2023 World Series of Poker

Event #1: $500 Casino Employees
Day: 2
Event Info

2023 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k10
Prize
$75,535
Event Info
Buy-in
$500
Prize Pool
$426,300
Entries
1,015
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
89
Players Left
1

Tam Leads the Field into Day 2 of the WSOP Casino Employees Event

Benson Tam
Benson Tam

Welcome to Day 2 of Event #1: $500 Casino Employees Event at the 2023 World Series of Poker. Cards go in the air for the finale of the opening event of the WSOP at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.

A total of 1,015 entries turned out to kick off the 2023 WSOP and Benson Tam is the chip leader after 17 levels of play. Tam will lead a group of 89 players into today's finale. The field generated a prize pool of $426,300 with a top prize of $75,535 and a gold bracelet for today's winner.

Trailing behind Tam is PokerNews Community Manager Jesse Fullen and Lisa Eckstein. Zaen Qatan and James Urbanic rounded out the top five bags from Day 1.

Top 10 Chip Counts

PlacePlayerCountryChipsBig Blinds
1Benson TamUnited States889,00089
2Jesse FullenUnited States861,00086
3Lisa EcksteinUnited States775,00078
4Zaen QatanUnited States773,00077
5James UrbanicUnited States618,00062
6John VournasUnited States613,00061
7Burcu DagliUnited States583,00058
8Joshua HoneggerUnited States529,00053
9Joshua BrodskyUnited States527,00053
10Sandra FaabengUnited States499,00050

Players return today at 10:00 a.m. Vegas time in Level 18 with blinds at 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante. Play will continue on Day 2 until a winner is declared.

Be sure to keep it with the PokerNews team for live updates from the floor of the 2023 WSOP at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.

Tags: Benson TamBurcu DagliJames UrbanicJesse FullenJohn VournasJoshua BrodskyJoshua HoneggerLisa EcksteinSandra FaabengTam LeadsZaen Qatan

Update Your Chip Counts with the MyStack App

Level 18 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
MyStack
MyStack

PokerNews has activated the MyStack App for this event, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting blog using your iPhone or Android phone. But it's more than just chip counts! You can include notes about big hands, your photo, and even your Table and Seat assignments so your friends can find you.

Download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately.

Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.

Tam Doubles with Boat

Level 20 : Blinds 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante
Benson Tam
Benson Tam

Benson Tam, the chip leader coming into Day 2, defended the big blind against the late position open of Mark Strodl.
Heads up, the players saw a flop of 6106. Tam checked and Strodl checked behind.

The turn brought the 2 and Tam took the betting lead. Strodl then raised and Tam declared all-in. Strodl thought briefly before calling and putting himself at risk.

Mark Strodl: J10
Benson Tam: 96

Benson was ahead with his flopped trips. Strodl was looking for a ten on the river, but it came the 9 instead, giving Tam a boat and the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Benson Tam us
Benson Tam
1,200,000
311,000
311,000
Day 1 Chip Leader
Mark Strodl us
Mark Strodl
Busted

Tags: Benson TamMark Strodl

Welch Cracks Queens to Send Warren to the Rail

Level 23 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Ryan Welch
Ryan Welch

Wade Warren shoved his last 145,000 from under the gun prompting the table to fold to Ryan Welch on the button, who reshoved for slightly more. The blinds folded and the cards were turned on their backs.

Wade Warren: QQ
Ryan Welch: KJ

The flop of J66 kept Warren in the lead but the K turn was a dagger to Warren's queens. The 8 didn't improve Warren's hand and he was eliminated right before the three table redraw.

Player Chips Progress
Ryan Welch (NE) us
Ryan Welch (NE)
450,000
-15,000
-15,000
Wade Warren us
Wade Warren
Busted

Tags: Ryan WelchWade Warren

Stephen Combs Eliminated in 26th Place ($2,411)

Level 23 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Stephen Combs
Stephen Combs

Stephen Combs shoved his remaining 215,000 in early position and was called by Sean Balfour in the cutoff.

Stephen Combs: 88
Sean Balfour: AJ

The board ran out 39A5A to send Combs home in 26th place for $2,411.

Player Chips Progress
Sean Balfour ca
Sean Balfour
1,875,000
575,000
575,000
Stephen Combs us
Stephen Combs
Busted

Tags: Sean BalfourStephen Combs

Joshua Vallejo Eliminated 25th Place ($2,411)

Level 23 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Joshua Vallejo
Joshua Vallejo

Joshua Vallejo went all in from early position for 160,000. The small blind and big blind, who both covered, ended up going all in as well.

Joshua Vallejo: AQ
Michael Gibbs: AK
Joshua Honneger: AK

The board ran out Jx10x6x5x9x and left the blinds chopping up Vallejo's chips, eliminating him in 25th place for $2,411.

Player Chips Progress
Joshua Honegger us
Joshua Honegger
1,250,000
350,000
350,000
Michael Gibbs us
Michael Gibbs
580,000
130,000
130,000
Joshua Vallejo us
Joshua Vallejo
Busted

Tags: Joshua HonnegerJoshua VallejoMichael Gibbs

Jason Pupillo Eliminated in 24th Place ($2,411)

Level 23 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Jason Pupillo
Jason Pupillo

Jason Pupillo open-shoved for 330,000 from middle position and was called by Guitong He to his immediate left.

Jason Pupillo: A4
Guitong He: 1010

The board ran out 587K3 giving He a flush and sending Pupillo home in 24th place for $2,411.

Player Chips Progress
Guitong He us
Guitong He
1,800,000
700,000
700,000
Jason Pupillo us
Jason Pupillo
Busted

Tags: Guitong HeJason Pupillo

Mario Romera Eliminated in 23rd Place ($2,411)

Level 24 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Mario Romera
Mario Romera

Mario Romera shoved his remaining chips in from the button and was isolated by Keith McCormack in the small blind.

Mario Romera: KJ
Keith McCormack: 108

The board ran out 8523Q sending Romera to the rail in 23rd place for $2,411.

Player Chips Progress
Keith McCormack us
Keith McCormack
1,500,000
500,000
500,000
Mario Romera ve
Mario Romera
Busted

Tags: Keith McCormackMario Romera

Jacob Norman Eliminated in 22nd Place ($2,411)

Level 24 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Jacob Norman
Jacob Norman

Jacob Norman shoved his last 125,000 from late position and was called by Mark Kawamoto and Lisa Eckstein.

Jacob Norman: JJ
Mark Kawamoto: A6
Lisa Eckstein: AJ

The flop came 4AA and Kawamoto shoved and received a call from Eckstein.

The turn and river came 2 and 4 pairing the board a second time and splitting the pot between Kawamoto and Eckstein while Norman was eliminated in 22nd place for $2,411.

Player Chips Progress
Lisa Eckstein us
Lisa Eckstein
1,700,000
300,000
300,000
Mark Kawamoto us
Mark Kawamoto
955,000
55,000
55,000
Jacob Norman us
Jacob Norman
Busted

Tags: Jacob NormanLisa EcksteinMark Kawamoto

Kurt Haiss Eliminated in 21st Place ($2,411)

Level 24 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Kurt Haiss
Kurt Haiss

Kurt Haiss went all-in preflop off from a short stack and was called after an extended tank from Sean Balfour. Unfortunately for Balfour, he was unable to coax the blinds into coming along.

Kurt Haiss: QJ

Sean Balfour: AA

The board ran out K10J7K, leaving Haiss sweating until the river to no avail.

Player Chips Progress
Sean Balfour ca
Sean Balfour
2,005,000
130,000
130,000
Kurt Haiss us
Kurt Haiss
Busted

Tags: Kurt HaissSean Balfour