World Series of Poker Report
Day 1D:

Monday 9 July By Andrew Scott

1,783 players played on day 1D. Players included the oldest person to ever play in the WSOP main event, 94 year old Jack “Jeffrey” Wry, poker brat Phil Hellmuth, poker pros Daniel Negreanu and Chip Reese, 2006 winner Jamie Gold, former pro basketballer Ken “Snake” Norman, 2001 winner Carlos Mortensen, Simpsons star Hank Azaria, A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys, Andrew W Scott, Godsmack lead singer Salvatore “Sully” Erna and Australian Julian Powell.

The total number of players for all four day 1s was 6,358, down 2,415 players on last year’s 8,773, but still 739 more than when Joe Hachem won it in 2005, representing massive poker growth in the post-UIGEA poker world. The Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act effectively put a halt to online poker sites making the $10,000 entries prizes in their online tournaments. Even if the UIGEA remains in place (and there are many bodies lobbying for its removal), it should only take a year or two before entries to the event return to the record level set in 2006.

This year first place will win US$8,250,000, substantially down from last year’s US$12,000,000, but more than Joe Hachem’s US$7,500,000 first prize in 2005. This year the top 621 places will be paid, all winning a minimum of $20,320.

Players eliminated on day 1D included me, poker brat Phil Hellmuth (to the cheers and applause of the other players), 2006 winner Jamie Gold and Chip Reese.

641 survived of the starting field of 1,783 players. Amongst them were:

1st - Josh Evans - 237,300

2nd - Kevin Kim - 196,100

3rd - Jose Barbero - 172,600

4th - Cyril Bensoussan - 172,200

5th - Gary Styczynski - 169,200

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75th - Gus Hansen - 100,100

103th - Michael Binger - 89,900

117th - Carlos Mortensen - 86,800

358th - Daniel Negreanu - 43,100

429th - Jack W. Wry - 35,000

Day 2A, will be played by the 1,032 survivors from days 1A and 1B, and day 2B will be played by the 1,303 survivors from days 1C and 1D. There are 2,335 players remaining in the tournament from the 6,358 starters.

© 2007 Andrew W Scott