Las Vegas Weekly

July 14, 2010 · 11:19 AM

WSOP Main Event play resumes at noon at The Rio with field of 574

By Robin Leach

The grand opening of the Bruce Buffer Poker Room at the Luxor.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

From 7,319 entrants, the 2010 World Series of Poker’s Main Event now sits with less than 10 percent of that number, as 574 players take to the felt today for Day 5. The money bubble hit shortly after the dinner break yesterday, when Tim McDonald became the unfortunate bubble boy, bowing out in 748th place -- just one shy of the money.

Tim, a professional fisherman from Kentucky, took it in stride and walked away with a free entry into the 2011 WSOP Main Event courtesy of the World Series of Poker. Once the money bubble burst, players vanished faster than Usain Bolt. Nearly 175 players hit the rail from the time the money was hit in Level 16 to the time chips were bagged up halfway through Level 17.

When play resumes today, the 574 hopefuls begin with one hour remaining in Level 17 and with antes at 1,000 and blinds at 3,000 to 6,000. The chip leader is Las Vegas’ Tony Dunst, who sits on a stack of 1,546,000.

There are several big names left in the field, with four solid days of poker to be played before reaching the November Nine. The WSOP Web site includes a list of the remaining players and their chip counts, plus the players who have thus far cashed in the 2010 WSOP Main Event.

Play resumes at noon in the Amazon Room at The Rio. Players are expected to play four levels and finish about 10:15 p.m., halfway through Level 21.

Updated @5:58 a.m.: Still in the Top 200: Johnny Chan at No. 13, Scotty Nguyen at No. 53, actor and tennis pro Vince Van Patten at No. 174, Bruce Buffer at No. 180 and Danny Mizrachi, one of four brothers, at No. 194.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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