The Latest: Blumenfield shifts briefly to third in face-off
LAS VEGAS (AP) The latest from the final day of the World Series of Poker main event championship (all times local):
6:45 p.m.
61-year-old Neil Blumenfield momentarily found himself in third place after some aggressive bluffing in a face-off with chip-leader Joe McKeehen at the World Series of Poker final table.
With all the cards laid out on the table - a three of clubs, six of clubs, 10 of diamonds and seven of diamonds - Blumenfield followed up an earlier 3.5 million chip raise with another 7 million.
After much deliberation, staring and literal hand-wringing as McKeehen shuffled 7 million worth of chips in his hands, McKeehen called showing he held a pair of kings. It was more than enough to beat Blumenfield's queen-high hand.
The hand cost Blumenfield second for a moment, briefly pushing Joshua Beckley of New Jersey into the spot until Blumenfield regained his standing during another McKeehen showdown. That time, the chip-leader folded, giving up the pot of chips to Blumenfield.
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6:10 p.m.
It's day three of the World Series of Poker's Main Event, and it's down to three players out of 6,420 who initially tried to win poker's championship title and a $7.68 million top prize.
Joe McKeehen, 24, of North Wales, Pennsylvania, is leading the pack, having held the most poker chips since play broke last July with the final nine players. Neil Blumenfield, 61, a former tech executive from San Francisco who has a fedora-wearing cheering section, is in second. Joshua Beckley, 25, a professional poker player from Marlton, New Jersey, is in third.
The runner-ups don't go away empty-handed. All nine won $1 million in July. Second place wins $4.47 million total. Third place wins $3.4 million.
