Doyle Brunson Returns, Sam Farha Bags Big on Day 1 of Event #58: $1000 Super Seniors No-Limit Hold'em
Day 1 of Event #52: $1,000 Super Seniors No-Limit Hold'em was a memorable one, with the legend Doyle Brunson making a surprise (but quick) appearance, and Sammy Farha bagging a big stack.
The gold bracelet event, only open to those aged 60 and above, drew 1,893 entries, creating prize pool of $1,684,770. First place will walk away with $255,623 on Thursday.
Some highly-decorated and veteran players made the Day 2 cut, with Farhad Davoudzadeh leading the way with 414,000 in chips. Only 490 players bagged a stack to take into Day 2 on Monday, which begins at 10:00 a.m. PT.
However, Brunson, who last appeared in a WSOP event in 2018, won't be among those coming back for Day 2. The 10-time bracelet winner lasted less than an hour before heading to the exits. But his presence inside the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino convention center created a buzz throughout the building.
Farha, on the other hand, dominated play on Day 1 and left the table with 204,100, putting him among the chip leaders. The runner-up to Chris Moneymaker in the 2003 WSOP Main Event doesn't compete much in World Series of Poker events these days, but was back to his old tricks on Sunday.
The event attracted many of the best 60-and-over poker players from around the world. Some of those poker greats who made it to Day 2 include Everett Carlton (170,000),Barry Greenstein (42,300) and Thad McNulty (132,000).
Some of the high-profile players exiting before the session concluded include Doyle Brunson, Jack McClelland, Bill Klein and Lisa Roberts.
End of Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chips |
|---|---|---|---|
| RANK | PLAYER | CITY / STATE / COUNTRY | CHIP COUNT |
| 1 | Farhad Davoudzadeh | United States | 414,000 |
| 2 | Stephen Schneider | United States | 300,000 |
| 3 | Kulwant Singh | United States | 249,700 |
| 4 | Joel Clarke | United States | 240,100 |
| 5 | Gary Bain | Canada | 235,500 |
| 6 | Robert Presman | United States | 232,200 |
| 7 | Ronald Lemco | United States | 231,600 |
| 8 | Scott Zakheim | United States | 229,200 |
| 9 | Arthur Schiavo | United States | 222,800 |
| 10 | Scott Sukstorf | United States | 218,200 |
Day 2 action will pick up on Monday on Level 11 — 1000/2,000 with a big blind ante of 2,000. Players who make it through the day will play ten 60-minute levels with 15-min breaks after every 2 levels. The 60-minute dinner break will occur after Level 18, which is scheduled for approximately 7:00 p.m. local time.
Follow along with the PokerNews live reporting coverage throughout Monday's session, beginning at 10:00 a.m. PT to find out which players will make it into the money.