This year’s World Series of Poker $10,000 buy-in NLHE main event started Thursday with poker legend Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson giving the traditional “Shuffle Up and Deal” call to the first of four entry field days.
Brunson, who has ten WSOP bracelets to his credit, had hinted that he might retire and sit this one out, but decided after all to enter “at least one more time” and give it his best.
The first day’s flight – generally a ‘slow’ day for registrations – nevertheless produced almost 900 entries that included former champ and internet legend Chris Moneymaker, 2004 champion Greg Raymer, Lex Veldhuis, Maria Ho, Vanessa Selbst, Sammy Farha, Eli Elezra, Johnny Chan, 2007 champion Jerry Yang, and celebrity player, actor Jason Alexander. There were many, many more recognisable faces in the day 1a crowds.
Registrations were slightly down on last year’s 1,125, but tournament officials expect the 8.5 percent increase in registrations experienced so far this year over the other 57 events to kick in on the next three Day 1 flights.
Last year’s total main event field numbered 7,319 and was won by Canadian pro Jonathan Duhamel, who took home $8.94 million and the much coveted WSOP Main Event gold bracelet.
Players were scheduled to play five 120-minute levels on this first day. Survivors from this and three other Day Ones will then play through a couple of Day Twos, after which all the survivors join in one field on Thursday, July 14.
Approaching midnight Thursday Vegas time, the Day 1a field was already down to 585 at level 5 – the last level of the day – with Fred Berger in the lead on 207,000 with his closest opposition Shane Sigsbee on 192,000.
Event 56: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em saw 42 players returning to the tables after two days of action, with Gavin Smith entering the third day as chip leader on 864,000, followed by James Boyle with 850,000.
Early in the evening the elimination of Bryn Kenney in 10th Place ($46,209) set up a final table consisting of Andy Philachack (leading on 5,350,000), Hasan Anter (3,200,000), Ryan Goindoo (1,460,000) Selim Oulmekki (1,450,000) Nemer Haddad (1,250,000), John Borzio (720,000), John Horvatich (650,000), Rayan Nathan (460,000) and James Boyle, who was almost immediately busted out in ninth place.
Heading into midnight Thursday Vegas time the final table was down to six players with Hasan Anter (5,475,000) and Andy Philachack (4,500,000) very comfortably ahead of their rivals.
25 players from an original field of 352 survived into the third day of event 57: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Split with Nick Schulman leading on 772,000 and Allen Kessler second on 568,000. At that point the field still held challengers like Phil Laak, David Bach, Kirill Rabstov, Nick Binger, David Sands and Lee Watkinson.
Around midnight Vegas time the action was down to a three-handed tussle between Nick Binger (2,495,000), David Bach (2,000,000) and Bryce Yockey (820,000) as level 26 was reached.
Phil Laak lasted through to fourth place before busting out, and took home $133,377.