Former Main Event Champions Hang Tough
It's been a good World Series of Poker main event for many of the tournament's former winners. Of 17 former champions playing this year, only six were eliminated in their respective Day 1's, with three more put out early in Day 2A. Not many of the winners still in it have monster stacks, but many of them are hanging around average.
Here's the list of former main event winners playing this year's WSOP and their most recent status:
1976-1977 - Doyle Brunson : Out in Day 1A. His top two pair of A-Q lost to his opponent's set of queens
1978 - Bobby Baldwin: He busted early in Day 2A after starting Tuesday with only 16,800 in chips.
1983 - Tom McEvoy: Started Day 2A with 62,600 in chips. At the first break it appeared he was at about the same mark.
1986 - Berry Johnston: He came into Day 2A with 118,500 and added to his stack early when his J-J held up against 9-9. He stood at about 140,000 at the first break.
1987-1988 - Johnny Chan: Out in Day 1A. His A-K lost to his opponent's pocket tens
1989 - Phil Hellmuth: After flunking his driving test, the "Poker Brat" failed his poker test, busting on Day 1D.
1991 - Brad Daugherty: The first million dollar main event winner finished his Day 1 with 15,200 in chips and will be trying to double up quickly when he plays again on Day 2B on Wednesday.
1995 - Dan Harrington: "Action Dan" finished his Day 1 with 43,600 in chips but was eliminated in the second level played Tuesday when his A-Q ran into A-K.
1996 - Huck Seed: Just after the first break of Day 2A, Huckleberry won a nice pot when he flopped a set of jacks versus a K-Q with a queen on board. He was up to 81,000.
1998 - Scotty Nguyen: He started the day strong, with 129,000 in chips, and started fast by flopping quads and busting a player.
2000 - Chris Ferguson: He didn't need divine intervention to finish his first day at around average with 55,000 in chips. "Jesus" plays again on Wednesday.
2001 - Juan Carlos Mortensen: The only holder of both WSOP main event and World Poker Tour Championship titles, he finished Day 1D with a nice stack of 86,800. His quest at a repeat continues Wednesday.
2002 - Robert Varkonyi: He hasn't made much noise since his win five years ago, but the Connecticut resident stands near the average with 56,500 in chips going into Wednesday.
2003 - Chris Moneymaker: He still has a long way to go to make money, but the PokerStars champ is in contention with 48,900 going into Day 2B.
2004 - Greg Raymer: "Fossilman" lost early on his Day 1 when his open-ended straight draw failed to connect against an opponent's set.
2005 - Joe Hachem: The Australian made it to Day 2A, but busted early today when his A-8 ran into A-Q on an A-10-10 flop.
2006 - Jamie Gold: The reigning champion didn't put up much of a show at ESPN's featured table. With a short stack on Day 1D, he pushed in with Q-9 vs. an opponent's A-7 and failed to improve.
Pokerworks.com
Deutsches Poker
Poker Français
Póquer en español
Poker in Italiano
Magyar Póker
Hrvatski Poker
Dutch Poker
Brasileiro Poker