Three big names in the poker world are sitting atop the leader-board heading into the final day of the $1,500 Pot Limit Holdem tournament at the 2011 World Series of Poker, Brian Rast, Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler, and Ali Eslami.

Rast is one of the best cash game players in the world and excels in Pot Limit Omaha –which makes him very dangerous in any Pot Limit tournament. Rast will take a massive chip-lead into the final day of play, making him the odds on favorite to win his first WSOP bracelet.

Kessler is a prolific tournament known for his tactical style, and even though he gets needled for his numerous min-cashes, Kessler does know how to pick up the pace when he has a chance at a win.

Eslami has rejuvenated his tournament career in 2011 with a runner-up finish in the $10k Bounty Shootout at the Big Event in LA, a win at the WSOP Circuit Regional Championship in San Diego, a final table appearance at the 2011 WPT Hollywood Poker Open, and two cashes –including a final table—at the 2011 WSOP thus far.

Here is a look at the chip counts heading into the final day of play:

1. Brian Rast – 1,081,000

2. Allen Kessler – 618,000

3. Ali Eslami – 402,000

4. John Gordon – 380,000

5. Ronald Lee – 198,000

6. Andrew Cohen – 190,000

7. Mika Paasonen – 187,000

8. Daisuke Endo – 174,000

9. Ted Lawson – 140,000

10. Dajuan Whorley – 85,000

Results courtesy of wsop.com

Tags: Ali Eslami, Andrew Cohen, Cash Game, Chainsaw, Endo, Game Players, Kessler, Lawson, Leader Board, Mika, Odds, Pace, Poker World, Pot Limit Omaha, Rast, Regional Championship, world series, World Series of Poker, WPT, WSOP

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