2024 WSOP Daily Recap: Five Bracelets Won as Main Event Begins; India’s Santhosh Suvarna Eyes 3rd Bracelet in $50K PLO High Roller

July 3 marked an unforgettable 37th day at the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP), hosted at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. The highlight of the day was the commencement of Day 1A of the prestigious Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship, where poker players from around the globe gathered to chase their dreams of poker glory. The opening flight was a spectacle filled with drama, including two players busting on the first hand, the excitement of a royal flush, and numerous poker elites beginning their journey toward poker immortality.

Beyond the Main Event, five players clinched WSOP bracelets across four events. Arash Ghaneian and Wing Liu each secured their second career bracelets, while Team Setna, comprising Jimmy Setna and Jason James, alongside Matthew Lambrecht, celebrated their first-ever bracelet victories.

Indian players also shone brightly on Day 37. Paawan Bansal, who started the day as chip leader, finished a respectable 46th in Event #78: $1,000 Mini Main Event, earning $12,587 (~₹10.51 Lakhs) and securing his sixth cash of the series. Varun Iyer and Yudhishter Jaswal also made their mark, finishing 91st and 110th, earning $5,483 (₹4.58 Lakhs) and $4,760 (~₹3.98 Lakhs), respectively.

Meanwhile, Santhosh Suvarna, the “Man of Many Records,” is on the cusp of another breakthrough, battling his way to the final day of Event #79: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha. Despite facing challenges along the way, Suvarna secured his spot among the final five contenders. While he currently holds the shortest stack, his recent success, including a monumental victory in the $250,000 Super High Roller, makes him a formidable contender. A victory in this event would not only solidify his position as India’s top poker earner but also secure the country’s first-ever bracelet in a PLO event, further cementing India’s growing presence in the international poker scene.

Adding to the excitement, two Indian players, Sreekanth Narayan and Premnath Kasinath, successfully navigated Day 1A of Event #80: $800 Independence Day Celebration No-Limit Hold’em. Narayan, the 2023 POY #2, secured 885,000 chips (22 BBs), while Kasinath, the owner of the PSL’s Gujarat Falcons, bagged a solid 825,000 chips (21 BBs).

Day 37: What Happened?

The much-awaited 2024 World Series of Poker Main Event finally kicked off on July 3 at the Horseshoe Las Vegas Event Center with the iconic “Shuffle Up and Deal” announcement from reigning champion Daniel Weinman. The atmosphere was electric as WSOP tournament director Jack Effel took the stage to address the assembled players. He emphasized the unique prestige of the Main Event, stating, “There are a lot of poker tournaments out there, but there’s only one that determines who the world champion is, and it’s this tournament right here.”

The 55th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event kicked off with a thrilling start as @notontilt09 aka Dan Weinman, the 2023 champion, took charge of Day 1A's Shuffle Up and Deal!

The cards are in the air and the excitement is palpable as players from around the globe vie for… pic.twitter.com/AsrpTY5AbZ

— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) July 3, 2024

Effel’s speech underscored the challenges and rewards that await the players in this $10,000 buy-in, freezeout tournament. He acknowledged the long hours, tough decisions, and formidable opponents that lie ahead while assuring them of unwavering support throughout the journey. “It’s going to be very tough,” he continued. “There’s gonna be a lot of long hours, tough decisions, and tough opponents, but we’re gonna be with you every step along the way.”

Defending champion Weinman then took the microphone, echoing Effel’s sentiments and expressing his own passion for the event. He affirmed the Main Event’s status as the “greatest poker tournament in the world,” sharing his personal commitment to playing it for playing it for the rest of his life. With a mix of excitement and determination, Weinman delivered the traditional call to “shuffle up and deal,” officially setting the tournament in motion.

Day 1A began with an impressive 916 players taking their seats, each armed with a 60,000 starting stack and dreams of winning the most prestigious WSOP bracelet. The day was structured with five 120-minute levels of play, interspersed with breaks and a dinner pause. The room buzzed with energy and focus as players strategized and navigated their way through the initial stages of this prestigious event.

This year’s Main Event is already generating immense anticipation, building upon the momentum of last year‘s record-breaking 10,043 entrants and Daniel Weinman’s victory with a staggering $12.1 Million payday. With an increase in overall WSOP participation this summer, the poker community is abuzz with the possibility of witnessing yet another record-breaking Main Event.

Day 1A began with a dramatic start as two players were eliminated on the very first hand. At one table, David Williamson held . The board dealt a staggering blow to Travis Darroch, who had a full house with . Williamson’s bet drew an all-in from Darroch, only to be met with a snap-call from Williamson, who revealed quad eights. A devastated Darroch recounted, “He’s got pocket eights. And, I put my face in my hands for a few seconds, then walk back to my hotel room.”

Simultaneously, at another table, Harlan Karnofsky raised to 500 and saw a flop of with four callers. After his initial bet of 1,200, Craig Issod raised to 7,000 from the small blind. The field thinned to just Issod and Karnofsky. Post the turn, Issod led for 15,000, and Karnofsky followed. The river prompted Issod to shove his remaining 37,000, but Karnofsky had rivered a straight with , besting Issod’s set of sixes with .

While some players experienced early exits, Joshua Feiger and Assaf Zeharia emerged as the day’s heroes. Feiger’s dominant performance, including a massive pot win, propelled him to the top with a stack of 311,900 (390 BBs).

Zeharia also had a remarkable day, amassing 276,600 chips (346 BBs). His highlight reel included a royal flush against Kahle Burns and several crucial eliminations.

The day also saw three bracelet winners secure their spots among the top ten chip counts. Frank Funaro, a two-time WSOP champion, showcased his expertise by accumulating 265,000 chips (331 BBs), placing him third overall. Naoya Kihara and Pedro Bromfman, also bracelet holders, bagged 228,300 and 224,600 chips, respectively.

Completing the top ten were Mark Stockton (260,700 chips), Jie Wu (252,300), Nan Li (247,500), Vid Zagar (241,300), and Jonathan Wong (239,800).

As Day 1A of the 2024 WSOP Main Event drew to a close, 620 players secured their spots for Day 2. Among those who fell short was India’s Kunal Patni, Natural8 India’s Executive Director and Ambassador.

However, several players of Indian origin successfully navigated the day’s challenges and bagged chips for Day 2. Sachin Joshi led this group with 112,500 chips, followed by Kunal Patel (92,000), Shiv Narayanan (81,900), Ketan Shah (70,900), Rohit Mariwalla (68,300), Srikanth Yadlapati (48,700), Punal Patel (45,800), Chaayanath Mysore (44,400), and Ram Venkatachalam (35,300).

The day also saw former Main Event Champions Qui Nguyen (39,000) and Greg Merson (36,800) battling at the same table, both securing their advancement to Day 2.

Adding a touch of flamboyance to the proceedings was Canadian reality TV star and poker enthusiast Jon Pardy. He entertained both opponents and spectators with his cheerful banter and strategic play, ultimately finishing the day with a healthy stack of 161,700 chips. Reflecting on his experience, Pardy remarked, “It’s the Main Event—the pinnacle of poker. To sit here, year after year, is something I never take for granted.”

Other notable players who survived Day 1A included Phil Galfond (182,700), Rayan Chamas (162,000), Matt Affleck (161,700), Bin Weng (152,000), Kevin Gerhart (150,700), Bryce Yockey (149,000), Rob Kuhn (130,700), former Main Event champion Jerry Yang (118,800), Aleksejs Ponakovs (111,600), Parker Talbot (106,700), David Bach (84,200), Michael Mizrachi (74,000), Barny Boatman (70,000), Julien Martini (65,200), Chad Eveslage (50,800), John Riordan (39,200), Felipe Ramos (38,400), and Faraz Jaka (15,500).

Unfortunately, the journey to poker immortality ended on Day 1A for several well-known players, including Brad Owen, Kahle Burns, Kyle Julius, Upeshka De Silva, and Freddy Deeb, along with several hundred other hopefuls.

PokerGO had a live stream running on Day 1A of the Main Event. You can watch the replay below.

The surviving players will now look ahead to Day 2ABC, scheduled for Sunday, July 7, at 12 PM (local time). With three more starting flights remaining and late registration open until the early stages of Day 2, the Main Event is far from over, and the excitement continues to build.

Event #74: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship concluded in a dramatic fashion, requiring an unscheduled fourth day to determine its champion. Arash Ghaneian, a Las Vegas-based finance broker and seasoned poker player, emerged victorious, clinching his second WSOP gold bracelet and a $376,476 prize after a nine-year bracelet drought.

Ghaneian entered the final table second in chips among the nine finalists and displayed exceptional skill and resilience throughout the intense competition. The highlight of the event was an epic eleven-hour heads-up battle against Richard Sklar, who was vying for his first bracelet. Despite Sklar’s valiant efforts, Ghaneian ultimately emerged triumphant, while Sklar secured a commendable $250,984 for his second-place finish.

The final table boasted an impressive lineup of poker talent, including Thomas Taylor (3rd for $173,533), Poker Hall of Famer Todd Brunson (4th for $122,663), Eric Wasserson (5th for $88,686), Dario Alioto (6th for $65,620), Andrey Zhigalov (7th for $49,715), high-stakes pro Michael Rocco (8th for $38,589), and Hisashi Yamanouchi (9th for $30,706).

This victory held special significance for Ghaneian, contrasting sharply with his first bracelet win in 2015, which coincided with a personal crisis involving his wife’s health issues during her pregnancy with twins. This time around, Ghaneian expressed his joy and relief at being able to fully celebrate the win with his family, stating, “Right now, we literally get to enjoy this moment because these stresses aren’t there.”

The event itself was a record-breaker, attracting 167 entrants, including 24 late entries on Day 2, resulting in a massive $1,533,100 prize pool. The competition was fierce, with Suketu Patel busting the money bubble on Day 2, ensuring payouts for the top 26 finishers.

Other notable players who cashed in the event included Brad Ruben (12th for $21,000), Michael Noori (16th for $21,000), Owais Ahmed (17th for $21,000), Naoya Kihara (18th for $20,000), Xixiang Luo (19th for $20,000), Christian Roberts (21st for $20,000), Chris Vitch (22nd for $20,000), Adam Friedman (25th for $20,000), and recent bracelet winner Dario Sammartino (26th for $20,000).

The Horseshoe Event Centre erupted in cheers as the dust settled on Event #75: $1,000 Tag Team No Limit Hold’em. After three days of intense poker action, Team Setna, the dynamic duo of Jimmy Setna and Jason James, emerged victorious from a massive field of 1,437 teams, claiming their coveted WSOP gold bracelets and splitting the first-place prize of $190,910.

“I’m on cloud nine,” an ecstatic Jason James shared in the post-tournament interview. “This bracelet is cool because I get to share it with a friend,” he added. “It’s f****ng incredible,” echoed his teammate Jimmy Setna.

Team Thomas, consisting of Aaron Thomas and Burcu Dagli, finished as runners-up, earning $127,254 for their impressive run.

The Tag Team event, with its unique format and electric atmosphere, proved to be a fan favourite. The final day witnessed a nail-biting showdown as 22 teams battled for poker supremacy. In the end, destiny favoured Team Setna, whose decade-long friendship and shared passion for poker proved to be a winning combination.

“We’re roommates right now,” Setna revealed, highlighting their shared dedication to this year’s series grind. Both have been passionate about poker for more than ten years, transitioning to serious play in the mid-2010s and carving out careers through tournament and cash game success. “I always had a lot of belief,” James said. “I knew it was gonna happen for Jimmy as well.”

From India, Team Goindi, comprising PokerBaazi Team Pro Abhishek Goindi and Baazi Games Co-Founder & CMO Varun Ganjoo, finished 128th, taking home $1,052 each (₹87,813). This marked Goindi’s second cash of the series, boosting his total to $2,640 (~₹2.20 Lakhs), while Ganjoo celebrated his first-ever WSOP cash.

Unfortunately, Team Tumboli, with Zarvan Tumboli and Premnath Kasinath, fell short of the money, falling out early on Day 2.

Event #76: $10,000 Mystery Bounty No-Limit Hold’em reached a dramatic conclusion as Matthew Lambrecht, already a two-time WSOP Circuit ring winner, captured his first-ever WSOP bracelet and a career-high $1,018,933 payday.

Lambrecht’s victory came after a nail-biting heads-up battle against fellow American Damarjai Davenport, who took home a hefty $678,707 for his second-place finish.

Beaming with pride, Lambrecht shared his post-win thoughts: “I feel great. Having just nailed my biggest score recently, this win certainly boosts my confidence. I’m now eyeing bigger games, maybe even the $25Ks later this year or next.”

The final table was a melting pot of poker talent from around the world, with players like Tauan Naves (3rd for $478,247), Simas Karaliunas (4th for $341,963), Vladimir Minko (5th for $248,174), Andrei Konopelko (7th for $136,792), Robert Heidorn (8th for $103,942), and William Jia (9th for $80,238) all making deep runs. Indo-American Eshaan Bhalla also made a splash, finishing sixth for $182,846.

The event itself was a massive success, attracting 965 entrants and generating a colossal prize pool of $8,974,500. The top 145 finishers secured at least $13,605, with the mystery bounty element adding an extra layer of thrill and unpredictability to the gameplay.

Adding to the excitement, Indian poker sensation Santhosh Suvarna, fresh off his $250K Super High Roller victory, continued his impressive streak with a 39th-place finish, netting an additional $28,132 (~₹23.50 Lakhs) and bringing his total series earnings to a staggering $5.52 Million (~₹46.13 Crores) from three deep runs.

On day 2 of the event, Robert Heidorn transformed into a bounty-hunting machine, unlocking over a dozen mystery bounties, including prizes worth $100,000 and $75,000. Christopher Puetz and Bruno Lopes also joined the elite club of $100,000 bounty winners, while Felipe Ketzer sent shockwaves through the room when he picked up the jackpot bounty of $250,000.

The tournament remained star-studded deep into the payouts, featuring poker legends and notable players such as Dan Shak (10th for $62,942), Adrian Mateos (11th for $62,942), Chris Brewer (12th for $50,186), Shaun Deeb (20th for $40,684), Erik Seidel (33rd for $28,132), Patrick Leonard (43rd for $24,010), John Riordan (45th for $24,010), Nick Schulman (48th for $20,859), Stephen Chidwick (75th for $15,265), Felipe Ramos (93rd for $13,605), Isaac Haxton (120th for $13,605), Kristen Foxen (127th for $13,605), and Johnny Chan (133rd for $13,605).

The final day of Event #77: The $2,500 Big Bet Mix was a masterclass in mixed-game poker, as 19 finalists from an initial field of 468 battled for twelve hours in pursuit of WSOP glory and a share of the $1,041,300 prize pool. Leading the charge was Hong Kong’s Wing Liu, who entered the day as the chip leader and never looked back.

Liu’s exceptional skill propelled him to victory, culminating in a heads-up duel against Hye Park. In the end, Liu emerged triumphant, capturing his second WSOP bracelet and the $209,942 top prize, while Park secured a respectable $136,574 for his second-place finish.

“Winning in Vegas is a dream come true,” said Liu, beaming with pride. “The competition here is fierce, and this being my first mixed-game final table makes it even more special.” Liu’s victory also marked a historic moment for Hong Kong, as he became the first player from the region to win a bracelet at this year’s WSOP.

With this victory, Liu surpassed $1 Million in lifetime earnings. The atmosphere was electric as Liu’s enthusiastic rail, including fellow poker pros Edward Yam and Anson Tsang, erupted in cheers. “It’s already July, and our Hong Kong team wasn’t doing well. They came out to support me, and now I’ve won a bracelet. They’re just as thrilled as I am,” Liu declared, his voice filled with emotion.

The final table was stacked with poker royalty, with notable finishes by Xixiang Luo (3rd for $90,920), Kane Kalas (4th for $61,977), Andres Korn (5th for $43,283), Alex Foxen (6th for $30,988) and Allan Le (7th for $22,758).

The day began with a bang as Craig Hartman simultaneously eliminated Toby Boas (19th for $8,660) and Damjan Radanov (18th for $8,660), bringing the field down to three tables. Lawrence Brandt, a WSOP bracelet winner, was the first to exit after the redraw, finishing 17th for $10,575.

As the day progressed, notable players like Craig Hartman (9th for $17,156), Denis Strebkov (10th for $13,285), Senovio Ramirez III (11th for $13,285), Gary Booth (12th for $10,575), David Lin (13th for $10,575), Andy Black (14th for $10,575), Chris Klodnicki (15th for $10,575), and Kyle Miholich (16th for $10,575) fell short of the final table.

Indo-American player Nitesh Rawtani‘s impressive performance ended just shy of the final table. He finished in eighth place and earned $17,156 for his efforts.

Day 2 of Event #78: $1,000 Mini Main Event was nothing short of electrifying, as the original 6,076-player field dwindled from 486 hopefuls to a final five. Leading the charge is American poker pro Kyle Williamson, armed with a commanding stack of 146.30 Million (49 BBs). Hot on his heels is Cypriot sensation Georgios Skarparis, boasting 143.07 Million (48 BBs).

India’s Paawan Bansal experienced the highs and lows of tournament poker throughout the day. Starting the day as the chip leader with 2.825 Million (71 BBs), he faced some early setbacks, dropping to 1.685 Million by Level 24. But Bansal roared back, eliminating Yita Choong during the middle stages of Day 2. The Australian player’s failed to hold up against Bansal’s , with the board running . Choong exited in 216th place for $3,680. Bansal’s stack swelled to 3.76 Million after the knockout.

By Level 30, Bansal was back among the top stacks with 8.12 Million. However, a massive loss to Daniel Marcus saw him drop to 2.50 Million. Bansal’s tournament run ended two levels later.

With the already on the table, Bansal had 2.40 Million across the line with 100,000 behind as he was in the tank from Maximilian Schindler‘s all-in jam. After groaning for a moment, he made the call.

Paawan Bansal

Maximilian Schindler

The turn gave both players a pair of aces, but Bansal needed to improve to stay alive. The river was no help as he exited in 46th place for $12,587 (~₹10.51 Lakhs). This was Bansal’s sixth score of the series, taking his series winnings to an impressive $67,139 (~₹56.08 Lakhs).

Bansal wasn’t the only Indian to score in this event. Varun Iyer and Yudhishter Jaswal, who also made it to Day 2, finished in 91st and 110th places, earning $5,483 (~₹4.58 Lakhs) and $4,760 (~₹3.98 Lakhs), respectively.

Unfortunately, other Indian hopefuls like Kunal Patni (487th for $2,257; ~₹1.89 Lakhs), Deepankur Gupta (599th for $2,102; ~₹1.76 Lakhs), and Ankit Wadhawan (807th for $2,002; ~₹1.67 Lakhs) had their dreams dashed on Day 1.

The tournament also saw strong performances from numerous Indian-origin players, including Rahul Jain (16th for $28,335), Dhananjay Bhor (244th for $3,682), Jay Patel (252nd for $3,682), Rahul Sharma (263rd for $3,280), Rajagopal Sankaranarayanan (293rd for $3,280), Sudhir Vungarala (390th for $2,673), Pratik Patel (395th for $2,673), Rahul Jaisingh (439th for $2,445), Akshit Jain (563rd for $2,102), Ankush Mandavia (572nd for $2,102), Rohit Kwatra (608th for $2,102), Ravi Raghavan (674th for $2,002), and Anurag Bandla (848th for $2,002).

Day 2 witnessed several notable eliminations, including Stoyan Madanzhiev (51st for $12,587), Svetlana Gromenkova (118th for $4,758), Ismael Bojang (262nd for $3,278), and Steve Gross (365th for $2,946).

The intensity reached its peak with the elimination of Kyle Case in 11th place with $44,573, setting up the ten-handed final table. Seungjun Noh was next to exit in tenth place for $44,573, followed by Hunter Frey (9th for $56,557), Stefan Widmer (8th for $72,316), Kaihung Hu (7th for $93,171), and Joshua Prager (6th for $120,950).

As the dust settled on Day 2, the five remaining players are guaranteed at least $158,191 from the massive $5,346,880 prize pool, with the coveted WSOP gold bracelet and the grand prize of $554,925 awaiting the ultimate champion.

Day 2 of Event #79: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha saw a star-studded lineup of 61 players returning from an initial field of 131. With the late registration boosting the entries to 187, the prize pool swelled to a staggering $8,929,250, just shy of last year‘s record.

As Day 2 concluded, only five players remained, each representing a different country.

Hong Kong’s Danny Tang leads the pack with 20.725 million chips (69 BBs). Following him are Netherlands’ Ronald Keijzer (13.275 million) and Germany’s Daniel Perkusic (12.15 million; 41 BBs), leaving USA’s Jim Collopy (5.10 million) and India’s Santhosh Suvarna (4.85 million) in a close race for survival.

Amidst the fierce competition, India`s Santhosh Suvarna stole the spotlight with a remarkable performance. Starting the day with the third-largest stack of 1.36 million chips (91 BBs), Suvarna`s journey was a rollercoaster ride, experiencing both highs and lows, a true testament to the unpredictable nature of poker.

At one point, Suvarna found himself on the brink of elimination, his stack dwindling to a mere 7.5 BBs. However, he refused to succumb to the pressure, orchestrating a dramatic comeback. A pivotal moment came in a three-way clash against poker heavyweights Dan Smith and Jim Collopy, where Suvarna managed to triple up, catapulting his stack to 2.20 million and reigniting his hopes of winning a historic third bracelet.

With renewed confidence, Suvarna continued his pursuit of victory, eliminating seasoned pros like Richard Gryko (24th for $100,000), Jonathan Azoulay (15th for $121,768), and Sean Winter (10th for $144,975) along the way. His calculated aggression propelled him to the unofficial nine-handed final table with the fourth-largest stack of 6.76 Million.

The eliminations of Ben Lamb (9th for $177,085), Brian Rast (8th for $221,778), David Benyamine (7th for $284,604), and Gabriel Andrade (6th for $374,020) marked the end of Day 2, with the final five bagging their chips for the night.

Despite holding the shortest stack among the finalists, Suvarna is the dark horse everyone is watching. With a string of deep runs at the series, including a monumental bracelet victory in the $250K Super High Roller for $5.415 Million, Suvarna aims for another multi-million dollar prize, with $2,100,325 on the line. If he wins, he will not only secure his third bracelet but also extend his lead on India’s all-time money list.

By securing a spot in the final five, Suvarna has already guaranteed himself a minimum payout of $503,085, marking the highest score by an Indian in a PLO bracelet event. This ranks as the third-biggest WSOP score by an Indian in Las Vegas, just behind Abhinav Iyer’s $565,346 bracelet win and Suvarna’s recent Super High Roller triumph. A fourth-place finish or higher would also surpass Iyer’s record, putting Suvarna at first and second on the all-time-high WSOP scores by an Indian.

Moreover, a victory in the $50K High Roller PLO would be a historic achievement for Suvarna, making him the first Indian to win two live bracelets in a single WSOP edition (Nipun Java won two, but one of them was online) and the only Indian to claim a PLO bracelet event.

Day 2 also witnessed the intense battle for the money, with the top 27 players securing a minimum payout of $100,000. Notable players like defending champion Jesse Lonis, Michael Duek, Jared Bleznick, Eelis Pärssinen, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, and Shaun Deeb exited before reaching the money, with Dylan Smith bubbling in dramatic fashion.

Other notable eliminations on Day 2 included Jason Mercier (18th for $105,000), Anthony Zinno (20th for $105,000), Dylan Weisman (25th for $100,000), and Dan Smith (27th for $100,000).

Event #80: $800 Independence Day Celebration No-Limit Hold’em turned up the heat with a bustling field of 2,864 players battling for glory. After a gruelling 22 levels of play on Day 1A, the first of two starting flights, only 150 survivors remain, each harbouring dreams of WSOP triumph.

Emerging as the early frontrunner, Bulgaria’s Ivan Denev amassed a formidable stack of 2.48 Million chips (62 BBs), setting the pace for the competition. Hot on Denev’s heels, Michael Phillips secured a substantial 2.01 Million chips (50 BBs), signalling his intent to challenge the leader. Two-time bracelet winner Mark Seif, who narrowly missed adding another trophy to his collection with a 12th-place finish in Event #46: $1K Seniors NLHE Championship, proved his mettle once again, ending Day 1A with an impressive 1.895 Million chips.

British pro Brandon Sheils, hailing from a lineage of poker enthusiasts, rounded out the top five with 1.865 Million chips. With an impressive track record and a notable 15th-place finish in the 2023 Monster Stack—his deepest run in a live WSOP event to date—Sheils is poised for a deep run.

The top ten is further adorned with notable names like Lukas Hafner (1.875 Million), Yoshiya Agata (1.860 Million), Shalom Elharar (1.785 Million), Agharzi Babayev (1.780 Million), Alexander Petrucelli (1.505 Million), and Tyrone Carter (1.485 Million).

India’s poker contingent also made their mark on Day 1A. Sreekanth Narayan, the 2023 POY #2, secured 885,000 chips (22 BBs), placing him 45th overall in the day-end counts.

Premnath Kasinath, the owner of the PSL’s Gujarat Falcons, bagged a solid 825,000 chips (21 BBs), landing in 47th place. Both players are determined to make their mark on this prestigious event and secure their first and second cashes of the series, respectively.

Day 1A also saw seasoned players like Oliver Price (930,000), Men “The Master” Nguyen (703,000), Martin Zamani (640,000), Dan Heimiller (540,000), John Dolan (510,000), Kevin MacPhee (450,000), Yang Zhang (370,000), and Ari Engel (215,000) navigate the challenging field.

As the remaining 150 players enjoy the Fourth of July festivities, anticipation builds for Day 1B, where a new wave of contenders will join the fray before a final showdown on July 5.

Day 38: What’s Happening?

As the United States celebrates Independence Day on July 4, the 2024 WSOP explodes with excitement on Day 38. The highlight of the day is the commencement of Day 1B of the prestigious Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship, set to begin at 12 PM (local time). A new wave of poker hopefuls will join the fray, eager to follow in the footsteps of poker legends like Daniel Weinman and etch their names in poker history. The Main Event’s massive popularity means no new events will be introduced until July 6, allowing the spotlight to shine brightly on this iconic tournament.

While the Main Event captivates the poker world, two other tournaments are set to reach their climax.

Event #78: $1,000 Mini Main Event No-Limit Hold’em enters its final day at 2 PM (local time) in the Horseshoe Event Center with five players remaining, battling it out for the coveted title and the massive $554,925 top prize. The blinds start at 1.50 Million/3 Million, plus a big blind ante of 3 Million. The tension is palpable as the clock resumes with 20 minutes and 15 seconds left in Level 42.

Event #79: $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha also reaches its final showdown with the last five contenders, including India`s Santhosh Suvarna, reconvening at 1 PM (local time), with 20:35 minutes left in Level 26 and blinds at 150K/300K with a big blind ante of 300K. Even with the Main Event stealing the spotlight, Indian poker fans are eagerly anticipating Suvarna’s performance, hoping he can secure another bracelet victory and get India its first WSOP gold in a PLO event. The final table promises to be a high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled battle as the players compete for the jaw-dropping $2,100,325 top prize.

Adding to the excitement, Day 1B of Event #80: $800 Independence Day Celebration No-Limit Hold’em kicks off at 10 AM (local time). Players will face 22 levels of intense play, with the survivors advancing to Day 2, which resumes on July 5 at 10 AM (local time).

Here’s what went down on Day 37.

Content & Images Courtesy: World Series of Poker

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