Main Event
Day 1 Completed
2011-12 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Choctaw Durant
Main Event
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
2011-12 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Choctaw Durant
Buy-in
$1,600
Prize Pool
$1,422,990
Entries
978
Level
31
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000
Day 1 of WSOPC Choctaw Sets New Bar, Chris Tiller Leads
![[user196975]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Level 9
: 400/800, 100 ante
Two starting flights and over fourteen hours of action Day 1 of the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event at the Choctaw Casino and Resort saw nearly 1,000 players take to the felt. Day 1a drew 647 players and Day 1b pulled in 300 entrants for a total of 947 players. Just 318 players survived the first flight and 180 players moved on from the evening flight. Standing above them all is Chris Tiller with 167,500.
La Sengphet (144,000) is the only player within shouting distance of Tiller with Ray Jennings (90,000) and Rob Salaburu (87,000) chasing. Also moving on to Day 2 are James Van Alstyne, Drazen Ilich, Raja Kattamuri, Men “The Master” Nguyen, Layne Flack, Tommy Vedes, Chad Brown, T.J. Cloutier, Tom McEvoy, Roland Israel, Scotty Nguyen and Dennis Phillips.
Not all notables were able to survive the day. Those finding the rail early include Gavin Smith, Todd Brunson and Ylon Schwartz.
In the meantime, Kattamuri has all but punched his ticket to the National Championship by claiming the title of Casino Champion. He’s been on the biggest heater Choctaw may have seen. Through nine events Kattamuri won two gold rings, Event #3 $555 No Limit Hold’em and Event #8 $555 Heads Up No Limit Hold’em, and turned in two other final table appearances – a second place finish in Event 6 $345 Six Max No Limit Hold’em and a sixth place finish in Event #9 $345 Pot Limit Omaha.
Also returning tomorrow will be Huy Nguyen, last year’s Main Event Champion. Nguyen got a late start in the evening flight due to the fact he was busy winning third WSOPC gold ring. He shipped Event #10 $345 No Limit Hold’em Turbo, grabbed a bite to eat and went right back to the felt to defend his title.
Day 2 will return nearly 500 players with play scheduled for 14 levels or a final table – whichever comes first. Cards will be in the air promptly at 12:00 p.m. CST and be sure to follow all the WSOPC action live on Pokernews.com
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Tiller | 167,500 |
| 2 | La Sengphet | 144,000 |
| 3 | Ray Jennings | 90,000 |
| 4 | Rob Salaburu | 87,000 |
| 5 | Darrell Roberts | 75,500 |
| 6 | Cynthia Tran | 71,000 |
| 7 | Andrew Nguyen | 68,000 |
| 8 | Jim Bullard | 65,000 |
| 9 | Drazen Ilich | 60,000 |
| 10 | James Van Alstyne | 60,000 |
Bone Crushing Souls
Level 9
: 400/800, 100 ante
Information on how Rob Salaburu picked up his healthy stack continues to pour into the PokerNews desk.
The cagey-yet-comedic Salaburu says he picked up aces one time and has been "bone crushing souls" ever since.
After Midnight Pokers
Level: 9
Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 100
Tommy Time
Tommy Vedes just doubled up again, sticking it to the player who suggested it was time for him to leave just moments ago.
Vedes called with two tens when this rather vocal opponent shipped it in on a 
board holding nothing but 
.
He left quietly and Vedes is making a run on 42k now.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
42,000 | 20,000 |
It's About That Time
After limping in from late position, 2009 WPT Festa al Lago champ Tommy Vedes found himself facing a 5k raise from the player in the Big Blind.
He sat thinking for a moment before checking his watch.
"Time to go Tommy," said the Big Blind, prompting Vedes to ship his last 10k in the middle. The Big Blind called, turning over 
and Vedes would need to get lucky, holding 
.
The 
flop was just what the doctor ordered and after the 
turn and 
river, Vedes was suddenly back where he started, sitting just above 20k. Apparently it wasn't time to go just yet.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,000 | 5,000 |
Sometimes They Sneak Up On You
We found Rob Salaburu in the field with stack of chips in front of him. We counted him at 87,000 and asked how he acquired them - he just smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
87,000 |
Level: 8
Blinds: 300/600
Ante: 75
Numerated Betting Discs & Their Owners
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
90,000 | 11,500 |
|
82,000 | 16,000 |
|
|
71,000 | |
|
60,000 | 15,000 |
|
44,000 | -1,000 |
|
42,000 | 22,000 |
|
41,000 | 15,000 |
|
40,000 | 22,000 |
|
32,000 | -18,000 |
|
28,600 | -4,800 |
|
28,000 | -500 |
|
|
25,000 | 10,500 |
|
|
17,000 | |
|
|
13,500 | -9,000 |