2017 World Series of Poker

The best horses in the game took to the track today for their shot at the coveted $10k H.O.R.S.E Championship gold bracelet. A total of 150 hopefuls joined the field throughout play today and after ten hour-long levels on Day 1 of Event #30: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E Championship only 57 remain.

The top horse as the clock ran out on Day 1 was the defending champion, Jason Mercier. Mercier bagged an impressive 384,500 to claim the top spot. Mercier was a late addition to the field but it clearly didn't hinder the five-time WSOP gold bracelet winner.

Joining Mercier on top of the counts were Mack Lee (347,500), David Bach (278,500), Tom McCormick (224,500), and Mark Gregorich (222,500)

As expected in the Championship events, the field was star-studded. A bunch of the game’s best made it through to Day 2 including Esther Taylor (201,500), Brandon Shack-Harris (171,500), Anthony Zinno (146,000), Felipe Ramos (136,000), Maria Ho (90,000), Mike Sexton (74,000), Daniel Negreanu (61,500), and Phil Hellmuth (33,500).

When registration closed at the beginning of Level 9, the prize pool capped off at $1,410,000. The top 23 spots will leave with a prize. A min-cash will be worth $15,000 and the largest share sitting up top is a first-place prize of $383,208.

Some notables no longer in contention include Jon Turner, Jeff Lisandro, Jared Bleznick, David Benyamine, Mike Leah, Matt Grapenthien, Mike Matusow, Mike Gorodinsky, Jesse Martin, John Monnette, and Jennifer Harman.

Play will resume at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon with another ten hour-long levels on the schedule. Follow along live as PokerNews will be on the floor providing updates and full coverage until a champion is crowned.

The clock has been paused for the night and each table will play four more hands before bagging up their chips.

Stud

Catching the action on fifth street with a huge pot already sitting in the middle, Philip Sternheimer bet 8,000 and Andrew Brown called.

Yuval Bronshtein raised to 16,000 and Tom McCormick called before Sternheimer made it 24,000. Brown folded, Bronshtein called all-in for his last 16,700 total, and McCormick called also.

On sixth street, McCormick bet 8,000 and Sternheimer called.

Sternheimer: / /
Brown: / (folded on fifth)
Bronshtein: / /
McCormick: / /

Both Sternheimer and McCormick checked and McCormick tabled his for a flush.

Sternheimer revealed his / for rolled-up queens and a busted straight draw as McCormick scooped the entire pot once Bronshtein tabled his and mucked.

Razz

With Chris Vitch all-in, Ben Yu and Anthony Zinno played with Yu betting each street and Zinno calling until Zinno folded on sixth street.

Yu: //
Zinno: // (folded on sixth)
Vitch: //

Yu tabled for his down cards and Vitch mucked saying he made two-pair.

Omaha Hi-Lo

Brian Rast opened in the cutoff to 8,000 and both blinds called; one of which was Owais Ahmed in the big blind.

The flop was checked through as the landed on the turn and Ahmed bet 8,000. Rast folded, but the small blind called as the landed on the river.

The small blind checked, Ahmed bet 8,000, and the small blind called.

Ahmed tabled his 6s] for a flush and low, while the small blind tabled his for a higher flush to see the pot chopped up.

Stud

Tom Hammers has eliminated another opponent. During a hand of stud, Hammers had an opponent commit their final bet on seventh street.

We didn't catch Hammers' opponent's hand but Hammers tabled /, making a flush and his opponent mucked.

Omaha Hi-Lo

Benny Glaser opened and called David "ODB" Baker's three-bet. Glaser check-called bets on each street of the board and ODB tabled , making trip jacks and Glaser mucked.