Welcome back to another pictorial look at the 2021 World Series of Poker, as captured by Poker.org's admittedly amateur photographer on the scene, Haley Hintze. This week's image collection is heavily dominated by the Main Event, though a few other pics and stories make their way into the assortment as well.
2003 Main Event champion Chris Moneymaker had been a no-show for the majority of the series, but he relented just in time to join the final starting flight, Day 1F, of the World Championship. Wouldn't you know... Moneymaker ran deep in the Main, building up a big stack on Day 1 and cruising well into Day 5, when he finally busted in 260th place. It was his deepest Main Event run since the year his unexpected win helped trigger the "Moneymaker Effect." Chris spent quite a few hours during this year's Main Event at one of the feature tables, but this picture found him in the larger Amazon Room field.
There comes a point in each Main Event when the media covering the tournament outnumbers the actual players remaining in the tournament. That usually comes on Day 6, when those players are spread out a bit in the Amazon Room. It's early in the day here, and much of the media is over in the three-table feature area, but it's all been prepared for the crush.
Ham on Hawaiian, Part 1. Prior bracelet winner and eight-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Michael Lech has sported one of his favorite shirts several times during the series. Here he is in Event 75, $1,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em.
Ham on Hawaiian, Part 2. Or at least something approximating Hawaiian. Pat "Flyin'" Lyons wanted a picture of himself in that shirt so badly he dragged this amateur photog over to his table in Event 77, $1,500 FIFTY STACK No-Limit Hold'em. Lyons has already uploaded the photo to his HendonMob profile. Sheesh!
Most of the WSOP's gold bracelets come in small boxes (actually a small box within a slightly larger traveling box) designed for easy storage. The Main Event bracelet, however, comes in its own presentation case, as shown here. Most bracelets are lighter than they look, but both the bracelet and the presentation case are heavier than one might think. The bracelet is valued at $500,000, it's said; it's not clear what the case goes for....
Vanessa Kade returned from more than a week's forced vacation due to COVID-19 after testing negative. She admittedly still suffered some fatigue, however, exacerbated by several long days. In an effort to shake the doldrums, Kade showed up in a beautiful full-length gown for play in Event 70, the $888 Crazy Eights event.
Josh Arieh's two bracelet wins and seeming run toward winning the 2021 WSOP Player of the Year have him in a friendly mood. Plus, he's got a seat right near the Amazon Room's doors should unexpected emergencies occur. Arieh just missed recording his fifth final table of the series in Event 73, the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship, eventually finishing ninth.
It's Day 9 of the Main Event and the final three players -- Jack Oliver, Koray Aldemir, and George Holmes -- play one of the day's first hands as the World Championship bracelet rests on its display podium on the feature set.
Spain's Leo Margets was one of several hundred European players who took advantage of the United States' relaxed pandemic travel rules to arrive in time for the Main Event. Margets, a Winamax-sponsored pro, took part in the Day 1D starting flight. She eventually made it all the way to Day 4 and the money. That was the first of her three cashes to date in what, for her, has been an abbreviated 2021 WSOP.
Featured image source: Haley Hintze
