The player with the most WSOP bracelets is still alive in the big event
Seventeen-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth debuted at the 2023 PokerStars North American Poker Tour (NAPT) at Resorts World on Tuesday on Day 1c of the $1,650 Main Event.
“Haven’t played a tourney in months (maybe first tourney since WSOP!!?),” Hellmuth posted on social media. He seemed to be in good spirits, even stopping to take selfies with Michael Ian Black, Julien Martini and Maria Konnikova. He shared these photos with the hashtag #POSITIVITY.
Hellmuth had his usual late registration for the tournament just 10 minutes before the players took the dinner break, returning with a Snickers bar and 27,600 in chips. Mitchell Halverson was also seated at the table and seeking to increase his more than $1.7 million in career cashes at Resorts World. Halverson started his run in 2023 after finishing 11th at the PCA in January for $112,600.
Hellmuth didn’t have the most thrilling start on the flight, which included top pros, such as David “ODB” Baker, Josh Reichard, Kyna England, Andrew Moreno, Chris Moorman, Matt Salsberg and Shannon Shorr.
Baker got off to a fast start on Day 1c. Three-way action was featured in Level 5 (200/500/500), with the board showing 8-D, 6-D, 4-C. The player in the small blind bet 7,800, with Baker raising to 21,000 before the button pushed in their stack of gray T-5,000 chips. Baker would call for 38,700 after the small blind folded, putting him at risk heads-up.
As the board finished up 9-H, J-S, Baker’s 5-H, 5-S would hold up against the button player’s 5-D, 4-D to put him over 100,000 in chips. Hellmuth is still alive as the event continues, and will return to the felt today. The NAPT Las Vegas Main Event wraps up on November 11.
Emma Rodriguez is the Proofreader at the Big Blind, with seven years of experience and five years in online gambling. She plays a crucial role in maintaining content quality by ensuring error-free, reader-friendly information about the gambling industry.
