Monday, February 25, 2019 1:48 AM Local Time
Hien Nguyen, Day 1B Chip Leader
The two starting flights are complete in the $1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event at Rio.
Day 1A drew a field of 402 entries and Day 1B added another 550. All in all, 952 entrants took a shot at the Main Event, generating a prizepool of $1,442,280. 99 players will be guaranteed a min-cash of $2,957 but they will all have their eyes on the first-place prize of $274,030 as well as the Circuit ring.
Following the two starting flights, the field is down to only 202 players.
Hien Nguyen bagged the Day 1B chip lead with a stack of 409,000. He is followed closely by Viet Vo (401,000). Kevin Gerhart rounds up the top three with 369,500. Vo and Gerhart both have Circuit rings and will be looking to add another one to their collection. Other big names who bagged top stacks include three-time ring winner Aaron Massey (316,000) and two-time ring winner Dave Alfa (318,000).
Other notables who played in this second flight and survived to Day 2 include fifteen-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth (79,000), three-time bracelet winner Ben Yu (106,500), two-time bracelet winner Ben Zamani (52,000), as well as nine-time ring winner Robert Hankins (199,500) and Jesse Sylvia (157,500).
Players that couldn't find a bag include bracelet winners Scotty Nguyen, Scott Clements and Ankush Mandavia as well as ring winners Valentin Vornicu, Vincent Moscati, Joshua Turner, John Holley, Dennis Brand, Russ Head, Rex Clinkscales, and Zach Donovan.
Here is a look at the top of 10 counts going into Day 2:
1. James Clifford - 409,500
2. Hien Nguyen - 409,000
3. Viet Vo - 401,000
4. Kevin Gerhart - 369,500
5. Sokchheka Pho - 358,000
6. Payam Saleh - 357,500
7. Steven Snyder - 352,500
8. Robert Georato - 347,000
9. Robert Kuhn - 319,000
10. Dave Alfa - 318,000
Day 2 chip counts | Day 2 seat draw
Play resumes at 1:00 p.m local time on Monday February 25th and blinds will be 2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 big blind ante. Day 2 is scheduled to play through ten one-hour levels.
Monday, February 25, 2019 12:42 AM Local Time
The remaining players have bagged and tagged. End-of-day chip counts and a recap will follow shortly.
Monday, February 25, 2019 12:30 AM Local Time
Kevin Gerhart opens to 6,000 from early position. Aaron Massey, in the big blind, calls.
The dealer spreads a flop of that is checked around to the turn. Massey throws in a bet of 10,000, that is enough to claim the pot.
Aaron Massey - 315,000
Kevin Gerhart - 350,000
Monday, February 25, 2019 12:27 AM Local Time
The clock is paused at the 10-minute mark and the tournament director has announced everyone will play three more hands before bagging.
Monday, February 25, 2019 12:21 AM Local Time
Robert Hankins is all in for about 95,000 and is called by Ed O'Connell.
Hankins is at risk with , flipping against O'Connell's .
The board runs out and Hankins turns a king to double.
Robert Hankins - 200,000
Monday, February 25, 2019 12:10 AM Local Time
Aaron Massey opens to 7,000 from middle position. The player in the small blind three-bet shoves for around 55,000. Massey calls.
Aaron Massey:
Opponent:
The board comes and Massey wins the pot, sending his opponent to the rail.
Aaron Massey - 250,000
Monday, February 25, 2019 12:01 AM Local Time
This is the last level of the night, after which time players will bag and tag for Day 2.
Play will pause at the 10-minute mark and the tournament staff will draw for the final number of hands.
Monday, February 25, 2019 12:00 AM Local Time
Level: 15
Blinds: 1,500/3,000
Ante: 3,000
Sunday, February 24, 2019 11:59 PM Local Time
A player in early position opens and Peter Morris calls from middle position. Corey Hochman is on the button and shoves all in for 21,700 on the button. The original raiser folds and Morris snap-calls.
Hochman is at risk and behind with , up against Morris' . Hochman is on his feet, but the board runs out and he rivers a set to stay alive.
Corey Hochman - 52,000
Peter Morris - 100,000
Sunday, February 24, 2019 11:43 PM Local Time
Jan Schwippert opens to 5,200 from under the gun and Phil Hellmuth quickly three-bets to 20,000 from the hijack. The player on the button calls, and action is back on Schwippert. He counts out his stack and eventually moves all in for about 105,000. Hellmuth asks for a count and eventually folds.
The button folds and Hellmuth throws his hands in the air. "Pocket tens. He's been raising every hand. I figured I'd get him in dead. I saw the look in his eye. He was strong."
Jan Schwippert - 150,000
Phil Hellmuth - 125,000
Sunday, February 24, 2019 11:37 PM Local Time
Robert Hankins moves all in under the gun for 41,200. Matt Berkey, in middle position, is the only caller.
Robert Hankins:
Matt Berkey:
The board runs and Hankins makes a flush to double up.
Robert Hankins - 84,000
Matt Berkey - 98,000
Sunday, February 24, 2019 11:27 PM Local Time
The player in early position opens to 5,000. Bob Shao, on the cutoff, three-bet shoves for around 148,000. Mikiyo Aoki, in the big blind, calls for less, putting at risk her last 24,600. The orginal raiser folds and the cards are tabled.
Mikiyo Aoki:
Bob Shao:
The board runs and Aoki gets her double up.
Mikiyo Aoki - 53,000
Bob Shao - 120,000
Sunday, February 24, 2019 11:20 PM Local Time
Jared Griener opens to 4,800 from middle position. Terry Fleischer, on the button, calls. The big blind calls as well.
The flop comes . The big blind checks. Griener bets 6,000. Fleischer calls. The big blind folds.
The turn brings the . Griener continues with a bet of 16,500. Fleischer calls.
The fills up the river. Both players check. Fleischer shows and Griener sends his hand to the muck.
Terry Fleischer - 145,000
Jared Griener - 90,000
Sunday, February 24, 2019 11:18 PM Local Time
Level: 14
Blinds: 1,200/2,400
Ante: 2,400
Sunday, February 24, 2019 11:18 PM Local Time
The prize pool has been calculated in the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event.
At the close of registration a total of 952 entries came through the cage for a prize pool of $1,442,280.
The winner of the Main Event will take home $274,030, a shiny WSOP Circuit ring and a free seat into the 2019 Global Casino Championship later this year.
A total of 99 players will make the money on Day 2 with a min-cash worth $2,957.
A full breakdown of payouts is available under the Prizepool Tab.
Sunday, February 24, 2019 11:03 PM Local Time
Joe Tehan shoves all in for 40,000 from under the gun and Truong Pham quickly calls on the button.
Tehan is flipping with , up against . The flop comes with the ace in the window, and Tehan gets up from his seat as Pham takes the lead, pairing his ace. The turn is the and river is the to send Tehan to the rail.
Truong Pham - 250,000
Joe Tehan - Eliminated
Sunday, February 24, 2019 11:03 PM Local Time
Peter Morris opens to 4,600 on the cutoff. Robert Hankins, in the big blind, calls.
A flop reading is dealt. Hankins checks. Morris bets 5,100. Hankins check-calls.
The turn brings the . Hankins checks again. Morris continues with another bet of 12,000. Hankins folds.
Peter Morries - 132,000
Robert Hankins - 55,000
Sunday, February 24, 2019 10:55 PM Local Time
Registration in the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event at the Rio is officially closed with 550 entries on Day 1B, combining for a grand total of 952 entries across two starting flights.
The breakdown of the prize pool is still being calculated, however the total comes to $1,442,280, well above the $1,000,000 that was guaranteed for this event.
A full list of payouts will be posted shortly.
Sunday, February 24, 2019 10:52 PM Local Time
Action folds to Ben Yu in the hijack and he shoves all in for 20,800. Rainer Kempe is in the big blind and says, "I have king-jack" and puts in a stack of chips to call.
Yu:
Kempe:
The board runs out and Yu holds to double.
Ben Yu - 42,600
Rainer Kempe - 62,000
Sunday, February 24, 2019 10:44 PM Local Time
The player on the cutoff moves all in for 23,000. Stephen Foutty, in the big blind, calls.
Stephen Foutty:
Opponent:
The runout is and Foutty wins the pot, eliminating his opponent.
Stephen Foutty - 110,000