$8.5m on offer to WSOP Main Event winner

$8.5m on offer to WSOP Main Event winner

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

A record-breaking 3,418 players were on hand for Day 1C of the 2012 WSOP Main Event, taking the total field up to 6,598 runners, slightly down on last year but still impressive given the prevailing economic and regulatory conditions. That means a prize pool of $62,021,200 with the winner set to walk away with $8,527,982, not quite Esfandiari country but still extremely chunky.

The unheralded Randy Haddox built up the biggest stack on the third opening flight, bagging 188,275 by the close. A host of big name pros chose Day 1C to make their Main Event bow with Doyle Brunson, Viktor Blom and Phil Ivey amongst that number.


Brunson had tweeted that he wouldn't be playing this year's Main Event, but the lure of another bracelet run proved too much for the great man who closed the day with 80,000 chips. At the other end of the WSOP experience spectrum was Viktor Blom who was making his debut in the Main Event. As you'd expect, the Swede's day was one of big peaks and troughs. He ended on a high though, cracking pocket Kings with AK to close the day with a stack of 110,225. Phil Ivey will have his work cut out if he's going to reach another Main Event final table though, returning as he does with just 10,000 chips. This is Ivey of course so anything could happen.


Big names in the upper echelons of the Day 1C chip counts included Brandon Adams (158,100), Jake Cody (124,675), 2009 Main Event winner Joe Cada (117,375) and Sorel Mizzi (115,000). Poker's $18m man Antonio Esfandiari will be back for Day 2 (78,925) and so too will be former champs Johnny Chan, Jamie Gold and Tom McEvoy.


Notables to hit the rail overnight included Annette Obrestad, Chino Rheem and former Main Event winners Jonathan Duhamel and Chris Moneymaker.


The survivors from Days 1A and 1B will return to the tables at 8pm today UK time with the players from Day 1C continuing at the same time tomorrow. A total of 666 players will make the money with the min-cash set at $19,227. The nine players reaching the final table are guaranteed at least $754,798 with the top seven earning seven-figure scores. The winner takes home just over $8.5m.



Tags: WSOP Main Event 2012, Doyle Brunson, Viktor Blom, Phil Ivey, Jake Cody, Antonio Esfandiari