2008 PokerStars.net LAPT - Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

Team PokerStars member Andre Akkari from Brazil was one of the latest causalities. He was short stacked over the last couple of levels. He made a stand with and shoved on a flop of , but his opponent held . Akkari's hand did not improve and he was eliminated.

How about some chip counts?

Good:
Steven Thompson - 38,000
Stephen 'Stevie 444' Chidwick - 28,000
J.C. Alvarado - 26,000
Victor Ramdin - 25,000

Bad:
Jon 'Apestyles' Van Fleet - 7,500
David Plastik - 6,500
Andre Akkari - 3,400

Tito Fuentes, the Mexican rock star and lead singer of Molotov, has left the building. He was shortstacked and busted out before the last break.

Canadian pro Marc Karam has been missing in action and is presumed busted. We can't seem to find him in the tournament room which suggests that he has been eliminated.

Everyone's favorite spicy Brazilian dish, Maria 'Maridu' Maynrick, was short stacked and down to 6,000. She doubled up and now has 13,000.

"After all the bad beats I took today, it was time for me to give one out," Maridu explained.

J.C. Alvarado min-raised from UTG. He got a couple of callers. Maridu found and shoved. J.C. called with . Maridu took the lead when she flopped a Queen, but there were two hearts on the board.

"It takes talent to be able to fade that flush draw," she joked.

And indeed, she did.

I spotted Team PokerStars player Victor Ramdin on the break at the snack bar.

"I love the Caribbean," the Bronx native (via Guyana) explained. "The vibe. The weather. The people. I love it all."

Ramdin is having a great time in Mexico so far, and that positive mood has carried over at the tables. He's among the chipleaders with 25,000.

179 players remain. The top 27 get paid prize money, which means we are still a long way away from the money bubble. However, 61 players have already busted today during the first four levels of play. If my math is correct, that's approximately 15 eliminations every level.