In this week’s poker news round-up James Obst leads the World Series of Poker Player of the Year race as we move into the second half of the festival, and 888Poker shake things up with the introduction of shot clocks in all 888Live events.

As we encroach into the second half of the 48th Annual World Series of Poker (WSOP), James Obst has emerged as the front-runner in the coveted WSOP Player of the Year (POY) race.

The highest ranked Australian in the Global Poker Index (GPI) had a great week winning the $10,000 Razz Championship for $265,138, and bubbling the final table of the $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed event.

Looking at the Top 10 it seems Obst’s primary challenge will come from Mike Leah, John Racener, and the only man to win the thing twice: Daniel Negreanu.