photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
First Day crowds in the tournament area of Caesars Palace poker room
Even thought the 187 buy-in's don't compare to last year's 334 entrants the field for this year's event included many of poker's best known players. Johnny Chan, holder of 10 WSOP bracelets including back-to-back wins in the $10K main event - 1987 & 1988, was among the pros taking a seat in the $5,000 buy-in championship. At another table was 1998 WSOP Main Event champion and 2008 $50K HORSE champion Scotty Nguyen with 5 WSOP bracelets.
This small, but elite field also included Men Nguyen, Dan Hannenmann, Gavin Smith, Erick Lindgren, Kathy Liebert, David SInger, Mark Seif, David Pham, Michael Mizrachi, Justin Bonomo, Ester Taylor, and Dwyte Pilgrim. Nothing small about the level of talent or their ability to win. By the end of day 2, late Tuesday evening, the field was reduced to 17 players, all in the money. The event is paying 18 places with the winner carrying away $237,692 in cash plus a gold WSOP Circuit championship ring. Second place will receive $143,512 and third collects $91,937. The event collected a $896,950 prize pool.
The action continues on Wednesday beginning at High Noon in the poker room at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas strip and will continue until we have a champion. This is a great opportunity to see some of poker's best going wide open in their quest for the gold so stop by and stake out your spot on the rail, you'll be so close you can hear them sweat.
photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Johnny Chan playing in the WSOP Circuit at Caesars Palace
photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Scotty Nguyen
photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Michael 'The Grinder' Mizrachi
photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Nancy Tyner
photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com
Thomas McTeer was the money bubble boy
