The impact of the very first World Poker Tour series in Japan was very apparent on Friday, as 77 players turned up to the Starry Eye venue in Tokyo for the final starting flight in the WPT Japan Main Event. All players in this field were direct buy-ins, consisting of a nice mix of local players, expats living in the country, and international competitors.
With the Day 1h number of 77 entries, the total field size for the WPT Japan Main Event ballooned to 469 total. This turnout was, by all accounts, a fabulous result.
Ourgame ambassadors Raymond Wu and Nicky Jin Tao were among those in the field for Day 1h, but unfortunately for them they were unable to progress to Day 2. Korean esports star boxer Lim Yo-hwan was also in the field and he jumped out to a flying start by doubling his starting stack before the first break.
At the end of the day, just eight players survived for Day 2, and they’ll return to the mix on Saturday when a total of 67 players will be back in action at the Shibuya venue.
As the tournament plays on, stay tuned to WPT.com for more news from the WPT Japan Main Event.