WSOP 2011: Mike Souza Leads $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em After Day 2

San Diego’s Mike Souza holds the chip lead after day two of the World Series of Poker (WSOP)’s $1,000 no-limit hold’em event in Las Vegas.

Souza sits on 650,000 in chips to lead Gibraltar-based Dutchman Robbie Verspui by 48,000 in a tournament that attracted 3,144 entries to create a prize pool of $2,829,600.

In what was an action-packed second day in the Amazon Room, the 323 first-day survivors have now been cut down to just 27 as they chase the $488,283 top prize. We reached the money on Sunday night as the top 324 players are paid, with $1,895 going to players eliminated all the way up to 280th place.

Souza – who is experienced at this level, having cashed in 11 WSOP events as well as 18 WSOP Circuit events, including three victories – will undoubtedly start at favourite this evening to pick up his first WSOP bracelet.

With the money bubble having been burst on Sunday evening, eliminations came thick and fast early in day two, with the likes of PokerStars Team Pro Gualter Salles, Stephen Chidwick, Cody Slaubaugh, Chad Batista, Gabriel Nassif, Dwyte Pilgrim and Barry Shulman hitting the rail.

But other big-name pros survived as Souza and Verspui were joined by Los Angeles-based pro Jeremy Kottler in third on 579,000 chips, while the Czech Republic’s Paulus Valkenburg is fourth on 552,000 and Australian Justin Cohen sits in fifth on 524,000.

Top 10 chip leaders after day two of the WSOP 2011 $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em event:

1. Michael Souza (USA) – 650,000

2. Robbie Verspui (Netherlands) – 602,000

3. Jeremy Kottler (USA) – 579,000

4. Paulus Valkenburg (Czech Republic) – 552,000

5. Justin Cohen (Australia) – 524,000

6. Alex Findlay (USA) – 513,000

7. Steven Davisson (USA) – 419,000

8. Damon Sandor (USA) – 403,000

9. Scott Shelley (UK) – 390,000

10. Domenico Palesse (Italy) – 370,000