However, late registration and re-entries are open through the end of Level 9 on Day 2, so that number is sure to grow. As for Day 1 action, which encompassed eight one-hour levels, two players thrived as Stephen Chidwick and Brian Rast tied of the chip lead with 378,500
among 18 survivors.
Others who bagged big were Connor Drinan (372,000), Jeff Rossiter (297,000), and Fabian Quoss (235,000).
The day started off rough for online pro Ben Tollerene, who lost a big pot to Phil Ivey early on and failed to recover. Tollerene was the first player to fall, but he promptly reentered and ended up bagging a healthy 275,500.
One player who did not survive was Antonio Esfandiari, who had a short and not at all sweet stay after he bluffed away his stack in Level 3. Esfandiari did not return. Others who had a rough go included Andrew Lichtenberger, who busted two bullets, and Ivey, who fell in the last level of the night after a big flush-over-flush hand.
In the meantime, Russia's all-time money winner Igor Kurganov, who finished runner-up in the $25K Challenge the night before for AU$541,680, ended up firing four times. Nothing went right in the first three, but the fourth got him through Day 1 with 120,500.
Day 2 will commence at 2 p.m. local time on Monday with plans to play down to the final table. Late registration is open through the first level of the day, and chances are that Ivey, and some of the other fallen players, will take another crack at the title.
$100,000 Challenge Top Five
Stephen Chidwick - 378,500
Brian Rast - 378,500
Connor Drinan - 372,000
Jeff Rossiter - 297,000
Ben Tollerene - 275,500
