As we are just about half-way through the 2011 World Series of Poker, it’s been a story of up and downs so far for a lot of players. Quite a few players won their first ever gold bracelets, while others have struggled to get any kind of momentum going in the 2011 World Series. The 2011 WSOP is on pace to break records with the number of players who have shown up for it to this point, seemingly showing that Black Friday hasn’t affected the events at all to this point. Here are a few of the winners and losers to the halfway point of the 2011 WSOP.
Winners:
John Juanda– He’s been at the top of his game lately. He’s a fan favorite, and an incredible player as well. Juanda knocked off Phil Hellmuth to keep him from getting his 12th bracelet in the $10k 2-7 Single Draw Championship to give Juanda a bracelet at this 2011 WSOP. He also found himself at the final table of the $2,500 8-game event, and has a few other good runs in events as well. John Juanda has been the hot name so far at the 2011 World Series of Poker.
Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier– What is there to say about ElkY? He has cashed three times at this World Series, including a gold bracelet for an event that he had never even played in a live tournament of before. One thing that people knocked on ElkY was his inability to win at the World Series of Poker, and that all changed after this year.
Steve Landfish– Landfish is showing he has game all over the board. He’s posted a 2nd place finish to ElkY in the $10k Stud event, as well as a 4th place finish in the $10k Limit Hold’em event soon after that. Landfish has the ability to compete with anyone at almost any game it seems.
Sam Stein– Stein is the current leader in the player of the year race, and won a bracelet in the $3k Pot Limit Omaha event. He’s playing incredibly well right now, and also has a third place finish in the $10k Pot Limit Hold’m event as well. He’ll be a tough out as player of the year if he keeps playing like this.
Losers:
Tom Dwan- durrr is having a tough outing in the 2011 WSOP. He’s played in a ton of events to this point, and has only had a decent run in the first event. He’s been an early out on nearly every other event he’s played, but still has plenty of time to turn it around in the second half of the 2011 World Series.
Phil Ivey- You can’t really consider Ivey a “loser” at anything, but everyone would really love to see Ivey play; and of course he’s decided to sit this years 2011 WSOP out due to the situation with Full Tilt not paying their players.
Daniel Negreanu– Negreanu’s spot is the same as Dwan’s. He’s struggled at this World Series, with only one cash for $5k in a $1,500 event; although he has played in almost every event that he could. Negreanu and Dwan are also both excellent players, and should be able to turn it around in the second half here.
The 2011 World Series of Poker still has 23 events remaining, including the Main Event on July 7th, which is a 13 day event.