World Series of Poker Main Event Day 1c report

After solid turnouts on Day 1a and Day 1b, Day 1c at the 2010 World Series of Poker gave the prestigious poker tournament a solid shot at breaking 7,000 players for only the second time in history -and an outside shot at breaking the record of 8,773 players that entered the tournament in 2006.

A total of 2,314 players anted up the $10,000 buy-in fee yesterday, and after 4 and a half levels of play 1,674 were left standing. Amongst those 1,674 players are some of the biggest names in poker, who not only survived the usual wild action that accompanies the opening day of the World Series of Poker, but thrived.

One of the players who had a terrific Day 1 was two-time WSOP Main Event Champion Johnny Chan, who finished the day second in chips. Other players having a good opening day to their WSOP Main Event were UK poker pro Barney Boatman, Robert Mizrachi who has been solid throughout the 2010 WSOP, Internet sensation Lex Veldhuis, 2004 Main Event runner-up and WPT Champion David Williams, Doyles Room poker pro Hoyt Corkins, and Full Tilt Poker superstar Patrik Antonius.

Unfortunately for every superstar who survived Day 1c there were plenty who didn’t. The list of vanquished players included the scourge of Northern Europeans and MMA dressed Phil Hellmuth -a huge loss for the ESPN cameras, 2007 Main Event Champion Jerry Yang, Italian poker pro and team PokerStars member Dario Minieri, Tom durrrr Dwan who will have carry those big prop bets over to the 2011 WSOP, as well as Chau Giang, Chad Brown, Neil Channing, Billy Gazes, Jeff Madsen and Men Nguyen whose WSOP ended yesterday.

A few celebs also busted out Day 1 including rocker and Ultimate Bet sponsored player Scott Ian; actor/comedian Anthony Rapp; and Playboy Playmate Shana Moakler.

Tomorrow’s final day will be the big one: WSOP officials have reported they can logistically handle 3,800 players which would approach the all-time attendance record set in 2006 -roughly 50 players short, which I’m sure the WSOP would find a place for should they reach the cap!

Players from Day 1c will join the remaining players from Day 1a and return to the Rio Casino on Friday to play in the first of the two Day 2’s for the 2010 World Series of Poker.