Day 1 of Event #20: $1,500 Badugi at the 2023 World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas concluded after 12 hours and 15 levels of play. Out of a starting field of 516, a total of 183 players were able to find a bag for Day 2, with British pro Adam Owen (192,000) among the big stacks at the end of the night.
William Toh (239,000) clinched the chip lead, while Yingui Li (217,500), Adam Clegg (212,500), and Jon Turner (198,500) also bagged substantial stacks.
End of Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Toh | United States | 239,000 | 80 |
| 2 | Yingui Li | China | 217,500 | 73 |
| 3 | Adam Clegg | United States | 212,500 | 71 |
| 4 | Jon Turner | United States | 198,500 | 66 |
| 5 | Adam Owen | United Kingdom | 192,000 | 64 |
| 6 | Roberto Marin | United States | 183,500 | 61 |
| 7 | Patrick Moulder | United States | 157,500 | 53 |
| 8 | Antonio Payne | United States | 152,500 | 51 |
| 9 | Valentin Vornicu | United States | 147,000 | 49 |
| 10 | Paul Martino | United States | 146,000 | 49 |
Given this was the first time the WSOP put on a bracelet event dedicated solely to Badugi, there were doubts as to the level of interest there would be in the variant. The entry numbers, however, entirely put those doubts to rest as they compare favourably with other mixed game $1,500 buy-in fields, even surpassing such events as the $1,500 Dealer's Choice and $1,500 Stud in size.
The 516 entrants generated a prize pool of $688,860 that will be split among the top 78 finishers, each of whom is guaranteed $2,409, although all eyes will be on the $144,678 and WSOP gold bracelet that go the eventual winner's way.
Among the many to take their seat at some point during the day and still be there at the end of the final level included three-time $10,000 Dealer's Choice champion Adam Friedman (126,500), 2022 WSOP POY Daniel Zack (120,500), and six-time WSOP bracelet winner Brian Hastings (118,000).
Other well-known names to take their shot but fall short included Poker Hall of Famer Barry Greenstein, Allen Kessler and birthday boy Benny Glaser.
The remaining players return to their seats at 1:00 p.m. on June 8 to play ten 60-minute levels, with blinds resuming in Level 16 at 1,500/3,000 with limits of 3,000/6,000. The money bubble has not yet burst, so there is everything to play for as the PokerNews live reporting team continues to provide live coverage throughout this three-day tournament.
