2023 World Series of Poker

Event #1: $500 Casino Employees
Day: 1
12
Event Info

2023 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k♠10♣
Prize
$75,535
Event Info
Buy-in
$500
Prize Pool
$426,300
Entries
1,015
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Players Info - Day 1
Entries
1,015
Players Left
89
All Highlights Social
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Welcher Over 200,000

Mike Patrick
Mike Patrick
Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Josh Welcher
Josh Welcher

With a sizable pot already built before the A?3?6? flop, Zachary Taylor bet 10,000 from the big blind and got raised to 25,000 by Josh Welcher on the button.

Taylor called and the players checked the J? turn. On the 10? river, after Taylor checked, Welcher bet 30,000. After some time in the tank, Taylor called to show A?3? for a flopped two pair.

Taylor frustratedly showed A?K? and tossed his hand into the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Josh Welcher us
Josh Welcher
202,000
202,000
 202,000
Profile photo of Zachary Taylor us
Zachary Taylor
23,000
-51,000
 -51,000

Tags: Josh WelcherZachary Taylor

Holloway Holds for a Big Boost Before Dinner

Mike Patrick
Mike Patrick
Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Chad Holloway
Chad Holloway

Following an under-the-gun raise to 2,800, former event champion Chad Holloway three-bet to 8,000. A player in middle position cold-called the 8,000 and the original raiser jammed for 28,000. Holloway called off for 21,800 and the middle-position player called as well.

Chad Holloway: A?A?
Under the Gun: J?J?
Middle Position: A?K?

The board comes K?3?2?5?9? and Holloway's aces hold up to send him to dinner break with a triple-up and then some.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Chad Holloway us
Chad Holloway 		66,300
41,500
 41,500
WSOP 1X Winner
PokerNews

Tags: Chad Holloway

Miller Flops A Flush in a Six-Way Pot

Chris Land
Chris Land
Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Rachel Miller
Rachel Miller

The under-the-gun player opened to 1,500 and got five callers before seeing a flop of 8?9?3?. Action checked around the table bringing the A? out on the turn.

Rachel Kay Miller opted to lead out from the big blind with a bet of 6,000. Action folded to the cutoff who raised all in for 12,000 total before seeing the small blind also go all in.

Miller was covered and called off quickly, turning over Q?10? for a flopped flush. The small blind held A?Xx for top pair with the nut flush draw.

The 2? river changed nothing and gave Miller the pot worth well over a double up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Rachel Kay Miller us
Rachel Kay Miller 		52,500
23,300
 23,300
PokerNews

Tags: Rachel Kay Miller

It's Gonna Be a Great Summer

Mike Patrick
Mike Patrick
Level 5 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante
Paris Ballroom
Paris Ballroom

Before Level 6 has even been reached, last year's entry total of 832 has been surpassed, with the tournament clock currently showing 841 entries.

Registration and reentry are open until the start of Level 10, at approximately 6 p.m. local time, following the dinner break.

Lamers Loading Up

Mike Patrick
Mike Patrick
Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
Adam Lamers
Adam Lamers

With about 2,000 in the middle on a turn board of J?7?K?4?, Adam Lamers in the big blind faced a bet of 1,200 from his opponent in the small blind and made the call.

The river brought the J? and the small blind bet 4,000, which sent Lamers briefly into the tank before landing on a call.

The small blind showed 6?5? for a missed straight draw, while Lamers turned over K?9? for a flopped top pair which held up to make a winning two pair at showdown.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Adam Lamers ca
Adam Lamers 		32,000
32,000
 32,000
PokerNews

Tags: Adam Lamers

Quads Over Quads

Mike Patrick
Mike Patrick
Level 3 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante
Craig Vigrass
Craig Vigrass

Craig Vigrass alerted PokerNews to a huge hand that in many cash games would score a bad beat jackpot.

As told by Vigrass and his tablemates, following an early position limp, Vigrass raised to 900 which got calls from two more opponents plus the limper.

On the K?K?9? flop, Vigrass bet 2,000 which everyone called.

The turn 9? double-paired the board and after Vigrass checked, a late position player moved all in for about 6,500. Only Vigrass called to show the coolest of coolers.

Opponent: 9?9?
Craig Vigrass: K?K?

Vigrass' quads over quads sent his opponent home in a very unceremonious fashion.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Craig Vigrass us
Craig Vigrass
36,000
36,000
 36,000

Tags: Craig Vigrass

World Series of Poker Addresses Solver Concerns, Clarifies RTA Policy

Yori Epskamp
Yori Epskamp
Level 3 : Blinds 200/300, 300 ante
2023 WSOP
2023 WSOP

In light of debate over the threat that real-time assistance (RTA) apps pose to live poker, World Series of Poker (WSOP) officials reiterated their rules for use of solvers at the poker table.

Players at the 2023 WSOP will be penalized if they are caught using or referencing a solver during a live hand. Additionally, the WSOP reserves the right to issue penalties to players who are using solvers between hands.

"If caught using RTA/GTO software during a hand, player will be subject to penalty up to and including DQ (disqualification) / trespass," WSOP said in a prepared statement. "We reserve the right to further penalize a player for using RTA/GTO in any other situation in our sole and absolute discretion. Players may continue to use their device to play wsop.com or use the Caesars Sportsbook app while in/out of a hand."

Read the full story on PokerNews

Update Your Chip Counts with the MyStack App

Matt Hansen
Matt Hansen
Level 1 : 100/100, 100 ante
MyStack
MyStack

PokerNews has activated the MyStack App for this event, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting blog using your iPhone or Android phone. But it's more than just chip counts! You can include notes about big hands, your photo, and even your Table and Seat assignments so your friends can find you.

Download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately.

Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.

The 54th World Series of Poker Begins With $500 Casino Employees Event

Mike Patrick
Mike Patrick
2022 Champion Katie Kopp
2022 Champion Katie Kopp

What promises to be the biggest and best World Series of Poker ever gets underway Tuesday, and as is tradition, the 54th edition kicks off with Event #1: $500 Casino Employees.

Last year’s event saw Katie Kopp of Cleveland, Ohio, best a field of 832 entries that included several former event champions including PokerNews’ own Chad Holloway, Main Event final table members Kenny Hallaert and Garry Gates, renowned poker broadcaster David Tuchman, and reality star Lisa Vanderpump to name just a few.

Kopp earned $65,168 and her first WSOP gold bracelet for the victory. With early expectations for the WSOP already sky-high, an even bigger number could be on the horizon for someone’s $500 investment when the event concludes Wednesday.

Play begins at 10 a.m. Pacific time for the first of 17 scheduled 40-minute levels. A single reentry is allowed until registration closes at the start of Level 10 (approximately 5:55 p.m. following the 75-minute dinner break).

Players will begin the day with 25,000 chips at an opening level of 100/100 with a 100 big blind ante, and as with all events at the 2023 WSOP, any player registering before the start of the tournament will see their chips in play from the first hand of the day, whether they are in their seats or not.

Last year’s event concluded Day 1 with players in the money and just 82 of the 832 remaining by night’s end. Players are expected to again be in the money before the end of play today.

Recent WSOP Event #1: $500 Casino Employee Event Winners

YEARENTRIESWINNERCOUNTRY1ST PRIZE
2018566Jordan HuftyUnited States$61,909
2019686Nicholas HaynesUnited States$62,345
2020-No Event (Pandemic)--
2021419James BarnettUnited States$39,013
2022832Katie KoppUnited States$65,168

The PokerNews live reporting team is primed and raring to go for a full summer of coverage from each WSOP tournament until the final bracelet is awarded on July 15th, so keep your browsers locked on PokerNews for all the drama and excitement from Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas.

Tags: Chad HollowayDavid TuchmanGarry GatesHorseshoe Las VegasKatie KoppKenny HallaertLisa Vanderpump