10 Levels Done, 10 Levels on the Schedule
After 10 levels of play yesterday, only 62 of the 535 players remain in the first Pot-Limit Hold'em event of the series. Today we'll play another ten 60 minute levels. We could however be done earlier, as we'll also be halting the tournament when we reach a final table of nine.
Robert Corcione from Bellingham, Massachusetts is in the lead with 144,600 in chips. His nearest rival is non other than Las Vegas rounder Mike Carson who won his one and only bracelet in the year 2000 in this very event, although it was a $3,000 buy-in back then. Also still in is defending champion Nick Jivkov with 18,100. Last year he won $189,818 after defeating 638 players. Can he go back to back and another $166,136 this year?
There are plenty of recognizable players still left in the field. Dutch player Pim de Goede, who won side-events during EPT's in Madrid and Monte Carlo, brings 74,500 to the table and German super star Johannes Strassmann has 56,900 to start the day with. Strassmann has slightly more than Jason Mercier (55,200) and Allen Cunningham (52,100). Matt Stout (30,500), Melanie Weisner (23,200) and Cary Katz (13,100) have more pressure on them as we start with blind level 11 (600/1,200) at 1 p.m.