Day 1 Ends With 186 Players; Mark Radoja In Hunt For Third Bracelet
Day 1 of Event #4: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em started with the players spread across three room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino due to a massive crowd of 2,224 players buying into it. By the time 11 one-hour levels were completed, that huge crowd had been whittled down to a much more manageable 186.
It looks like Canada's Miguel Proulx is the overnight chip leader, having bagged up an impressive 120,500 chips at the close of play. Proulx won a $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event in 2010 and has done his chances of adding a second bracelet to his wrist no harm by putting in an impressive performance in this event.
Other big stacks who punched their ticket through to Day 2 with ease include Brian Bauer (108,400), Cy Williams (100,400), Alan Clunie (96,700), and Scott Baumstein (88,200). However, when play resumes at 1 p.m. local time on Friday it will be Mark Radoja who is in the spotlight.
Radoja finished Day 1 with 102,000 chips and now has a realistic chance of winning his third WSOP bracelet. Not only has Radoja got plenty of chips, he played superb poker throughout the day and led for the majority of it. Combine his big stack with his obvious confidence and the fact he looks to be running good and that equals danger for his opponents on Day 2.
Plenty of notables will take their seats on Day 2, including Phil Collins (69,800), Jamie Kertsetter (69,700), Andrew Lichtenberger (62,700), David Peters (57,800), Olivier Busquet (35,000), Tristan Wade (23,900) and Amanda Musumeci (15,200).
Play resumes at 1 p.m on Friday with the 186 returning players guaranteed at least $1,981 for their efforts so far. PokerNews will be on hand to bring you all the action from Day 2, but until then it is goodnight from us!