The WPT500 was held during the World Series of Poker Main Event, but the “real” World Poker Tour (WPT) started this weekend with the 2014 WPT Legends of Poker at the legendary Bicycle Casino in California. Days 1A and 1B are in the books with 1C currently running; leading a strong field to this point is Day 1B chip leader Nick Grippo with 272,400 chips.
Grippo has a growing live poker tournament career, but where he has really made his name is at the online tables, where he is best known by the Shakespeare-inspired screen name “GripDsNutz.” According to PocketFives.com, he has won almost $4.4 million in his career in online tournaments, nearly a million of it coming from a win in the 2012 PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) Main Event. An Illinois native now living in Costa Rica, Grippo has been ranked as high as 11th in PocketFives’ worldwide tournament rankings and is currently 363rd.
In live action, Grippo has won over half a million dollars in his career with a top prize of $112,619 from a second place finish in the 2010 Chicago Poker Classic.
Over on Day 1A, Randy Bowie finished with the chip lead with 217,800. It was a powerful top ten on Saturday, as Matt Salsberg, Scott Clements, Ryan Reiss, and Jason Dewitt all finished at the top of the leader board. Day 1A began with 156 players and 52 advanced to Tuesday’s Day 2, while 178 runners sat down on Day 1B with 76 making it to Day 2.
As already mentioned, Day 1C of the WPT Legends of Poker is currently running at the Bike. That will be the final starting flight of the tournament; the survivors from all three Day 1’s will come together Tuesday for Day 2.
2014 World Poker Tour Legends of Poker Main Event – Day 1A Chip Leaders
1. Randy Bowie – 217,800
2. Massoud Eskandari – 215,400
3. Andrew Shack – 209,800
4. Owen Crowe – 190,800
5. Matt Salsberg – 187,700
6. Scott Clements – 186,500
7. Ryan Riess – 163,000
8. Steven Pilot – 157,800
9. Macradij Yacoubian – 152,100
10. Jason Dewitt – 149,700
2014 World Poker Tour Legends of Poker Main Event – Day 1B Chip Leaders
1. Nick Grippo – 272,400
2. Jeff Loiacono – 240,800
3. Ryan Rivers – 214,800
4. Samuel Bekerian – 205,600
5. Jordan Cristos – 157,900
6. Michael Kamran – 156,500
7. Dane Roewer – 136,000
8. Chris Tolone – 121,100
9. Alex Condon – 113,500
10. Behzad Javadzadeh – 111,000
2014 World Poker Tour Legends of Poker Main Event – Combined Day 1A & 1B Chip Leaders
1. Nick Grippo – 272,400
2. Jeff Loiacono – 240,800
3. Randy Bowie – 217,800
4. Massoud Eskandari – 215,400
5. Ryan Rivers – 214,800
6. Andrew Shack – 209,800
7. Samuel Bekerian – 205,600
8. Owen Crowe – 190,800
9. Matt Salsberg – 187,700
10. Scott Clements – 186,500
