Jacob Bazeley Leads Final 15 in WSOP 2012 Event #2

Kentucky-based Jacob Bazeley tops the last 15 players left in event #2, the $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament, at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas.

Day 2 kicked off with 239 players still in contention for the $517,725 first prize from the $2,836,350 prize pool – created by the initial 2,101 entries – but an intense day of action saw that reduced dramatically ahead of the final day at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

The money bubble was reached quickly as 23 players were eliminated, ensuring that the 216th place finisher, Ohio’s Albert Rogers, left with $2,893 – while his elimination saw a spate of other exits, including Orlando’s Carter Gill (194th), Canada’s Terrence Chan (189th) and Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier (181st), of Florida, all for the same minimum cash.

Dan Smith Unfortunate To Exit in 17th

Vegas-based Dan Smith was extremely unlucky not to make the final 15, though, when he crashed out in 17th place for $18,890 after his A♣ Q♦ couldn’t hold against the K♦ J♣ of California’s Kwinsee Khoa Tran on a board that read A♠ K♣ 3♣ 5♥ J♥.

That hand chopped Smith down to just 40,000 chips – and he was gone in the next hand when Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Selbst’s 7♠ 7♣ overcame his A♥ 6♦ on a 2♠ 5♣ 6♠ 3♠ 8♦. Selbst also eliminated Toronto’s Nicolas Verkaik (16th for $18,890) in that hand when his A♣ Q♦ failed to improve.

When play resumes, however, WSOP Circuit regular Bazeley – who has 1,291,000 chips – will be aiming to surpass his best WSOP result, when he picked up $108,412 for finishing in 66th place at last year’s main event.

The 29-year-old from Cincinnati – who also has four WSOPC final tables on his resume – will have to finish in at least fifth place, for $117,921, if he is to beat that score from last summer.

Brent Hanks Battles Back Into Contention

Meanwhile, Vegas-based Brent Hanks gave an incredible display to fight back from holding only a couple of antes to finish the day in ninth place on 578,000, while Brooklyn’s Selbst – who is aiming to bag her second WSOP title – ended the day in fifth place on 706,000.

Experienced English pro JP Kelly – who picked up $302,005 for taking 26th place at the last main event – also enjoyed a good day, with the two-time WSOP bracelet winner finishing in fourth place on 721,000.

The London-based player won the $1,500 buy-in Pot-Limit Hold’em event for $194,434 in Vegas in 2009 before adding $225,535 three months later for taking down the £1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em WSOP Europe event in London.

He will surely be the favourite for this event now, although he certainly won’t have things all his own way later today.