2014 World Series of Poker

The first day of Event #13: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball Championship has come to a close! Certain to be the most intimate field of the 2014 WSOP, this event drew a total of just 87 entries. By the day's end, it was none other than two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Jen Harman who bagged up the chip lead with 133,800 in chips. Hot on Harman's heels is 2011 WSOP $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball champion John Juanda with 124,300.

Harman late registered for this event, showing up a few levels into play. From there she steadily climbed the chip counts and truly blossomed in the final two levels of the day. Juanda also maintained a consistent upward trend throughout the day. As mentioned earlier Juanda won his fifth WSOP bracelet in this event in 2011, defeating Phil Hellmuth heads up and denying him his (at the time) 11th bracelet win. In fact, including his 2011 win, Juanda has final tabled this event four times (a fourth place in 2009, fourth in 2010, first in 2011, and sixth in 2012.).

Also advancing to Day 2 is 2012 $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball champion Larry Wright. Wright won his first bracelet in this game and then proceeded to cash in the $10,000 event a couple of weeks later. Wright wracked up a second consecutive cash in the championship in 2013 where he finished 13th. Can he make it three cashes in a row? Coming in at fourth in chips with 121,300, Wright is certainly a favorite to do so.

The field remains stacked with those to advance onto Day 2. Players to eclipse the 100K-mark on Day 1 include Shawn Sheikhan (122,400), Galen Hall (120,000), Ashton Griffin (119,000), Brian Rast (111,700), Paul Volpe (103,200), and Mike Watson (102,800).

Some other notable names to return to the felt include Greg Mueller (90,200), Daniel Negreanu (89,600), Jean-Robert Bellande (85,700), 2010 $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball champion and last year's runner-up David "Bakes" Baker (83,000), Jason Mercier (57,900), Shaun Deeb (55,500), Phil Hellmuth (52,100), Frank Kassela (32,700), Barry Greenstein (32,200), and two-time No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball champion Nick Schulman (14,200).

While these players all moved on to the second day, a majority of the field was not as fortunate. Some of the players to go bust before the day's end include Mike Matusow, Billy Baxter, reigning champion Jesse Martin, Scott Seiver, Phil Ivey, Layne Flack, David Williams, Mike Wattel, Eli Elezra, Brandon Cantu, Dan Smith, Erik Seidel, Prahlad Friedman, Greg Raymer, and many more.

Play resumes on Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Tan section of the Amazon room. Be sure to return to PokerNews as this prestigious event plays down to a final table!

Tournament staff has announced three more hands before bagging and tagging for the night.

Jason Mercier raised to 2,500 and found calls from Galen Hall in the small blind and Larry Wright in the big blind. All three players took one card at the draw.

Hall checked over to Wright who fired out for 5,000. Mercier let it go and Hall went into the tank, eyeing up Wright's stack in the process.

"Quit lookin' at those pink chips!" boomed Wright. "Don't look at those. He's thinkin' about raising! Don't look at those!"

Wright's voice brought a silence over the room.

"How are you still in?" yelled Jean-Robert Bellande from the next table over. This was met with laughter from the surrounding tables. After the laughter subsided, Hall tossed out a call.

"I've got a seven," deadpanned Wright, which was met with even more laughter from the adjacent tables. He smiled. "What? I always draw perfect!"

Wright showed his and raked in the chips. The 2012 $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw bracelet winner is now sitting on about 118,000 while Hall has dropped to 95,000.

Phil Hellmuth raised to 2,600 from early position and Michael Mizrachi called from the next seat over. Action folded over to John Monnette in the big blind and he called as well. Monnette pulled two new cards, Hellmuth stood pat, and Mizrachi took one.

Monnette checked and Hellmuth rapped the table back. Mizrachi finished the betting with a check and Hellmuth announced his hand.

"Jack-eight," said the PokerBrat.

Mizrachi mucked his cards. Monnette, on the other hand, also had a jack-eight low - .

"Damn it!" snapped Hellmuth as he stood from the table. He threw on the felt for a worse jack-eight low. "What game are we playing?!"

Monnette was pushed the pot and brought his stack up to about 28,000.

Greg Mueller opened the action with a raise to 2,500 and Justin Smith flatted from the cutoff. Action came around to Jon Turner in the small blind and he cut out a three-bet to 11,000. Mueller went into the tank and ultimately opted to release his hand. Smith called and the two were off to the draw.

Turner tapped the table, signifying that he was pat. Smith took one card and checked it back once Turner checked to him. Turner tabled which was good enough to take down the pot. Turner is now at 73,000 while Smith has dropped to 53,000.

Action folded to Larry Wright in the cutoff seat and he raised to 2,000. Nick Schulman reraised all in from the button, and Wright folded after showing from his hand.

On the next hand, Wright raised to 2,400 and Schulman reraised all in. Wright folded again, showing this time.

"I gotta stop trying to snow you," said Wright with a smile after the hand.

Tom Schneider moved all in for his last 7,000 from under the gun and action trickled around to Jean-Robert Bellande in the big blind who dropped out a call. Bellande stood pat and Schneider picked up one new card.

Bellande fanned for a ninety-eight and Schneider showed for a ninety-eight draw. Schneider squeezed out the , making his ninety-eight but failing to improve enough to best Bellande. He was eliminated from play and Bellande raked in the pot, bringing his stack to 50,000.