Day 1 of the WPT Championship Has Arrived

$40,000,000.

That’s a big price tag for just about anything. For a poker tournament guarantee – that number is outrageous. And the race to reach that total for the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas $10,400 event kicked off in earnest on Tuesday morning as players flooded the ballroom at the very start of the day to grab a piece of the prize pool and, perhaps, be the last one standing with a life-changing score in hand.

With so much at stake, it should be no surprise that a field of poker superstars were in their seats early enough to hear the announcement of “Shuffle Up and Deal.” The early mood was quiet and focused as the persistent, peaceful chirping of chips kicked in and players started actually playing hands. The ice was broken.