The 10,043-entrant 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event was down to the final 15 players heading into Day 8. Six more eliminations were needed before the final table would be set in the record-shattering WSOP Main Event.
Following the elimination of England’s Jack O’Neill early on Day 8, a big pot played out on the feature table that dramatically changed the poker journey of at least two players involved.
Day 6 overnight chip leader Joshua Payne opened with a raise in middle position with pocket kings. Jose Aguilera was dealt pocket queens on the button and elected to three-bet. Daniel Weinman was in a small blind, and he looked down at pocket jacks, studied both opponents, and then moved all in.
Payne shoved over the top, and having both players covered, Aguilera called to put Payne and Weinman at risk.
Payne was in fantastic shape to triple up after the three massive pair clashed, putting him among the top few chip stacks with just 14 players remaining in the WSOP Main Event.
The flop changed nothing, but the dagger of a jack on the turn thrust Weinman into the lead. The river bricked out, and Weinman more than doubled up to be among the chip leaders. Payne would be eliminated in 14th place for $430,200 in prize money, while Aguilera was sent to the bottom of the leaderboard.
Aguilera’s tournament ended on the final table bubble when he was eliminated by Jan-Peter Jachtmann’s straight. That lucky turn card rocketed Weinman up the leaderboard, where he advanced to the 2023 WSOP Main Event final table and sat third overall among the final nine players.
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The 2023 WSOP Main Event final table will air exclusively on PokerGO.com on Sunday, July 16, at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT. The final nine will play down until four players return on Monday, July 17, at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT. The eventual winner will take home the $12,100,000 first-place prize, the prestigious WSOP Main Event bracelet, and the title of 2023 World Champion.
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