$1,700 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Potawatomi
$1,700 Main Event
Day: 1a
Khalili Leads as 31 Advance From Day 1a of the 2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Potawatomi Main Event
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Day 1a of the 2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Potawatomi $1,700 Main Event saw 192 entrants hit the felt, and just 31 of those players would make it through to Day 2 after just over fifteen levels of play. In the end, it was Sohale Khalili who bagged the biggest stack, taking 624,000 on to Day 2.
Khalili, from Los Angeles, California, already has three WSOPC rings to his name, and more than $570,000 in career WSOP earnings. In February, he finished second in the WSOPC Rio Las Vegas Main Event, taking home $169,497. He'll be looking to use his already impressive stack to try and finish one spot higher here at Potawatomi.
Hot on the trail of Khalili are Ravi Raghavan (481,000), Matthew Levin (382,000), Janae Magnuson (373,000), and Frank Cerminara (371,000). WSOP Bracelet winner Brett Apter (339,000), 2019 WSOP Main Event Final Tablist Kevin Maahs (155,000), and 12-time WSOPC ring winner Josh Reichard (132,000) are still in the hunt, while former WSOPC Potawatomi champs Michael Hudson (148,000) and Keven Stammen (90,000) also managed to find a bag.
Maurice Hawkins, who holds the all-time lead in WSOPC rings, had a healthy stack for a good portion of the day, but faltered late and was unable to advance. Aaron Massey, Aaron Johnson, and Jerod Smith were some of the other notables that found themselves out the door during today's flight, but they have one more flight in which to secure a bag.
Saturday's Day 1b flight kicks off at 11:00 a.m. local time, and any players who were unable to find a bag, along with any newcomers, will have one final shot to advance to Day 2. Players will start with 30,000 in chips and play through to the same time that the previous flight ended.
Be sure to keep it tuned to the PokerNews Live Reporting blog to follow all the action here in Milwaukee, as we come one step closer to crowning the latest WSOPC Main Event champion!
End Of Day 1a Chip Counts (full)
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
624,000 | 174,000 |
|
481,000 | 81,000 |
|
382,000 | 382,000 |
|
373,000 | 43,000 |
|
371,000 | 11,000 |
|
339,000 | -41,000 |
|
|
319,000 | |
|
259,000 | 259,000 |
|
246,000 | 246,000 |
|
197,000 | 197,000 |
|
193,000 | 193,000 |
|
164,000 | 44,000 |
|
158,000 | -32,000 |
|
155,000 | 15,000 |
|
148,000 | -42,000 |
|
145,000 | 145,000 |
|
133,000 | -17,000 |
|
132,000 | -68,000 |
|
120,000 | 92,000 |
|
97,000 | 61,000 |
|
92,000 | -10,000 |
|
90,000 | -15,000 |
|
|
83,000 | 83,000 |
|
73,000 | -62,000 |
|
66,000 | -81,000 |
Shin Last to Fall on Day 1a
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Mike Shin jammed for 29,000 on the button, and Kou Vang called in the small blind.
Mike Shin: 
Kou Vang: 
"Chop it up," Vang said with a smile.
Vang instead pulled far ahead on the 
flop, and the 
turn and 
river failed to improve Shin, leaving him out the door as the last elimination of the evening.
Stay tuned for a full list of chip counts, as well as a full recap of the day's action shortly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Holloway Falls Just Short of Day 2
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
As told to us by the man himself, Chad Holloway jammed for 61,000 from under the gun, and Ravi Raghavan made the call in the small blind.
Chad Holloway: 
Ravi Raghavan: 
Holloway's fours found no love on a dry board, and Holloway's Main Event comes to a close, as he said he will not be firing tomorrow's Day 1b flight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
400,000 | 70,000 |
|
Busted |
Khalili Takes a Huge Pot From Gao
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Leon Gao bet 15,000 on a 
flop, and Sohale Khalili called next to act.
Gao bet 27,000 on the 
turn, and Khalili raised to 77,000. Gao called.
On the 
river, Gai checked, and Khalili announced a bet of 100,000.
"Your turn to hit your gutshot, eh?" Gao told Khalili. He called shortly after, and his assumption was correct, as Khalili turned Broadway with his 
to take down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
450,000 | 100,000 |
|
80,000 | -160,000 |
Late Night Chip Counts
Level 16
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
380,000 | |
|
|
360,000 | 90,000 |
|
|
330,000 | 225,000 |
|
|
330,000 | 150,000 |
|
|
240,000 | |
|
|
200,000 | -70,000 |
|
|
190,000 | 45,000 |
|
|
190,000 | -88,000 |
|
|
150,000 | 78,000 |
|
|
147,000 | -8,500 |
|
|
140,000 | 95,000 |
|
|
120,000 | -20,000 |
|
|
105,000 | -85,000 |
|
|
102,000 | -91,000 |
|
|
70,000 | 8,000 |
|
|
60,000 | -5,000 |
|
50,000 | -94,000 |
|
|
36,000 | -74,000 |
Level: 16
Blinds: 2,000/4,000
Ante: 4,000
Last Break of the Night
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
The remaining thirty-four players are off on their final fifteen-minute break of the evening. During this break, the 500 denomination chips will be raced off. When they return, they'll play one more one-hour level or until 31 players are remaining, whichever comes first.
Gao Binks The Turn
Level 15
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
On a 
flop, Bruce Knee checked in the big blind, and Leon Gao bet 12,000 into a pot of 30,000 from the hijack. The cutoff raised to 35,000, and Michael Hudson called on the button. Knee folded, and Gao put in the extra 23,000 to call.
All three players checked the 
turn, and the 
fell on the river. Gao bet 35,000, which was a little less than half of his remaining stack. The cutoff quickly folded, but Hudson elected to call, only to muck after Gao tabled 
for a turned straight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
240,000 | 110,000 |
|
|
155,500 | 40,500 |
|
|
145,000 | -80,000 |