2010 World Series of Poker

Event #57: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Event Info

2010 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aj
Prize
$8,944,310
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$68,798,600
Entries
7,319
Level Info
Level
41
Blinds
800,000 / 1,600,000
Ante
200,000

Who's in the Pavilion?

We expected a packed house today, but the crowd is a little thin over here in the Pavilion. We've got just 18 tables set up for play, though we expect to be overrun with late entrants following the first two breaks. On our first scan of the room, we've found some familiar faces.

We've got a World Champion amongst us; Chris Moneymaker has taken his seat over here in the White section. Also here are Scott Seiver, David Gray, Greg Mueller, Lee Watkinson, and Chino Rheem.

Andrew Robl has just entered a few minutes late as well.

Shuffle Up and Deal!

On hand to kick things off in the greatest tournament in the world is 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Greg Raymer.

"We're not gonna waste any time," said Raymer. "Let's shuffle up and deal!"

And with that, the 2010 WSOP Main Event is underway!

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

Welcome to the Amazon Room

Players stacked up at the ropes
Players stacked up at the ropes

Right on time, the doors to the Amazon Room are open and the first wave of Day 1a players is streaming into the tournament area in an orderly fashion. Today's PA system music selection is starting with REM's Losing My Religion, for whatever that's worth. There's not much chatter so it's still surprisingly quiet in here.

These are the last few fleeting moments of sedation before the doors get blown off this thing.

Welcome to the 2010 WSOP Main Event!

2009 Champion Joe Cada
2009 Champion Joe Cada

All the preliminary events of the 2010 World Series of Poker are in the books, or wrapping now in the cases of Event No. 54 and 56, and it's that time of year again. For every poker player, the Main Event signifies a dream to be had, a lifetime goal to be achieved. It is after all the single most important event of the year in poker. For many though, those hopes and dreams will be shattered with the turn of a card as thousands of players entering the most prestigious event in the world will leave empty handed.

For the fortunate bunch that will make it to the money and eventually that one blessed soul in which the stars align to see him or her rise in victory, the quest starts today. That's right folks, at noon today the first of four starting days kicks off at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for the 2010 WSOP Main Event.

Through the first 56 events, the 2010 Series has seen 65,647 entries. That number doesn't even include this year's Main Event entries and it has already surpassed the 60,875 entries that came from all 57 events total last year. That's quite the impressive increase in numbers and it's only going to grow with another few thousand tacked on for the upcoming Main Event.

One can only expect that the numbers for this year's main attraction will grow as well. Last year saw 6,494 runners take to the felt and after 12 long days of play, the field was whittled down to just nine. Those nine returned to the felt in November to finish things out. Coming out on top was young Joe Cada, becoming the youngest Main Event winner in history after taking home the title just eight days shy of his 22nd birthday. Cada earned a whopping $8,547,042 for his win last year. Although it's been an extremely quiet World Series so far for Cada this time around, he will be looking to give it his all in his title defense.

The Rio is buzzing right now and you can expect that both the Amazon Room and the Pavilion Room will be plenty full of players with one dream in mind -- winning the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event. Buckle up and get ready for all the action as only the official live reporting team for the WSOP can bring you. We're PokerNews and this is the WSOP Main Event. Let's get it on!

Event #57: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Championship

Day 1a Started