Bellagio Five Star WPT Preliminaries Rundown

Just in case you thought cream doesn't rise to the top, here are a few highlights to the 19 preliminary events leading up to tomorrow's $25k WPT Championship at the Bellagio:

• Event #13 ($5k NLHE): Michael Binger (1st, $317,280)
• Event #11 ($1.5k Ladies NLHE): Vanessa Selbst (1st, $182,200)
• Event #12 ($2.5k Seniors NLHE): Bill Baxter (1st, 138,900)
• Event #10 ($2.5k NLHE): Darrell Dicken (1st, $223,330)
• Event #8 ($5k NLHE): Toto Leonidas (1st, $189,400)
• Event #7 ($3k NLHE): Michael Mizrachi (1st, $154,960)
• Event #6 ($2.5k NLHE): Bill Baxter (1st, $149,755)
• Event #4 ($5k NLHE): Scott Clements (1st, $206,280)

The Five Star is really the pro's pros tourney. On-site satellites fill the field with hopefuls, but this is really a redistribution of wealth plan among the tournament regulars, top cash players, and grinders hoping to catch lightning in a bottle. That's a pretty stellar lineup of winners above. Vanessa is a sick aggro player when she's on, one of my favorite pros to watch. Bill Baxter's double up has to be super sweet as well.

I'll be checking into the final event over the weekend.