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

Day 1a Official Chip Counts Released

Actor/comedian Ray Romano survived Day 1a action, finishing with 61,025 in chips
Actor/comedian Ray Romano survived Day 1a action, finishing with 61,025 in chips
Final overnight tallies from the WSOP show that 636 players survived Day 1a action in the Main Event. Complete chip counts for all but a handful of non-reporting players have now been posted.

The overnight Day 1a leader is Mark Garner at 194,900 in chips. The official top ten players are:

Mark Garner 194,900
Brandon Adams 176,450
Kellen Hunter 155,200
Stefan Mattsson 154,275
Patrick Fortin 145,275
Jeff Frerichs 138,025
Soren Peterson 135,475
Adam Hudson 127,750
Wayne Brown 124,575
Todd Rebello 123,925

Other names of note finishing in the top 50 included Kido Pham, Mark Vos, Alexander Borteh, Svetlana Gromenkova and Bob Slezak.

Tags: Mark GarnerRay Romano

39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event

Day 1a Completed

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.

Maya Makes a Good Laydown

On a flop of {Q-Clubs} {6-Clubs} {6-Spades}, Maya Antonius led out for 2,800, the cutoff raised to 6,000 and after a short think, Antonius folded {J-?} {J-?} face-up. The cutoff nodded his head and was kind enough to let her know she'd made a good laydown by flashing {K-?} {Q-?}.

Tags: Maya Antonius

Ciao Ceci

Nick Ceci has been eliminated after an all-in preflop encounter whilst holding pocket queens. Unfortunately for him his opponent was holding the pocket rockets to bust him.

Tags: Nick Ceci

Berry Johnston Eliminated

1986 Main Event Champion Berry Johnston
1986 Main Event Champion Berry Johnston
A short-stacked Berry Johnston moved all in with {A-?} {10-?} but ran into an opponent's {Q-?} {Q-?}. Another queen on the flop all but sealed it for Johnston and he could not pull out a miracle on the turn or river.

Tags: Berry Johnston

Steve Sung Eliminated

Steve Sung Busto
Steve Sung Busto
A short-stacked Steve Sung moved his last chips into the middle holding {8-Clubs}{8-Spades} on a board of {7-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{4-Spades}. He looked good for a double-up when his opponent called with {A-Clubs}{2-Clubs} however the {3-Clubs} on the turn gave Sung's opponent the gutshot straight, leaving Sung in trouble. The {J-Clubs} on the river improved his opponent's hand to a flush to send Sung to the exit just short of a Day Two berth.

Tags: Steve Sung

Phifer Flatlines

Mekhi Phifer
Mekhi Phifer
With the board showing {3-Clubs}{5-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{4-Spades}, star of ER Mekhi Phifer got the rest of his chips in the middle versus Maurice Hawkins. Phifer turned over {K-Clubs}{8-Clubs} for top pair and a flush draw, but Hawkins held {5-Diamonds}{5-Hearts} for a set of fives.

The river was the {J-Hearts}, and Phifer is out. Hawkins currently has 65,000.