2008 WSOP Circuit Event - Harrah's New Orleans

Bayou Poker Challenge Main Event
Day: 1
Event Info

2008 WSOP Circuit Event - Harrah's New Orleans

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
j7
Prize
$382,928
Event Info
Buy-in
$5,000
Prize Pool
$1,196,650
Entries
249
Level Info
Level
17
Blinds
10,000 / 20,000
Ante
3,000

Bayou Poker Challenge Main Event

Day 1 Completed

End of Day 1 Chip Counts

David Fox - 102100
Lou Esposito - 102100
Mike Browne - 96000
Senovio Ramirez - 88900
Ed Jatho - 81600
Purvis Blake - 80600
Chuck Kelley - 80200
Timothy Miles - 78400
Marc Fratter - 75400
Matt Stout - 63900
Gary Friedlander - 59900
Devin Jarreau - 57000
Jeff Tims - 55300
Chris Marsh - 55000
Anita Vasquez - 54500
Michael Cohen - 49100
Rob Quin - 48000
Drew Hart - 47700
Daryll Fish - 46800
Suju Abraham - 45600
Ryan Lenaghan - 42500
Lee Wilson - 42300
Beverly Cheney - 41000
Kyle Molik - 40000
Gabe Costner - 38900
Jon Nathan - 37800
David Babin - 35700
Jack Schanbacher - 34800
Jeff Coutroulis - 34600
Gil Morgenstern - 34300
Philip Sparta - 31300
Fatolla Shahen - 30400
James Henson - 28300
Cory Albertson - 28000
Clint Schafer - 27300
Jonathan Little - 27300
Dana Diephouse - 27100
Soren Eriksen - 26200
Floyd Vanderford - 25700
Joe Cutler - 25500
Glenn Hyde - 25300
Rick Drury - 24900
Jason Brice - 24500
Allen Kessler - 23300
Ed Corrado - 22600
Charles Wright - 22200
Tom Sartori - 21500
Edward Sabat - 21100
Joseph Brooks - 20500
John Ryan - 20100
Jim Pritchard - 19000
Ali Akram - 18500
Eli Lizka - 17300
Ben Gordon - 16600
Tim Vance - 16200
Brian Cospolich - 15600
Nick Ceci - 15300
Derek Feldman - 14000
Herbie Montalbano - 13200
Robert Jones - 12700
Michael Andrews - 12400
Matt Sterling - 11100
Boris Kravets - 10300
Jimmy Tran - 10200
Doug Carli - 10000
Paul Prudhomme - 9600
Matt Brady - 6300
Collier Merrill - 4300

Click here for Day 2's seat assignments.

Day One is in the Books

Lou Esposito
Lou Esposito
At just before midnight local time, we have reached the end of Day One in the Bayou Poker Challenge. Day One saw a number of prominent pros come and go quickly. Most notably, T.J. Cloutier and Gavin Smith were among those who headed to the exit early. Also eliminated today were Josh Arieh, Sabyl Cohen, Bill Edler, young gun Steve Billirakis, and 2005 WSOP runner-up Steve Dannenmann.

As play concluded, the tournament staff announced that we have just eight tables left -- 69 players remaining of our original 249. Of these, just two women still have a shot at the title: Beverly Cheney and Anita Vasquez. These players will return to the tournament room tomorrow at noon central time, and we will play until the field shrinks down to our final table of nine.

The official chip counts have yet to be tallied, but it appears that Lou Esposito and David Fox are neck-and-neck for the overnight chip lead, with approximately 102,000 each. Mike Browne is hot on their heels with about 96,000.

We expect to have accurate, fully-updated chip counts and seat assignments for you shortly, so stay tuned for that information. We'll see you tomorrow at noon!

Woolworth Takes a Massive Hit to His Stack

A massive hand just went down between Nicholas Woolworth and Chuck Kelley. On a flop of {J-Clubs}{9-Hearts}{2-Spades}, Woolworth bet 9,000 into a 6,000 pot. Kelley made the call. The turn was the {Q-Diamonds}, and Kelley instantly declared, "All in." Woolworth then proceeded to tank for about 10 minutes. He repeated said to himself, "All I can beat is J-10." Finally he made the call and flipped over {A-Spades}{J-Hearts}. Kelley flipped over {J-Diamonds}{10-Clubs}. The river card fell the {10-Spades}, and Woolworth walked away in disgust. After the hand, Kelley moved up to approximately 76,000 and Woolworth moved down to approximately 25,000.

Tags: Chuck KelleyNicholas Woolworth

Esposito Gets Healthy

On a flop that reads {10-Spades}{K-Clubs}{Q-Spades}, Lou Esposito gets it all in with an opponent who shows {A-Hearts}{K-Diamonds}. Esposito holds the best hand with the {A-Diamonds}{A-Spades} and is looking to double up.

The turn comes the {9-Clubs} and Esposito needs to sweat one more card. The river is the {2-Diamonds} and Esposito's aces hold up.

After being down to a mere 5,000 chips, Esposito has battled back and built his stack to a whopping 88,000. Esposito looks poised to make another deep run at Harrah's.

Tags: Lou Esposito

Walter Chambers Crippled

In a three-way pot, the flop brings {2-Diamonds}{6-Spades}{7-Hearts}. Tom Sartori checks, and Walter Chambers comes out betting 2,500. The player to his left makes the call, and Sartori folds.

The two players see the turn card, {4-Spades}. Chambers relinquishes control of the betting and checks it over to his opponent, who moves all in for his remaining 10,600. Chambers goes into the tank for several minutes, counting and re-counting his chips before making a reluctant call.

When the cards are turned up, Chambers tables the {10-Clubs}{7-Clubs}, and is drawing dead to his opponent's made straight, having gotten there on the turn with {5-Diamonds}{8-Spades}. After the big loss, Chambers is in a bad spot with just over 6,000 remaining.

Tags: Walter Chambers

Fratter Takes Two Birds With One Stone

Marc Fratter
Marc Fratter
Marc Fratter sees a flop with two other players, one of whom is all in. Fratter checks the {K-Diamonds}{K-Hearts}{7-Clubs} flop and his opponent moves all in. Fratter wastes no time in turning his hand face-up as he calls.

Fratter shows the {K-Spades}{10-Spades} for three kings. The player who was all in preflop shows the {A-Diamonds}{6-Clubs} and the other player shows the {A-Spades}{Q-Diamonds}. Fratter has a big lead in the hand and a chance to eliminate two players.

The turn brings the {4-Hearts} and the river the {9-Spades}. Fratter wins a sizable pot and increases his chip stack to 75,000, while eliminating two players from the field.

Tags: Marc Fratter

Edward Sabat Doubles Up

Edward Sabat moved all in for his last 7,300 and was called by an unknown player. His opponent made the call and showed {4-Hearts}{4-Clubs}. Sabat showed {A-Spades}{J-Clubs}. The board came {6-Spades}{K-Clubs}{9-Spades}{6-Hearts}{K-Spades}. Sabat's opponent's hand was counterfeited and Sabat moved up to about 21,000 in chips.

Tags: Edward Sabat

Gill Eliminated

Carter Gill moves all in preflop with 6-6 and is called by the same player who took a chunk of chips from him a few hands ago. Gill's opponent shows A-Q.

Gill is ahead until an ace flops, and neither the turn nor river help him to stay alive and he is eliminated.

Tags: Carter Gill