2006 World Series of Poker Circuit
Grand Casino Tunica – Tunica, MS
Official Report
Event #14
No-Limit Hold’em
Championship Event
Day 1
Sept. 11, 2000
Buy-In: $5,000 +$150
Number of Entries: 138
Total Prize Money: $658,300 (+ Seat into 2008 WSOP Main Event)

Day 1 of the Championship event at Grand Casino Tunica's Circuit tour ended with Steve Hyvonen of Cleveland, Ohio holding a big chip lead of 146,500. His closest competitor, Gil George of Dallas, Texas, had 100,300.

The $5,000 no-limit event ended with three tables left. Play will resume on day 2 until the final table of nine is reached.

A number of poker luminaries including Gavin Smith, Josh Ariah, Surinder Sunar, Rico Carli and defending champion Mark "Pegasus" Smith turned out for the event, but none survived day 1. Nani Dollison, who won the ladies championship at the World Series in 2000 and the opening event at the WSOP the year after, was still in. However, she was at the bottom of the list with 10,300, just 300 more than what everyone started with. Dollison finished eighth at the ladies championship here two days earlier.

Here are the remaining players and chip counts:

Name Chip Count Table Seat Hometown State
Steve Hyvonen 146,500 48 7 Cleveland OH
Gil George 100,300 55 7 Dallas TX
Richard Damian Gum 93,500 48 5 Granite City IL
Shannon Shorr 92,000 55 4 Tuscaloosa AL
Tony Burton 90,000 61 8 Santa Rosa  
Brian Rutland 83,200 48 3 Saltillo MS
Terry Hawkins 78,400 55 3 Cordova TN
Jerry Saucier 76,100 48 1 Helena AL
Pat Atchison 68,100 55 8 Ft. Worth TX
Samuel Chun 65,800 61 7 Lakeland TN
Michael Spegal 52,000 55 9 Saint Marys GA
Mike Haney 49,200 61 3 Marion AR
Jordan Morgan 44,200 61 2 Norman OK
Yoon Kim 41,600 61 4 Milwaukee WI
Jeff Cohen 37,600 61 9 Parkland FL
Steve Williams 36,300 48 8 Braggs OK
James Lindsay 30,700 61 6 Hayesville NC
Jerry Matlock 30,100 55 2 Elgin IL
Mack Khan 26,200 48 9 Shreveport LA
Giovanni Marcacci 24,200 48 4 Brooksville FL
Glyn Banks 23,500 61 1 Smithville TN
Thomas Hover 23,000 55 5 Las Vegas NV
Frank Kassela 22,900 48 6 Germantown TN
William McMaham 18,900 55 6 Newport TN
John Barnes 15,500 48 2 Memphis TN
Mark Garner 14,500 61 5 Little Rock AR
Nani Dollison 10,300 55 1 Hernando MS