At 2 p.m. local time, cards will be in the air for the second of five days of Event #62: $50,000 Poker Players Championship. One of the most coveted WSOP bracelets of the summer, the David 'Chip' Reese Memorial Trophy and over a million dollars are up for grabs in this prestigious tournament. Late registration will end at the start of Day 2, and with 93 players in the field, the event has already surpassed last year's number of entrants by two. Prize pool information will be available shortly after late registration has closed.
British professional poker player Matthew Ashton bagged the overall chip lead on Day 1 with 705,500. Ashton is looking to repeat his 2013 performance when he won it all for $1,774,089. It wouldn't be the first repeat performance; in fact, it has been done twice already in the event's 12-year history. Two-time winners Brian Rast (335,300) and Michael Mizrachi (267,000) also made their way to Day 2 and are each looking to etch their name in history as the first three-time winner.
As expected, a who's who of poker turned out on Day 1, with 87 out of 93 of poker's all-stars surviving the first day of play. Aaron Katz (682,700), Robert Mizrachi (485,500), Daniel Alaei (446,100), and Johnny Chan (408,500) found themselves at the top of the chip counts after Day 1. Daniel Negreanu (360,100), Paul Volpe (345,600), David Bach (333,800), Jason Mercier (325,700), and Phil Hellmuth (307,300) also bagged above the starting stack.
Today they will play six levels of 100-minutes each, with a 15-minute break scheduled after each level. A 60-minute dinner break is scheduled after Level 10, which will be around 9:20 p.m. local time.
Follow PokerNews throughout the day and don't miss any updates from this star-studded event.
Payout information for this event has been released by the World Series of Poker staff. With 100 entrants — up from 91 last year — there will be 15 places paid. The winner of the event will bank $1,395,767. A min-cash will be worth $77,320. Check out the full prize pool breakdown by clicking the Payouts tab above.
John Racener had low cards on board and a bet in front of him and Phil Galfond was considering calling. The online legend had three hearts and three low cards, so his board wasn't too shabby either.
Racener: //
Galfond: //
Galfond put in a call and Racener showed in the hole for quads. Galfond mucked.
Small blind Johnny Chan raised to 6,000 and Paul Volpe defended his big blind.
It was just a warm-up for a hand that would see the pot grow very big as Chan continued in his aggression all the way through the board.
Chan fired 10,000 on the flop and Volpe quickly called. He called another 25,000 on the turn and Chan completed his triple-barrel with a 50,000 river bet.
Volpe sighed, leaned back in his chair, and mumbled something about his calling range. After a minute, he threw in the calling chips.
Chan turned up the for a runner-runner nut flush, taking a bite from Volpe's stack.
Brock Parker completed with a out, earning a call from Felipe Ramos who had an exposed. Ramos bet out on fourth, fifth, and sixth streets with a nine-high board in front of him. Parker called first two bets but laid down on sixth, leaving himself with just over 21,000.
The next hand saw Parker complete again and he found three customers in Michael Mizrachi, Warwick Mirzikinian, and Phil Hellmuth.
Mirzikinian led out on fourth street with three-four out, forcing a fold from Hellmuth. Parker then raised it up, getting rid of Mizrachi, and Mirzikinian fired back so Parker ended up all in for his 16,400.
Parker: / /
Mirzikinian: / /
Parker made eighty-seven on fifth street while Mirzikinian spiked a six on sixth, drawing live on the river. However, he peeled a king and Parker doubled up.
There was big consternation over at Table 726 where Tommy Chen had moved all in. The board was reading and Jesse Martin had 67,000 in front of him. Chen had shoved for 126,500 and had exposed his hand before Martin had called off the extra chips.
Although the odds were great, Martin had not called yet, and, as Chen had exposed for the nuts, he tried to figure out if it was worth the call. Both players got in a heated argument and verbally traded insults while Martin was deciding on a call, which resulted in the floor staff coming over to calm things down.
Eventually, Martin folded his hand and Chen received a one-round penalty for exposing his cards prematurely.
Michael Mizrachi made it 6,000 from under the gun, Scott Seiver called one seat over, and Benny Glaser defended his big blind. The flop was , Glaser checked, Mizrachi bet 8,000, Seiver called, and Glaser folded. On the turn, Mizrachi checked, Seiver bet 26,000, and Mizrachi called.
The river brought the and Mizrachi quickly flung three T$25,000 chips forward. Seiver spent the better part of two minutes in the tank before shoving all in, putting Mizrachi to a decision for his remaining 260,000. "The Grinder" agonised over it for several minutes before relinquishing his hand.
2016 PPC Champion Brian Rast has been eliminated from the tournament. According to Rast on Twitter, he suffered a rough run of cards which eventually spelled his demise.
2015 winner Mike Gorodinsky has also been sent to the rail, which leaves David Bach, Michael Mizrachi, and Matthew Ashton as the last former champions in the field
Tommy Chen bet on fourth street, Minh Ly folded, Bryn Kenney called, and Shaun Deeb called. Deeb caught a pair of aces on fifth and bet. Chen called, and Kenny folded. On sixth street, Deeb bet, Chen raised all in, and Deeb put in the few extra chips.
Chen showed for a flush draw and an eight-seven low. Deeb tabled for an eight-six low to go with his aces.
Chen didn't want to sweat the final card and flipped it directly open. He bricked all his draws with the and was eliminated.
Dan Smith limped from the hijack, and action stopped at Leon Tsoukernik, who potted from the small blind. Big blind Joseph Couden came along for the required 9,400, and Smith paid to see the flop, as well.
"I wouldn't do it if I had more chips," Tsoukernik said about his maximum bet, and the players around his table seemed to agree with his strategy.
The flop was , and Tsoukernik bet another 25,000. Couden folded, but Smith thought for a moment and eventually called.
Tsoukernik moved all in on the turn, and Smith was interested in the amount. "Four cards and fifty-four thousand," said Tsoukernik. It was 53,600, and Smith laid it down.
"Great fold," Tsoukernik complimented Smith.
"I don't believe you," Smith replied.
Tsoukernik, however, proved his statement. "Two pair, three pair, and a flush draw," he said, revealing his .
/
/
in the hole for quads. Galfond mucked.
board.
out, earning a call from Felipe Ramos who had an 
exposed. Ramos bet out on fourth, fifth, and sixth streets with a nine-high board in front of him. Parker called first two bets but laid down on sixth, leaving himself with just over 21,000.
/ 
and Jesse Martin had 67,000 in front of him. Chen had shoved for 126,500 and had exposed his hand before Martin had called off the extra chips.
/ 
/ 
- fold
- fold
, and Tsoukernik bet another 25,000. Couden folded, but Smith thought for a moment and eventually called.
turn, and Smith was interested in the amount. "Four cards and fifty-four thousand," said Tsoukernik. It was 53,600, and Smith laid it down.
