Taylor von Kriegenbergh Leads 380 Players After Day 4 of WSOP Main Event

The latest action at Bally’s and Paris ballrooms in Las Vegas saw 1,299 players reduced to just 380 survivors by the close of play as Taylor von Kriegenbergh took the chip lead, Dan ‘Cowboy’ Smith almost got shot down but managed to saddle up for the next day’s play and reigning champion Koray Aldemir made Day 5 as one of only two former Main Event winners who survived.

Day 4 of Main Event Sees Smith and Imsirovic Survive

The money bubble had burst right at the end of Day 3 of the WSOP Main Event, meaning all the 1,299 players that started Day 4 were in the money and guaranteed $15,000 for their work across a spectacular week of action. This year’s WSOP Main Event is the second-highest attendance in poker history, and it is Taylor von Kriegenbergh who holds the chip lead, as he piled up 5,305,000 chips by the close of Day 4.

With Dan Colpoys (4,835,000) and the overnight chip leader Aaron Mermelstein (4,285,000) both in the top four, however, nothing is guaranteed on Day 5. Two other big stacks caught the eye, as Brazilia pro Rafael Mota (4,050,000) and the highest-ranked female player at present, the supremely talented Shelby Wells, who bagged up 3,840,000 chips.

Legends of the game remain in the hunt, with 2020 Hybrid Main Event winner Damian Salas (2,355,000) and 2021 winner Koray Aldemir (1,285,000) both well in the chase to make themselves one of only a handful of players to win two Main Event bracelets.

Who Else Made the Cut?

Other players to make the grade and progress to Day 5 included Yuliyan Kolev (3,500,000), Alex Keating (3,000,000) and Alejandro Lococo (3,210,000), who finished in seventh place in last year’s WSOP Main Event and already looks like a proper threat this year.

There were dozens of entertaining hands featuring big name pros. Mike Matusow built up a huge stack before bluffing it off near the close of play, while Farah Galfond busted just before the end too, a victim of Lococo’s seemingly innate ability to win flips and get into positive positions in this most magical of poker tournaments.

Dan Smith enjoyed/endured a rollercoaster ride on Day 4, ending the day on a fairly short 390,000 which equates to 16 big blinds, but was a big stack too at earlier points. He’ll be back to ride the rollercoaster again tomorrow.

Controversial Characters In and Out

Elsewhere, alleged cheater and so-called ‘Bosnian Bandit’ Ali Imsirovic ended the day on 2,340,000 chips and will be a threat to everyone on Day 5 of the Main Event. Despite several allegations being made about his behaviour – mostly at the live felt – Imsirovic has neither made a statement or backed down from his desire to play as many tournaments as possible and although he has been banned by some poker brands, the WSOP have allowed him free reign at this year’s World Series in a move that has angered some poker fans and fellow players alike.

Other big names busted the Main Event on Day 4, with four former world champions leaving the party. The 2013 champion Ryan Riess bowed out and was followed by Chris Moneymaker, who made light of his exit on Twitter.

Other champions Greg Merson and John Cynn both made their exits, while there was no need to bring up shamens or frog poison as controversial characters Bryn Kenney and Martin Zamani were both eliminated from the tournament on the same day.

Photographs courtesy of PokerGO, home of the 2022 World Series of Poker, with final table live streams throughout July.