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LAS VEGAS -- Hassain Tagh Avi is not a name any one has ever talked about as a possible contender for the World Series of Poker championship in 2006. But, after an incredible performance Saturday, Avi is the chip lead after Day One of the 37th annual tournament, being contested in the Rio Casino-Hotel convention center.

Playing Saturday - the second of four days which constituted Day One because the record field of 8,604 was divided into equal parts - Avi parlayed his $10,000 buy-in and an incredible run of cards into $229,125, well ahead of second-place Hung Tran at $177,475.

Third with $142,925 is Stephen Gisostri, with Richard Gryko fourth at $128,575. Gryko played Sunday, when Adam Jones boosted his total chip count to $125,525. Fourth was the $123,200 accumulated by Francis Cipriano on Friday. Wesly Wilburn, who also played Saturday, is fifth with $122,200.

Phil Hellmuth Jr., the 1989 WSOP champion, was eliminated Friday, as was two-time Series winner, the legendary Doyle Brunson. Also ousted: 2003 WSOP runnerup Sam Farha; Tournament of Champions winner Mike Matusow, and 2005 women's champion Jennifer Tilley.

Defending champion Joseph Hachem of Australia played Monday and will go into action today with $86,950. That is in stark contrast to Phil Ivey; regarded as one of poker's finest players, the Las Vegan had a short stack - $16,675 - after Monday's play.

With 8,604 entries, the total prize pool will be in excess of $78 million, which means the winner could receive at least $11 million and the top 12 finishers could become millionaires. In 2005, there were 5,619 entries who generated a prize pool of $52 million - $7.5 million, earned by Hachem.

Day Two - which started Tuesday with 1,600 players who survived 15- and 14-hour sessions Friday and Saturday - will end today, with another 1,600 hitting the tables. After a day off Thursday, Day Three will start Friday. The tournament will run, practically non-stop, until the final table is set sometime Wednesday. The final nine players return for the championship round Thursday.

Tuesday, the list of players included poker standouts Allen Cunningham (with $77,625 in chips); David Grey ($40,850); Mickey Appleman ($39,250); Men 'The Master' Nguyen ($36,100); Barry Greenstein ($28,450) and Annie Duke ($26,775). Today's round will include Daniel Negreanu, who left the tables Sunday night with $85,800, and 2004 champion Greg Raymer ($48,500).

Jeff Madsen, a 21-year-old college student who won two preliminary tournaments and and cashed in two others to boost his 2006 earnings to almost $1.5 million, had $33,300 going into Tuesday's round. Tex Barch, who made the final table in 2005, had $19,275.

Also at the tables were Julian Gardner, the 2002 runnerup, with $60,325, along with veterans Layne Flack ($56,300), Hoyt Corkins ($29,725) and poker author David Slansky ($20,500).