There are just six players left in the $10,000-entry World Poker Tour World Championships Main Event. Heading towards a top prize of $5.67 million and one of the biggest major titles of the year in the lead is Andrew ‘Chewy’ Lichtenberger, who shares the final half-dozen with other stars of the felt such as British poker heroes Ben Heath and Chris Moorman. One day stands between the remaining players and a monumental title that will be won at the Wynn in Las Vegas.

Final Two Tables Produce Huge Drama

With 16 players beginning the penultimate day’s play, players knew that for their dream to continue to the final day, ten players needed to lose their stacks. That bust-out bonanza began and players jostled for position behind the leaders. One of the early movers in the right direction was British player Carl Shaw, who took out Henrique Zanetti in 15^th place. Shaw’s held against Zanetti’s as the board of kept the made pair in front, leaving Zanetti to head to the rail with a cash of $291,700.

Lithuanian player Paulius Vaitiekanus busted in 14^th as Chris Moorman continued his fine run in this series. The British player called the Lithuanian’s shove and had the best of it when he did so, holding to Vaitiekanus’ . The board of provided no respite for Vaitiekanus and he busted short of the final dozen for $363,300.

While Shaw and Moorman were crushing, so too as British poker high roller Ben Heath. As all three Brits continued to dominate the chipcounts, Shaw even moved temporarily ahead of Andrew ‘Chewy’ Lichtenberger, but that feat was not to last. Ade Olonoh (13^th for $363,300) was next to go, losing with aces to Daniel Sepiol’s pocket tens after a painful ten on the river. The final dozen were set, with half their number needing to be eliminated before play ended for the night.

Lucky Chewy Gets the Max from Min

Some poker tournaments turn on one hand, where the player who doesn’t have the chips suddenly does. For Chewy, that hand he looks back on may well be the one played against Jason Min. On a flop of , Chewy managed to four-bet jam with and get a call from Min with . The turn and river changed nothing and from having 28 million at the start of the hand, just 35 big blinds, Chewy suddenly had double the amount at just the right time. Chewy would bust Min with ace-queen holding against ace-jack moments later to pile up 88 big blinds as Min cashed for $456,500.

Russian poker boss Artur Martirosian made either the fold of the tournament or a terrible lay-down at the wrong time after ditching a turned full house of jacks full of queens when put to the test by Sepiol.

“I am pretty sure you have aces,” said the Russian, with an ace having come in the window. We’ll never know if he was right or wrong, Sepiol mucking his cards, but it kept Martirosian’s hopes of glory alive that little while longer and you can’t put a price on hope.

Meanwhile, on the other table, Moorman was crushing. He took out the moody-looking but brilliant Maxime Chilaud in 11^th place for $456,500. Soon after, Chewy claimed another scalp, getting John Richards when pocket aces easily swatted aside Richards’ king-ten. Chewy was up to 99 big blinds and if he had any problems at all, the chip lead wasn’t one.

Final Nine Play Down to Six

That elimination of Richards saw Chewy enter the nine-handed unofficial final table with the lead, and with his nearest challenger being Chris Moorman with 72 big blinds (some 27 blinds behind him) Chewy certainly had the power when play began. He busted Ben Jacobs when the latter shoved with and was called by Chewy with . An ace on the flop did the damage and as Jacobs consoled himself with a score of $566,900, the field was down to seven.

Mark Mounsey had led the field not long ago in tournament terms but left in 8^th place for $721,600. All-in with he couldn’t overtake Chewy’s as an ace-high flop led to Mounsey’s ultimate elimination by the turn. Not long afterwards, Moorman took out his fellow British player Carl Shaw, as outran , a board of saw Moorman hit a straight on the turn as he bagged second spot on the leaderboard and Shaw left with $928,900.

Here’s how Chewy reacted to a great night at the felt.

“Chewy” @luckychewy has a massive chip lead heading into the Final SIX of the $10,000 Main Event with $5,678,000 for FIRST 😅😳

It will be on @WPT’s YouTube tomorrow December 21st at 4pm PST pic.twitter.com/qFIExeXaHg

— Poker Org (@pokerorg) December 21, 2023

With six players of huge repute returning in tomorrow’s grand final, you can watch what happened on Day 6 of the WPT World Championships in full right here: