Celtics star Pierce and defending champ Duhamel eliminated on Day 2 of WSOP

Boston Celtics basketball star Paul Pierce was one of the more notable celebrity poker players eliminated Monday in Day 2a of the World Series of Poker’s Main Event.

The competition in Day 2b in the $10,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em World Championship continues Tuesday at the Rio. A total of 6,865 players entered the Main Event, with 4,521 players qualifying for the two second-day rounds.

The survivors will from the two Day 2s will be combined into Day 3’s action on Thursday, following an off-day Wednesday.

Pierce, who played college basketball at Kansas, participated in several World Series of Poker events this year (after the Celtics were eliminated from the NBA playoffs). He made it through the Main Event’s opening round, but couldn’t get through Day 2.

He did find time to autograph a basketball for poker standout Dennis Phillips and enjoy his time with poker players and fans.

"I had a great time," Pierce said as he exited the tournament room to applause.  "I'll definitely be back next year."

Also eliminated on Monday was defending World Series of Poker champion Jonathan Duhamel of Canada, assuring the poker world there will be new title holder in 2011.

Former champions Johnny Chan, Scotty Nguyen, and Dan Harrington were also eliminated.

Phil Hellmuth Jr., an 11-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and the 1989 champion, provided the most entertaining entrance Monday.

He overslept, thinking he was playing on Tuesday.

Hellmuth rushed over to the Rio after being awoke by hotel security at Aria and made it to his seat, but not before his chip stack had been blinded down to about 7,000.

Hellmuth survived the day with about 60,000 in chips.

Other notable players moving on to Day 3 on Thursday are actors Brad Garrett, and Jason Alexander, and poker standouts Minh Ly, Mike Caro, Jason Mercier, Dan Shak, Daniel Negreanu, Annette Obrestad, Mickey Appleman, and Ted Forrest.