Wednesday has been another record setting day at the 2009 World Series of Poker.
With a field of 2,924 returning for Day 2b of the Main Event, it is the largest restart in the history of poker. Day 2b combined the remaining players from Days 1c and 1d, which was a combined 4,505. The total number of players in the $10,000 World Championship No Limit Hold'em (Event 57) is 6,494.
The amount of players was so massive all poker tables in the Rio Hotel were designated for the tournament, including extra tables in various areas of the casino. The three tournament rooms — Amazon, Brasilia and Miranda — were filled with returning players, including an tables in the Amazon Room, the main tournament room.
An extra 28 tables were set up far away from the main tournament area. Players were seated at 14 tables in front of Buzio's Restaurant as well as another 14 tables in the poker room on the other side of the casino than the rest of the tournaments this summer.
Troy Weber is at the top of the standings as players left for their dinner break after two two-hour levels of play. Weber, who began the day a strong chip leader with 353,000 at the end of Day 1c, now has 352,000 in chips and is followed by Dan Bilzerian and Jeremiah DeGreef, who have 275,000 and 205,00, respectively.
Josh Arieh and Jeff Lisandro are also near the top of the chip counts at the break with two levels left to play in the day. Antonio Esfandiari, David Benyamine and Justin Bonomo are also still alive with at least 150,000 in chips.
The field has worked its way down to 2,862 players at the break who are still in the running for to make the money — at least $21,365 to the top 648 runners with a top prize of more than $8.5 million.
Those eliminated in thier second day of play include Howard Lederer, 1998 World Champion Scotty Nguyen, Erick Lindgren and Michael Mizrachi.
Lederer moved all his chips in with a little more than 20 minutes remaining in Level 7 and dinner, but he was able to take a look a menu early, but left quietly. One player who made a scene when he was all in was the showman from Costa Rica, Humberto Brenes.
Early in the day, Brenes drew a crowd of reporters, photographers and the ESPN film crew to his table as he moved all in on a board of . He was loud and enticing a call by even offering to give his opponent his own toy shark card protectors.
"I give you both," Brenes said.
After thinking about the action, the opponent did make the call, putting Brenes' tournament life at risk.
"Show me ace-queen," Brenes said as his opponent turned over and Brenes tabled .
The turn and river were blanks — , — and Brenes doubled up.