Only 27 left at WSOP main event (Update)

07/17/2010

Four Day 1 flights, two Day 2 heats and then 5 days of hectic poker action, in which progressively smaller fields of survivors have battled in out for major prize money, have reached the stage where a final table in the 2010 World Series of Poker main event is in sight.

Late evening Friday saw the completion of Day 7 at level 30 with a mere 27 survivors still in the running from an original field of 7,319.

Earlier in the day, the 78 survivors of Day 6 had gathered, led by Theo Jorgensen and Michael Mizrachi on chip counts.

The pace was fast, with plenty of eliminations within the first levels that included Jean-Robert Bellande, David Benyamine, Peter Jetten, Alexander Kostritsyn, and Tony Dunst. All were gone before the dinner break, leaving only 42 players still in the game.

The action settled down a little following dinner, but around level 29 a string of 11 bust outs saw the likes of Theo Jorgensen, Gianni Direnzo, and Bryn Kenney head for the cashier, each earning $255,242. Kenney was the last major elimination ? at 28th - of the day.

When Day 7 play ended for the night, Joseph Cheong held the chip lead on 24,490,000, chased by Cuong Nguyen on 23,100,000, but it?s still anyone?s game with average chip counts at 8,132,222 and players like Matt Affleck (sixth in chip counts), John Racener (8th), Filippo Candio (9th), Scott Clements (14th), David Baker (15th), Michael Mizrachi (16th) and Johnny Lodden (26th) still very much in the game.

All of the remaining 27 players are guaranteed at least $317 000 in their quest for the top prize of $8,944,138 from a prize pool of $68,798,600.

Saturday should see the final table of nine decided, after which there will be a break until November, when the final action will take place. Upon reaching the final table the nine survivors tomorrow will receive 10th place money pending their clash in November to decide the winner.