David Lestock Leads Charge to WSOP 2011 $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em/Omaha Glory

A trio of Americans will head into day three of the $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em/Omaha event at the top of the leaderboard in the Rio’s Amazon Room.

Washington DC’s David Lestock is the chip leader on 452,000 – just 4,000 ahead of second-placed Cameron New, of Texas, while Massachusetts native James Vanneman holds 377,000 in third spot for an event that attracted 606 entries although that was reduced to only 22 by the end of day two, and a prize pool of $1,378,650.

A total of 131 players began yesterday’s 10 levels, but players such as JP Kelly, Barry Greenstein, Eli Elezra and Dani Stern crashed out before making the money.

All the while, Vegas-based pro David Williams had moved into a dominating lead when winning a massive four-way pot in pot-limit Omaha when his aces held up to provide him with a chip stack that was about five times the average.

Team PokerStars Pro Williams – who also eliminated the bubble stack of Arizona’s Greg Lee in 64th – must have been wondering what he was going to spend his $310,225 first place winnings on at that point, but saw his hopes ended late in the day when going out in 24th for just $9,223.

Williams certainly won’t want to come up against eights again when his tournament life is on the line in any future events as he twice lost out to that starting hand for opponents.

Williams went all-in pre-flop to be left crippled when his As-Kc lost out to German Wilfried Harig’s 8c-8h on a board that showed 6h-5d-Qh-3c-8s.

The shell-shocked Williams then threw his final 10,000 in when holding Ad-10d against Oregon native Carter Gill’s 8c-8s, but lost out as his top two pair was again beaten by trip eights!

The always-dangerous Vegas pro Scott Clements – who is renowned for his Omaha skills – is still in, as are $2,500 Pot Limit Hold’em/Omaha gold bracelet winner Rami Boukai, of San Diego, David Baker, from Los Angeles, and the always exciting Gill.

Top 10 chip stacks after day two of the WSOP 2011 $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em/Omaha event:

1. David Lestock (USA) – 452,000

2. Cameron New (USA) – 448,000

3. James Vanneman (USA) – 377,000

4. Scott Clements (USA) – 359,000

5. Jonas Mackoff (Canada) – 290,000

6. Tyler Patterson (USA) – 268,000

7. Rodney Brown BREA (USA) – 249,000

8. Carter Gill (USA) – 249,000

9. David Baker (USA) – 247,000

10. Eugene Du Plessis (South Africa) – 213,000