WSOP Main Event Day 4 Underway: Maria Ho in the Lead

It has truly been an exciting summer of poker. We’ve seen Jason Mercier win two bracelets and come very close to winning a third one a few occasions, Fedor Holz claim his first WSOP gold, and much more. But now, that’s all behind us and there is just one more event to keep an eye on. The Main Event Day 4 kicked off earlier tonight with some 800 players remaining from the initial field of 6,737.

Fifth largest Main Event in history

At the start of the WSOP 2016 Main Event, I said I’d refrain from trying to guess the number of entrants, but I speculated it would be around the average number. By the time the registration ended, I was proven wrong as total of 6,737 players took it to the tables, making this the fifth largest Main Event in the history of the Series.

Despite of seemingly decreasing popularity of poker during the recent years, this number proves that there are still many professional and recreational players alike willing to set aside some time and money and come to Vegas for the biggest poker festival in the world.

Main Event Day 4: Many have fallen

As it always goes with poker tournaments, dreams of many must be crushed before one can lift up the winner’s trophy and claim his reward. The Main Event is no different and over four days of play, many were sent to the rail or to catch the next plane home.

One of those who most certainly will not be playing at the final table is Phil Ivey. Although we were all delighted to see him join the Main Event crowd at the last minute, his luck ran out late into Day 2, when he missed a bunch of outs in a crucial all in pot.

Another fans’ favorite hit the rail. Daniel ‘KidPoker’ Negreanu couldn’t make anything happen and he did not make the shortlist for the Main Event Day 4.

Busted the main event with 99 vs AQ. Stretched my chips as long as I could. Two days without cooperation from the deck and had to flip.

— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) July 14, 2016

Jason Mercier was likewise eliminated, left to look for his very last chance for that all-important third bracelet of the summer in the Little One for One Drop event. He is still battling in that one, although with a below-average stack, so there is still a chance.

Busted Wsop main event. Fairly miz day… Got my last 3900 in reluctantly with KTs, somehow run into K9s and he turns a 9 ????????????????

— Jason Mercier (@JasonMercier) July 12, 2016

Making Main Event Day 4 Shortlist

Among the 600 or so players still alive at the time of writing this article, one name really sticks up. Maria Ho, one of the best and best known female players with close to $2 million in live winnings, is sitting pretty in every sense of the word. Maria has built a stack of over two million chips, putting her in the driver’s seat for the time being.

Other well known names high up on the leaderboard include the UK player Max Silver, Canadians Griffin Benger and Sorrel Mizzi, 2007 Aussie Millions runner-up Jimmy Fricke, to only mention a few.

There is plenty of play still left, as the final table will not be formed until Day 7 so a lot can and will change as many, if not all, of the players mentioned here will be sent home. However, if I had to pick one favorite to make the final table, it would definitely be Maria.

It would be great for poker as a whole and she definitely deserves it at least as much as the next person.