Stanton Bags Ultra Stack Day 1a Chip Lead
Day 1a of Event #85: $600 Ultra Stack is concluded after 22 action-packed levels at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. The first of two flights attracted 2,718 entrants, of whom only 213 bagged chips at the end of the night. Those survivors will return to the action at 1 p.m. local time on July 8.
Steven Stanton was the owner of by far the biggest chip stack in the tournament at the end of Day 1a, bagging 3,185,000 after winning consecutive million-chip pots to close out proceedings.
Behind him, Phillip Pope (2,210,000) of Texas and Venkatara Ganne (2,190,000) both bagged up stacks within one small blind of each other. Pope has a WSOP Circuit ring to his name, having won the $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event in Tulsa in March 2019, a result that earned him $215,000. He has done his chance of adding a bracelet to his WSOP jewelry collection no harm at all with this fast start in Event 85.
Ganne also has a WSOPC ring. The New Jersey resident won it in November 2015; it came with a career-best prize worth $38,874.
Illinois' Robert Laird (1,870,000) completed the podium places.
Event 85: $600 Ultra Stack Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phillip Pope | United States | 2,210,000 | 55 |
| 2 | Venkatara Ganne | United States | 2,190,000 | 55 |
| 3 | Robert Laird | United States | 1,870,000 | 47 |
| 4 | Steven Stanton | United States | 1,860,000 | 47 |
| 5 | Eric Schutz | United States | 1,800,000 | 45 |
| 6 | Brandon Elmore | United States | 1,700,000 | 43 |
| 7 | Brian Phillis | United States | 1,685,000 | 42 |
| 8 | Deborah Balderas | United States | 1,600,000 | 40 |
| 9 | James Pixton | United States | 1,580,000 | 40 |
| 10 | Jordan Dorigny | United States | 1,560,000 | 39 |
Five bracelet owners progressed to Day 2 from this flight, most notably David Williams (1,160,000), the 2004 WSOP Main Event runner-up. Henrieto Acain (1,075,000), David Moses (995,000), Men "The Master" Nguyen (235,000), and Dieter Dechant (200,000) also progressed.
Others to look out for on Day 2 include Michael Acevedo (1,160,000), PokerStars' Caitlin Comeskey (870,000), and Jacob Baumgartner (775,000).
Day 1b shuffles up and deals at 10 a.m. local time on July 7. Players lock horns and butt heads for 22 levels, each spanning 30 minutes, with 20-minute breaks every four levels. PokerNews' traditional coverage of this event begins on Day 2 on July 8. We shall see you then.