One of the Biggest Days of the Summer Lies Ahead; Time for Day 1c of the Main Event!
With the Independence Day festivities wrapped up, everyone's full focus will be on poker again as Day 1c of the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event kicks off at 12 noon today. A total of 3,248 entries have been made across the first two starting days and following tradition, the final starting day will provide the biggest field of them all. 2019 will certainly be no exception to that rule as every table in the building is being prepared to house the players.
Last year, the single-day record in the World Series of Poker Main Event got shattered with no fewer than 4,571 players showing up for Day 1c. This number is certainly up to be challenged today, as the queues at the registration line in the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino have been packed over the last few days. It seems no one wants to miss out on the Main Event this year, and while yesterday's field was relatively small due to Independence Day, there's a buzz going around the room that the 8,000-player mark will be eclipsed for the first time since 2006.
Here's what the numbers look like so far.
| Starting Day | Entrants in 2017 | Entrants in 2018 | Entrants in 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1a | 795 | 925 | 1,334 |
| Day 1b | 2,164 | 2,378 | 1,914 |
| Day 1c | 4,262 | 4,571 | TBD* |
* - can register at start of Day 2ab and Day 2c as well
Day 1c will see defending champion John Cynn take his seat to try and become the first player since Johnny Chan to win the Main Event in back-to-back years. "The Master" himself will likely also be one of the former Main Event champs taking a seat in the 4,000+ player field today.
Cards will be in the air at 12 noon and players start with 60,000 in chips. Levels are 120 minutes long throughout the event, with a 20-minute break after every level for players to clear their heads. The dinner break will be 85 minutes long and is held after level 4, which is around 9 p.m. local time. The day is expected to wrap up around 12:30 a.m.
New this year is late registration being open up until the starts of Day 2ab and Day 2c. Therefore, it could very well be that those anticipating 15-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth's great entrance will have to wait just a little bit longer. Hellmuth darted off to Machu Picchu during the height of summer, and given his preference for late starts, he'll likely be among those opting for the latest of registrations.
2019 WSOP Main Event Day 1c Blind Structure
| Level | Duration | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 120 minutes | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| 20-minute break | ||||
| 2 | 120 minutes | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| 20-minute break | ||||
| 3 | 120 minutes | 200 | 400 | 400 |
| 20-minute break | ||||
| 4 | 120 minutes | 300 | 500 | 500 |
| 85-minute dinner break | ||||
| 5 | 120 minutes | 300 | 600 | 600 |
Players who survive today will return to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino on Sunday, July 7, to play another five levels on Day 2c. The full structure for this event can be found here (PDF).
PokerNews will have an all-star team present on the floor, bringing live updates from the Amazon, Brasilia, Pavilion, and Miranda poker rooms, as well as any other table in the building housing Main Event players. There will be a live broadcast on ESPN from 5.30 p.m. - 9.00 p.m. Make sure to check back regularly and don't miss anything as the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event rolls on!