Two tournaments on the slate yesterday at the 2013 World Series of Poker completed their Day One action, with one of the tournaments already in the money and the other with some work yet to do.
Event #9 – $3000 No Limit Hold’em Shootout – Day One
The $3000 Shootout event was capped at 2000 players but, in reality, it wouldn’t even come close. 477 players showed up to play in what many arguably consider one of the easier bracelets to win because of the format. In the Shootout, you have to win your table to move on to the next level, meaning that after Monday’s Day One action, the players were all in the money.
With the odd number of players, there will be some chip differences between the 60 survivors when they come back for play on Tuesday. Some of the notables who will be in attendance (and who have earned the minimum $7384 payday) and the tables they will be on are as follows:
Table 436 – James Mackey, Matt Salsberg and Tim West
Table 437 – Nick Binger and Andy Philachack
Table 438 – Brandon Cantu and Steven Silverman
Table 439 – Victor Ramdin, Cherish Andrews, Max Steinberg and Dario Mineri
Table 440 – Simeon Naydenov and Timothy Nuter
Table 441 – Kevin Eyster and David “Bakes” Baker
Table 442 – Chris Klodnicki and John Hennigan
Table 443 – Alessandro Longobardi and Antonio Esfandiari
Table 444 – Brock Parker, Cliff Josephy, Randy Dorfman, Bryan Piccioli, Dan O’Brien and Kyle Julius
Table 445 – Leo Wolpert and Dario Sammartino
As you can see from the list, Table 444 will be the “Table of Death” as every single player has an outstanding tournament resume. The tables will be six-handed and the victor at each table will move on to tomorrow’s ten-handed final table, where the champion will take home a payday of $299,486 and the WSOP bracelet.
Event #10 – $1500 Limit Hold’em – Day One
While the action was frantic over in the Shootout, the Limit Hold’em tournament was a sedate affair. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything going on as, after late registration, 645 players had plunked down their buy in for the tournament. By the time the day was done, only 177 people had survived the travails of Limit play.
Such professionals as John Racener, Scott Seiver, Justin Bonomo, Carlos Mortensen, Phil Hellmuth and Barry Greenstein would not be among the 177 standing at the end of Monday, but there are some interesting names that make up the Top Ten. Last year’s ninth place finisher in the Championship Event, Steve Gee, was able to finish the day with a decent 39,800 chip stack and in the Top Ten. Kevin MacPhee, Eric Froelich, John Monnette and Tom Schneider are also lurking under the Top Ten, which is headed by Thomas Blizniak.
1. Thomas Blizniak, 45,700
2. Miguel Proulx, 45,100
3. Luis Benitesneri, 41,100
4. Chiduziem Obi, 40,800
5. William James, 40,400
6. Steve Gee, 39,800
7. Arkadiy Tsinis, 37,800
8. Matthew Kelly, 35,700
9. John Zipperer, 33,500
10. Amos Segev, 32,200
The $870,750 prize pool will be divvied up between the top 72 players, with the champion crowned on Wednesday to earn the WSOP bracelet and a $191,605 cash out.
Starting Today – Event #11 – $2500 Six Handed No Limit Hold’em
There is only one tournament on the agenda that will open play today at the WSOP. The $2500 Six Handed No Limit Hold’em tournament should draw an excellent mix of young tournament pros and amateurs who are looking to make a name for themselves in the tournament poker world. Expect this event to draw around 700 players with its slightly larger buy in, as last week’s similar event, Event #4’s $1500 Six Handed tournament, drew a field of 1069.
Today’s action will also wrap up the first week of play at the 2013 World Series of Poker. While these tournaments will be closely watched, most of the attention will be drawn towards the final table of the “Millionaire Maker” as it crowns its champion at some point this evening.
Ha Helmouth is getting clowned and moping out there. Typical!