Player out of WSOP Main Event because of COVID protocols
One player will not participate in the final table of the U.S. portion of the World Series of Poker Main Event on Monday at the Rio because of coronavirus protocols.
Upeshka De Silva confirmed on Twitter that he tested positive Sunday. He will be disqualified and will receive the ninth-place prize of $98,813.
De Silva was eighth in chips coming into the final table. His stack will be removed from play.
The other eight players are still scheduled to play starting at 3 p.m. The winner will receive more than $1.55 million and is scheduled to play international winner Damian Salas heads-up for the title and an additional $1 million Wednesday.
A Caesars Entertainment spokesperson confirmed that a player would not play, without naming De Silva.
“As a result of the COVID precautions implemented by the company to help protect the players and team members, one of the nine players will not be able to participate in the U.S. final table,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
De Silva is a three-time WSOP bracelet winner with more than $3.1 million in career live tournament earnings, according to the Hendon Mob Poker Database. He was the only player at the Main Event final table who had previously won a bracelet.
Joseph Hebert is the chip leader with 13.05 million in chips.
Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.