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The 2008 Legends of Poker at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles, is living up to its name. With Day 1a and 1b of the $10,000 buy-in Championship Event in the books a number of the biggest names in poker remain in contention for the World Poker Tour title.
Ali Eslami, an LA-area pro, grabbed the lead after finishing Day 1b with 168,500 chips – 13,750 more than Adam Weinraub, who led after Day 1a, with 154,750. But a look through the top 10 chip stacks reveals some names that even the most novice poker fan would be forced to recognize.
Mark Seif sits in fourth place with 97,000, just ahead of Allen Cunningham (94,025) in sixth and Freddy Deeb (93,000) in seventh spot. Gavin Smith, who has 84,000, rounds out the top ten from the first two days of action.
The field of 373 players is the smallest since 2003 when the then $5,000 buy-in event had 309 entrants. Still the total prize pool of $3,545,738 means the players are playing for a first place prize of $1,116,428 plus the customary $25,000 WPT Championship seat that goes to the winner.
Maria Ho, the last woman standing at the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event, is in contention. With 83,000 chips Ho finds herself on top of Barry Greenstein, who has 82,100 heading into Day 2. Other top names that survived and thrived include 2008 double bracelet winner John “Razor” Phan (83,375), Erik Seidel (81,975), Scott Montgomery of the November Nine (80,400) and 2008 WSOP Player-of-the-Year Erick Lindgren (64,350).
After playing five levels on the first day of play the 140 players who remain will return to the Bike to play six levels on Monday at 2 pm PT. The six-player final table is slated for Thursday.
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