The field is shrinking fast here in Level 6, as the total number of players remaining has already been whittled down to 186, meaning nearly a hundred who started the tournament have already hit the rail.
Billy Baxter was one of the eliminated, as was late registrant John Juanda who didn't keep his seat for very long.
Recent bracelet winner Daniel Idema raised it up from under the gun, and the next player to act was the lone caller. Idema drew one, and his opponent drew two. Idema bet out, then was called, and the same drawing action occurred. Idema bet dark, and after his opponent looked at his hand, he raised it up. Idema called, and drew one more card, while his opponent decided to stay pat.
Idema checked to see his opponent bet, and Idema let out a big sigh before kicking his hand in, dropping him to 5,200 in the process.
Pat Pezzin raised from the button and got two callers in the blinds, one of whom took two cards, the other three, while Pezzin drew two. He then bet again when checked to, and both of his opponents stuck around.
Both blinds players took one card on the second draw and Pezzin took two again. They both checked once more and Pezzin bet, and they both called again.
Pezzin's two opponents each took one card on the final draw, but this time Pezzin was standing pat. At showdown the small blind flashed a , then Pezzin tabled and the other two mucked.
We came upon a three-way hand involving Mike Leah (small blind), David "Bakes" Baker (cutoff), and Bill Chen (button). They'd reached the second draw, with Leah and Baker each taking one card and Chen standing pat.
Ensuing betting ended with Chen contemplating whether or not to call two bets or perhaps raise all in with the little bit more he had left. Chen opted to call, leaving himself just 150 chips behind, then watched with some dismay as on the third draw Leah was now standing pat.
Baker took one card, then Chen decided to break his hand and draw one as well. Leah bet, Baker called, and after Chen called with his last chips, Leah quickly turned over a wheel — .
Baker mucked, then Chen showed he'd drawn to a number three — .
"Well, I played it perfectly," said Chen grinning. "I broke an !"
Still shaking his head, Chen wished Leah and the others good luck and departed. Meanwhile, Leah is now challenging for the early chip lead.
There was a heads up pot brewing that involved Mohsin Charania, and we got to the table just in time to see each player draw one card on the second draw. They both checked, and again both drew one card. This time, Charania fired out, then his opponent laughed, shook his head, and tossed in a blue T500 chip for the call.
Charania fanned out for the fourth best possible hand, and his opponent chucked his hand in.
We haven't caught Scott Seiver in a ton of big hands so far today, but he's been steadily chipping up, and tweeted this shortly after the dinner break.
With registration now closed, prize pool and payout information has been determined for Event #59. A total of 282 entered the event, well up from the 228 who played this one last year. That group created a total prize pool of $641,550. The top 30 finishers will divide up the loot, with $173,236 of it scheduled to go to the winner.
We walked up to the table after the first draw in a heads up pot involving John D'Agostino. We got there just in time to see D'Agostino check raise his opponent, and he was called. D'Agostino stayed pat, then his opponent drew one card. D'Agostino bet out, then he was called. The same draw action occurred on the final round, and this time, both players checked. D'Agostino rolled over , and his opponent mucked, giving D'Agostino the pot and upping his stack to 19,500.
A player in late position raised and Phil Ivey called from the small blind, then both drew two cards. Ivey check-called a bet from his opponent, then drew two again while the original raiser stood pat. Once again, Ivey checked and called when his opponent bet.
On the third draw Ivey took one card, then led with a bet which his opponent called. Ivey then tabled for a smooth eight. "Eight-six perfect," exhaled his opponent as he tossed his cards face down toward the dealer.
, then Pezzin tabled 
and the other two mucked.
.
