button in SafariLarge Field Expected on Day 1b of the $800 Summer Celebration Event
Day 1b, the final flight of Event #81: $800 Summer Celebration No-Limit Hold'em, is set to shuffle up and deal at 10 a.m. local time on July 3. Yesterday's flight saw 124 players advance from a field of 2,584, and another big crowd is expected today.
With a starting stack of 40,000 chips and 30-minute levels, the structure moves briskly while late registration is available for the first 12 levels. Those who make it through Day 1b will join the Day 1a survivors on Saturday, July 4, allowing the tournament to crown a champion on Independence Day, during the United States' 250th anniversary celebration.
Day 1a Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nino Papava | Georgia | 3,095,000 |
| 2 | Frederick Robitaille | Canada | 2,745,000 |
| 3 | Sander Ressler | United States | 2,365,000 |
| 4 | Vladyslav Shovkovyi | Ukraine | 2,180,000 |
| 5 | Eric Ladny | United States | 1,830,000 |
| 6 | Joseph Cutler | United States | 1,820,000 |
| 7 | Bruno Souza | Brazil | 1,690,000 |
| 8 | Graham Cowan | Australia | 1,595,000 |
| 9 | Matt Solano | United States | 1,590,000 |
| 10 | Noah Curhan | United States | 1,575,000 |
📌 Event Snapshot
- Event: #81 – $800 Summer Celebration
- Date(s): July 2–4
- Time: 10 a.m.
- Buy-In: $800
- Format: No-Limit Hold’em
- Starting Stack: 40,000 chips
- Levels: 30 minutes
- Late Registration: 12 levels (≈ 5 p.m.)
- Reentries: one per flight
- 2025 Winner: Giuseppe Zarbo ($504,180)
- 2025 Field Size: 7,078
- 2025 Prize Pool: $3,698,201
Structure and Schedule
Each starting flight will play 22 levels with 20-minute breaks every four levels and a 75-minute break after Level 16 (≈ 7 p.m.).
The combined field returns Saturday, July 4, at 11 a.m. to play down to a winner. Breaks are 15 minutes every four levels, with a 60-minute break prior to the final table.
Past Champions & History
Giuseppe Zarbo, a recreational player from Italy, took down last year's Summer Celebration, winning over half a million dollars and his first WSOP bracelet. Following his victory, Zarbo told PokerNews, "It’s incredible, I played well, but I was very lucky. I win coin flip, coin flip, coin flip, then 20/80 percent, 30/70 percent, and on and on.”
This is the third edition of the $800 Summer Celebration. In 2024, the championship stayed in America as Francis Anderson became the inaugural champion.
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