Jimmy Fricke Tops Day 1 of Stud Hi-Low

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Level 10 : 800/1,600, 200 ante

Day 1 of Event #30: $1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low has come to a conclusion with Jimmy Fricke emerging as chip leader.

In the first standalone seven-card stud hi-low tournament of the series, a field of 588 took to the felt to top the 558 players that anted up for this event in 2013. Reigning champion Daniel Idema was a late entrant, but he had an early departure as he, along with 2014 WSOP bracelet winners Vanessa Selbst, Brandon Shack-Harris, George Danzer, and Dan Heimiller, were eliminated.

Also busting during Day 1 were Chris Tryba, Max Pescatori, Mike Sexton, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, and Phil Ivey.

With a prizepool of $793,800 seeing $190,538 reserved for the winner, Fricke stood in best shape to make a run at it on Day 2 as he topped the remaining 109 players with an amassed chip stack of 67,300. Nipping at his heels were Calvin Anderson (66,900), David Brooker (62,500), and Christine Pietsch (61,900).

However, there are still plenty of big names remaining as obstacles in Fricke's path. Ylon Schwartz (38,700), Jesse Martin (34,600), Matt Glantz (30,000), Daniel Ospina (29,900), Eric Buchman (26,100), and recent winner of Event #22, Christopher Wallace (14,700), all remain in the hunt.

The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be in the WSOP's Amazon Room on Saturday from 2 p.m. PT to provide continued extensive coverage of Event #30 as we look to write the path of victory for one lucky player remaining. Make sure to stay tuned right here to for all the live updates straight from the tournament floor as the quest to the money and final table marches on.