Hand #177: Francis Anderson limped in from the small blind and Jared Koppel checked his option. The flop came and Anderson checked to Koppel who bet 175,000. Anderson folded and Koppel took down another pot.
Hand #178: Koppel announced all in from the small blind and Joe Curcio folded with his eight big blind stack in the big blind.
Hand #172: Dong Sheng Peng raised to 275,000 from the cutoff, Jared Koppel three-bet to 995,000 from the big blind and Peng folded.
Hand #173: Koppel shoved a large stack of chips forward in the small blind and Joe Curcio folded in the big blind.
Hand #174: Walk for Koppel.
Hand #175: Koppel raised to 250,000 from middle position and won his fourth hand in a row uncontested.
Hand #176: Koppel raised to 250,000 from under the gun and Roman Korenev was the first to see a flop in a bit, calling from the small blind. Francis Anderson also got in from the big.
The flop was and Koppel continued for 325,000. Korenev called and Anderson folded. Both players checked the on the turn. On the river, Korenev bet 565,000 and Koppel quickly folded.
Hand #165: Dong Sheng Peng needed to be wired up before being able to take his seat at the televised table and had to miss this hand as well. It got folded around to Joseph Liberta in the small blind, who shoved all in for 1,980,000 from the small blind. Roman Korenev called off the shove in the big blind.
Joseph Liberta:
Roman Korenev:
The splashed in the window but the quickly followed it, along with the . The turn was the , leaving Liberta with just two jacks as outs. The river was the and Liberta was gone in sixth for $79,957.
Joseph Liberta shaking hands as he walks off the stage
Hand #163: Joseph Liberta raised to 250,000 from under the gun and won the hand.
Hand #164: Francis Anderson raised to 250,000 from middle position and Liberta defended the big blind. The flop was and Liberta checked. Anderson continued for 250,000 and Liberta folded.
After the hand, Dong Sheng Peng finally made his way onto the Amazon Thunderdome stage.
Hand #158: Francis Anderson raised to 250,000 from the hijack and Joe Curcio shipped all in for 1,540,000 on the button. The blinds folded and Anderson quickly called to put Curcio at risk.
Francis Anderson:
Joe Curcio:
It looked inevitable that the pot would be chopped but the flop of gave Curcio a flush draw. The on the turn and the on the river changed nothing as the two players took their chips back.
Hand #159: Jared Koppel opened to 250,000 in the hijack and Joseph Liberta called from the small blind. The flop came and Liberta check-folded to a bet of 175,000 from Koppel.
Hand #160: The action folded to Roman Korenev in the small blind who announced all in. Francis Anderson quickly folded his big blind and Korenev took the pot.
Hand #161: Joe Curcio opened to 250,000 from under the gun and Jared Koppel defended from the big blind. Both players checked the flop and the landed on the turn. Koppel led out for 175,000 and Curcio mucked his cards.
Hand #162: The action folded around to Joe Curcio in the small blind who had minimal work to do to win the pot with Dong Sheng Peng still missing in the big blind.
Yori EpskampCan Jared Koppel retain his lead and outlast his opponents?
Throughout history, the Marathon has challenged their contestants' tenacity, inspired fear, and has been a prime contender to tick off one's bucket list. Whether it lies in its heroic origins — the Greek messenger Pheidippides dropping stone dead after running all the way from Marathon to Athens to report the victory — or the tales of modern-day champions such as the Czech locomotive Emil Zapotek and current world-record holder Eliud Kipchoge, the Marathon has always been a birthing ground for inspiring stories.
Poker's equivalent of the legendary 26.2-mile distance is no different. With a $2,620 buy-in, 26,200 chips to start with and 100-minute blind levels throughout, the six remaining players are already battle-weary from five full days in the trenches. They clashed and clawed their way through Event #26: $2,620 No-Limit Hold'em Marathon, the second slowest tournament the WSOP has to offer (after the Main Event). Each of them made it through a field of 1,083, who created a total prize pool of $2,553,714. The event surely has lived up to its moniker, with 157 hands already clocked at the final table just to get from nine to six.
The lion's share of that money will be awarded today, including a jaw-dropping $477,401 payday for the champ, and it's Jared Koppel (11,700,000) who's out in front, dwarfing his nearest challenger Dong Sheng Peng (5,800,000) by nearly 2:1. Despite the lead, Koppel needs to draw on his stamina, as the 100-minute blind level structure provides plenty of play for the others to catch up and withhold him from his first bracelet.
Francis Anderson (3,695,000), Roman Korenev (3,310,000), and Joseph Liberta (2,540,000) all have more than 20 big blinds when action resumes in level 30 with blinds at 60,000/120,000 and a big blind ante of 120,000. With 53 minutes left on the clock in this level alone, there's time for them to pick a good spot to get themselves back in contention. The only one who has to make up some distance is Joe Curcio (1,540,000), but with a strong kick, anything is possible in the final stages.
Action recommences at noon local time in the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino and PokerNews will be back on the floor to report hand-for-hand as a new WSOP bracelet winner is crowned today. The live stream with hole cards up will kick off at 1 p.m. on CBS All Access (USA, Canada & Australia) and PokerGO (other countries). Make sure to check back regularly to see who sprints for the line to grab the gold today.
and Anderson checked to Koppel who bet 175,000. Anderson folded and Koppel took down another pot.
and Koppel continued for 325,000. Korenev called and Anderson folded. Both players checked the 
on the turn. On the 
river, Korenev bet 565,000 and Koppel quickly folded.
quickly followed it, along with the 
. The turn was the 
and Liberta was gone in sixth for $79,957.
and Liberta checked. Anderson continued for 250,000 and Liberta folded.
gave Curcio a flush draw. The 
on the turn and the 
on the river changed nothing as the two players took their chips back.
and Liberta check-folded to a bet of 175,000 from Koppel.
