Updated: Coral Springs man sits No. 16 as World Series of Poker narrows
Looks like we're down to two from Broward-Palm in the World Series of Poker, but they're in good shape.
Kevin Schaffel of Coral Springs, who has been among the leaders since the tournament started, completed Day Five on Sunday in 16th place, with 2.1 million chips.
The field, which started with 6,494, is down to 185 players.
Ryan Fair of Fort Lauderdale is in 46th place, with 1.3 million chips.
5 p.m. Monday Update: Schaffel has slipped to about No. 30, losing 250,000 chips; meanwhile Fair is at ESPN's "second featured" table, meaning he'll likely get some air time when the telecast hits in a couple of months.
And the field is down to 145.
Schaffel has been playing in the World Series just as poker started to grow; his biggest cash was in the 2004, WSOP, when he earned $60,000 for finishing 40th.
Matthew Waxman of Parkland got his fourth cash of this year’s Series, finishing with just shy of $200,000 in prize money. He came in 399th, after his pocket jacks were called by an A-K and an ace hit the board. He earned $27,469.
Day two chip leader Amir Levahot of Weston busted out in 226th after he bet his 364,000 stack with K-J and ran into pocket aces. He took home $32,963.
NICK SORTAL began playing 3-card "gut" and "Indian poker" on high school band trips, moved on to "night baseball" and "pass the trash" during a Dr. Pepper-infused midnight game in the 1980s at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and now play in a regular neighborhood Hold 'Em game in Plantation. I have been given the assignment of writing about the gambling life in South Florida casinos for the Sun-Sentinel...which means sitting around watching poker on TV now counts as research.
