Total entries for the Main Event in this year’s World Series of Poker Championships (see previous reports) currently ongoing in Last Vegas have not only broke all records, but have exceeded the expectations of the organisers. That’s official. The final numbers on the total field and first place cash prize for the 2006 World Series of Poker were announced this week.
With three first day heats and Day 1D half over, Harrah’s Entertainment released the final head count for the main event’s field as 8 773 entrants.
“We’re probably looking at at least $11 500 000 for first place.” WSOP commissioner Jeffrey Pollack said early on Day 1D. “It’s unofficial, we won’t know until the end of the day today, maybe tomorrow morning.”
It’s a hugely tempting incentive for the 2 160 players participating on the final “day one” of the 2006 main event, but many including big name players will fall by the wayside between now and the final table.
Defending champion Joe Hachem from Australia was playing aggressively, but was only one of six previous main event winners in the contest. The other former title holders included Thomas “Amarillo Slim” Preston (1972), Huck Seed (1996), Robert Varkonyi (2002), Chris Moneymaker (2003), and Johnny Chan (1987,1988) – the third, and final, 10-time bracelet winner to participate in the 2006 main event following the departure of Doyle Brunson and Phil Helmuth.
Others notables to exit during early action included Erik Seidel, Shahram “Sean” Sheikhan, Amnon Filippi, WPT host Vince Van Patten, Erick Lindgren, Slim Preston, Howard Lederer, Chris Moneymaker, Phil Gordon, Layne Flack, Mike Matusow, Sam Farha, Gus Hansen, Max Pescatori, Shannon Elizabeth, Juha Helppi, Marcel Luske, Jennifer Tilley, former boxing heavy-weight champion of the world Lennox Lewis and more.
When assistant tournament director Jack Effel called an end to the last “Day One” heat of the 2006 main event, early estimates put the remaining field at about 900 players.
Top names still battling for that final table include Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, Allen Cunningham, Robert Varkonyi, Ted Forrest, Freddy Deeb, Kathy Leibert, Huck Seed, Charlie Sewell, Layne Flack, David Chiu, David Grey, Jeff Madsen, Hoyt Corkins, Mike Caro, Carlos Mortensen, John Juanda
Watch out for 21 year old Jeff Madsen who has already been a big winner and record breaker in this championship and is still in there slugging.