WSOP Update: Cantu, Watkinson Go After Second Bracelets

The World Series of Poker is heading into its last few tourneys before the main event, and the chances for the top pros to add to their bracelet collections are disappearing.

A pair of big names will try to get their second bracelets today: Brandon Cantu and Lee Watkinson are both at the final table of Event No. 48, a $1.5K pot-limit Omaha hi-lo tourney.

Cantu (bracelet in 2006) comes into the final table with a huge chip lead, nearly twice as much as second place. Watkinson (also a bracelet in 2006) is third in chips. Here is the final table:

1. Brandon Cantu - 1,020,000
2. Jacqmin Mathieu - 520,000
3. Lee Watkinson - 410,000
4. Aaron Sias - 360,000
5. Steve Jelinek - 280,000
6. William McMahan - 268,000
7. Tommy Vedes - 202,000
8. Ted Weinstock - 130,000
9. Ronnie Hofman - 102,000

Watch for updates here.

The only event to finish on Friday was was No. 47, a $2.5k mixed limit/no-limit hold’em tourney. The final table included Barry Greenstein (three bracelets), Hasan Habib (one) and Ylon Schwartz (2008 main event final table). But in the end, the winner was Bahador Ahmadi, who never even had a WSOP cash before this year’s series.

Here were the payouts:
1. Bahador Ahmadi - $278,804
2. John McGuiness - $172,227
3. Ylon Schwartz - $112,967
4. Karlo Lopez - $78,628
5. Barry Greenstein - $57,671
6. Matt Woodward - $44,520
7. Randy Haddox - $36,084
8. Hasan Habib - $30,641
9. Zachary Humphrey - $27,199

Two events started on Friday: No. 49, the $50K World Championship H.O.R.S.E. tourney, and No. 50 a $1.5K limit hold’em shootout event.

In the HORSE event, Habib bounced back from losing at a final table to take the day one chip lead. A total of 95 players started, and only four were eliminated. Many of poker’s biggest names are still in this one, with the action expected to heat up today as play moves toward a final table. Justin “boosted J” Smith, David Benyamine, Johnny Chan and Chris Ferguson are among those who have built big stacks already. Updates here.

In the shootout event, 571 players started and played down to the final 64, for eight eight-handed tables. Sunday’s final table will also be 8-handed. Greg “FBT” Mueller, Jean-Robert Bellande and David Williams are among those who have advanced past the first round. Updates here.

Just one event starts today: No. 51, a $1.5K no-limit hold’em tourney.

Check back at PTP for updates throughout this WSOP.