Paul Esau got his stack of around 50,000 into the middle from the hijack, with the player in the big blind making the call.
Paul Esau: 3♣3♦ 
Big blind: J♣J♠
Esau was in terrible shape with the smaller pair, and he found no help on the 9♠Q♠10♥A♦6♦ runout, ending his Day 1a of the Main Event earlier than he would have hoped.
Level: 14
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 10,000
The players have been sent on a 15-minute break.
'Kenar' raised from middle position to 16,000, and Jose Assorio called in the cutoff. Aleksandr Kirichenko squeezed to 76,000, which only 'Kenar' called.
Kirichenko continued with a bet of 45,000 on the 8♦3♥Q♠ flop, and 'Kenar' called.
Kirichenko opted to check the 8♠ turn, allowing 'Kenar' to bet 85,000. Kirichenko stuck around with a call.
Both players checked the 6♣ river, and Kirichenko tabled 10♣10♦ for a pair of tens. 'Kenar' had him beat with K♦Q♥ for top pair and was awarded the pot.
Oleg Silin raised from the cutoff to 16,000, with 'Kenar' calling on the button and Jose Assorio defending from the big blind.
When it got to Silin on the 2♣3♦5♠ flop, he fired a continuation-bet of 16,000 and was met by a raise to 48,000 from 'Kenar'. Assorio folded, but Silin called.
The 4♥ came on the turn, and Silin led out for 25,000. 'Kenar' called.
Both players checked the 5♣ river, and Silin took down the pot with A♦6♦ for a six-high straight.
With the full board out and showing 5♠6♠Q♥7♣6♥, and with around 60,000 in the pot, Ali Al-Kubasi checked from the big blind, and Damir Gabdullin slid a tower of white T-25,000 chips across the betting line.
The bet was more than enough to put Al-Kubasi to the test for his remaining 90,000 or so. After a long tank, Al-Kubasi decided to make the call.
Gabdullin showed a boat with 7♦6♦ to win the pot, boost his stack to around a million, and send Al-Kubasi to the showers as he tabled A♣J♣ for ace-high.
Mehmet Kolgu got his stack of around 60,000 into the middle from middle position, with the player in the big blind making the call.
Mehmet Kolgu: 5♠5♥
Big blind: A♣K♥
It was a flip that Kolgu needed to win, but he didn't, as his opponent improved to trips on the A♦J♦4♦7♠A♥ runout, ending Kolgu's Day 1a of the Main Event.
Level: 13
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
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