Day 1b: First Prize is Nearly $1 Million

Level 8: 250-500, 50 ante

WPT Borgata Poker Open, Day 1b Recap

By BJ Nemeth

There was little doubt that, with a lowered $3,500 buyin, the WPT Borgata Poker Open would attract the largest field in WPT history, and it delivered. There were 692 entrants on Day 1b, for a two-day total of 1,018 -- the first WPT tournament with more than a thousand players.

The top 100 players will finish in the money, guaranteed at least $4,704, with the top 36 guaranteed at least $10,750. Here are the payouts for the lucky six who will play at Thursday's televised WPT Final Table:

1st:  $925,514
2nd:  $453,519
3rd:  $251,955
4th:  $216,681
5th:  $188,126
6th:  $156,212

The total prizepool is worth $3,359,400, easily eclipsing the Borgata's guarantee of $2 million.

There weren't any dramatic storylines on Day 1b to rival Chino Rheem's rise and fall on Day 1a. But one player, Andrew Interdonato, won a four-way all-in (three players flopped flushes, one had a set) with the ace-high flush to briefly dominate the field with about 140,000. But his lead didn't last long, as he dribbled some chips away before losing half his remaining stack when his pocket aces were cracked. Unofficially, Interdonato finished the day alive, but with a below-average stack.

There weren't a lot of big names in today's field, competing against the WSOP Europe and the online WCOOP main event. Gavin Smith was the biggest name in the field, and he got off to a slow start before finishing strong with an above-average stack of 75,175.

The official chip counts likely won't be released by the casino until tomorrow morning, and we will post them here as soon as we get them. Return to WorldPokerTour.com tomorrow (Monday) for live coverage of Day 2, when approximately 570 players return to action at 11:00 am ET.