2007 WSOP, Day 13: Final Table Fun

I’m back. Had a nice, short little break there. Finished David Spanier’s Total Poker, which I do recommend. May write something about it here in the next few.

Meanwhile, I’ll be back at the virtual rail tonight to follow what should be some fun final tables. Daniel Negreanu and Erick Lindgren both made the final table of Event No. 21, the $1,500 No Limit Hold ’em Shootout event. And Humberto Brenes, Greg Raymer, and John Phan are also playing at final tables this evening.

Mentioned last post how until yesterday there had been only four players thus far who had made two final tables. A couple more joined the list last night, and Humberto Brenes has made his third final table. Here are your multiple final tablists (going into today’s action):

Humberto Brenes (Events No. 7, 13, and 19)
Walter Browne (Events No. 10 and 16)
John Phan (Events No. 5 and 19)
Greg Raymer (Events No. 14 and 20)
Tom Schneider (Events No. 5 and 16)
Marco Traniello (Events No. 4 and 11)

It’s still early, but all six of these players have a decent shot at the newly-christened Milwaukee’s Best Light World Series of Poker Player of the Year Award. (See story here.) The POY Award considers results from all bracelet events except the $50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E. event (Event No. 39) and the $10,000 No-Limit Texas Hold ’em event, a.k.a., the Main Event (Event No. 55).

I don’t really see much reason for excluding these two biggies from the count. WSOP Commish Jeffrey Pollack says by doing so “We now have a triple crown” of sorts at the series -- the POY, the $50K H.O.R.S.E. winner, and the Main Event winner. I’d still count all 55 events, though.

According the WSOP site, POY points are calculated as follows:








At the start of today, Tom “Oops! I Won too Much Money” Schneider is leading the pack with 155 points, followed by Steve Billirakis and Alexander Kravchenko, both of whom have 110 points. If Brenes were to finish 1st or 2nd tonight in his event -- Event No. 19, $2,500 No Limit Hold ’em -- he’d take the points lead. Click here for the updated standings.

And go check out PokerNews’ live reporting from the WSOP for the latest.