of Jared Jaffee (23rd, 54bb), Jeremy Becker (33rd, 44bb) and Eugene Katchalov (52nd, 22bb). 2023 WSOP Player of the Year Ian Matakis is one of the shortest stacks returning for Day 4, with under 6bb.

Ivey can’t find the fold

A number of big names survived the bursting of the bubble, but couldn’t last the day. Deeper runs from Brian Hastings (220nd) Stephen Song (198th), Chris Moorman (159th), or Gus Hansen (142nd) would have raised few eyebrows, but none could keep their heads above water as the day played out.

Another casualty who would have surely brought some box-office to a final table is Phil Ivey, but the man many call poker’s G.O.A.T. also joined the ranks of the fallen in 140th place after a cruel runout crushed his top pair.

Ivey couldn't climb past Yuchen Chen.

With blinds at 15K/25K, Ivey raised to 50K from the button holding and found a caller in Yuchen Chen who defended his big blind with .

The flop was safe for Ivey, who continued for 25K after Chen’s check. The man from China then check-raised to 80K and Ivey came along for the ride.

The on the turn gave Chen a flush draw but he was still behind. He led for 125K; Ivey called. The on the river brought in the runner-runner flush, somewhat disguised due to Chen’s aggression on the flop, and he set Ivey in for his remaining stack.

After a brief period in the tank, Ivey made the call, only to be shown the better hand, and then the door.

Day 4 begins at 12pm on Thursday, with six 90-minute levels scheduled, before Friday’s big finale.

WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas - top 10 stacks at start of Day 4 (blinds 30K/60K/60K)