With around 15,000 in the pot on a flop of K♣3♥2♣, Dean Kerzmann moved all in for 7,400 from under the gun. Gil Temme dropped in 15,000 and said he intended to call.
Michael Williams asked for the floor to be called over, and it was ruled that Temme had to raise. Williams eventually folded, leaving Temme heads-up against Kerzmann.
Dean Kerzmann: K♠J♣
Gil Temme: K♦Q♦
Both players had top pair, but Temme was ahead with his queen-kicker. The board ran out 9♦A♣ and Kerzmann was sent to the rail.
The tournament clock just pushed past 250 entries so far today, bringing the field up to 1,200 total players.
Officials confirmed that this is already the biggest prize pool in North Dakota poker history, with late registration still open for this flight and Day 1f still to come later in the afternoon.
Chastity Askvig moved all in for 30,000 from middle position, Shane Patacsil put in his last 50,000 from the button, Jerrod Strode was all in for 55,000 in early position, while Corey Littlewolf had his last 40,000 in from middle position.
Littlewolf was ahead with his kings going to the flop, which came 5♦4♥3♠. The turn was the 9♥, while the 7♣ on the river gave Askvig a straight and a quadruple up. Littlewolf took the side pot, while Patacsil took a smaller second side pot off Strode.
Larry Loose moved all in for 14,600 from the small blind on a flop of 9♣2♦9♦ and Eli Egli put him at risk in early position.
Larry Loose: Q♣9♥
Eli Egli: A♦7♦
Loose had flopped trips and needed to hold against Egli's flush draw. The 5♥ turn was safe, while the river was the 5♣ and Loose improved to a full house to double up.
Brian Hamski moved all in for 9,200 in middle position and was called by Scott Grasse in the hijack and Delmae Larson in early position.
Grasse and Larson checked the Q♦Q♠5♦ flop. Grasse then bet 3,000 on the A♥ turn, and Larson called.
The 9♦ river was checked through, and Grasse showed A♠10♥ for two pair. Larson mucked K♠J♠, while Hamski turned over A♦6♦.
"Isn't it a chop?" Grasse wondered as the dealer pushed the pot to Hamski, before it was pointed out to him that Hamski had made a flush on the river to earn the triple up.
Jameson Volk led out for 5,000 from the small blind on a flop of 7♠7♣K♠ and the big blind called, as did Gary Ewald in early position.
All three players checked the 4♣ turn. Volk then bet another 10,000 on the 8♦ river and the big blind quickly called, causing Ewald to fling his arms in the air in frustration.
"There's too much money in there," he eventually said, flicking in a call as Volk showed 8♣7♦ for a full house. Ewald mucked A♦K♣, and the big blind also mucked as Volk took the pot.
"In poker, your opponent can't be luckier then you are," a tablemate poignantly observed.
Cody Krause moved all in for 25,500 from middle position on a flop of 10♠7♣5♣, Loren Dilger put in his last 20,000 from the small blind, and Bridget Johnson put both players at risk in early position.
Krause was ahead with his queens, while Dilger was on the nut flush draw. The board ran out 2♠5♠ and Krause stayed in the lead to scoop the pot, sending Dilger to the rail while earning a double up off Johnson.
"There's a long way to go yet," Krause, already the overall chip leader from the first four flights, said as he began building another big stack.