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WSOP 2022: Paawan Bansal Leads 498 Survivors In Salute To Warriors Event

India’s Paawan Bansal is surely making all the right moves at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2022. Thinking about what happened? Let us tell you the happy news. Bansal is leading the pack of survivors at the end of Day 1 of Event 54: $500 Salute to Warriors at the WSOP 2022. 

This event had an impressive player field of 3,209 and by the end of day there were 498 survivors. Bansal has 842,000 chips at his disposal when he returns to battle it out with the remaining survivors on Day 2. 482 out of the 498 will make the money and the total chips in play stand at 153,950,000. The 498 survivors will fight for a prize pool of $1,315,690 and the title winner will take home a pay cheque of $161,256.

Some notable players from the international poker circuit were seen grinding in this tournament. This could be attributed to the fact that players wished to show support to the charitable cause of the United Service Organizations, Inc whilst saluting the six branches of the United States’ military. 

Paawan Bansal: The Closer

This poker pro has been around for a considerable time now. If we look at his exploits at WSOP, we’ll definitely find some crucial milestones there. At WSOP 2018, Bansal finished second in Event #75: $1,500 The Closer No-Limit Hold’em – $1 Million GTD for $378,765 (~₹2.59 Crore). At that time, this was the biggest score an Indian poker player ever had at WSOP. 

This poker dynamo’s total live earnings stand at $692,945 and his biggest cash still remains the one he achieved in WSOP 2018 at the Closer event. Now the question that begs itself: Will Bansal win a bracelet at WSOP 2022 in the Closer event after finishing as the runner-up in 2018?

At WSOP 2018, Bansal again finished in the 13th spot for $35,087 in Event #7 $565 No Limit Hold’em – Colossus. At WSOP 2022 Bansal finished at the 359th spot in Event #37 $ 1,500 No Limit Hold’em – Millionaire Maker for $5,165 and in Event #51 $400 No Limit Hold’em – Colossus, this poker pro finished in the 1374th spot for $700.

Top 10 chip counts at the end of Day 1:

• Paawan Bansal – 842,000 chips
• Alexandre Mantovani – 723,000 chips
• Leopoldo Araneta – 618,000 chips
• Christina Gollins – 578,000 chips
• Perry Friedman – 364,000 chips
• Demetric Ferguson – 336,000 chips
• Jacqueline Ray – 300,000 chips
• Barry Greenstein – 299,000 chips
• Jeff Madsen – 290,000 chips
• Sertac Turker – 269,000 chips

WSOP Player of the Year contenders Dan Zack and Daniel Weinman, Anson Tsang and Paulina ‘Poker Bunny’ Loeliger had participated in this tournament. Zack and Weinman sadly could not advance to Day 2 and their journey ended on Day 1.

ALSO READ: WSOP 2022: Paawan Bansal Finishes 359th In Event #37

Some well-known players who have survived and will return to grind on Day 2 include names like GGpoker sponsored pro Nana Sanechika (205,000 chips), Sonia-Veronika Shashikhina (660,000 chips), and Manuel Machado (800,000 chips).

It would be interesting to see if Bansal retains his chip lead on Day 2. Needless to say that all eyes are on this poker pro to see what magic he spins on Day 2 of Event 54: $500 Salute to Warriors. 

Not just this event, Bansal has paired up with poker pro Abhishek Goindi in Event #55: $1,000 Tag Team. India is waiting for a gold bracelet and with Bansal inching closer, it would be a smashing victory if he gets the bracelet home. Stay tuned to Gutshot Magazine for all the latest updates on Paawan Bansal and other news from WSOP 2022.

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