Day 2 Players

Level 5: 400-800, 100 ante

Day 1 Ends with Will Failla in the Lead with 276,000

Level 5: 400-800, 100 ante

Day 1 at the World Poker Tour World Championship saw 113 players take to the felt at the Bellagio Poker Room in Las Vegas, Nevada. By the end of the night 93 players remained and players who busted today have a chance to purchase a single re-entry tomorrow if they didn’t do so already on Saturday. Registration is open thru the end of Level 8 tomorrow, which is approximately 5 p.m. PT.

The chip leader at the end of play is Will Failla with 276,000. This is one of the most pro-heavy tournament fields of the year, so it is hard to list them all, but the big names that were at the top of the chip count when play came to a close a little before 9 p.m. included Mike Linster (269,000), Cliff Josephy (250,800), Jake Cody (250,000), and amateur players Jonathan Kamhazi (273,300) and Jeffrey Ishbia (255,000).

The field was flooded with Champions Club members, including those who won their seat into this tournament as Season XI event winners. Noah Schwartz, Ben Hamnett, Andy Hwang, Paul Klann, Yorane Kerignard, Mike Linster, Rocco Palumbo, Giacomo Fundaro, Ravi Raghavan, Emil Olsson, Jonathan Roy, Vladimir Bozinovic, Marcin Wydorwski, Amir Babakhani, Josh Hale, Dominik Nitsche, Marvin Rettenmaier, Chanracy Kuhn, Matt Giannetti, and Season XI Player of the Year leader Matt Salsberg were all in action on Saturday.

The notables that didn’t make it thru Day 1 were Season XI Champions Club members Kai Chang and Kevin Eyster. Check back in at noon PT tomorrow for five more levels of poker action from the poker capital of the world, Las Vegas. 

Three More Hands

Level 5: 400-800, 100 ante

The tournament clock has been stopped and the field was informed that they will play three more hands. There are 93 players that have survived according to the tournament clock. Stay tuned as we will be collecting chip count information from the bag-and-tag and catching the final hands of the night, which will be posted soon.

Mike Linster Busts Lamar Wilkinson and Takes the Chip Lead

Level 5: 400-800, 100 ante

The flop reads Q87 and Lamar Wilkinson has a raise worth 35,000 sitting on the table in front of him. Mike Linster has a reraise that will put Lamar all-in out on the table and Lamar tanks.

He eventually decides to call and they flip over their cards. Linster holds 88 for a set and Lamar is behind with KQ. The turn and river fall 4K and Wilkinson is eliminated on the hand. Limster holds the chip lead with 265,500 after the hand.

Mike Linster - 265,500 (331 bb)
Lamar Wilkinson - Eliminated

Ralph Perry vs. Marvin Rettenmaier

Level 5: 400-800, 100 ante

Marvin Rettenmaier raises to 1,700 under the gun and Ralph Perry three-bets to 5,200 from the hijack. Action folds back to Rettenmaier who calls.

The flop falls 996 and Rettenmaier check-calls 6,000 from Perry to see the J turn. It's more of the same as Rettenmaier check-calls 11,000 from Perry, landing the 3 river. A third check from Rettenmaier leads to a third bet from Perry, this one for 20,000.

After about two minutes in the tank, Rettenmaier calls. Perry taps the table and tells Rettenmaier his call is good.

Rettenmaier tables 77 and takes down the pot.

Marvin Rettenmaier - 220,000 (275 bb)
Ralph Perry - 63,000 (78 bb)

Tony Gargano Eliminated By Matt Salsberg

Level 5: 400-800, 100 ante

A short-stacked Tony Gargano is all in for 9,100 from middle position with AJ against Matt Salsberg's 44 in the cutoff. 

The board runs out 5436K, bringing no help to Garagno and giving Salsberg a set.

Matt Salsberg - 120,000 (150 bb)
Tony Gargano - Eliminated

Mike Linster vs. Jeff Yarchever

Level 5: 400-800, 100 ante

Mike Linster raises to 1,700 preflop from middle position and Jeff Yarchever reraises to 5,300 from the cutoff. Linster calls and the flop is dealt KQ3.

Jeff bets 11,000 and Linster calls. The turn brings the 5 and Jeff bets 18,000. Linster raises to 75,000 and Jeff goes into the tank. He eventually folds and Linster is close to 130,000 after the hand.

Mike Linster - 127,000 (158 bb)
Jeff Yarchever - 37,000 (46 bb)

Jake Cody vs. Faraz Jaka

Level 5: 400-800, 100 ante

Picking up the action after the turn of a Q749 board, Jake Cody checks from the big blind and Faraz Jaka bets 3,100 from the hijack. Cody check-raises to 10,000, Jaka calls, and the K lands on the river.

After about a minute in the tank, Cody checks. Jaka quickly checks behind and Cody tables J9 for a flush.

Jaka mucks and Cody collects the pot.

Jake Cody - 252,000 (315 bb)
Faraz Jaka - 51,000 (63 bb)

Kai Chang Eliminated By Jean-Noel Thorel

Level 5: 400-800, 100 ante

Bay 101 champion Kai Chang is all in for about 11,000 against fellow short stack Jean-Noel Thorel, who has Chang barely covered.

Chang: A2
Thorel: AK

The board runs out A96K2 as both player make two pair, but Thorel's is better to win the pot.

Jean-Noel Thorel - 23,000 (28 bb)
Kai Chang - Eliminated

Take a Hike!

Level 5: 400-800, 100 ante