7,319 Players Enter Second Largest WSOP Main Event in History
7,319 players stormed the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for the first four Day Ones of the 2010 World Series of Poker $10,000 Championship Event, making it the second largest tournament in the history of the 41 year old institution.
To put this year’s tournament in perspective, only the 2006 WSOP Championship Event and its 8,773 player field – held prior to the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in the United States later that year – eclipsed the number of players accommodated by the Rio this year. While this year’s Main Event is the second largest tournament in history, the first place prize will not be the second largest in history. Due to the flattened payout structure instituted by Harrah’s and WSOP officials last year, this year’s winner will receive $8,994,138, the third largest payday behind 2006 champion Jamie Gold’s $12 million bonanza and 2008 victor Peter Eastgate’s $9,152,416 bounty.
Day 1D was by far the largest of the four Day Ones held., as 2,391 players stepped up to take their shot at winning poker’s most cherished championship. Day 1D vastly outpaced the three previous Day Ones (1125, 1489 and 2314 players, respectively), leaving poker fans around the Pavilion and Amazon Rooms of the Rio scrambling to search for their favorite pros.
Former Dallas Cowboy great and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Emmitt Smith issued the call to “shuffle up and deal” before stepping to the felt himself, decked in Full Tilt Poker regalia. Although he made it through the first break, the all-time leading rusher in NFL history didn’t last long at the tables. Joining him on the rail were such professional players as “Ante Up For Africa” champion Phil Gordon, John Kabbaj, Pamela Brunson, 2005 WSOP final table duo Joseph Hachem and Steve Dannenmann, John Juanda, Sorel Mizzi and Noah Boeken.
According to statistics from the WSOP website, 1699 players survived the carnage of the final Day One of the 2010 WSOP, with several notable professionals stepping up to the top of the leader board. WSOP bracelet holder Steve “MrSmokey1” Billirakis was able to capture the lead of Day 1D by finishing off the night with 187,150 chips. He is closely pursued by Khamsy Nuanmanee, a 24-year old player from Las Vegas who thrilled the crowd around the Rio with her run up to 170,525 in chips. Others trailing behind this duo on Day 1D include David Benyamine (130,800), Team PokerStars pro Vanessa Rousso (111,050), 2010 bracelet winner Matt Keikoan (105,175), Josh Arieh (103,650), Jason Mercier (90,525) and 2010 WSOP Player of the Year contender Frank Kassela (87,000)
The remaining 5,129 players in the 2010 WSOP Championship Event will now proceed to play over the next two days. Days 1A and 1C will be hitting the felt Friday afternoon for Day 2A, with roughly 2400 players scheduled to meet again for battle. Corwin Cole looks to be the overall leader for the four Day Ones with 228,200 in chips, but there are a host of challengers that await him in the Top Ten of Day 2A alone.
Sitting in fourth place at the start of Day 2A is the last man to win back to back WSOP Championship Event titles, Johnny Chan, stacked with 163,700 in chips, top female professional Lauren Kling (149,650) in seventh, Hendon Mobster Barny Boatman (144,050) in eighth and $50K Players’ Championship winner Michael Mizrachi holding down the tenth place slot with his 142,650 in chips. Others who will be looking to move up the leader board on Day 2A include Hoyt Corkins (129,150), defending WSOP Europe champion Barry Shulman (113,325), recent PokerStars signee David Williams (112,225) and former World Champion Chris Moneymaker (107,425).
After play today and Saturday (when Days 1B and 1D will play Day 2B), the field should be cut down to roughly 2500 survivors. The WSOP Championship Event will then take a break on Sunday before bringing the remaining warriors back for action on Monday. That Day 3 will be where the true action begins as players attempt to reach 747th place, the first position that will be paid at this year’s WSOP Championship Event, and other fortunate souls look to make WSOP history.
Related World Series Of Poker News:
- WSOP Updates, $10,000 Main Event, Day 1d – Josh Evans Leads Fourth Opening Day
- 2010 World Series of Poker Day 41: Billirakis and Nuanmanee lead Day 1D of the Second Largest WSOP Main Event Ever
- 2007 WSOP Updates - Event #3 – Alex Jacob Dominates, Leads Way to Final Table
- 2008 WSOP $10,000 NLHE Championship Day 1D: Second Largest Main Event Field in History
- 2011 World Series of Poker Day 40: Hellmuth Arrives to the Main Event
- 2011 World Series of Poker Day 41: Main Event Draws Third Largest Field in History
- Facebook Poker Players Get Shot at WSOP
- WSOP Updates – Event 49 – Billivara Wins Largest Non Main Event Tournament Ever
- 2006 WSOP: WSOP Main Event Day Four
- 2008 WSOP Event #2, $1,500 NL, Day 1a: Record Field Looms
- WSOP Updates, $10,000 Main Event, Day 4 – Dag Martin Mikkelson Returns to Lead
- ESPN WSOP Main Event Ratings Up 22%
Useful poker terms:
- STUD - Any of several poker games in which some of each players' cards are exposed.
- LEAK - To show one's hole cards (often unknowingly).
- PROP - Also PROPOSITION PLAYER. An employee of the gaming establishment whose primary purpose is to keep enough players at a table to prevent breaking up the game for lack of players. Unlike SHILLs "props" make a small hourly wage but play with their own money, winning or losing based on their skill.
- SHOWDOWN - The point at the end of the hand where all active players reveal their cards and the pot is awarded to the winner(s).
- BUTTON CHARGE - A periodic fee paid by whoever is the button, perhaps every 20 minutes or 30 minutes. Constitutes part or all of the HOUSE CUT.
- NUT / NUTS - The best possible hand of a given class. Not a LOCK unless all cards have been dealt. The "nut flush" is the highest possible flush, but might still lose to, e.g., a full house. Usually used in Hold'em games.
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