Thursday, June 16 2011 : Event 24, the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout kicked off Tuesday and again recorded an bigger field than last year with 387 registrations (2010: 358) creating a prize pool worth over $1.81 million. Predictably, the event attracted almost every big name around, generating a noticeable buzz as the stars took their seats at more than forty tables in the Amazon Room at the Rio.
Just after midnight Tuesday officials called for a halt for the day at level 11 with 40 players still chasing the bracelet and the first prize of $436,568.
Among the top ten going into the second day will be JP Kelly, James Dempsey, Justin Bonomo, Adam Junglen, Jordan Young, Gavin Smith, James Akenhead, Tommy Vedes, Erik Seidel and Maxim Lykov, which gives an indication of just how formidable the competition is in this event. Others still in the field include Tom Marchese and Dan Smith.
WSOP experts are claiming this is shaping up as one of the toughest competitions so far this year.