Run It Up Reno IX

264 entrants hit the felt here at Peppermill Reno, pushing the total number of entrants for the two starting flights to 409, easily surpassing the $100,000 Guarantee. After almost fifteen levels of play, just 43 players survived for Day 2 action, with Andrew Karkenny and his 389,000 chips sitting just a few thousand in front of Canadian Twitch streamer and poker pro Vanessa Kade and her 383,000. Both players sit well behind Day 1a chip leader Lucas Hill and his 521,000 chip stack.

Karkenny found his path to a monster stack after cracking aces with king-jack, while Kade was the beneficiary of a huge pot in Level 14, which saw Kade put Zach McKirahan to the test after a four-flush board came out on the felt. A clock was called and rendered McKirahan's hand dead after a countdown, and Kade leapt to 330,000 in chips, which she tacked a few thousand more on top of to end the evening.

Others able to navigate their way to Day 2 include DJ Fenton (303,000), Paul "OTWPaul" Hendee (232,000), Brian "The Golden Blazer" Frenzel (181,000), Josh Prager (171,000), and four-time WSOP bracelet winner Loren Klein (145,000).

Not everyone was able to make it through the field and take on Day 2. Some of those unfortunate enough to hit the rail include Thirst Lounge members Ebony Kenney, Jon Pardy, and Kasey Lyn Mills, Jesse Sylvia, Pam Swift, Matt Stout, and Run It Up founder Jason Somerville.

Day 2 will kick off tomorrow at Noon local time, with players coming back to play the last 6:49 of Level 15 (2,000/4,000/4,000). After that, levels will be forty minutes in length until heads-up play begins, at which point levels will reduce down to twenty minutes in length. All players that advance to Day 2 are in the money, and prize pool information will be posted in the morning, along with a full seat draw.

PokerNews will be here for Day 2 action, and tomorrow's action will feature a Live Stream on Twitch. You can follow the action when it goes live at 5 p.m. here. We'll be updating the final table along with the stream, but you'll still be able to catch live updates straight from the tournament floor until the final table is reached, so be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews tomorrow as we crown a champion of the $440 Mini Main Event!

Brandon Carl jammed for 43,000 from the small blind, and Scott Janik called off his last 40,000 in the big blind.

Scott Janik:
Brandon Carl:

Janik shook his head after seeing he was dominated, and he got no love from the board to be sent home as the last player without a payday.

Players are now bagging and tagging for the evening. Stay tuned for a full recap of the day's action, as well as end-of-day chip counts.

Carlos Pal raised to 8,000 from middle position, and was called by a player on the cutoff. Joe Brandenburg three-bet to 29,000 in the small blind, and Pal four-bet shoved for 42,000. The cutoff tank-folded, and Brandenburg called.

Carlos Pal:
Joe Brandenburg:

The flop gave Brandenburg a sweat with a backdoor flush draw, but the duo chopped the pot after the turn and river hit.

Rian Mullins and Deb Swift busted while this hand took place, and the clock now reads 44 players remaining. Hand-for-hand play is about to commence, with one more player needed to bust to end play for the evening.

Brian Frenzel checked from the big blind on the turn of a board. The river fell , Frenzel bet 11,000 and Barnes called. Barnes showed , and Barnes nodded her head and put her cards in the muck.

One hand later, Barnes opened from early position, the player to her direct right went all in, and Barnes called.

Opponent:
Brittney Barnes:

Board:

The ace on the flop put Barnes ahead, but the opponent spiked the on the turn for the set. After the back-to-back setbacks, Barnes is down to 42,000 chips.

Josh Prager raised to 10,000 from under the gun, and was called by the hijack. Ashley Sleeth three-bet shoved for 11,000 total, John Skrovan called in the big blind, and Prager and the hijack called the extra 1,000.

Action checked through a board, and Sleeth tabled . While she had Prager's and the hijack's beat, Skrovan tabled for a pair of sixes, sending Sleeth to the exit.

The aftermath of a board was on the felt, with a player paying off a 143,000 chip debt to Andrew Karkenny.

Karkenny had in front of him, while his foe held for a pair of cracked rockets. With the healthy double, Karkenny now sits near the chip leaders as the clock shows just five players needed to end play for the evening.