Hellmuth, Matusow Lead WSOP Tournament of Champions

The 2005 WSOP Tournament of Champions (TOC) completed day 1 play with two of the biggest names (and mouths) leading the field.

Phil Hellmuth ended the day as the overall chip leader stacked at 110,900.  Mike Matusow is right there with him at 107,600.  The next closest guy is Hoyt Corkins with 65,700 (Hoyt is responsible for busting Phil Ivey). 

The format this year is much different than last year‚Äôs top-secret one-table shoot-out won by Annie Duke.  The big changes:
:: There‚Äôs about 105 more people than last year (114 total). 
:: Top point leaders from the WSOP and WSOP circuit events got the invite, along with the 9 who made the ME final table. 
:: The event is a three-day affair. 
:: The event is not top-secret.  People died last year protecting the identity of the winner.  People died.

The TOC is still a freeroll, but the winner only gets $1 mil (the entire final table gets paid).  So essentially, you have to beat out 105 more people than last year to win less money.  Awesome.  Who is running this event, FEMA?

Other notables include: 6th – Michael "The Grinder" Mitzrachi (46,700), 7th – Johnny Chan (46,500), 10th – Chad Brown (40,800), 12th – Daniel Bergsdorf (38,900), 16th ‚Äì Steve ‚Äúthe Weaz‚Äù Dannenmann  (28,700), 20th – Rene ‚ÄúCeline‚Äôs creepy molester hubby‚Äù Angelil (26,600), 21st ‚Äì ‚ÄúSome guy named‚Äù Doyle Brunson (25,000), and 26th – Ted Lawson (21,300).  Check Poker Wire throughout the day for chip count updates.