WSOP Main Event Opens With Two First-Hand Busts

Posted on: July 3, 2024, 10:21h. 

Last updated on: July 3, 2024, 11:20h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Myths.

The Main Event at the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) opened on Wednesday at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas at a few minutes after noon. And for two players, the dream of winning poker’s most prestigious tournament ended a few minutes after that.

Harlan Karnofsky became an early winner by making a loser out of one of only two players to bust out on Day 1A of the 2024 WSOP Main Event. (Image: Harlan Karnofsky)

Daniel Weinman of Atlanta, who claimed last year’s $12 million Main Event first prize, barely finished his welcome speech when amateur Harlan Karnofsky of Sacramento, Calif. busted out Craig Issod of San Francisco.

Karnofsky bet 1,200 chips on a flop of jack-six-10 with two diamonds. Issod raised to 7,000, chasing everyone from the hand but Karnofsky, who called Issod’s next bet of 15,000. The river, ace of clubs, gave Karnofsky a straight to Issod’s set of sixes. After Issod bet 37,000, Karnofsky went all-in and doubled his 60,000-chip starting stack, becoming tournament leader.

Online poker pro Trip Darroch was also sent to the rails in the first hand by his opponent, amateur David Williamson, who joined Karnofsky at the top of the early leaderboard by placing a sizeable bet on quads that was met by Darroch, who had a full house.

It’s typical for one player to bust out on opening day of the Main Event, but two is a relative rarity.

Day 1A assembled a group of 1,300 poker notables including 2012 Main Event champ Greg Merson, 2016 champ Qui Nguyen, Michael Mizrachi and Freddy Deeb.

“This is the greatest poker tournament in the world,” Weinman told the players before the action started. “I see myself playing this tournament for the rest of my life. I’m just excited to see who gets their banner up on the wall next to me, if I don’t do it again.”

There’s no July 4th holiday for WSOP players, as Day 1B begins at 12 p.m. PT Thursday.

The final table is scheduled for July 16.