Bryn Kenney Leads Poker Players Championship After Thrilling Day 2

The latest day of the $50,000-entry Poker Players Championship has taken place and it is the all-time money list leader Bryn Kenney who leads the field. With just 41 players remaining from a field of 101 entrants, who will make the 17 money places on Day 3? Let’s look at who the power players are after two days at the World Series felt in Las Vegas.

Kenney the King After Two Days of Drama

There are just 41 players left in the hunt for the top prize of almost $1.5 million and the fabled gold bracelet that comes with being the Poker Players Championship winner. This is the WSOP event that all the elite pros want to win. It can seal Poker Hall of Fame entry, it can lead to a lucrative sponsorship contract, it can be the biggest bragging right you’ll ever shout. It’s the big one, and other than the WSOP Main Event – something that Doyle Brunson confirmed he’s looking to play this year – the $50,000-entry ‘PPC’ is it.

To win the Chip Reese trophy (see pic, right, with recent winner Phil Hui), players have to win in some of the toughest game variants ever, not simply crush the no limit hold’em variance for a few days. From Razz to PLO, No Limit to Limit Hold’em, anyone who wins the PPC has earned the respect of their peers.

All of which makes Bryn Kenney’s lead after two days all the more fascinating. As a poker professional, it’s hard to argue with the assertion from some that Kenney should be considered one of the greatest ever to play the game. In a series dominated by Alex Foxen in terms of winning the Super High Roller event for $4.5 million, Kenney is lagging behind this WSOP, but his stack of 2,064,000 by the close of play on Day 2 means he is one day closer to what would be an important win, not least for his legacy. Recent allegations of crooked behaviour have sullied what previously was a pretty golden reputation and Kenney will be as keen as anybody to show the poker world that it is his play at the felt that should be recognised.

Who Else Made Day 2 with Chips?

“Day 3 will likely see the money bubble burst, as just 17 places are paid.”

The Day 2 field is a super-strong one, with players such as Michael Moncek (1,702,000) and Koray Aldemir (1,427,000) in the podium places alongside Kenney, with other stars of the poker world like Yuri Dzivielevski (1,405,000), Adam Friedman (1,220,000) and Benny Glaser (1,255,000) all residing in the current top 10 chipcounts.

Dan ‘Cowboy’ Smith is just outside the top 10 with 1,065,000 chips, and with others such as overnight chip leader Luke Schwartz (824,000), nine-time bracelet winner Erik Seidel (999,000), three-time event winner Michael Mizrachi (767,000), defending champion Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates (763,000), British mixed game expert Matt Ashton (649,000), four-time bracelet winner Anthony Zinno (601,000) and Daniel Negreanu (318,000) all still in the hunt, the next day’s play will be crucial.

Day 3 will likely see the money bubble burst, as just 17 places are paid. That requires 24 players to bust, so expect action from the off. The top prize of just under $1.5 million is one that everyone will want for themselves, so with a min-cash worth just $83,738, the name of the day is surviving to the next seat draw.

Who Busted and Who Plays Who?

While 41 quality players are in the field on Day 3, others missed out on either Day 1 or Day 2. Brian Rast has enjoyed a great summer so far, but while the Poker Hall of Fame nominee for 2022 may have that gong to look forward to, he won’t be winning the Chip Reese trophy. Jeremy Ausmus has won four bracelets, including three in the last 10 months, but he won’t be adding the PPC trophy to his mountainous collection.

Jennifer Harman’s eagerly anticipated return to tournament poker didn’t end as she might have liked, with the former Full Tilt Poker pro busting along with Chris Brewer, Nick Schulman, Dario Sammartino, Jared BleznickChino Rheem, Cary Katz and the record-holding 16-time WSOP champion Phil Hellmuth.

While Scott Seiver (982,000) and Stephen Chidwick (342,000) both survived, they’ll take on Phil Ivey (850,000) at the same table on Day 3. Another table pitches David Williams (1,082,000), Benny Glaser (1,255,000) and the aforementioned 2022 Heads Up bracelet champion Dan Smith (1,065,000) towards some fascinating clashes at the felt, while another table features the following six players: Shaun Deeb (175,000), Michael Mizrachi, (767,000), Yuri Dzivielevski (1,405,000), Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates (763,000), Brandon Cantu (866,000) and Koray Aldemir       (1,427,000).

Photo courtesy of PokerGO, home of the 2022 World Series of Poker, with final tables live streams throughout June and July.