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The 2013-14 World Series of Poker Circuit continued on Friday with the first of two starting flights for the Horseshoe Southern Indiana Main Event. A grand total of 119 hopefuls took to the felt to begin the quest for their very own gold ring, a seat to the National Championship, and the still to-be-determined first-place prize. 

Many Circuit regulars made the trip and battled hard for the chance to bag up and bring a stack into Day 2. At the end of the day, however, it was not a Circuit pro’s name at the top of the chip counts, but rather that of Sean Lippel. Lippel managed to turn his starting stack of 20,000 into 185,500 in the 12 allotted levels of play, allowing him to be the man to catch for those entering the second starting flight on Saturday.

Lippel may have bagged up the most chips on the day but has some experienced competition joining him for Day 2. Ralph Massey, who just days ago won his first WSOP Circuit ring in the $365 No-Limit Hold’em Turbo event, managed to bag up a more than solid stack of 113,000. Massey was quiet to start the day but continued to grind and find chips toward the later levels in the evening. Ralph’s brother and noted Circuit grinder Aaron also participated in Day 1A but ran out of chips just halfway through the day. Aaron will certainly return for Day 1B for the chance to join Ralph on Day 2.

Amanda Musumeci (pictured) managed to finish the day with 53,600 after a wild ride toward the end of the night. Musumeci was never one of the bigger stacks and found herself in an all in situation after the call was made to play three more hands for the evening. Musumeci was all-in before the flop with a low suited ace that was dominated by her opponent’s ace-king. A dramatic run out that gave Musumeci the three diamonds she needed for a flush scored her a double up and gave her the chips she needed to come into Day 2 as a force to be played against.

Other notable players to advance to Day 2 include Joey Couden (139,300), Bernard Lee (96,100), Jacob Bazeley (73,200), and 2012-13 Horseshoe Hammond Main Event champion Joshua Williams (50,400). 

Those not as fortunate as the players mentioned above include Aaron Steury, Reyna Binkley, Benjamin Grise, Keven Stammen, Austin Buchanan, and Mark “Pegasus” Smith. All were eliminated from play before the final hand of the night was reached.

Players eliminated do have the option of taking one more stab at the Main Event title. Each player is allowed a single re-entry that can be used on Day 1B which kicks off on Saturday at 12pm. For those that want a bit more of a gamble, the re-entry can also be used on Sunday at the start of Day 2 where their starting stack of 20,000 will be very short.

A total of 34 players advanced on Day 1A.

Here’s a look at the top five stacks heading into Day 2:

1. Sean Lippel – 185,000
2. Jorge Londono – 178,600
3. Zal Irani – 173,200
4. Joey Couden – 139,300
5. Harold Evans – 125,400