Event #1: $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em
Day 1 Completed
2021 World Series of Poker
Event #1: $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
2021 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$500
Prize Pool
$175,980
Entries
419
Level
31
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
419
Players Left
50
Leo Abbe Jumps to Top of the Chip Counts After Day 1 of the $500 Casino Employees Event
Level 17
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
For the first time in 26 months, the poker world came together at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino for the start of the 2021 World Series of Poker.
The $500 Casino Employees Event took its traditional role as the opening event of the WSOP, with 419 entries generating a prize pool of $175,980. After 17 40-minute levels on Day 1, around 50 players survived to Day 2 with their dream of capturing the coveted gold bracelet still alive.
Leading the way is Leo Abbe, a Sportsbook Promotions Associate with DraftKings. Abbe took two big pots off former chip leader Juan Carlos Latuff towards the end of the night to finish with 537,000.
Other big stacks include Shawn Weintraub (474,000), Roberto Reyna (461,000), Andrew Bart (422,000), and Akash Desai (415,000). PokerNews' Jesse Fullen survived the day with 223,000.
Not everyone was fortunate enough to make it through to Day 2. Chad Holloway, the 2013 champion of this event, busted on Day 1, as did 2019 Main Event fourth-place finisher Garry Gates and WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart. PokerNews team members Connor Richards, Matt Hansen, and Dannah Kamp also hit the rail.
The remaining players will return at 12 p.m. PST tomorrow in the Amazon Room. The schedule calls for them to play down to a champion. Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for what will surely be a packed day of action.
Day 2 Seat Draw - Event #1: $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em
Level 17
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
| Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 404 | 1 | Jeremy Zimmerman | United States | 71,000 | 7 |
| 404 | 2 | Gene Lee | United States | 144,000 | 14 |
| 404 | 3 | Ruben Meza | United States | 72,000 | 7 |
| 404 | 4 | Jason Smith | United States | 351,000 | 35 |
| 404 | 5 | Danny Chang | United States | 212,000 | 21 |
| 404 | 6 | Bryan Garrett | United States | 309,000 | 31 |
| 404 | 7 | Jerry Garver | United States | 212,000 | 21 |
| 404 | 8 | Aaron Wells | United States | 149,000 | 15 |
| 404 | 9 | Ronald Baltazar | United States | 304,000 | 30 |
| 405 | 1 | Joe Garrett | United States | 56,000 | 6 |
| 405 | 2 | Marco Starnoni | United States | 363,000 | 36 |
| 405 | 3 | Brian Matthiesen | United States | 27,000 | 3 |
| 405 | 4 | Leo Abbe | United States | 537,000 | 54 |
| 405 | 5 | Randolph Martinez | United States | 146,000 | 15 |
| 405 | 6 | Chris Minton | United States | 248,000 | 25 |
| 405 | 7 | Travis Williams | United States | 218,000 | 22 |
| 405 | 8 | Robert Tzumaedes | United States | 16,000 | 2 |
| 405 | 9 | Adam Lamers | Canada | 117,000 | 12 |
| 406 | 1 | Steven McLoughlin | United States | 247,000 | 25 |
| 406 | 3 | David Margulies | United States | 199,000 | 20 |
| 406 | 4 | Jesse Fullen | United States | 223,000 | 22 |
| 406 | 5 | Jason Thompson | United States | 176,000 | 18 |
| 406 | 6 | Bobby Schmidt | United States | 273,000 | 27 |
| 406 | 7 | Tom Kubin | United States | 151,000 | 15 |
| 406 | 8 | Robert Clabaugh | United States | 129,000 | 13 |
| 406 | 9 | James Scott | United States | 116,000 | 12 |
| 412 | 1 | Tyler Burke | United States | 186,000 | 19 |
| 412 | 2 | Kyle Morris | United States | 179,000 | 18 |
| 412 | 4 | Jack Behrens | United States | 363,000 | 36 |
| 412 | 5 | Edward Shade | United States | 86,000 | 9 |
| 412 | 6 | Wenrong Wang | China | 235,000 | 24 |
| 412 | 7 | Justin Steinman | United States | 194,000 | 19 |
| 412 | 8 | Rico Cuevas | United States | 104,000 | 10 |
| 412 | 9 | Joe Chang | United States | 285,000 | 29 |
| 413 | 1 | Andrew Bart | United States | 422,000 | 42 |
| 413 | 2 | Jodie Sanders | United States | 79,000 | 8 |
| 413 | 3 | Christophe Mudd | United States | 274,000 | 27 |
| 413 | 4 | Jordan Handrich | United States | 146,000 | 15 |
| 413 | 5 | Akash Desai | United States | 415,000 | 42 |
| 413 | 6 | Juan Carlos Latoff | United States | 39,000 | 4 |
| 413 | 7 | Sarah Lee | United States | 70,000 | 7 |
| 413 | 9 | Krisztian Dora | Hungary | 269,000 | 27 |
| 414 | 1 | Shawn Weintraub | United States | 474,000 | 47 |
| 414 | 2 | Daniel Kim | United States | 337,000 | 34 |
| 414 | 3 | Steven Rose | United States | 82,000 | 8 |
| 414 | 4 | Evan Zlock | United States | 240,000 | 24 |
| 414 | 5 | Kimberly Medina | United States | 120,000 | 12 |
| 414 | 7 | John Hayward | United States | 84,000 | 8 |
| 414 | 8 | James Barnett | United States | 343,000 | 34 |
| 414 | 9 | Roberto Reyna | United States | 461,000 | 46 |
Day 1 Chip Counts (full)
Level 17
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
537,000
122,000
|
122,000 |
|
||
|
|
474,000
139,000
|
139,000 |
|
461,000
461,000
|
461,000 |
|
|
422,000
-28,000
|
-28,000 |
|
415,000
96,000
|
96,000 |
|
|
363,000
363,000
|
363,000 |
|
|
363,000
183,000
|
183,000 |
|
|
351,000
127,000
|
127,000 |
|
343,000
343,000
|
343,000 |
|
337,000
24,000
|
24,000 |
|
|
309,000
309,000
|
309,000 |
|
|
304,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
|
285,000
218,000
|
218,000 |
|
|
274,000
274,000
|
274,000 |
|
|
273,000
273,000
|
273,000 |
|
269,000
269,000
|
269,000 |
|
|
248,000
-81,000
|
-81,000 |
|
247,000
137,000
|
137,000 |
|
240,000
48,000
|
48,000 |
|
235,000
235,000
|
235,000 |
|
223,000
38,000
|
38,000 |
|
||
|
218,000
218,000
|
218,000 |
|
212,000
212,000
|
212,000 |
|
|
212,000
102,000
|
102,000 |
|
|
199,000
41,000
|
41,000 |
Day 1 WSOP Wrap-Up
Level 17
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Bag and Tag
Level 17
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Play has ended for the night and the remaining players are bagging and tagging and will return on Friday at 12 p.m. PST as they play down to a winner.
Abbe Turns a Set to Win a Monster Off Latuff
Level 17
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Leo Abbe and Juan Carlos Latuff tangled again, and for the second time Abbe came out the victor.
Picking up the action on a board of 
, Abbe bet 45,000 from under the gun. Latuff, from the big blind, replied by shoving all-in for Abbe's remaining 150,000, and Abbe snap-called.
Abbe showed 
for the turned set, while Latuff mustered up 
for top pair and a gutshot.
The river came the 
and Abbe doubled up to 415,000. Latuff, the chip leader not long ago, was left with around 60,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
415,000
205,000
|
205,000 |
|
|
||
Burke Wins a Flip to Oust a Player
Level 17
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
A player in the small blind was all in and at risk for about 60,000 chips with 
against the 
of Burke.
The flop was 
to put the small blind player in an unlikely spot to stay alive, and the 
turn and 
river confirmed it as Burke chipped up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
186,000 |
Bart Four-Bets Baltazar
Level 17
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
After the cutoff opened with a raise to 8,000, Ron Baltazar three-bet from the button to 30,000. Andrew Bart, in the big blind, came back with a four-bet to 70,000, forcing the original raiser to fold.
Baltazar gave it some consideration before also folding.
Bart is up to 450,000, while Baltazar currently sits with 214,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
450,000
319,000
|
319,000 |
|
|
214,000
79,500
|
79,500 |
Abbe Takes a Chunk Off Latuff
Level 17
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
With the flop showing 
, Juan Carlos Latuff bet 36,000 from the hijack. Leo Abbe, next to act, raised all in for 73,000 more.
Latuff gave it some thought before deciding to fold, dropping down to 268,000. Abbe, meanwhile, is up to 210,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
268,000
-50,000
|
-50,000 |
|
|
210,000
210,000
|
210,000 |
|
|
||