The Field Shrinks
With a loss of over half the starting players, the field has been reduced to a more modest and manageable dozen or so tables. This consolidation is making things easier on the players, spectators, tournament staff and media alike.
Dario Minieri Stays Alive
After unknown pre-flop action, three players including Dario Minieri saw a flop of . Minieri checked, as did the middle-position player. The button bet 1,050 and Minieri moved all in for 6,950. The middle-position player passed and the button made the call. Minieri quickly asked, "A jack?" The button nodded and turned up . Minieri pumped his fist as he turned up . Fourth and fifth streets were blanks for both men and Minieri doubled up to roughly 17,000 in chips.
Rory Rees Brennan moved his last chips in over the top of a raise and found himself in a race. He had 9-9 against A-Q and the ace hit the flop. He never really got going enough to build a stack.
Thor Hansen
Norwegian professional Thor Hansen is doing his best to make Day 2. Hansen has yet to have an above-average stack for any length of time and is currently struggling with a dangerously low 3,800 in chips. Hansen remains patient however as he folds hand after hand, waiting for his spot to double up.
Hakan Sahl
We have managed to identify the unknown player in the last recap of the big stacks. He now has 102,000 and his name is Hakan Sahl, from Sweden.
With 800 of his remaining 3,050 in the big blind, Thor Hansen opted to just cold call his late-position opponent's raise of 2,000. The flop came down . Hansen checked and his opponent threw out 1,050. Hansen smiled, threw in the last of his chips, and flipped up . The entire table, sans his opponent, laughed in amusement as Hansen had tabled an obvious winner. His opponent angrily flipped up the . He missed his runner-runner miracle and Hansen doubled up to a still dangerously low 8,000.
With just under a half-hour remaining in Day 1a, many players have shifted gears considerably. Some seem determined to make it to Day 2, no matter how short-stacked they'll be when they get there. While others seem to be "going for broke" in an effort to go into Day 2 with a decent chip stack, or else head home early.
. Minieri checked, as did the middle-position player. The button bet 1,050 and Minieri moved all in for 6,950. The middle-position player passed and the button made the call. Minieri quickly asked, "A jack?" The button nodded and turned up 
. Minieri pumped his fist as he turned up 
. Fourth and fifth streets were blanks for both men and Minieri doubled up to roughly 17,000 in chips.
. Hansen checked and his opponent threw out 1,050. Hansen smiled, threw in the last of his chips, and flipped up 
. The entire table, sans his opponent, laughed in amusement as Hansen had tabled an obvious winner. His opponent angrily flipped up the 
. He missed his runner-runner miracle and Hansen doubled up to a still dangerously low 8,000.
