Event #10: $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship
Day 1 Completed
2023 World Series of Poker
Event #10: $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
2023 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$1,209,000
Entries
130
Level
23
Blinds
0 / 0
Ante
0
Entries
114
Players Left
58
John Hennigan Bags Day 1 Chip Lead of $10,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship
Level 10
In a fast-paced day featuring a brand new Day 1 structure for 2023 World Series of Poker Championship Events, it was a WSOP veteran that took home the chip lead in Event #10: $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
Six-time WSOP bracelet winner John Hennigan led the field of 114 entries, bagging 309,500 chips, just slightly more than Marco Johnson’s runner-up tally of 297,500, and David Bach’s 273,000.
End of Day Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Hennigan | United States | 309,500 |
| 2 | Marco Johnson | United States | 297,500 |
| 3 | David Bach | United States | 273,000 |
| 4 | Anatolii Zyrin | Russia | 255,000 |
| 5 | Larry Tull | United States | 208,500 |
| 6 | Ray Henson | United States | 203,000 |
| 7 | Patrick Leonard | United Kingdom | 202,500 |
| 8 | Zack Freeman | United States | 202,000 |
| 9 | Brian Rast | United States | 190,000 |
| 10 | David "Bakes" Baker | United States | 190,000 |
Defending champion Ben Diebold entered with about two hours left in play but only managed to bag 42,500. Other notables to make it on to Day 2 include 2017 champion John Racener (111,000), 2022 runner-up Mike Gorodinsky (158,500), and recent $1,500 Dealer’s Choice champion Chad Eveslage (103,500) and runner-up Andrew Kelsall (142,500).
A trio of Poker Hall of Famers will have some work to do Sunday, as Daniel Negreanu (49,500), Erik Seidel (33,000), and Phil Hellmuth (9,000) all finished below a starting stack.
As mentioned, this event provides the first look at the new accelerated Day 1 structure in Championship events, with the first six levels only being 40 minutes in length and levels seven through ten 60 minutes long. Levels on Days 2 and 3 will be 90 minutes in length.
The new structure led to play being completed by 10:50 p.m. local time. It also led to plenty of eliminations, including three-time champion in this event Adam Friedman, defending WSOP Player of the Year Dan Zack, 2016 Champion Jean Gaspard, and 2021 $1,500 Dealer’s Choice Champion Jaswinder Lally to name a few.
The returning 58 players will come back June 4 at 1 p.m. local time to play seven 90-minute levels. They’ll be joined by the final batch of late entries, as registration does not close until the start of Day 2, which will add to the $1,060,200 prize pool thus far.
Stay close to PokerNews for continuing coverage of this and every WSOP bracelet event from here at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
Event #10: $10,000 Dealer's Choice Championship: Day 2 Seat Draw
Level 10
| Casino | Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | 132 | 2 | Matthew Woodward | United States | 130,500 |
| Paris | 132 | 3 | Jake Schwartz | United States | 30,000 |
| Paris | 132 | 4 | Dustin Dirksen | United States | 86,000 |
| Paris | 132 | 5 | Matt Vengrin | United States | 116,000 |
| Paris | 133 | 3 | Ajay Gnanasambanthan | United States | 148,000 |
| Paris | 133 | 4 | Tamon Nakamura | Japan | 64,500 |
| Paris | 133 | 5 | James Obst | Australia | 92,500 |
| Paris | 133 | 6 | Ray Henson | United States | 203,000 |
| Paris | 134 | 2 | Jordan Zucker | United States | 106,000 |
| Paris | 134 | 3 | Matt Szymaszek | United States | 20,500 |
| Paris | 134 | 4 | Jerry Wong | United States | 39,000 |
| Paris | 134 | 5 | Ben Diebold | United States | 42,500 |
| Paris | 134 | 6 | Jordan Siegel | United States | 37,000 |
| Paris | 135 | 2 | Anatolii Zyrin | Russia | 255,000 |
| Paris | 135 | 3 | Marco Johnson | United States | 297,500 |
| Paris | 135 | 4 | Zachary Freeman | United States | 202,000 |
| Paris | 135 | 5 | Taylor Paur | United States | 64,500 |
| Paris | 135 | 6 | John Hennigan | United States | 309,500 |
| Paris | 136 | 1 | Dzmitry Urbanovich | Poland | 62,500 |
| Paris | 136 | 3 | Anthony Zinno | United States | 93,500 |
| Paris | 136 | 4 | Joey Couden | United States | 151,000 |
| Paris | 136 | 5 | Paul Volpe | United States | 146,500 |
| Paris | 136 | 6 | Scott Seiver | United States | 187,000 |
| Paris | 137 | 1 | Brian Rast | United States | 190,000 |
| Paris | 137 | 2 | David "Bakes" Baker | United States | 190,000 |
| Paris | 137 | 4 | Matthew Valeo | United States | 161,500 |
| Paris | 137 | 5 | Mike Wattel | United States | 137,500 |
| Paris | 137 | 6 | Erik Seidel | United States | 33,000 |
| Paris | 138 | 1 | Michael McKenna | United States | 21,500 |
| Paris | 138 | 2 | Mike Gorodinsky | United States | 158,500 |
| Paris | 138 | 3 | Jon Shoreman | United Kingdom | 91,000 |
| Paris | 138 | 5 | Chad Eveslage | United States | 103,500 |
| Paris | 138 | 6 | Andrew Brown | United States | 62,500 |
| Paris | 139 | 1 | John Racener | United States | 111,000 |
| Paris | 139 | 2 | Robert Mizrachi | United States | 154,000 |
| Paris | 139 | 3 | Dutch Boyd | United States | 109,500 |
| Paris | 139 | 5 | Mike Matusow | United States | 18,000 |
| Paris | 139 | 6 | Tomomitsu Ono | Japan | 45,500 |
| Paris | 140 | 1 | Andrew Robl | United States | 97,000 |
| Paris | 140 | 2 | Frank Kassela | United States | 137,500 |
| Paris | 140 | 4 | Ari Engel | United States | 84,500 |
| Paris | 140 | 5 | Christopher Claassen | United States | 93,500 |
| Paris | 140 | 6 | Cary Katz | United States | 164,500 |
| Paris | 141 | 1 | Kane Kalas | United States | 66,000 |
| Paris | 141 | 2 | Hisashi Yamanouchi | Japan | 89,000 |
| Paris | 141 | 3 | Ofir Mor | United States | 73,500 |
| Paris | 141 | 5 | Daniel Negreanu | Canada | 49,500 |
| Paris | 142 | 1 | Jeff Madsen | United States | 56,500 |
| Paris | 142 | 2 | Phil Hellmuth | United States | 9,000 |
| Paris | 142 | 6 | Sampo Ryynanen | Finland | 177,000 |
| Paris | 143 | 1 | Keith Lehr | United States | 80,500 |
| Paris | 143 | 2 | Scott Bohlman | United States | 136,000 |
| Paris | 143 | 4 | Patrick Leonard | United Kingdom | 202,500 |
| Paris | 143 | 5 | Andrew Kelsall | United States | 142,000 |
| Paris | 144 | 2 | Ryan Goindoo | Trinidad and Tobago | 83,000 |
| Paris | 144 | 3 | Larry Tull | United States | 208,500 |
| Paris | 144 | 4 | Jeremy Heartberg | United States | 38,500 |
| Paris | 144 | 6 | David Bach | United States | 203,000 |
Official End of Day 1 Chip Counts (full)
Level 10
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
309,500 | 9,500 |
|
297,500 | -2,500 |
|
273,000 | -12,000 |
|
255,000 | 35,000 |
|
208,500 | 73,500 |
|
203,000 | 88,000 |
|
202,500 | 2,500 |
|
202,000 | |
|
190,000 | -10,000 |
|
190,000 | 75,000 |
|
187,000 | 127,000 |
|
177,000 | 92,000 |
|
164,500 | -35,500 |
|
161,500 | 99,500 |
|
158,500 | 18,500 |
|
154,000 | -1,000 |
|
151,000 | 46,000 |
|
148,000 | 80,000 |
|
146,500 | 62,500 |
|
142,000 | 52,000 |
|
137,500 | 2,500 |
|
137,500 | 2,500 |
|
136,000 | -54,000 |
|
130,500 | -34,500 |
|
116,000 | -4,000 |
Day 1 Concluded
Level 10
Around 60 players out of a field of 114 entries survived the first ten levels and will return to the Paris Purple section at 1 p.m. local time for Day 2. Assorted counts and a recap of today's action are to follow.
Two More Hands for the Night
Level 10
With fewer than 70 players remaining and ten minutes left on the clock, floor staff announced the final two hands for the night.
David Bach scored a double knockout in 2-7 Razz, sending Motoyoshi Okamura and Yueqi Zhu to the rail, while Carol Fuchs was also eliminated as well.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
285,000 | 90,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
Very Late Double for Hellmuth
Level 10
Badeucey
Phil Hellmuth was all-in for just 6,000 and Jon Shoreman called out of the big blind.
Both discarded three on the first draw followed by three for Shoreman on the second draw and one for Hellmuth. Shoreman took another two and Hellmuth patted.
Hellmuth showed his 8♥ / K♦6♥5♣3♠ for a king-dugi and king-high. Shoreman revealed 8♣3♦2♠ first to then receive the 5♦8♦ as his final two cards, allowing Hellmuth a double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
90,000 | -30,000 |
|
15,000 | 9,000 |
Rast Eliminates Funkhouser; Hellmuth on Fumes
Level 10
Badeucey
David Funkhouser raised and got calls from Phil Hellmuth in the small blind and Brian Rast in the big blind.
On the first draw, each player took two cards and an exchange of bets and raises after saw Funkhouser get his last chips in the middle while Hellmuth was getting short as well.
Hellmuth now drew two, Rast drew one, and Funkhouser still needed two. Hellmuth then check-called a bet from Rast and drew one while Rast patted.
On the end, Hellmuth checked with just 6,000 chips left and Rast bet again. Hellmuth flashed four of his cards and frustratedly tossed them into the muck, earning Rast the side pot. Rast then showed his 9♥5♦4♠3♥2♣ for a nine perfect and a perfect Badugi. Funkhouser mucked his hand and headed to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
200,000 | 200,000 |
|
|
115,000 | 77,000 |
|
25,000 | 25,000 |
|
|
6,000 | -54,000 |
|
Busted |
Hellmuth Gets One Through
Level 10
Big O
Jon Shoreman raised to 5,000 on the button and was called by Phil Hellmuth in the big blind. They checked the K♦Q♥8♦ flop and 6♦ turn. Hellmuth bet the K♣ river for the pot worth 12,500.
"Let me take this one, you can have the next one ... I need it," Hellmuth exclaimed in chat. Shoreman was suspecting a possible bluff and said he could beat aces but folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
120,000 | 43,000 |
|
|
105,000 | -15,000 |
|
|
90,000 | 52,000 |
|
70,000 | 7,000 |
|
|
31,000 | -29,000 |
|
|
18,000 | -49,000 |
Hennigan Prevails Against Katz
Level 10
Badugi
In a single-raised pot to the first draw, John Hennigan discarded two and Cary Katz discarded one. "Checking to you, big leader," Hennigan joked and Katz bet only for Hennigan to check-raise and receive a call.
Both discarded one each thereafter with Hennigan betting and Katz calling. The final draw saw both discard one and they checked. Hennigan tabled the 6♠ / []4h3dAs] for a three-card four and that won the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
300,000 | -12,000 |
|
|
200,000 | 35,000 |