243 players kick off the tournament

As day one of the Bellagio Cup VI got under way there were casualties and moments of glory for some of the best known poker players fresh from the WSOP

The World Poker Tour Bellagio Cup VI started last Sunday in Las Vegas and managed to attract 243 players despite the presence of the WSOP. The day started with the introduction of Season 9 as well as the presentation of the Season 8 Player of the Year trophy which went to Faraz The-Toilet Jaka. The man from Illinois made four top 20 finishes during the season, including two final tables and was runner up in last year’s Bellagio Cup.

Despite going head-to-head with the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event during much of its run, the World Poker Tour (WPT) Bellagio Cup VI kicked off on Sunday in Las Vegas and attracted a starting grid of 243 players. The day began with WPT officials reviewing a bundle of changes on tap for Season 9, including the return of Kimberly Lansing and the debut of the Royal Flush Girls, who will attend every event on this cycle of the tour. In addition, Matt Savage was formally introduced as the WPT’s Executive Tour Director and will serve as a liaison among players, casinos, and tournament officials.

Also occurring at the beginning of the day on Sunday at the Bellagio Cup was the presentation of the Season 8 Player of the Year trophy, which went to PocketFives.com member and DoylesRoom Brunson 10 candidate Faraz The-Toilet Jaka. The Illinois native made four top 20 finishes during Season 8 and recorded two final tables, including a runner-up finish in last year’s Bellagio Cup.

At the end of the first day Guillaume Darcourt had collected a stack of 252,300, this was about 80,000 more than the second place stack belonging to Joseph Miceli. Philip USCphildo Collins has the fourth place on the leader board with 144,350.

One of the first casualties of the Bellagio Cup was the former WPT Player of the Year and current Victory Poker pro Jonathan FieryJustice Little. First he lost a pot with an eight-high flush to a queen-high flush and then he just missed a flush draw which almost finished his stack. Finally he put the last of his chips in the middle with an 8 – 5 suited but came up against an Ace - King.

Another casualty was Kevin BeL0WaB0Ve Saul, he had won the tournament in 2007 for $1.3 million but the seven time bracelet winner Billy Baxter called him and sent him home.