$50k H.O.R.S.E. headed down the home stretch

Vitaly Lunkin has his sights set on another bracelet.

Things are beginning to get very interesting in the $50k H.O.R.S.E. event.

The unofficial players' championship is now down to just 19 players and the winner of the 2009 WSOP $40k 40th anniversary tournament holds the overnight lead.

Russian Vitaly Lunkin pushed his way to the top of the leaderboard after four levels of play Sunday and following his second place finish in the $10k PLO World Championship, he sits poised to make his third final table of this summer.

While top pros like Phil Ivey, Barry Greenstein, Doyle Brunson and 2008 H.O.R.S.E champ Scotty Nguyen all hit the rail today, Swedish high-stakes cash player Erik "The Salmon" Sagstrom led the field for much of the day.

A late charge by Lunkin, who also won a bracelet in 2008, put Sagstrom second in chips headed into Day 4 Monday, but he still sounded enthusiastic about his chances.

"I've been feeling good the whole day," he said. "It's nice for the ego to win a tournament like this. I don't care that much about bracelets, but in this tournament, the money's nice, the field is nice and I love to play H.O.R.S.E."

2007 H.O.R.S.E. winner Freddy Deeb made a strong post-dinner push and will come into the final 19 third in chips with both David Bach and the omnipresent Ville Wahlbeck breathing down his neck.

With a bracelet win in the $10,000 Mixed Game World Championship, a runner-up finish in the $10k 2-7 Draw Lowball and a third in the $10k Seven-Card Stud already this year, Wahlbeck retains a shot at 2009 WSOP Player of the Year honors.

"I really did care about [winning Player of the Year] before Jeffrey [Lisandro] won his third bracelet," Wahlbeck said. "He's got such a massive lead that it's almost over now.

"I would like to win it, but with the year I've had already, I really can't complain."

Plenty of big names are still in contention, including Gus Hansen, Huck Seed, Tony G and Erik Seidel.

Play continues at 2 p.m. PT in the play down to the final table and PokerListings will have Live Updates throughout.

Event 50 - $1,500 Limit Shootout

Two bracelets for Mueller at the 2009 WSOP.

Canadian Greg Mueller won his second bracelet of the summer beating fellow 2009 WSOP bracelet winner Marc Naalden heads-up for the title.

For Mueller's thoughts on joining the multiple bracelet club click here.

Event 51 - $1,500 No Limit Hold'em

Alex Jacob, who came 4th in the a $1,500 No Limit event a week ago, looked poised to make another run here until a late collapse saw his chances slip. 2008 WSOP final tablist Owen Crowe will headline the field going into the final day 2 p.m. Monday.

Event 52 - $3,000 Triple Chance No Limit Hold'em

Replacing the rebuy events at the 2009 WSOP, this unique triple-chance event saw 854 entries for Day 1 Sunday.

After ten levels of poker just 153 survived.

Although it appeared Tim Horan and Anthony Spinella were neck and neck for the overnight lead, 2009 WSOP triple bracelet winner Jeffrey Lisandro is not far behind.

Play resumes at 2 p.m. PT Monday.

Event 53 - $1,500 Stud 8

The final Stud 8 event of the 2009 WSOP saw 467 players register Sunday.

Mike Matusow, Daniel Negreanu and host of other big names are still in the running headed into Day 2 at 2 p.m. PT Monday.

- With Files From Rod Stirzaker