It's been an incredible summer for German pro George Danzer. At the end of May he kicked off his 2014 World Series of Poker by placing fifth in Event #5: $10,000 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball for $70,308, and then a week later he won his first gold bracelet and $294,792 in prize money in the Event #18: $10,000 Seven-Card Razz Championship. Toss in two more cashes, and Danzer jumped out to an early lead in the 2014 WSOP Player of the Year race with 456.20 points, which is more than 42 points ahead of his next closest competitor.
Today Danzer will add further to his résumé and WSOP POY total as he is already in the money coming into Day 3 of the Event #38: $10,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low Championship, a tournament that originally attracted 134 players. What's more, he starts the day as the chip leader with 785,000. Will Danzer be able to capture his second gold bracelet and the $352,696 first-place prize?
It's certainly possible, but if he's to do it he'll have to overcome a dozen other players comprised of some of the best in the game. For instance, there is Jeff Lisandro (420,000), who finished as the 2009 WSOP POY after winning three bracelets that summer (all in stud variants we might add); online superstar Brian Hastings (415,000); and Ted Forrest (387,000), who defeated Phil Hellmuth heads up in Event #7: $1,500 Seven-Card Razz to capture his sixth bracelet.
Also in contention are players like Richard Sklar, John Racener, and Chris George, all looking to claim their first bracelet. Finally, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that famed ESPN poker commentator Norman Chad is still alive, though he is one of the shorter stacks. Even so, he's confident and clearly having some fun:
The PokerNews Live Reporting team will be on hand with all the live coverage starting at 2 p.m. local time, which is about an hour from now. Join us then as we look to crown a champion in the Event #38: $10,000 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low Championship!
The 2014 World Series of Poker marks the 10th anniversary of the annual event taking place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. One man that has been there all that time — and even a year before — is WSOP commentator and funny man Norman Chad, who is among the final 13 in this event.
Since 2003, Chad has served as co-commentator alongside Lon McEachern. But how much do you know about him aside from that? We’re guessing not a whole lot, which is why we’ve decided to delve into the past of the man who uttered the memorable line "This is beyond fairy tale — it's inconceivable."
Born in 1958 to Seymour and Perla Chad, little Norman grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland. He attended Northwood High School and eventually graduated in 1976, but not before serving as the sports editor for the school paper.
He would continue writing sports-related material while at the University of Maryland, College Park, the institute where he would earn a degree in American Studies. After stints in stand-up comedy, writing for Sports Illustrated, penning two scripts for ABC's Coach and three more for HBO's Arliss, all of that lead to one place: the World Series of Poker.
"The first time I walked into Binion's [Horseshoe Casino] in 2003, I took one look around the room at the cast of characters and realized this job was going to be everything I'd ever dreamt of,” Chad has said in an interview with ESPN. “I swear, I asked myself, 'Where has this been all my life?' Then, after I watched the first show before it aired, I was so impressed at the gritty, real-life gambling feel these new producers had given it, it was just unbelievable."
It’s well known that Chad, who is a nationally-syndicated sports columnist with his Couch Slouch column, loves to play Omaha/stud hi-low, even making the final table of a mixed event back in 2012 where he ultimately finished in sixth place for $36,093. Chad will have to finish eighth or better here today to top that score.
Todd Brunson completed showing the and George Danzer and John Monnette called with the and up, respectively. Both Danzer and Monnette proceeded to call bets from Brunson on fourth through sixth streets, and then all three players checked on seventh.
Brunson: / /
Danzer: / /
Monnette: / /
Brunson rolled over a full house, and it was good as both Danzer and Monnette sent their hands to the muck.
Alexander Jung had been nursing a short stack pretty much all day, but his time finally ran out. In what was his final hand, he completed with the and then got all in for 25,000 total after Ted Forrest raised with his .
Jung: / /
Forrest: / /
Jung managed to make two pair, but it was inferior to the aces and tens of Forrest. Jung was eliminated on the hand and took home $29,399 for his 12th-place finish.
After being crippled down to 17,000, Ted Forrest put 5,000 in the ante and then got the other 12,000 all in.
It actually happened when an even shorter-stacked Norman Chad had the bring-in for 5,000 with the (leaving himself just 4,000 behind) and Forrest completed all in for 12,000 with the . Brian Hastings called and Chad actually opted to fold knowing that if Forrest busted he would earn $5,000 more in prize money.
Forrest: / /
Hastings: / /
Hastings ended up with queens up, which bested the jacks and sixes of Forrest, who earned $29,399 for his 11th-place finish.
Norman Chad was all in for his last 4,000 in the ante and Brian Hastings completed. The rest of the players folded and it was just between the online star and famed ESPN commentator.
Chad: / /
Hastings: / /
Chad ended up with queens and fives, but it was no good as Hastings hit aces and tens on seventh. Chad bowed out in 10th place for $34,500, no doubt pleased to pocket the extra $5K after Forrest busted the hand before.
A big hand just went down that resulted in the eliminations of Richard Sklar and John Monnette.
It happened when the two engaged in a raising war with George Danzer that resulted in Sklar getting all in for 88,000. Danzer then bet fourth, Monnette called, and the action repeated itself on fifth. Danzer bet once again on sixth and Monnette called off for his last 12,000.
Sklar: / /
Danzer: / /
Monnette: / /
Danzer tabled kings full of nines, which beat Sklar, who failed to make a low. Monnette squeezed out his last card, and when he didn't like what he saw he mucked.
"I just wanted to say hi to all the players at the Village Club Card Room in San Diego," Sklar told us as his final words.
The double elimination means the remaining seven players will combine to the final table over at the ESPN main stage. There will be a short break for this to occur. We'll have the new seat draw and updated counts for you shortly.
Jeff Lisandro completed with the and a short-stacked David Singer raised all in for 38,000 total. George Danzer then three-bet, Lisandro called, and two players created a side pot.
Lisandro called a bet on fourth, but then folded to one on fifth.
Lisandro: / fold
Danzer: / /
Singer: / /
Singer had started with a good hand, but a bad run out resulted in him missing a low and having a pair of aces for the high. Meanwhile, Danzer made a straight to the eight, which was good for both the high and low.
Christopher George completed with the and Calvin Anderson called with the up. Brian Hastings, who was showing the called as well and three players went to fourth street. George led out, Anderson folded, and Hastings called.
George bet again on fifth, Hastings raised, and George got all in for 61,000. Hastings called and the cards were turned up.
Anderson: / fold
George: / /
Hastings: / /
George held split kings, but he failed to improve upon them. On the other hand, Hastings had split deuces and hit two pair to win the hand. George takes home $61,594 for his sixth-place finish.
and George Danzer and John Monnette called with the 
and 
up, respectively. Both Danzer and Monnette proceeded to call bets from Brunson on fourth through sixth streets, and then all three players checked on seventh.
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(leaving himself just 4,000 behind) and Forrest completed all in for 12,000 with the 
. Brian Hastings called and Chad actually opted to fold knowing that if Forrest busted he would earn $5,000 more in prize money.
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/ 
/ 
fold
