Malcolm Trayner came into the World Series of Poker riding a wave of momentum.
The Australian poker pro shows no signs of slowing down in the Main Event.
Trayner was sitting on the big stack in the $10,000 buy-in No-limit Hold’em World Championship with 63.2 million chips when action was paused on Day 7 late Sunday at Paris Las Vegas with 21 players still standing.
The Main Event continues Monday with Day 8 when the tournament will play down to the final table of nine players. All the remaining players are guaranteed at least $325,000.
Trayner won the Aussie Millions Main Event in May for $990,759 and cashed in seven other WSOP events this summer before this deep run in the Main Event. He also captured a WSOP bracelet, which are awarded for tournament wins, when he took down the $1,000 buy-in Mystery Millions No-limit Hold’em event for $1 million plus bounties in 2024.
Trayner started Day 7 in eighth place and steadily chipped up throughout the afternoon and evening. He won a big pot with a full house against Jamie Shaevel during the third level of play and busted Tianle Wang in 28th place to soar over the 50-million chip mark.
A number of intriguing storylines remain in the Main Event, led by Hossein Ensan of Germany. The 2019 Main Event champion is looking to become the fifth player in history to win multiple Main Event titles, joining Johnny Moss, Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar and Johnny Chan.
Ensan, who battled with Will Givens for much of the afternoon, had 29.7 million chips and was in seventh place when play was halted.
Shaun Deeb also remained in the hunt for the Main Event title and was in sixth place with 31.3 million chips. The nine-time bracelet winner was already planning to enter more tournaments Monday as he chases the WSOP Player of the Year title.
Todd Brunson’s quest to join his father, Doyle, as a Main Event champion also remained alive as he had 7.8 million chips and was in 20th place.
Other notable players still in the field include Givens (31.7 million chips), who departed his table well before play was finished but still ended in fifth place, two-time bracelet winner Antonio Galiana of Spain, and longtime pro Greg Mueller, who owns three bracelets.
Of the 21 players still chasing the $10 million first prize, 10 of them are bracelet winners.
Top 10 Chips
1, Malcolm Trayner 63,200,000
2, Rami Hammoud 41,500,000
3, Lucas Jumalon 40,800,000
4, Evagoras Evagorou 38,200,000
5, Will Givens 31,700,000
6, Shaun Deeb 31,300,000
7, Hossein Ensan 29,700,000
8, Thomas Clack 27,500,000
9, Antonio Galiana 27,200,000
10, Mario Boos 24,300,000
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.
