2009 WSOP Main Event Field Combines on Friday for Day 3

Due to the large crowds that turned out for the final two Day Ones in the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, there were 2,924 players that congregated throughout the Rio at the start of play on Wednesday.

WSOP officials were concerned that there wouldn’t be enough eliminations to be able to allow everyone to be seated in the Amazon Room when the Main Event begins Day 3 on Friday. Adding into those fears was that Day 2B would only be playing four levels of action to be able to mesh up with Day 2A (which had played five levels on Tuesday).

After the four scheduled levels had been completed, all questions were comfortably answered. In a stunning development, out of the 2,924 players who started Day 2B, more than half the field was ejected from the Rio; only 1,437 survived the day. Combining those players with the Day 2A group of 607 survivors means that 2,044 players will take to the felts for Day 3 on Friday.

Troy Weber, who ended up as the overall chip leader once the four Day Ones were completed, continued to play excellent poker and paced himself over the course of the day on Wednesday. While he was “only” able to move his stack up to 453,200, it was good enough to land him in third place on the overall leaderboard. Although no first day leader has ever gone on to win the $10,000 Main Event at the WSOP, Weber seems to be in good shape to break that curse.

Leading the 2,044 player field that remains is San Francisco’s Amir Lehavot, who is stacked with 610,500 in chips. After starting the day with only 80,000, Lehavot earned a large portion of his chips in a hand he played right after a table change. “Thirty minutes before we ended for the day, I had a huge hand,” Lehavot recalled to WSOP officials. “I had just moved to this table and sat down with about 350,000 in chips. There was this other big stack that had 250,000. I had pocket threes and flopped a set against his high pocket pair.”

Lehavot has a host of professionals to contend with. Former World Champions who are still alive include Bobby Baldwin, Phil Hellmuth, Jim Bechtel, Dan Harrington, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Carlos Mortensen, Greg Raymer, Joe Hachem, and defending champion Peter Eastgate, who had to fight from the felt during Day 2B to remain alive. Eastgate enters Day 3 with an average stack.

Even with all of the champions still alive, 2009 double bracelet winner Phil Ivey continues to demonstrate why he is considered one of the best in the game. Sitting on 346,200 in chips, the Full Tilt Poker pro is in the Top 20 on the leaderboard and is making strides to claim the WSOP Main Event as his third bracelet of 2009. Other bracelet winners from this year’s tournament schedule still battling include Jeffrey Lisandro, Ville Wahlbeck, Vitaly Lunkin, and Greg “FBT” Mueller.

Thursday is well-deserved day off for the 2,044 Main Event gladiators. The media charity event, set up to play in a Dream Team Poker format, will take center stage today. After today’s rest and relaxation, the drive to the final table will take place over the next week. By July 15th, we will know who the next members of the “November Nine” are.