Only Six Players Stand in the Way of Chip Leader JRB and a WSOP Bracelet

Longtime in style high-stakes grinder Jean-Robert Bellande, who as soon as dubbed himself the “Invoice Laimbeer of Poker,” must bust simply six gamers to win his second World Sequence of Poker (WSOP) bracelet.

The money recreation specialist who has appeared numerous instances on televised reveals reminiscent of Excessive Stakes Poker has an enormous chip lead on the last desk of Occasion #32: $3,000 No-Restrict Maintain’em. Motion will resume with Day 4 at 1 p.m. PT and can be dwell reported proper right here at PokerNews.

Can JRB Shut it Out?

Bellande, who gained his first and at present solely bracelet in 2018, may have a tall job forward towards a tricky last desk that features Jim Collopy, Jessica Vierling, and different expert execs. However he’ll have the benefit of 81 massive blinds when play resumes, 13 greater than Christos Argyriadis, who will return to motion with 68 massive blinds.

There is a vital dropoff from the highest two stacks, with Omar Zazay in third place at 35 massive blinds, adopted by Vierling’s 24. Collopy, searching for his fourth bracelet, is among the many brief stacks with 18 massive blinds.

Ultimate Desk Chip Counts

Bellande entered Day 3 on Thursday twelfth in chips, effectively above the typical stack. He spent your complete day in strong place, however discovered himself having to sweat out a flip and river for his event life late within the day. And anybody who has adopted JRB’s profession is aware of these form of palms do not appear to go his approach typically, together with the next memorable hand he busted on the WSOP with pocket aces.

Bellande would transfer all in with pocket aces once more deep within the $3k and acquired a name from Argyriadis, who had Okay♦10♦. The flop got here out 6♠9♦J♦, leaving JRB in determined want of dodging a straight flush draw. Spoiler alert: he did.

JRB merely could not lose in probably the most essential spots on Thursday. He doubled with kings towards 10’s, queens towards a flopped flush draw, and hit runner-runner flush to crack flopped prime pair. Day 3 was his day. If he runs simply as sizzling on the last desk, he’ll win his second bracelet and the $538,158 first-place prize.

Bellande, who’s making simply his sixth profession WSOP last desk look, would crack the $5 million mark in lifetime dwell event cashes if he wins the event, in accordance with The Hendon Mob database. He would additionally safe his second massive event win of the yr, his first being the Onyx $100,000 No-Restrict Maintain’em Excessive Curler Championship for $1.5 million in January.