Barbero Leads Star-Studded Field After Day 1 of Event #36: $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship
The latest high-stakes mixed game contest of the 2021 World Series of Poker has concluded for the night. Out of a field of 86 entries in Event #36: $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship, only 42 players advanced, and Argentina's Jose Ignacio "Nacho" Barbero holds a substantial lead over the rest of the field.
After winning a massive pot in 2-7 Triple Draw at the end of the night, Barbero bagged up 425,500 in chips, well ahead of second-placed Joao Vieira (250,000) and Christopher Claassen (224,000). Other big stacks belong to Mike Gorodinsky, David Benyamine, Nathan Gamble, and Ray Henson to name all but a few mixed game aficionados.
Six-time WSOP champion and GGPoker Ambassador Daniel Negreanu made it through with an above-average stack of 153,500 after he busted Event #27: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. in 8th place. The bid of Adam Friedman to win an unprecedented third consecutive WSOP gold bracelet in a Championship Event is also still alive. Friedman, who won this tournament in 2018 and 2019, made it through to Day 2 with a stack of 97,500.
Top 10 Chip Counts Day 1 in Event #36: $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship
| Position | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nacho Barbero | Argentina | 425,500 |
| 2 | Joao Vieira | Portugal | 250,000 |
| 3 | Christopher Claassen | United States | 224,000 |
| 4 | Mike Gorodinsky | United States | 221,500 |
| 5 | David Benyamine | France | 217,000 |
| 6 | Nathan Gamble | United States | 206,500 |
| 7 | Ray Henson | United States | 185,500 |
| 8 | Chris Vitch | United States | 184,000 |
| 9 | Chip Jett | United States | 171,000 |
| 10 | Brett Richey | United States | 164,000 |
The mixed game contest consisting of 20 different poker variants played a total of ten 60-minute levels on Day 1 and half of the field was eliminated in the process. All those still wishing to join the action can do so until the cards are back in the air for Day 2 on Tuesday, Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. local time at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.
Some well-known poker pros made their first appearance in a 2021 WSOP event such as Scotty Nguyen, Ben Lamb, and Bryce Yockey but neither of them made it through to Day 2. Other big names that came and left without anything to show for were Frank Kassela, Daniel Zack, Randy Ohel, Dan Shak, Greg Mueller, Ryan Hughes, and John Monnette to name all but a few in a field filled with notables of the international poker circuit.
Ohel was among the first players to bust after he never got much going and then ran suited connectors into pocket queens in No-Limit Hold'em. Lamb saw his hopes vanish in a Badugi hand and he succumbed in level six. His opponent in the hand, Chad Eveslage, was also among those to fall in the hours thereafter. John Racener, for example, got it in with two pair in 5 Card Draw only to run into the set of Anatolii Zyrin.
Several players are expected to take advantage of the late registration until the cards are back in the air for Day 2. The PokerNews live reporting team will then be back on the floor when the tournament with the most versatile mix of poker variants recommences.
for the wheel to leave Guagenti on fumes.
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/ 
/ 
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for kings and eights while Zyrin had the 
for a set of jacks. Racener drew the 
were exposed for just a short moment.
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for a flush and a low but Barbero had 
for the superior flush and a better low. That hand left Monnette on a short stack while Barbero continued his rise on the leaderboard.
on the river gave Rice the superior flush and there was no low in play.
/
for a Nine-Dugi and nine-five. Kurtzman vaulted out of his seat for a second to study the hand of his opponent and mucked his cards thereafter.
and Ohel was eliminated.
