The biggest Bar Poker Open Championship yet saw a total of 1,164 players come from all across the country to try to be crowned the next BPO champion. From that massive starting field, just 59 players return to the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, Nevada, to play for the massive $100,000 prize to first place.

Leading the way is David "Domino" Muser who bagged up 1,485,000. Muser raked in most of his chips when he eliminated Tom Heinlein in a massive pot, propelling him into the chip lead and he held it for the rest of the tournament. Nathaniel McNamara bagged just behind him with 1,380,000 after being all in on the bubble against Joshua Mordenti (60,000). He had run into Mordenti's aces, only to be saved by making a wheel on the river to score a massive double into the top two chip stacks. Both of them have remained in the chip lead since the first Day 1a flight and will be looking for their first BPO title.

Top Ten Chip Counts

Three former BPO main event champions made their way to the end of their respective days as Thomas Nefcy (505,000), Rafael Jimenez (350,000), and Ian Auvil (300,000) look to carve their names deeper into BPO history with a second title. Auvil won the BPO world championship last November while Jimenez and Nefcy took down this very event in 2019 and 2022, respectively.

Day 1a1 players finished with 7:25 left in Level 19, with blinds at 10,000/25,000 and a 25,000 big blind ante. Blinds will go from 30-minute levels to 45-minute levels and play will go eight-handed. These final 59 players will combine for the first time where each person will begin to duke it out for the newest crown of the BPO and $100,000. Play will continue until a final table is reached.

Stay tuned to PokerNews for all updates regarding The Bar Poker Open and for the eventual winner.