WSOP Main Event Day 1D Complete, Day 2 Begins Today

Steve “MrSmokey1″ Billirakis, once the youngest player to win a WSOP bracelet, finished Day 1D of the 2010 Main Event with the biggest chip stack.

Day 1D ended up being the biggest of the four starting flights for the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event. A total of 2,391 players, all hoping to navigate the single largest tournament field of the year, started their journeys toward the final table at noon Vegas time on Thursday. Added to the other three starting flights, today’s number gives this year’s tournament a total field of 7,319 players, making this the second-largest live tournament in poker history behind only the 2006 WSOP Main Event.

Leading the way at the end of the day was Steve Billrakis, known online as MrSmokey1. Formerly the youngest player to win a WSOP bracelet, Billirakis bagged up 187,150 in chips to stay ahead of Khamsy Nuanmanee, who finished up with 170,525. LA Poker Classic champion Andras Koroknai of Hungary (141,250), EPT London champion Aaron Gustavson (140,000) and ubergambler Archie Karas (137,775) were the other known quantities who finished in the top ten.

Further down the leaderboard but still with significant stacks were David Benyamine, Vanessa Rousso, Matt Keikoan, Josh Arieh, Jason Mercier, Dan Heimiller, Eric Buchman, Kara Scott, Bill Chen, Humberto Brenes, Tommy Vedes, Allen Cunningham, Michael Binger and likely WSOP Player of the Year Frank Kassela. And among the unlucky players who busted on Day 1D were John Juanda, Phil Gordon, Justin “Boosted J” Smith, Joe Hachem, Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler, and Sami “LarsLuzak” Kelopuro.

Just 747 of the players who began the Main Event this week will make the money. The minimum payout this year is $19,263. Those numbers slide up all the way to the November Nine spots at the final table, where everyone is guaranteed $811,823 and the top eight players will all become overnight millionaires. Whoever manages to outlast the entire field will grab the first prize of $8,944,138, the world champion’s bracelet, and a banner with his or her photo that will grace the WSOP for the rest of its existence.

Day 2A begins today at noon PT, combining the survivors from Day 1A and Day 1C into a single field. Those who manage to navigate the landmines there will go on to Day 3, the first day where all the remaining players will be combined into a single field, which will be held on Monday, July 12.