Bodog Beat

Poker pro Erik Seidel holds the chip lead after Day 4 of the WPT Foxwoods Poker Classic. (Bodog Beat Image)

Here's a quick little prop bet for you: How long will it take to eliminate three players and go from nine down to the six who will make up the televised final table of the WPT Foxwoods Poker Classic? We'll set the line at three hours. You take the over/under.

Theoretically, today should be a very short one for the participants at the psuedo final table of this event. At any other point in a tournament, except for maybe the money bubble, losing three players would take less than an hour, tops. However, with a first-place prize of just under $1 million and a shot at getting their faces on TV, the remaining players will be fighting and clawing to stay in the game.

Another question: Current leader Erik Seidel (2,472,000) has eight times more chips than the short-stack Michael Farris (312,000) and about five times more than the other two short stacks, Natale Kuey (525,000) and Allen Bari (530,000). If the eight-time WSOP bracelet winner stayed in bed today, is it mathematically possible for him to still make the final table? What if he were traveling at 50 mph moving toward the poker room?

Chances are that Seidel will show up, being the consummate professional that he is. As will fellow poker pro Ted Forrest (1,682,000), who is currently in third place behind Adam Katz (2,190,000). Just a hair behind Forrest in fourth place, is Andrew Barta (1,433.000), and barring any disastrous implosions or an awful run of cards, those four should just be able to tighten up and cruise into the final table. Sitting precariously in that middle ground are Robert Richardson (719,000) and Frank Cieri (577,000), both of whom will need to make a move to have any chance against the bigger stacks at the final table, if those moves don't backfire on them.

Play will resume at noon ET and will end when those last three are gone, which could take 30 minutes or six hours. Stay tuned to the Beat and we'll keep you updated on the happenings in Mashantucket, Conn.

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