Bjerkmann Leads Final 27 at WPT Venice Grand Prix

Just 27 players remain. That’s down from the 85 that started Day 2, and the 155 that originally bought into this World Poker Tour main event.

And with only 18 players getting paid, nine players will walk out of the Casino Di Venezia tomorrow with nothing to show for their efforts.

$302,065 is waiting for the winner and while Marcel Bjerkmann is closest to it right now, he’s got some stiff competition standing in his way.

Here are the top ten chip counts going into Day 3:

1. Marcel Bjerkmann – 436,300 2. Marko Neumann – 384,400 3. Jason Wheeler – 348,200 4. James Akenhead – 336,000 5. Andrey Gulyy – 326,000 6. Gianluca Trebbi – 323,500 7. Andrea Dato – 309,900 8. Gabriele Lepore – 233,200 9. Jeremie Sochet – 232,500 10. Alessandro Longobardi – 221,200

Akenhead, Scott Among Survivors

In 2009 James Akenhead made the final tables of the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas, and the WSOP Europe Main Event in London, and he’s making another run in Venice.

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Kara Scott will be working the shortstack as the money bubble approaches.

 

Akenhead finished fourth in chips heading into Day 3, his 336,000 narrowly edged out by American pro Jason Wheeler who finished the day with 348,200. Sitting in second, above Wheeler but below Bjerkrmann, is German pro Marko Neumann with 384,400.

Also through to Day 3, but much farther down the list, is Team Party Poker pro Kara Scott.

Scott has a very solid record making deep runs in big events, having finished runner-up the 2009 Irish Open for $413k and cashed in the WSOP Main Event twice for a total of over $80,000.

Scott heads into tomorrow 21st in chips with 60,100.

Big Names Among Busted

The final table could easily have had a lot more star power, but a host of big names went bust during the playdown to 27.

Hopes were high for Italy’s Filippo Candio, who became the first Italian to make the WSOP Main Event final table in 2010. Candio entered Day 2 as chip leader but went broke in a massive preflop all-in holding pocket queens against Jason Wheeler’s aces.

Candio flopped a set but Wheeler managed to make a flush by the river.

Also out was American pro Melanie Weisner, and she got unlucky to go broke. Weisner got her stack in with A-K against Simon Ravnsbaek’s A-6 but couldn’t dodge the six on the flop.

Joining Weisner and Candio on the rail were name-pros Tony G, Roberto Romanello, Marvin Rettenmaier, Max Pescatori, Mike Sexton and Guillaume Darcourt.

Action resumes tomorrow as the WPT Venice Grand Prix plays into the money and down to the final table. Keep an eye on our Poker News Section for more updates.