Never before had the world Series of Poker seen a $10,000 6-max Championship event. Yesterday's event was a first, and 264 players signed up for a shot at the bracelet. A total of 164 players wouldn't complete the first 10 levels on Day 1, and so just 97 players remain. Those players will return at 2 pm local time for some Day 2 action.
30 players will reach the money stage of the tournament, and take home a minimum of $17,793. The champion is to receive $670,041, but that bracelet will be rewarded tomorrow. The schedule for today is to play 10 levels.
As to be expected, a lot of big names are still in contention. Ashton Griffin (162,300), Scott Clements (150,300), Doug Polk (149,300), Joe Cada (138,700) Ryan Fee (134,200) and Philipp Gruissem (130,900) all gathered a lot of chips on the first day multiplying their 30,000 starting stack. Leading the way is Russian player Leonid Markin (206,800), while Simon Lam with just 9,600 in chips will start out as the shortest stacked player.
Play resumes at 2 pm local time (in 75 minutes) with blind level 11 (600/1,200 - 200 ante). Expect a lot of action today, and PokerNews will report from start to finish.
In the meantime, check out an interview Remko Rinkema had with Philipp Gruissem on Day 1:
When we arrived at Table 350, the scene looked like this: David Paredes had what appeared to be a three-bet to 12,700 in front of him, Byron Kaverman had a four-bet of 21,500 in front of him, and Chris Hunichen was all in for 67,600.
Paredes folded, and Kaverman went into the tank.
"I feel like you have deuces or something," Kaverman finally said.
There was a beat.
"I don't," Hunichen said simply.
The players at the table burst into laughter - even Kaverman grinned.
"Well," Andrew Lichtenberger interjected. "That settles that."
Kaverman eventually folded, and Eric Wasserson urged "Big Huni" to show a deuce.
"Trust me," Hunichen said. "If I had a deuce I would show."
Kyle White, who drew "Happy Father's Day DAD" on his shirt today and sends love to his dad Cameron, was all in and at risk for 149,600 holding . The Canadian was dominated by Markus Gonsalves's , but the dealer fanned , giving White the lead.
Gonsalves couldn't find a king on the turn () or the river (), and White doubled to 302,000 chips. The Hawaiian-born grinder, who is always sporting his "HI" cap, is down to 129,000 chips.
Zachary Gruneberg was all in and at risk with on a board of , and unfortunately for him his was drawing very slim against Leonid Markin's . Gruneberg failed to fill up when the bricked off on the river, and he was eliminated.
Markin's stacks are currently situated in unorganized towers of uncountable chips, but we eyeballed his count at around 450,000.
Jeremy Ausmus was all in and at risk for 67,500 preflop holding , and he was in rough shape against Bejamin Pollak's .
Pollak was drawing dead when the dealer fanned the remaining three aces - - on the flop, and the turn and river competed , respectively. Ausmus doubled to 138,500 chips, while Pollak fell to 45,500.
Markus Gonsalves raised to 8,000 from under the gun, Larry Wright called on the button, and Sam Greenwood defended his big blind. The flop fell , Greenwood checked, and Gonsalves continued for 10,000. Only Wright called.
The turn was the , Wright called another 23,000, and the completed the board. Gonsalves checked for the first time, and Wright pushed out a massive over bet, making it 123,000 to go.
Gonsalves went into the tank.
"A good player can fold here," Wright said in typical Larry Wright fashion.
Gonsalves did fold, and Wright picked his cards up high enough so that his opponent could see that he had .
"You lost money on the river," Gonsalves told him, referring to the second ace.
After three-betting Matt Waxman preflop, Philipp Gruissem tossed out a bet of 21,000 on a flop of . Waxman check-raised all in, wagering effectively 120,000 or so, and Gruissem tanked for the better part of five minutes before calling.
Waxman ripped over for top two pair, and Gruissem turned over for just bottom pair.
The on the turn was a brick, and the on the river gave Gruissem a meaningless two pair.
"Payout!" the dealer shouted, not knowing that they weren't in the money yet.
The floor quickly corrected her, and there were some giggles at the table as Gruissem collected his things and paid his masseuse. The German hit the rail short of the money, while Waxman is up over 400,000 chips.
John Racener and David Williams also exited at neighboring tables:
Hiren Patel opened for 8,500 from the hijack and found some resistance in the big blind. Wade Townsend made it 31,000 to go, but that sure wasn't the end of it. Patel four-bet to 68,500 and Townsend five-bet to 135,000 after some thinking. Patel made the call and the two of them saw a flop in an already huge pot.
The first three community cards were and Townsend bet out 85,000. Patel made the call without much thinking, and the dealer burned, and turned the . Townsend announced all in for about 180,000. In the meantime it was the official bubble, so a lot of players gathered to check what was going on.
"You have it?" asked Patel while he tried to look Townsend in the eyes. Townsend didn't reply.
Patel eventually folded, and now Townsend did react. He gently tabled for a stone cold bluff and raked in the massive pot.
Hiren Patel raised to 9,000 in middle position, Joe Cada three-bet to 20,000 on the button, and Patel called. Both players checked on the flop (), and Patel led out for 32,000 after the turn brought the . Cada called.
The river was the , Patel moved all in for effectively 79,000 and Cada quickly called. Patel showed for just a pair of eights, and Cada doubled through with for a flush.
Leonid Markin opened to 12,000 under the gun and right next to him Greg Merson shoved all in for about 80,000 in chips. Scott Clements in the small blind shoved all in over the top and big blind Lee Markholt folded. Markin followed Markholt's example and folded his , Merson and Clements tabled their cards.
Merson:
Clements:
While the players jokingly negotiated a true chop, the dealer got underway with the community cards. The on the flop was still safe for Merson who was at risk, but the on the turn spelled doom for him. The on the river was a blank and the 2012 World Series of Poker Main Event champion made his exit as the last player without some extra money.
The remaining 30 players are all guaranteed $17,793.