Event #1: $500 Casino Employees Day 1 | 2023 World Series of Poker

05-30-2023 08:24 UTC-7

The 54th World Series of Poker Begins With $500 Casino Employees Event

Mike Patrick

What promises to be the biggest and best World Series of Poker ever gets underway Tuesday, and as is tradition, the 54th edition kicks off with Event #1: $500 Casino Employees.

Last year’s event saw Katie Kopp of Cleveland, Ohio, best a field of 832 entries that included several former event champions including PokerNews’ own Chad Holloway, Main Event final table members Kenny Hallaert and Garry Gates, renowned poker broadcaster David Tuchman, and reality star Lisa Vanderpump to name just a few.

Kopp earned $65,168 and her first WSOP gold bracelet for the victory. With early expectations for the WSOP already sky-high, an even bigger number could be on the horizon for someone’s $500 investment when the event concludes Wednesday.

Play begins at 10 a.m. Pacific time for the first of 17 scheduled 40-minute levels. A single reentry is allowed until registration closes at the start of Level 10 (approximately 5:55 p.m. following the 75-minute dinner break).

Players will begin the day with 25,000 chips at an opening level of 100/100 with a 100 big blind ante, and as with all events at the 2023 WSOP, any player registering before the start of the tournament will see their chips in play from the first hand of the day, whether they are in their seats or not.

Last year’s event concluded Day 1 with players in the money and just 82 of the 832 remaining by night’s end. Players are expected to again be in the money before the end of play today.

Recent WSOP Event #1: $500 Casino Employee Event Winners

YEAR	ENTRIES	WINNER	COUNTRY	1ST PRIZE
2018	566	Jordan Hufty	United States	$61,909
2019	686	Nicholas Haynes	United States	$62,345
2020	-	No Event (Pandemic)	-	-
2021	419	James Barnett	United States	$39,013
2022	832	Katie Kopp	United States	$65,168

The PokerNews live reporting team is primed and raring to go for a full summer of coverage from each WSOP tournament until the final bracelet is awarded on July 15th, so keep your browsers locked on PokerNews for all the drama and excitement from Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas.

Tags: Chad Holloway David Tuchman Garry Gates Horseshoe Las Vegas Katie Kopp Kenny Hallaert Lisa Vanderpump

05-30-2023 10:30 UTC-7

Update Your Chip Counts with the MyStack App

Matt Hansen

Level 1 : 100/100, 100 ante

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.

05-30-2023 11:51 UTC-7

World Series of Poker Addresses Solver Concerns, Clarifies RTA Policy

Yori Epskamp

Level 3 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

In light of debate over the threat that real-time assistance (RTA) apps pose to live poker, World Series of Poker (WSOP) officials reiterated their rules for use of solvers at the poker table.

Players at the 2023 WSOP will be penalized if they are caught using or referencing a solver during a live hand. Additionally, the WSOP reserves the right to issue penalties to players who are using solvers between hands.

"If caught using RTA/GTO software during a hand, player will be subject to penalty up to and including DQ (disqualification) / trespass," WSOP said in a prepared statement. "We reserve the right to further penalize a player for using RTA/GTO in any other situation in our sole and absolute discretion. Players may continue to use their device to play wsop.com or use the Caesars Sportsbook app while in/out of a hand."

Read the full story on PokerNews

05-30-2023 12:00 UTC-7

Quads Over Quads

Mike Patrick

Level 3 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante

Craig Vigrass alerted PokerNews to a huge hand that in many cash games would score a bad beat jackpot.

As told by Vigrass and his tablemates, following an early position limp, Vigrass raised to 900 which got calls from two more opponents plus the limper.

On the K♠K♦9♣ flop, Vigrass bet 2,000 which everyone called.

The turn 9♥ double-paired the board and after Vigrass checked, a late position player moved all in for about 6,500. Only Vigrass called to show the coolest of coolers.

Opponent: 9♦9♠
Craig Vigrass: K♣K♥

Vigrass' quads over quads sent his opponent home in a very unceremonious fashion.

Player	Chips	Progress
Craig Vigrass	36,000 36,000	36,000

Tags: Craig Vigrass

05-30-2023 12:54 UTC-7

Lamers Loading Up

Mike Patrick

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

With about 2,000 in the middle on a turn board of J♣7♦K♠4♥, Adam Lamers in the big blind faced a bet of 1,200 from his opponent in the small blind and made the call.

The river brought the J♥ and the small blind bet 4,000, which sent Lamers briefly into the tank before landing on a call.

The small blind showed 6♥5♦ for a missed straight draw, while Lamers turned over K♥9♠ for a flopped top pair which held up to make a winning two pair at showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adam Lamers	32,000 32,000	32,000

Tags: Adam Lamers

05-30-2023 13:37 UTC-7

It's Gonna Be a Great Summer

Mike Patrick

Level 5 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Before Level 6 has even been reached, last year's entry total of 832 has been surpassed, with the tournament clock currently showing 841 entries.

Registration and reentry are open until the start of Level 10, at approximately 6 p.m. local time, following the dinner break.

05-30-2023 14:12 UTC-7

Miller Flops A Flush in a Six-Way Pot

Chris Land

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

The under-the-gun player opened to 1,500 and got five callers before seeing a flop of 8♦9♦3♦. Action checked around the table bringing the A♣ out on the turn.

Rachel Kay Miller opted to lead out from the big blind with a bet of 6,000. Action folded to the cutoff who raised all in for 12,000 total before seeing the small blind also go all in.

Miller was covered and called off quickly, turning over Q♦10♦ for a flopped flush. The small blind held A♦Xx for top pair with the nut flush draw.

The 2♣ river changed nothing and gave Miller the pot worth well over a double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Rachel Kay Miller	52,500 23,300	23,300

Tags: Rachel Kay Miller

05-30-2023 16:50 UTC-7

Holloway Holds for a Big Boost Before Dinner

Mike Patrick

Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Following an under-the-gun raise to 2,800, former event champion Chad Holloway three-bet to 8,000. A player in middle position cold-called the 8,000 and the original raiser jammed for 28,000. Holloway called off for 21,800 and the middle-position player called as well.

Chad Holloway: A♠A♥
Under the Gun: J♥J♣
Middle Position: A♣K♦

The board comes K♥3♠2♦5♠9♣ and Holloway's aces hold up to send him to dinner break with a triple-up and then some.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chad Holloway	66,300 41,500	41,500

Tags: Chad Holloway

05-30-2023 16:57 UTC-7

Welcher Over 200,000

Mike Patrick

Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

With a sizable pot already built before the A♥3♥6♣ flop, Zachary Taylor bet 10,000 from the big blind and got raised to 25,000 by Josh Welcher on the button.

Taylor called and the players checked the J♥ turn. On the 10♠ river, after Taylor checked, Welcher bet 30,000. After some time in the tank, Taylor called to show A♣3♣ for a flopped two pair.

Taylor frustratedly showed A♠K♠ and tossed his hand into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Josh Welcher	202,000 202,000	202,000
Zachary Taylor	23,000 -51,000	-51,000

Tags: Josh Welcher Zachary Taylor

05-30-2023 18:23 UTC-7

Registration Closed in Third Largest Casino Employees Event Ever

Mike Patrick

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

With a final tally of 1,019 entries, the 2023 Casino Employees Event is the third-largest in the 54 year history of the World Series of Poker, with only 2007's 1,039 and the 2006 record 1,232 topping this year's field.

Registration and reentry is now closed and prizepool details will be available soon.