Championship: Mukul Pahuja is Chipping Up

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  38 of 843

Thiago Camillo opened to 35,000 from late position, Ian Gillespie called from the hijack, and Mukul Pahuja three-bet to 130,000 from the button. Only Gillespie called.

The flop came 6s5d3d, Gillespie checked and Pahuja bet 300,000 winning himself the pot.

Mukul Pahuja – 1,525,000
Ian Gillespie – 600,000

Championship: Jake Schwartz Doubles Through Sam Soverel

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  42 of 843

Jake Schwartz (left) versus Sam Soverel (right)

Jake Schwartz was all in for 410,000 with 9c9s and out in front against Sam Soverel’s 7h7s.

The board ran out 3d2d2cQsQh, and Schwartz’s nines held to avoid elimination.

Jake Schwartz – 835,000
Sam Soverel – 715,000

Championship: Recent Payouts

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  42 of 843

Jason Young
43rd:  Mike Vela  –  $10,670
44th:  Femi Fashakin –  $10,670
45th:  Fred Goldberg  –  $10,670
46th:  Trung Tran  –  $10,670
47th:  Alan Schein –  $10,670
48th:  Lee Markholt  –  $10,670
49th:  Marcus El Huaick  –  $9,374
50th:  Joe McKeehen  –  $9,374
51st:  Erik Christensen  –  $9,374
52nd:  Sergio Grosso  –  $9,374
53rd:  Jason Young  –  $9,374
54th:  Justin Harvell  –  $9,374

Championship: Femi Fashakin Elimianted in 44th Place

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  44 of 843

On a flop reading KhJh4s, Brian Altman checked and Femi Fashakin bet 30,000 into a pot of around 150,000. Altman called.

The turn brought the 2h, Altman checked and Fashakin bet 60,000. Altman check-raised to 200,000 and Fashakin quickly let it go.

Fashakin was eliminated shortly after.

Brian Altman – 2,450,000
Femi Fashakin – Eliminated in 44th Place

Championship: Matt Affleck Takes Out Two

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  50 of 843

Matt Affleck

Matt Affleck opened, Lee Markholt shoved for 120,000 and Alan Schein called. Affleck put him in for 340,000 total and Schein called.

Matt Affleck: AdKh
Lee Markholt: 5c5h
Alan Schein: JsJh

The board ran out Ac10c9d6s10d and Affleck ended up with two-pair to eliminate both of his opponents.

Matt Affleck – 1,200,000
Lee Markholt – Eliminated
Alan Schein – Eliminated

Championship: Early Eliminations

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  50 of 843

Joe McKeehen

WSOP Main Event Winner Joe McKeehen was all in with AxQx versus Jake Dollinger’s 6x6x.

The board ran out KdQc9c6s7s and Dollinger ended with a set of sixes to eliminate McKeehen.

Among those who have been eliminated early in Day 3 include, Justin Harvell and WPTDeepStacks Champion Jason Young.

Championship: Jason Wandling Doubles Through Billy Pillosoph

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  52 of 843

Billy Pillosoph (center) versus Jason Wandling (right)

Jason Wandling was all in for 355,000 with AcKd and flipping against Billy Pillosoph’s 9d9c.

The board comes 8c5s4dQh, clean for Pillosoph until the Ks spikes the river.

Jason Wandling – 720,000
Billy Pillosoph – 480,000

Championship: Joseph Salvaggi Doubles Through Vadim Shlez

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  54 of 843

Joseph Salvaggi (left) and Vadim Shlez (right)

On the first hand of the day, Joseph Salvaggi open-shoved from under the gun for 80,000. Vadim Shlez was next to act and called the all-in. It folded around to Farad Jamasi in the big blind, he thought for a while, used a time chip, but folded his hand.

Salvaggi: Kc2h
Shlez: AhTh

Salvaggi was behind but had two live cards for a double. Shlez paired his ace on the Ad2d2c but Salvaggi made trip deuces. The 4d turn and 8d river were safe for Salvaggi’s double up.

Joseph Salvaggi – 200,000 (13 bb)
Vadim Shlez – 445,000 (30 bb)

Championship: Brian Altman Leads Day 3 Return

$3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  54 of 843

Brian Altman
Brian Altman

There’s a familiar face at the top of the counts as the WPT LHPO Championship returns for Day 3. Brian Altman already owns five SHRP titles, one from this tournament in 2015, and he’s looking to put his name on the WPT Champions Cup for a second time.

Altman is the only returning player with more than 2 million chips but it’s a tough field trying to chase him down. With 54 players coming back, the top ten is stacked alone with Darren Elias, James Calderaro, Victor Figueroa, and WSOP Big 50 champ Femi Fashakin all in great position for a final table run.

Cards go back in the air and they will play five 90-minute levels before ending their evening.

Top ten returning stacks:

  1. Brian Altman – 2,085,000 (139 bb)
  2. Scott Drobes – 1,990,000 (133 bb)
  3. Victor Figueroa – 1,535,000 (102 bb)
  4. James Calderaro – 1,435,000 (96 bb)
  5. Davian Santana – 1,175,000 (78 bb)
  6. Timothy Banks – 1,140,000 (76 bb)
  7. John Dollinger – 1,040,000 (69 bb)
  8. Darren Elias – 1,035,000 (69 bb)
  9. Femi Fashakin – 965,000 (64 bb)
  10. Tzu Huang – 960,000 (64 bb)

Day 3 Chips | Day 3 Seats | Payouts