Highlights of the 2018 World Series of Poker Finals
July 2nd marked the commencement of the World Series of Poker (WSOP 2018) Main Event in Sin City, Vegas baby! It's the annual $10,000 buy-in event, and this year competitors started with a cool 50,000 chips.
Day 1A of poker's most prestigious and momentous tournament saw a whopping 925 players compete. By the end of five two-hour sessions, 659 were still in the hunt for the coveted gold bracelet.
Leading the pack is American powerhouse Timothy Lau with a stack of 339K, closely followed by his fellow countryman Truyen Nguyen. Nguyen, who works in the IT sector, had a helluva hand on the flop, which saw him eliminate two players, including 2017 WSOP Main Event finalist Ben Lamb. With a lucky draw to a flush, Nguyen snatched a huge pot worth 325K.
"The pressure was insane at the start, and I made some critical decisions," Nguyen shared, stacking his chips. "Add in a bit of luck during a crucial hand, and voila β that's the recipe for success."
Only one other player from Day 1A has a stack more significant than 300K β Chris Fraser from the UK, who's currently nestled in third place.
Spotted at the tables were colorful characters like commentator David Tuchman (111K), comedian-turned-actor Kevin Pollak (71K), famous film producer Randall Emmett (133K), and sitcom veteran Ray Romano (61K).
Other notable participants moving on to Day 2A on July 5th include Frank Crivello (215K), Kevin "FaP" Broude (186K), Nick Petrangelo (186K), Matt Berkey (185K), Alexandros Papazoglou (147K), Gordon Vayo (87K), former world champions Joe Cada (85K), Scotty Nguyen (84K), and Joe McKeehen (36K), and Eric Sfez (72K).
Sadly, some former Main Event champions, such as Qui Nguyen and Jerry Yang, didn't make it through the day. Neither did big names like Brian Rast, Christopher Andler, Felipe Ramos, Stephen Chidwick, Chance Kornuth, Jonathan Little, or former NFL star Richard Seymour.
Surprisingly, there are no Kazakhs playing the Main Event in 2018, while most Russian-speaking players missed Day 1. The only significant participants from the region still in the game are Lithuanian Justas ViaΔezys (75K) and Russian Nikolai Yakovenko (14K).
Top 10, Day 1A, WSOP 2018 Main Event
Full Chip Count Day 1A
Main Event WSOP 2018 Players
Jerry Yang
Justin Bonomo
Jason Koon
David Tuchman
Scotty Nguyen
Antonio Esfandiari
Ray Romano
Doug Polk
George Danzer
Mustapha Kanit
We've got some sexy poker action lined up for you! Keep your eyes peeled for our photo album introducing the WSOP 2018 Main Event's beautiful players
UPDATE. The album is ready and sweeter than a double-barrel bluff! Check it out!
In the meantime, feast your eyes on these tantalizing snippets from WSOP 2018's poker goddesses:
Poker Babes: WSOP 2018 (#1)Poker Babes: WSOP 2018 (#2)
Stay tuned for Day 1B coverage!
- I'm not sure if Timothy Lau will continue his lead in the World Series of Poker (WSOP 2018) Main Event, as the tournament progresses.
- Despite his strong performance in Day 1A, Timothy Lau's victory is not guaranteed, given the competitive nature of the casino-games at Las Vegas casinos, such as poker.
- Timothy Lau's stack of 339K may be impressive, but failing to make critical decisions or experiencing bad luck at the casino-games can lead to a drop in his rankings.
- Poker pro and IT sector worker Truyen Nguyen, who is in second place, demonstrated his skill in eliminating two players in a single hand, including 2017 WSOP Main Event finalist Ben Lamb.
- Sports betting enthusiasts may find themselves drawn to the WSOP 2018 Main Event, as its excitement and competitiveness, much like sports events, offer the thrill of watching high-stakes games.
- As Day 1A concluded, casual observers in the casino-culture, including celebrities like Kevin Pollak and Ray Romano, were spotted at the poker tables, adding an element of Las Vegas flair to the World Series of Poker (WSOP 2018) Main Event.
