DOWN TO 205- CANADIAN EVAN LAMPREA LEADS BUT CHAN, MIZRACHI HEALTHY AND HUNGRY

Event #57

DAY'S HEADLINES

2010 World Series of Poker Main Event Championship Continues

Canadian Evan Lamprea Holds Slim Chip Lead at End of Day Five

Poker Legend Johnny Chan Still on Leaderboard -- Ranked Ninth

1998 Champ Scotty Nguyen Hits the Rail

The Cashing Mizrachis:  A WSOP First – Four Brothers Cash in Main Event

574 Players Begin Day Three – Only 205 Survive

Wednesday’s Survivors Return on Thursday, July 15th for Day Six

Out of 7,319 Total Starters – 205 Dreams Remain Alive (2.8 Percent)

Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Russia, and United States Represented in Top Twenty

Note:  For the tournament portal page for this event, including the day’s chip counts, click HERE.

DAILY DIARY
 
The 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event continued on Wednesday with the play and conclusion of Day Five.  This session included the first continuous full day of players who are now free-rolling the remainder of the tournament.  All surviving players at this point are guaranteed a generous payout totaling at least $48,847.  Many players will earn far greater rewards.  

Day Five began with 574 players.  After four levels of play lasting eight hours, only 205 players survived.  The surviving players will return Thursday for Day Six.

The end of Day Five chip leader is Evan Lamprea, from Woodstock, Ontario (Canada).  He currently has 3,564,000 in chips, which is a slight advantage over the player ranked in second place.  Lamprea is certainly in new territory at the WSOP.  He has one lone in-the-money finish on his tournament resume, which was a 164th-place showing in the final gold bracelet event played before this year's Main Event ($2,500 No-Limit Hold’em).  His guaranteed payout in this tournament already represents nearly ten times what was collected in his first-ever cash.

The runner up is Michael Skender, from Rodabain, Germany.  He currently has 3,527,000 in chips, which is only a round of blinds and antes behind the chip leader.  Rounding out the top five are Joseph Cheong, from La Mirada, CA; Duy Le, from San Francisco, CA; and Theo Jorgenson, from Copenhagen, Denmark.

Johnny Chan also remains very much in contention.  The 1987/1988 world champion and ten-time gold bracelet winner is currently ranked ninth in chips.  Chan had the chip lead for about a 30-minute stretch during Day Three.  That was the first time in 22 years Chan held the chip lead at any point during the Main Event.

Among those who did not fare as well on Day Four was 1998 world champion Scotty Nguyen.  He was eliminated late in the day and exited in 209th place.  Other notable names who played Day Five, but will not return for Day Six include -- Vanessa Selbst, Jason Mercier, Sammy Farha, Brandon Cantu, Dwyte Pilgrim, Hoyt Corkins, Vitaly Lunkin, John Kabbaj, Jason DeWitt, Padraig Parkinson, Doug “Rico” Carli, and Steve Billirakis.

Play is expected to trim the 205 remaining competitors down to less than 100 survivors when the next session begins.  The Main Event continues through July 17th when the final table players will ultimately be determined, otherwise known as the “November Nine.”  

THE BASICS

There are 205 players remaining.

The current chip leader is Evan Lamprea, from Canada.

There is one woman remaining.  Her name is Breeze Zuckerman.

There is one former world champion remaining.  His name is Johnny Chan.

There 117 Americans remaining in the Main Event.

There are 88 non-American (international) players remaining in the Main Event.

There are 26 different nations with players still alive in the Main Event.

The youngest player still in the tournament is 21-years-old.

The oldest player still in the tournament is 69-years-old.

The average age of remaining players is 32-years-old.

THE PLAYERS

Former world champions who participated on Day Five included:
 
1987/1988:  Johnny Chan
1998:  Scotty Nguyen

Back-to-back (1987/1988) world champion Johnny Chan has been ranked among the top 30 players since the middle of Day Three.  He held the chip lead for a brief time eight levels ago, but continues to stay within striking distance of the leader.  Chan remains the most feared, and certainly most closely-watched of any player remaining in the tournament at this point.

Scotty Nguyen was eliminated late in the day.  He went bust with about 30 minutes remaining to be played on Day Five.  Nguyen was short stacked late with about 300,000 in chips and made his final stand holding    .  Unfortunately, he ran into opponent Mads Wissing, holding    .  The final board showed          , which meant the pair of kings won the pot.  This year, Nguyen cashed in both the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. championship (19th) as well as the Main Event (209th).  He currently owns five gold bracelets.

Only one former champion remains alive.  This year's performances of all former WSOP Main Event Champions:

1975/1976:  Doyle Brunson – Eliminated Day 2-B
1978:  Bobby “the Owl” Baldwin – Eliminated Day 2-A  
1983:  Tom McEvoy – Eliminated Day 2-A
1986:  Berry Johnston – Eliminated Day 2-A
1987/1988:  Johnny Chan – STILL ALIVE (ranks 9th of 205 players)
1989:  Phil Hellmuth – Eliminated Day 1-C
1993:  Jim Bechtel – Eliminated Day 3
1995:  Dan Harrington – Eliminated Day 4
1996:  Huck Seed – Eliminated Day 1-C
1998:  Scotty Nguyen – CASHED, in 209th place
2000:  Chris “Jesus” Ferguson – Eliminated Day 2-B
2001:  Carlos Mortensen – Eliminated Day 2-A
2002:  Robert Varkonyi – Eliminated Day 4
2003:  Chris Moneymaker – Eliminated Day 3
2004:  Greg “Fossilman” Raymer – Eliminated Day 1-A
2005:  Joe Hachem – Eliminated Day 1-D
2006:  Jamie Gold – Eliminated Day 1-B
2007:  Jerry Yang – Eliminated Day 1-C   
2009:  Joe Cada – Eliminated Day 3

Current Status of Last Year’s November Nine:

Joe Cada – Eliminated Day 3
Darvin Moon – Eliminated Day 2-B
Antoine Saout – Eliminated Day 2-B
Eric Buchman – CASHED, in 554th place
Jeff Shulman – Eliminated Day 2-B
Steven Begleiter – Eliminated on Day 1-C
Phil Ivey – Eliminated Day 2-B
Kevin Schaffel – Eliminated Day 1-B
James Akenhead – Eliminated Day 2-A

None of last year’s November Nine remains alive in the Main Event.  All former finalists have been eliminated.  Only one player cashed -- Eric Buchman.  None of the 2008 November Nine remain alive, as well.
 
Status of former WSOP “Players of the Year”:

Daniel Negreanu – Eliminated Day 3
Allen Cunningham – CASHED – 581st PLACE
Jeff Madsen – Eliminated Day 1-C
Tom Schneider – Eliminated Day 2-B
Erick Lindgren – Eliminated Day 1-B
Jeffrey Lisandro – Eliminated Day 1-D

No former Players of the Year remain alive.  Only one player cashed -- Allen Cunningham.

This year's Player of the Year winner will be among those who cashed in the Main Event.  This is because the only two remaining candidates in the race (Frank Kassela and Michael Mizrachi) both made it to the money.  Mizrachi remains in contention.  Kassela busted out on Day Four and is now guaranteed no worse than a tie for first in the points race.  The only way Mizrachi can catch Kassela (for a tie) is if he wins the Main Event.

Status of Non-Poker Celebrities:

Ray Romano – Eliminated Day 1-A
Rene Angelil – Eliminated Day 3
Orel Hershiser – Eliminated Day 2-B
Shanna Moakler – Eliminated Day 1-C  
J-Kwon, a.k.a. Jay Kwon – Eliminated Day 1-C
Scott Ian – Eliminated Day 1-C
Anthony Rapp – Eliminated Day 1-C
Shane Warne – Eliminated Day 2-A
Emmitt Smith – Eliminated Day 1-D
Jason Alexander – Eliminated Day 2-B
Bruce Buffer –CASHED IN 478TH PLACE
Sara Underwood – Eliminated Day 2-A
Shannon Elizabeth – Eliminated Day 2-B
Sully Erna – Eliminated Day 3
Hank Azaria – Eliminated Day 4

Bruce Buffer, famous for being the voice of the Ultimate Fight Championships, made a strong run in this year’s Main Event.  In fact, he outlasted virtually every non-poker playing celebrity in the field.  Buffer finally busted out holding pocket aces, which were cracked by an opponent’s four-eights.  Buffer could take some satisfaction in achieving his first Main Event cash ever, finishing in 478th place.  

The highest Main Event finish (and cash) by a part-time poker playing celebrity was accomplished by actor and comedian Gabe Kaplan, who finished 13th in the 1991 championship.  Kaplan has played in many Main Events since 1978.  The highest Main Event finish by an amateur poker player and celebrity was actor Telly Savalas (best known as “Kojak”), who finished 21st in the 1992 championship.

2010 GOLD BRACELET WINNERS (STATUS)

There were 56 WSOP gold bracelet winners this year, coming into the Main Event.  Here are the players who either cashed, or were still alive at the start of Day Five, along with their current status:

Michael Mizrachi -- STILL ALIVE, currently in 30th place
Gavin Smith -- Cashed – 730th place
Carter Phillips – Cashed – 483rd place
Tomer Berda -- STILL ALIVE, currently in 174th place
Matt Keikoan -- STILL ALIVE, currently in 195th place
Praz Bansi – Cashed – 240th place
Frank Kassela -- Cashed – 674th place
Simon Watt – Cashed – 397th place
Jason DeWitt – Cashed, 274th place
Eric Buchman – Cashed, 554th place

OTHER NOTABLE ELIMINATIONS

Vanessa Selbst, from Brooklyn, NY was eliminated in 476th place.  She won a gold bracelet in 2008 (Pot-Limit Omaha).  

Jason Mercier, from Davie, FL was eliminated in 463rd place.  He won a gold bracelet in 2009 (Pot-Limit Omaha).  Mercier finished fourth in last year’s WSOP Europe Main Event championship.

Sammy Farha, from Houston, TX was eliminated in 452nd place.  He owns three gold bracelets, including a Omaha High-Low Split victory this year.  This marked Farha’s third time to cash in the Main Event.  He was the runner up to winner Chris Moneymaker in 2003.

Brandon Cantu, from Las Vegas, NV was eliminated in 444th place.  He owns two gold bracelets.  Cantu also finished 20th in the 2008 Main Event.

WSOP Circuit three-time event winner Dwyte Pilgrim was eliminated on this day.  He nursed a low-to-average stack during the past three days.  Pilgrim finally busted out in 414th place.

Simon Watt, famous for being New Zealand’s first gold bracelet winner in history, ended up with three cashes this year.  He ended his 2010 WSOP with a 397th-place finish in the Main Event.

Hoyt Corkins, a.k.a. “The Alabama Cowboy” rode off into the sunset as the 318th-place finisher.  Corkins holds two gold bracelets.  This was his fourth time to cash in the Main Event.  In fact, Corkins has cashed in 2006, 2008 and 2010.  

Vitaly Lunkin, from Moscow, Russia is a two-time gold bracelet winner.  He put up a serious challenge in the Player of the Year race last year, and is one of Russia’s top tournament players.  Lunkin outlasted all but the top five percent of the field.  He ended up losing a race with pocket tens against ace-king and was officially listed as the 308th-place finisher.

John Kabbaj, from Watford, UK won his first gold bracelet last year.  Kabbaj managed to come in-the-money in the Main Event, finishing in 281st place.  Kabbaj also cashed in last year’s WSOP Europe championship.

Jason DeWitt, from Chicago, IL won his first gold bracelet earlier this year in the No-Limit Hold’em Shootout.  DeWitt cashed in 274th place.

Padraig Parkinson, from Dublin, Ireland final tabled the 1999 Main Event, coming in third.  In fact, Irish players took two of the top three spots that year, since fellow Dubliner Noel Furlong was the winner.  Parkinson made his best Main Event run since that time as he ended up as the 267th place finisher.

Doug “Rico” Carli, one of the WSOP Circuit’s top performers over the past three years cashed in this year’s championship.  The poker pro from Alliance, OH finished in 259th place.

Steve Billirakis, who was the youngest WSOP gold bracelet winner in history at the time of his 2007 victory (21 years, plus 10 days), made a valiant run in this tournament, but ended up busting out in 257th place.  This was his second time to cash in the Main Event.  Billirakis took 199th place in the 2008 championship.

AN INTERVIEW WITH BREEZE ZUCKERMAN

Breeze Zuckerman is the last remaining female remaining in this year’s Main Event.  She is one of the most interesting players in the tournament, for reasons which have nothing at all to do with poker.  Zuckerman was born and raised in Israel.  She earned a degree in sociology and then graduated from law school.  Zuckerman wrote for a major newspaper in Israel for many years.  She immigrated to the United States 14 years ago.  She also plans to return to college again soon (at Cal-Lutheran) to pursue a Masters Degree in psychology.  Indeed, Zuckerman has an insatiable thirst for knowledge, as she continues to pursue educational opportunities for no other reason that to gain greater understanding about the world we live in and the people who inhabit it.  

Incredibly, Zuckerman started playing poker less than a year ago.  She entered her first poker tournament last August.  This was the first time she has played in a WSOP-related event of any kind.  Zuckerman gained the trust and friendship of a few close friends who decided to put her in this year’s Main Event.  After nine long days and nights, Zuckerman remains very much alive with 738,000 in chips.  This currently ranks 131st out of 205 players entering Day Six.  Bigger news still is that Zuckerman is the final female player remaining in the tournament.  Out of an estimated 216 females who entered this year’s championship, she remains the last hope of half the world’s population.

Zuckerman, who currently resides in Moorpark, CA was interviewed following her successful run on Day Five.

Question:  You have quite an extensive background.  Tell us about how your experience as an avid reader, journalist, law school graduate, and life coach helps you as a poker player.
Zuckerman:  Working with people and understanding people means getting a read on them.  It's basically the same thing in journalism, in law, in life coaching, as well as sitting at the table.  It's basically the same skills.

Question:  What does being a life coach mean?
Zuckerman:  For many years, my friends would always come to me for advice.  At some point, I said to myself, I have seen so many people go through so many crisis’s, that I decided to do this (to make a living).'  So, I plan to go to Cal-Lutheran and get my Masters Degree in psychology.

Question:  How did you get into poker?
Zuckerman:  August of last year was my first tournament.  Ever.  (As for poker) I did not event know what it was.  If people used to talk about poker, I thought about a dark room with lots of smoke, and people drinking and cursing.  I really had no idea what poker is until about a year ago.  After that, I used to get with some of my friends and play cards in Simi Valley.  I started to like it.  That's when I played in my first tournament, which was the ladies event at the Bicycle Casino (Los Angeles).  It was the Legends of Poker.  The buy-in was $300. Until this event last week, that was the highest buy-in tournament I had ever played.  I was very lucky in that ladies tournament.  I sat there for nine hours.

Question:  Tell us what you learned from that first tournament experience.
Zuckerman:  I was sitting next to Barbara Enright.  I did not even know who she was.  After I got home, I did a Google search on her, and said 'Oh my God.'  Since then, she became a close friend and kind of my mentor.

Question:  Tell us about how you came to play in the Main Event.
Zuckerman:  It was my dream, but I never thought it would happen....I talked to my friends and I told them, I know I can do this.  This is my structure.  This will be my best game.  

Question:  What is your position on ladies poker tournaments?
Zuckerman:  I love playing in ladies events.

Question:  If you have a playing style, what is it?
Zuckerman:  I think I play solid.  Mostly, I play pretty tight.  But I know when I need to change.  I know how to become aggressive when I need to.

Question:  What is your reaction to being told you are the last woman playing in the Main Event?
Zuckerman:  I am so overwhelmed right now, that it has not sunk in.  I don't believe what's going on.  It's going to take months for me to get what is going on here.

Question:  Tell us about your WSOP dream.  It is to win the Main Event?
Zuckerman:  My dream was just to make it to Day Three.  I never thought beyond that.  So, to make it to the final table, I cannot even fathom it.  I cannot think beyond that.  I think one level at a time, one break at a time.  That's what I've been doing for five days now.

THE TOURNAMENT

All players began this tournament with 30,000 in chips.  The average stack size when play began on this day was about 382,000 in chips.

Play was nine-handed.  This format is expected to remain in effect until play reaches the final ten players, which then combines temporarily to a ten-handed table.  After one player is eliminated, the “November Nine” will be set and the tournament will take a three-month hiatus.

Day Five played four full levels.  Each level is two hours long.  Play began at noon and ended at 11:05 pm.  There is one hour remaining in Level 21.

The average stack size is currently 1,071,000 in chips.

The lowest-denomination chip at the start of Day Six will be 1,000.

When players return for Day Five, blinds will be 8,000-16,000 with a 2,000 ante.

Day Five began with 574 players.  There were 205 survivors.  This means about 36 percent of Day Five starters survived the session.

With this day now complete, there are 205 total players still alive in the Main Event.  

Players who survived Day Five will return to continue their quest for the 2010 world poker championship on Thursday, July 15th, at 12 noon.

Payouts increase at various intervals.  Every player still alive in the tournament is currently guaranteed at least $48,847 in prize money.  The next jump comes between 171st and 172nd place, which will pay $57,102.

THE LEADERBOARD

This end of day chip leader is Evan Lamprea, from Woodstock, Ontario (Canada).  He is 21-years-old.  This is the first year Lamprea has been eligible to play at the WSOP.  He has one lone cash on his resume, which took place ten days ago when he busted out in 164th place.  That event was the $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em tournament (Event #56) which preceded the Main Event.

The chip leader from the previous day was Tony Dunst, from Las Vegas, NV.  He suffered a tough Day Five.  The good news was that he survived and will continue playing on Day Six.  The bad news is that he currently ranks in 182nd place.  

Ranking second in chips from this day is Michael Skender, from Rodabain, Germany.  This is the highest ranking German player in history in a Main Event (measured by end of day standings).  No German player has ever been the chip leader at the end of a playing day.
 
The first player to reach the 2-million chip mark was Phil Galfond, from Gaithersburg, MD – which took place about one hour into play on Day Five.  

The first place to reach the 3-million chip mark was Theo Jorgensen, from Copenhagen, Denmark – which took place about six hours into play.  Since then, four players have surpassed the 3-million chip mark.

Only five players have in excess of 3,000,000 in chips.

Only nine players have in excess of 2,500,000 in chips.

Only 20 players have in excess of 2,000,000 in chips.

There are 19 players (about ten percent of the field) who have 300,000 in chips, or less.

Here is how the chip leaders from each day (of this year’s Main Event) have fared, thus far:

1-A:  Corwin Cole, from Las Vegas, NV – Did Not Cash
1-B:  James Danielson, from LaPlata, MD – Did Not Cash
1-C:  Mathieu Sauriol, from Laval, Quebec (Canada) – CASHED, in 532nd place
1-D:  Steve Billirakis, from Bourbonnais, IL – CASHED, in 257th place
2-A:  Boulos Estafanous, from Darien, IL – CASHED in 733rd place
2-B:  David Assouline from Hampstead, Quebec (Canada) – STILL ALIVE, in 115th place
3:  James Carroll, from Henderson, NV – STILL ALIVE, in 22nd place
4:  Tony Dunst, Las Vegas, NV -- STILL ALIVE, in 182nd place
5:  Evan Lamprea, Woodstock, Ontario (Canada) – STILL ALIVE, in 1st place

THE NATIONS

The following nations (26) still have players alive in the Main Event:

United States – 117 players
Canada – 18 players
Russia – 8 players
France – 7 players
Brazil – 5 players
Germany – 5 players
Great Britain – 5 players
Italy – 5 players
Netherlands – 5 players
Denmark – 4 players
Sweden – 4 players
Israel – 3 players
Norway – 3 players
Spain – 3 players
Finland – 2 players
Argentina – 1 player
Australia – 1 player
Austria – 1 player
Belgium – 1 player
Ireland – 1 player
Lithuania – 1 player
Mexico – 1 player
Oman – 1 player
Portugal – 1 player
Serbia – 1 player
Slovakia – 1 player

There are 92 nations and territories represented among all players who entered this year’s WSOP Main Event. (The entire 2010 WSOP attracted participants from 117 different locales).

This year’s Main Event is comprised of 67.9 percent Americans.  In other words, 32.1 percent of all participants are from other nations and territories.

The top-ten nations by participation in the Main Event are:

United States – 4,973 players
Canada – 482
Great Britain – 292
France – 176
Germany – 176
Australia – 110
Sweden – 99
Russia – 89
Italy – 81
Netherlands – 78

The remaining nations and the amount of players who participated from them include:

Brazil -- 56
Ireland -- 55
Spain -- 53
Denmark -- 52
Canada    -- 42
Norway    -- 41
Finland    -- 39
Switzerland -- 37
Hungary -- 30
England -- 29
Argentina -- 27
Mexico -- 27
Portugal -- 26
Austria -- 25
Belgium -- 23
Israel -- 19
Japan -- 18
Romania -- 11
Poland -- 10
Venezuela -- 10
Lithuania -- 9
South Africa -- 9
Czech Republic -- 8
Lebanon -- 8
Guatemala -- 7
New Zealand -- 6
Slovakia -- 6
Ukraine    -- 6
Belarus    -- 5
China -- 5
Costa Rica -- 5
Cyprus -- 5
Greece    -- 5
Hong Kong -- 5
Kazakhstan -- 5
Latvia -- 5
Singapore -- 5
Slovenia -- 5
Chile -- 4
U.A.E. -- 3
Bolivia -- 3
Estonia    -- 3
Croatia    -- 3
Turkey -- 3
Uruguay -- 3
Bahrain    -- 2
Belize -- 2
Colombia -- 2
Gibraltar -- 2
Guadeloupe -- 2
Iceland    -- 2
South Korea -- 2
Peru -- 2
Philippines -- 2
Serbia -- 2
Angola -- 1
Azerbaijan -- 1
Bosnia -- 1
Benin -- 1
Bermuda -- 1
Bahamas -- 1
Botswana -- 1
Dominican Republic -- 1
Gabon -- 1
Guam -- 1
Honduras -- 1
Haiti -- 1
India -- 1
Cayman Islands -- 1
Liechtenstein -- 1
Monaco     -- 1
Macedonia -- 1
Mongolia -- 1
Northern Mariana Islands -- 1
Malta -- 1
Oman -- 1
Panama -- 1
French Polynesia -- 1
Paraguay -- 1
Qatar -- 1
Senegal -- 1
Turks and Caicos Islands -- 1
Taiwan -- 1

ODDS AND ENDS

Based on the birthdates of all 7,319 players, the average age of all participants in the Main Event is 37 years and 4 months.

The average age of players remaining after Day Five is 32.  Ages range from 21 up to 69.  

Two of the four Mizrachi Brothers remain alive in the Main Event.  All four brothers cashed -- a WSOP first.  But two have now been eliminated, as Eric Mizrachi and Daniel Mizrachi went out in 718th and 345th place, respectively.  Michael “the Grinder” Mizrachi and Robert Mizrachi, both former gold bracelet winners are still alive in the Main Event.

Another set of brothers cashed this year as well.  Matt Keikoan and Todd Keikoan both made it into the money.  Two-time gold bracelet winner Matt Keikoan remains alive in the Main Event.  His brother, Todd Keikoan finished in 421st place.

This is the 57th and final event on the 2010 WSOP schedule which is played in Las Vegas.  Five more gold bracelet events will take place in London, England at the Empire Casino, to be held in September 14 through 28th as part of the Fourth Annual World Series of Poker Europe.    

This marks the sixth consecutive year the WSOP has been held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.  Prior to 2005, the WSOP was held at Binion’s Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas.  As a testament to the expansion of the WSOP since Harrah’s Entertainment assumed ownership and control of the world most prestigious poker event, more than three quarters of the $1.2 billion in prize money has been awarded to winners within the Rio – three times the amount awarded during the entire 35-year period at the Horseshoe.

This is the 885th gold bracelet event in World Series of Poker history.  Note:  This figure includes every official WSOP event played, including tournaments during the early years when there were no actual gold bracelets awarded.  It also includes the 11 gold bracelets awarded to date at WSOP Europe.

In the 41-year history of the WSOP, the total combined amount of prize money that has been awarded amounts to $1,228,375,121.

The total number of entrants in the WSOP Main Event (all years combined) is 50,756.

The WSOP title sponsor the last two years has been Jack Link’s Beef Jerky.  As part of a fun promotion, Jack Links gives away large quantities of their product to Main Event players who make big hands.  This year’s key hand is four jacks.  57 players have made the hand thus.

WOMEN IN THE MAIN EVENT

Special Note:  The WSOP recognizes that player characteristics such as gender, race, etc. do not typically warrant special mention.  However, since many members of the media wish to know details about female participation and status, the staff is providing this information for media use.

There is only one remaining in the Main Event – Breeze Zuckerman (see interview in this report).

The unofficial total number of females who participated in this year’s Main Event was 216.  There is no official record since entrants are not designated by their gender.  However, it has been customary to count every player at the start of Day One and take an unofficial head-count of female players.  This figure represents about 3 percent of the field.

Here are the highest-female finishers (by year) in the WSOP Main Event (Note:  Only players who finished in-the-money were recorded):

No female cashed in the Main Event between the years 1970-1985.

1986 – Wendeen Eolis (25th)
1987 – None
1988 – None
1989 – None
1990 – None
1991 – None
1992 – None
1993 – Marsha Waggoner (19th)
1994 – Barbara Samuelson (10th)
1995 – Barbara Enright (5th)
1996 – Lucy Rokach (26th)
1997 – Marsha Waggoner (12th)
1998 – Susie Isaacs (10th)
1999 – None
2000 – Annie Duke (10th)
2001 – None
2002 – None
2003 – Annie Duke (47th)
2004 – Rose Richie (98th)
2005 – Tiffany Williamson (15th)
2006 – Sabyl Cohen-Landrum (56th)
2007 – Maria Ho (38th)
2008 – Tiffany Michelle (17th)
2009 – Leo Margets, a.k.a. Leonor Margets (27th)
2010 – Breeze Zuckerman (finish pending)  

WSOP MAIN EVENT ALL-TIME RECORDS

Although there is no official record for most consecutive days of playing in WSOP events without busting out, such a record would indeed belong to Tomer Berda from Israel.  Berda won Event #56, which was played over four days.  Since he won that event, he began a streak of four days without a bust.  Berda entered the Main Event (the next tournament listed on the schedule) and remains alive at the End of Day Five.  This means Berda has now played nine consecutive days at the WSOP without a single bust.  This is a WSOP first.   

Most Main Event Wins (Career):

3 – Johnny Moss (*first win was by vote)
3 – Stu Ungar
2 – Doyle Brunson
2 – Johnny Chan

Most Main Event Cashes (Career):

10 – Berry Johnston
8 – Humberto Brenes -- CASHED THIS YEAR (Now 8)
7 – Bobby Baldwin
7 – Doyle Brunson
7 – Jay Heimowitz
7 – Phil Hellmuth
7 – Mike Sexton
6 – John Bonetti
6 – Johnny Moss
6 – Jason Lester
6 – Steve Lott
5 – 14 players tied with 5 cashes each

Most Main Event Final Tables (Career):

5 – Doyle Brunson
5 – Jesse Alto
4 – Johnny Chan
4 – T.J. Cloutier
4 – Dan Harrington
4 – Berry Johnston
4 – Johnny Moss
4 – Stu Ungar
3 – 6 players tied with 3 final tables each

Youngest Winner

Joe Cada (2009) -- 21 years, 11 months, 22 days

Oldest Winner

Johnny Moss (1974) – 66 years, 11 months, 24 days
 
Oldest Participant

97 years -- Jack Ury (2010)

Most Consecutive Years Played

37 – Howard “Tahoe” Andrew (1974 to present)

Most Main Events Played (Career)

38 – Doyle Brunson (did not play 1999 through 2001)

Most Consecutive Years to Cash (Main Event)

4 – Theodore Park (2005 – 2008)
4 – Bo Sehlstedt (2004 – 2007)
4 – Robert Turner (1991 – 1994)

2010 WSOP STATISTICS (INCLUDING MAIN EVENT)

Tournament attendance is up significantly from last year when there were 60,875 entries (then, a record).  This year, there were 72,966 total entries -- an increase of 20 percent.  Hence, this is the biggest WSOP of all time, measured by total participation.  

Prize money increased from 2008, when the total money awarded was a record $180,774,427.  This year, the total amount of prize money awarded was $187,109,850 – an increase of 3.5 percent.

This year, there were 57 gold bracelet events – which is the same number as last year.

Through the conclusion of Event #56, the nationalities of gold bracelet winners have been:

United States (38)
Great Britain (5)
Canada (5)
Hungary (2)
New Zealand (1)
France (1)
Russia (1)
Norway (1)
Holland (1)
Israel (1)

Through the conclusion of Event #56, the national origin (birthplace) of winners has been:

United States (31)
Great Britain (5)
Canada (5)
Vietnam (2)
China (2)
Hungary (2)
New Zealand (1)
France (1)
Lebanon (1)
Russia (1)
Mexico (1)
Bangladesh (1)
Norway (1)
Holland (1)
Israel (1)

Through the conclusion of Event #56, the breakdown of professional poker players to semi-pros and amateurs who won gold bracelets is as follows:

Professional Players (39): Michael Chow, Michael Mizrachi, Praz Bansi, Josh Tieman, Peter Gelencser, James Dempsey, Men “the Master” Nguyen, Matt Matros, Yan R. Chen, Steve Gee, Carter Phillips, Jason DeWitt; Eric Buchman, David Baker, Richard Ashby, Dutch Boyd, Sammy Farha, David Warga, Will Haydon, Matt Keikoan, Mike Ellis, Luis Velador, Ayaz Mahmood, Phil Ivey, Luigi Kwaysser, Scott Montgomery, Steven Kelly, Steve Jelinek, Dean Hamrick, Ian Gordon, Gavin Smith, Jesse Rockowitz, Chris Bell, Shawn Busse, Sigurd Eskeland, Chance Kornuth, Ryan Welch, Brendan Taylor, Daniel Alaei

Semi-Pros (8): Frank Kassela, Tex Barch, Miguel Proulx, Jeffrey Papola, Frank Kassela, Mike Linn, Dan Kelly, Tomer Berda

Amateurs (9): Duc Pham, Aadam Daya, Pascal LeFrancois, Simon Watt, Vanessa Hellebuyck, Jeff Tebben, Konstantin Puchkov, Harold Angle, Marcel Vonk

Through the conclusion of Event #56, here is the list of repeat WSOP gold bracelet winners:

Praz Bansi
Men “the Master” Nguyen
Russ “Dutch” Boyd
Sammy Farha
David Warga (* his first WSOP win was in a non-open event)
Matt Keikoan
Luis Velador
Phil Ivey
Frank Kassela (two wins this year)
Daniel Alaei

Through the conclusion of 2010 World Series of Poker -- Event #56:

Youngest Winner – Steven Kelly (21), Dan Kelly (21)
Oldest Winner – Harold Angle (78)
Female Winners (open events) – None
Multiple-Event Winners (this year) – Frank Kassela