Welcome to Day 3 coverage of Event #17: $10,000 Dealers Choice 6-Handed Championship.
The starting field of 102 players is down to just 10 hopefuls, each looking to capture the first-place prize of $273,962 and a World Series of Poker gold bracelet.
As expected, the remaining field is stacked with some of poker's best. Considered by many to be among the top players in the game without a bracelet, John Racener is the chip leader entering Day 3. With 10 WSOP final table appearances over the years, Racener has come close time and again to capturing that elusive first bracelet. He's in pole position to accomplish that feat today, but it will be far from an easy task.
Second in chips is Chris Klodnicki, another player that many feel is among the best without a bracelet. Four-time bracelet winner Mike Matusow is also still in hunt, as are bracelet winners Viacheslav Zhukov and Ben Yu.
This marks the fourth cash of the 2017 WSOP for James Obst, and rounding out this tough field are Eric Crain, Shawn Buchanan, Dennis Eichhorn, and Schuyler Thornton.
Here is the Day 3 table and seat draw:
Room
Table
Seat
Player
Country
Chip Count
Brasilia
700
1
James Obst
Australia
260,000
Brasilia
700
2
Mike Matusow
United States
295,000
Brasilia
700
3
Ben Yu
United States
163,000
Brasilia
700
5
Schuyler Thornton
United States
366,500
Brasilia
700
6
Chris Klodnicki
United States
856,000
Brasilia
704
1
Viacheslav Zhukov
Russian Federation
700,500
Brasilia
704
2
Dennis Eichhorn
United States
782,500
Brasilia
704
3
Eric Crain
United States
358,000
Brasilia
704
5
John Racener
United States
1,124,000
Brasilia
704
6
Shawn Buchanan
Canada
185,500
Play begins at 2 p.m., and the tournament is scheduled to play down to a winner. Be sure to keep it here for live updates on the action as the quest to crown the newest bracelet winner continues.
Shawn Buchanan was all in from the cutoff for about 30,000 or so before the draws against Viacheslav Zhukov on the button.
Both players drew one card to start, both drew one on the second draw, Buchanan stood pat on the third draw, and Zhukov drew one again.
Buchanan tabled for a 9-8-5-2 badugi and 9-8 low, while Zhukov showed before squeezing his final card, which turned out to be the , giving him a slightly better badugi and low, ending Buchanan's tournament in 10th place.
Ben Yu and Mike Matusow got involved in a war that ended up with Yu being eliminated in ninth place, while Matusow raked in his chips during a hand of stud hi-lo. We missed the action, but Yu will collect $24,546 for his efforts and his ninth-place finish in the tournament.
From the button, James Obst shoved all in for his last 109,000. Matusow asked for a count then decided on a flat-call. Schuyler Thornton folded his big blind, leaving Matusow and Obst heads up.
Matusow:
Obst:
The flop was a good one for Matusow when it came giving him a flush draw. He also picked up outs to a chop on the turn. But the river was the , giving him two pairs, and awarding him the entire pot and eliminating Obst in eighth place.
Matusow gave Obst a big hug after the hand and Obst shook hands with both Klodnicki and Thornton and wished them luck. He will take home $32,474 for his eighth-place finish.
Eric Crain opened with a raise. Next to act was Mike Matusow on the button. He made it three bets. Action folded back around to Crain, and he moved all in. Matusow called.
On the first draw, Crain took two, and Matusow took three. On the second draw, both players took one. On the third draw, both players took one again.
Matusow:
Crain:
Matusow looked first. He pulled the to complete both a nine-five low and a nine badugi. Crain pulled the , and that was only good to make a ninety-seven low. He hit the rail in seventh place and collected $32,474 for his efforts.
Under the gun, Mike Matusow raised. Action folded around to John Racener on the button, and he called. Next to act was Schuyler Thornton on the button, and he made it three bets. Matusow and Racener both called.
Thronton took one, while Matusow and Racener both took two. Thornton moved all in for 8,000, and both players called.
On the second draw, all three players took one. Matusow and Racener had side action. Matusow bet, and Racener called.
Thornton took one on the third draw, and Matusow and Racener both stood pat, then checked.
Matusow showed for a nine-six and a six badugi. Racener had for an eight badugi and an eight-seven low. Thornton showed for a king-low and was eliminated, while Matusow and Racener chopped the pot. Thornton collected $43,707 for his sixth-place finish.
Chris Klodnicki completed on third street, Mike Matusow raised, and Klodnicki called. On fourth street, Klodnicki check-called a bet from Matusow. Both players checked fifth street, Klodnicki bet his open pair on sixth street, and Matusow called. Klodnicki checked on seventh street, Matusow bet, and Klodnicki called.
"Three kings," said Matusow as he exploded out of his seat, showing .
Klodnicki mucked, and Matusow's rail erupted as he collected the pot.
Action folded around to Dennis Eichhorn on the button. He raised to pot, which was 140,000. Next to act was John Racener who repot to 460,000. Eichhorn put in another pot which moved him all in and Racener called.
Racener took one while Eichhorn took two on the first draw. On the second draw Racener stood pat, and Eichhorn went into the tank. Eventually, he settled on only drawing one card. On the third draw, Racener stood pat and Eichhorn opted to take one. Racener showed for a made eighty-six. Eichhorn showed and was already drawing dead to Racener's eighty-six. Eichhorn's final card was the but that didn't change anything. He was eliminated in 4th place and collected $83,263 for his efforts.
Racener thought for a moment about game selection.
"I'm gonna go with my best game," he said slapping down the No-Limit Hold'em plaque.
Chris Klodnicki shoved all in from the button. Action folded to John Racener. He asked for a count, then decided to call.
Racener:
Klodnicki:
The board ran out giving Racener the best pair of tens and eliminating Klodnicki from the tournament. He will go home with third place and collect $117,786.
![[user139916]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
for a 9-8-5-2 badugi and 9-8 low, while Zhukov showed 
before squeezing his final card, which turned out to be the 
, giving him a slightly better badugi and low, ending Buchanan's tournament in 10th place.
giving him a flush draw. He also picked up outs to a chop on the 
turn. But the river was the 
to complete both a nine-five low and a nine badugi. Crain pulled the 
for an eight badugi and an eight-seven low. Thornton showed 
for a king-low and was eliminated, while Matusow and Racener chopped the pot. Thornton collected $43,707 for his sixth-place finish.
.
giving Racener the best pair of tens and eliminating Klodnicki from the tournament. He will go home with third place and collect $117,786.