Huge Field Converges on Day 1 of the $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Championship
It was huge turnout for Day 1 of Event #32: $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Championship, as 5,916 players showed up and came just short of setting an attendance record for this event. The record was set last year at 5,918 players, meaning the 2019 edition of this event came up just two entries short of matching last year’s total.
The field whittled down to 1,778 grinders by night’s end, and those players will come back to the Rio Friday at 11 a.m. for the Day 2 restart. With 888 money spots up for grabs, the money bubble will most likely burst Friday as the remaining field battles for the $662,594 first prize and the WSOP bracelet!
Albert Halfon (271,700) is one of the big stacks coming back for Day 2, and he ended his night with a bustout he’ll probably remember for the rest of his life. The 15-time bracelet winning Phil Hellmuth entered the event late and sat at Halfon’s table, but Hellmuth didn’t last long as Halfon knocked him out, took his 20,000-chip stack and had his table mates calling him “Moneybags” after eliminating the legendary Hellmuth.
Other large stacks making it through Day 1 include Ron Larsen (289,900), Anthony Martin (273,700), Chisu Danut (264,000), and Michael Mischkot (226,800) all of whom will be looking to add to their piles when the Day 2 restart begins with Level 11, and the blinds at 800/1600.
Notable players making it to Day 2 include Matt Savage, David Einhorn, Barry Greenstein, Cliff Josephy, Layne Flack, Barbara Enright and Joe Hachem (80,000).
In addition to Hellmuth, other notable Day 1 bustouts included Norm MacDonald, who survived to Level 9 but suffered a brutal elimination and had to head for the exit.
This event is scheduled for four days of action, with 10 one-hour levels on the slate for Friday. The tournament will play down to six players Saturday, and the final table will commence on Sunday and play down to a champion!
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