The second of three starting flights in the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event ran Sunday and, as expected, the turnout was significantly greater than the previous day. Day 1A’s in the Main Event have historically been the small, primarily because players would prefer to not have to wait around multiple days for Day 2 should they advance. Only 943 tested their skill Saturday, but the field exploded to 1,942 on Sunday, bringing the two-day total to 2,885. It will be tough to beat last year’s attendance of 6,598, but it’s not out of the question. The third starting flight last year saw more than 3,400 signup, so if Monday can do just a bit better than that, the total field could eclipse 2012’s numbers. Either way, we’re almost certainly looking at the eight consecutive year that the Main Event will see over 6,000 players register.
Ending the day as the chip leader was Frenchman Clement Tripodi, who also leads all survivors from Days 1A and 1B as the only player to finish with over 200,000 chips. History tells us that we won’t see Tripodi later in the tournament, as the early chip leaders almost never stay at the top of the standings as the tournament advances, but should he continue his good run, he will make his own personal history. Tripodi has just one cash on his live tournament resume, according to TheHendonMob.com, and it was for less than $1,000. Thus, should he even min-cash, this event would be by far the biggest score of his life.
Because of the size of the field, the top of the Main Event leaderboard is usually filled with names that people do not recognize. There are some players amongst the largest chip stacks, though, that do stand out. Daniel “jungleman12” Cates finished Day 1B in third place with 188,425 and if it wasn’t for a minor late swoon, he might have finished as the chip leader. Other notables near the top of the 1,296 who survived include Sorel “Imper1um” Mizzi, Adam Friedman, WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown champ Kevin “1SickDisease” Eyster, Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad, Cliff “JohnnyBax” Josephy, Scott Seiver, and Liv Boeree.
Also doing well Sunday was actor, comedian and noted poker fan Ray Romano, who finished Day 1B in 126th place with 82,350. His co-star on the popular sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Brad Garrett, was not so fortunate and was eliminated.
Just behind Romano in the standings was someone that we did not expect to see at this WSOP, Doyle Brunson. Brunson announced in May that he would not be playing in any tournaments at the 2013 WSOP and held true to that statement until about a week ago, when he played in the $50,000 Players Championship. Apparently feeling good, he decided to make another run at a Main Event title; he finished Day 1B in 131st place with 81,025 chips.
Former Main Event champs Chris Moneymaker and Dan Harrington also made it to Day 2.
Day 1C of the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event will begin at noon Pacific time and will last for five two-hour levels.
2013 World Series of Poker Main Event – Day 1B Chip Leaders
1. Clement Tripodi – 207,050
2. Jevon Lam – 189,250
3. Daniel “jungleman12” Cates – 188,425
4. Robert Russ 176,650
5. Age Ravn – 162,325
6. Dan Owen – 158,900
7. Kenneth Silberstein – 152,075
8. Miguel Proulx – 150,500
9. Gianluca Rollo – 147,800
10. Robert Hehorayan – 146,100
2013 World Series of Poker Main Event – Overall Chip Leaders
1. Clement Tripodi – 207,050
2. Evan Panesis – 190,975
3. Jevon Lam – 189,250
4. Daniel “jungleman12” Cates – 188,425
5. Nicholas Crisp – 184,075
6. Abulaziz Almashal – 180,575
7. Robert Russ 176,650
8. Sergio Castelluccio – 175,825
9. Michael Wehner – 170,325
10. Age Ravn – 162,325
