News

23 March 2018 (Tulsa, Okla.) - The final flight of the WSOP Circuit Tulsa Main Event is finished and Chad Smith (346,500) leads the way for the final 59 players moving on to Day 2.

The Main Event drew 721 total players this year and passed the $1,000,000 guarantee with room to spare. The final 110 will all be vying for the $216,307 first prize. The defending champion Will Berry is still in the running to defend his title bagging 145,000.

With four entries available to each player, there were still a few who recognizable faces who couldn’t find a bag for Day 2. Allen Kessler, Andy Philachack, Rania Nasreddine, Daniel Lowery, Bob Mather, Kurt Jewell, and D.J. Alexander failed to qualify for Day 2 as well as WSOP bracelet winners Blair and Grant Hinkle, and Mike Cordell.

WSOP 2003 Main Event Champion Chris Moneymaker almost bagged, but ran his ace-high into kings during the final hands of the night on Day 1C and was eliminated.

Joshua Turner, who has six WSOP circuit rings and 50 circuit cashes for $634,824 found a bag during Day 1A and is in strong position (239,500) to add to an already impressive resume. Maurice Hawkins who is tied with Valentin Vornicu for the all-time lead in WSOP circuit rings bagged a healthy 222,500. Hawkins said he spent several hours folding and then suddenly found a stack and continued to add to it throughout the evening. Toward the end of the evening, Hawkins was definitely ready to finish the day, saying several times that he was ready to bag. Vornicu did not qualify for Day 2.

Sal DiCarlo who has two rings himself and $639,335 in WSOP earnings bagged 162,500. Bryan Campanello who holds one WSOP bracelet and three circuit rings on 20 cashes also bagged for Day 2, bagging 134,500.

The remaining 110 players will return Sunday at noon local time. The final 81 players will make the money and be guaranteed $2,693.

Here are the top ten chip counts heading into Day 2:

1. Jonathan Poche - 379,000

2. Daniel Jones - 348,000

3. Chad Smith - 346,500

4. Charlie Nguyen - 314,000

5. Casey Summa - 303,000

6. Mike Vanier - 218,500

7. Marlon Gabriel - 218,000

8. Charlie Adkins - 263,000

9. Tim Woodson - 261,500

10. Matt Newcombe - 254,500

Follow all the Day 2 action right here on WSOP.com.