WSOPC Tunica

David Cook

The first starting flight of Event #12: $1,700 No Limit Hold'em Main Event at the Horseshoe Tunica is complete, and the early benchmark stack has been set.

Flight A drew 120 entries, adding $181,800 to the prize pool in this two-flight event that carries a $400,000 guarantee. As expected, the field tightened up late, and after a hard-fought bubble, 18 players made the money before play continued down to just 13 who bagged chips at the end of Level 17.

Leading the way is David Cook, who finished with a staggering 1,200,000 and now holds the overall chip lead heading into Flight B. His stack will be the number to chase as the remaining players take their shot tomorrow.

Vincent Moscati

Behind him is former circuit Main Event winner Dave Alfa with 750,000, followed by Chico Pho (388,000) and former Tunice Main Event winner from last year Vincent Moscati (366,000), all of whom put themselves in solid position heading into Day 2. The rest of the field remains fairly tight, leaving plenty of room for movement once the flights combine.

While 13 players secured their spots for Sunday, a number of big names were not as fortunate and will have to fire again in the second flight. The field featured plenty of star power, including Chris Moneymaker, Maurice Hawkins, Dan Lowery, Preston McEwen, and Donovan Dean, all of whom fell short of the final 13 and will look for a better result in Flight B.

Chris Moneymaker

The players who did advance will return for Day 2 on Sunday at 12 PM local time, where they’ll be joined by survivors from the second and final flight that kicks off at 11 AM on Saturday morning.

End of Day 1 Flight A Chip Counts

1. David Cook - 1,200,000
2. Dave Alfa - 750,000 
3. Chico Pho - 388,000 
4. Vincent Moscati - 366,000 
5. Charles Hopper - 310,000 
6. Dustin Murphy - 310,000 
7. Hamid Izadi - 300,000 
8. Matthew Broome - 285,000 
9. Bradley Wilkerson - 248,000 
10. Marcus Paxton - 235,000 
11. Mike Costello - 196,000 
12. Micheal Mckuin - 172,000 
13. Larry Riggs - 58,000 

Blinds: 5,000/10,000(10,000) - 17/120 Registered

Preston McEwen moved all in from middle position for about 85,000 before Bradley Wilkerson rejammed while covering. The rest of the players folded, and the cards hit thier backs.

McEwen tabled and saw he was in rough shape against the of Wilkerson.

Wilkerson would improve to a set on the flop and have McEwen drawing dead on the turn. The river was irrelavant, and McEwen was sent to the rail about 25 minutes before the bags.

• Bradley Wilkerson - 345,000
• Preston McEwen - Eliminated

The players left for their last break of the night with 17 players remaining and after one full level back, they are in the same spot.

Play has been slow, few chips have gone in the middle, and it appears quite a few players are looking to lock up a slot for Day 2. Forty minutes remain before the bags and these players seem to want to get there.

The 17 remaining players in the first flight of the $1,700 Circuit Main Event are now on their last 15-minute break of the night. 

Top Ten Chip Counts on Break

1. David Cook - 851,000 
2. Dave Alfa - 560,000 
3. Matthew Broome - 431,000 
4. Bradley Wilkerson - 409,000 
5. Vincent Moscati - 370,000 
6. Hamid Izadi - 290,000 
7. Dustin Murphy - 255,000 
8. Preston Mcewen - 246,000 
9. Joseph Parrish - 245,000 
10. Charles Hopper - 223,000