2008 World Series of Poker

39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Entries
6,844
Players Left
9
Next Payout
Place 9
$900,670
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
120,000 / 240,000
Ante
30,000

End of Day 1a

Wayne Newton and friends
Wayne Newton and friends
After months of anticipation, poker's greatest spectacle, the Main Event of the World Series of Poker, has finally begun. Following a grand introduction by Wayne "Mr. Vegas" Newton and the UNLV Marching Band, the first of our four "Day Ones" finally kicked off sometime after noon today.

Day 1a saw a total of 1,297 players come out to test their fortunes. Many more have already registered, although the total number of entrants for the event is yet to be determined. Even so, many in the Amazon Room are currently speculating that number may well exceed last year's total of 6,358.

Our end of day chip leaders were able to grow their starting stacks of 20,000 up toward the 200,000-chip mark, with Mark Garner, Kellen Hunter, Patrick Fortin, Stefan Mattsson, Jeff Frerichs, Todd Rebello, Brandon Adams, Mojgan Stringham, Bryan Colin, and Kido Pham ending the day among our most prolific collectors of others' chips.

About half of those who came out today made it through the first five levels and will be back to play on Day 2a. Several notables saw their 2008 WSOP Main Event dreams dashed before the day completed, including Josh Arieh, Kevin "BeL0WaB0Ve" Saul, Dan Harrington, Joe Sebok, Freddy Deeb, David Benyamine, Tom "durrrr" Dwan, Eli Elezra, Lyle Berman, Erica Schoenberg, "Miami" John Cernuto, Gavin Smith, J.J. Liu, and 2007 Main Event runner-up Tuan Lam.

Official updated chip counts for Day 1a participants will be posted later on tonight. Thanks for following today's coverage, and be sure to come back tomorrow at noon Vegas time for Day 1b of the 39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event.