Started today! A lot of pros are in the first event, Mixed Hold'em Limit/No-Limit and doing well so far. Still way early though, as we won't have a final table until tomorrow night.

55 events this year.

So begins the harrowing task of trying to avoid being spoiled on who wins the big tournament before the end actually airs on ESPN.

I've failed the last 2 years, cause for some reason ESPN likes to ruin their own programming. Not sure why.

The record for the youngest bracelet winner got broken in the first event, and considering he is only one week past 21, it should finally stay for a while.

Alex Jacob is the chip-leader for the final table of event 3. He has been strong since last year.

The Omeha/Seven Card Stud should be interesting with a bigger portion of the players being pros.

Hellmuth won his 11th bracelet; too bad for him that just like his 10th one, ESPN wasn't covering the event, so basically will be a few highlights.

Cunningham won his 5th, and Ivey almost won his 6th. The pros are having a pretty good tournament so far, with some final tables stacked with big names.

The main event is starting today, and they will have to spread over 4 days to just complete the first day, over 10,000 players.

Pros have had a good WSOP, well-known players like Hellmuth, Lisandro, Cunningham, Seidel, Corkins, and Deeb all won bracelets, and Scotty Nguyen, Ivey, Humberto Brenes, Ferguson, Raymer all made multiple final tables.

Wow, over 10,000 players? Most people expected less attendance than previous years since US has been rigorously enforcing the law against online poker and thus no more online satellite tournaments for a WSOP seat.

I actually don't know the official count yet. I just looked at the worldseriesofpoker website and saw they allocated four days with 3,000 players (limit, I guess) each day. But according to the latest info from its blog, there are 160 tables set up for now with 10 chairs each, so may not be that many.

Chip counts for the 445 remaining from Day 1A have been posted.

http://www.pokernews.com/live-reporting ... it-holdem/

Barry Greenstein (#73, 93,600 chips) is the only name I recognize in the top 100. Other notable Day1A survivors:

Jeff Madsen 76,100
Brad Garrett 69,400
Huck Seed 67,500
Minh Ly 67,000
Aaron Eckhart 47,500
Tobey Maguire 24,200

Meanwhile, notable people who have been elimanated already include Mike Sexton, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Mel Judah, John D'Agostino, Josh Arieh, Mike Mizrachi, and Alex Jacob.

Day 1B just started right about now..

Look like over 6,000 players total, and about 2,000 will make it into day 2.

Any new news?

At least no one is dominating the chip count yet like Gold had from Day 4 last year. The players are in the money now. Scotty Nguyen and Humberto Brenes are still in it, both having a great WSOP overall, making 5 final tables total but without winning a bracelet.

Among the chip leaders, I recognize Gus Hansen; outside the top 20, I see Lee Watkinson, Julian Gardner, Chad Brown, Carlos Mortensen, Jason Lester. Tobey Maguire and the fluke 2002 champion Robert Varkonyi are also still in.

Tobey Maguire is in the money. The rich get richer.

337 players left.

is ivey left?

If i heard correctly, ESPN is televising the final table live on the 17th at 3?

Nope. He was out on Day 1, one of the earliest ever for him.

112 left, and will play down to 27 today.

Let's make some semi-early predictions. Usually at least one name-pro makes the Final table, would this be the first year with none (54.3% chance, if assuming 8 name pros with no edge or liability in chips or experience)? I think there Lee Watkinson is the most likely to enter the final table, not just because of his larger stack but also his super tight conservative style (on tv at least) makes him last very long even if it diminishes his chance at a win. Gus Hanson is too reckless on all-in decisions to be a favorite to last that long, although as one of the most entertaining players he's be who I'm rooting for the most. Which named pro(s) do you think has a good shot at the final table?

Pros remaining that I recognize:
Lee Watkinson
Julian Gardner
Gus Hansen
Huckleberry Seed
Daniel Alaei
Scotty Nguyen
Humberto Brenes
Chad Brown

Going strictly by aggregate chip counts and ignoring all other factors, there is a 56.3% chance that at least one of the above 8 names makes the final table.

Lee Watkinson is now the chip leader, while Scotty Nguyen has climbed into the top 10. I'm pulling for Scotty. Can't wait for his "baby" tout.

And Huck Seed and Kenny Tran are lurking around too, with Humberto Brenes in the middle of the pack. Love to see a final table with multiple bracelet winners.

Huck Seed is a hell of a player.

Seed is out, and Gus Hansen is short stacked too.

With 23 players remaining, we still have 5 bracelet winners left and players like Kenny Tran, who has cashed 7 times and finished 5th in the big HORSE event this year, not a bad collection comparing to last couple of years.

Isn't it pay-per-view like last year?

16 players left, and Scotty battled back again. Watkinson is also in good position. Having two known names in the final table would be great. That'll prevent the repeat of 2005, where the players ganged on Matusow and once he was eliminated, it became a lot duller.

This could be shaping up to the most appealing main event final table we've had in years, mixing old champions with new bracelet winners and good online players.

Scotty is on fire, moving all the way to top 3 in chips.