WPT POY Update, WSOPC Champ Banned, ANZPT Perth Underway

WPT Player of the Year Race Update

The World Poker Tour’s Player of the Year race for Season XII showed Jared Jaffee out in front with 1,850 points on the leaderboard. Dan Smith is currently tied for second place with Vasili Firsau, each with 1,400 points.

Third place is a three-way tie with Anthony Zinno, David Paredes, and Jordan Cristos each showing up with 1,250 points. And fourth place is a five-way tie with Anthony Merula, Dan Heimiller, Derrick Rosenbarger, Gary Benson, and Mukul Pahuja fighting for points with 1,200 each.

Chan Pelton Faces Chip-Stealing Consequences

The recent World Series of Poker Circuit stop at the Palm Beach Kennel Club ended with multiple gold ring winner Chan Pelton in the midst of a controversy. He reportedly took a chip from the final table before the tournament was over as a souvenir before he won the title, but that action was in direct violation of WSOP rules.

The Palm Beach Kennel Club ruled today that the rules were violated, confirmed by video surveillance and the perpetrator. The second-place finisher was awarded the title, and all prize money from Pelton’s removed first-place finish will be distributed to other players who cashed in the tournament.

Pelton is on an indefinite suspension from all WSOP-related events. He will not be allowed on any Caesars-owned property in the future. He will also not be eligible for the season-ending National Championship

Day 1A of ANZPT Perth Done

The Australia New Zealand Poker Tour kicked off the 2014 year and its second Season 6 tournament in Perth. The Crown Perth Casino was the host of the $2,200 NLHE Main Event.

Day 1 brought 85 players into action, including names like Oliver Gill and Jim Collopy. Only 54 players made it through the day, though, and Bernard Beh was the leader of the pack with 79,850 chips.