With the start of Level 8, this is the final level for registration and re-entry as it closes at the start of Level 9.
The clock currently reads an even 150 entries, already besting last year's Day 1a total of 138.
Level: 8
Blinds: 600/1,200
Ante: 1,200
Ethan Karsten opened to 2,500 from under the gun and was called by a player in middle position. In the cutoff, Nick Barksdale three-bet to 11,000. Karsten then jammed covering all. The middle position player folded before Barksdale called off for 41,800.
"What you got?" asked Barksdale.
"Just ace-high, how about you," replied Karsten.
Barksdale explained, "Not much. Just want to get it in," as the players finally, sheepishly revealed their holdings.
Nick Barksdale: Q♠J♠ 
Ethan Karsten: A♣5♣
"Fair fight," commented Karsten as the K♥K♦10♥ flop gave Barksdale more outs. The Q♣ turn vaulted him into the lead before the 9♦ river improved him to a straight as he dragged a huge one.
Level: 7
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 1,000
Action was picked up to a completed board of K♣6♦3♦4♠2♣ in a hand between David Likins from middle position, George Haist from the hijack, and Zachary Robinson from the small blind.
Each player had contributed 15,000 on the turn as the dealer spread out a stack of yellow T-5,000 chips in the middle. Robinson checked to Likins who snap-jammed his final 4,600. Haist quickly folded before Robinson shrugged and called getting great odds.
Likins tabled 5♥2♥ as he turned the nut straight and held through the river to collect a massive pot.
Nicholas Stille jammed for his remaining 7,800 second to act and was looked up by the player in the hijack.
Nicholas Stille: J♥J♣
Hijack: 8♠8♣
The 10♠10♣6♦ flop was safe for Stille and nothing changed on the K♣Q♣ runout as he doubled in his quest for another RunGood final table.
Eric Medved opened to 1,600 from early position before David Likins three-bet to 5,000 from the hijack. George Haist cold-called in the cutoff before Mason Jones jammed for 22,300 from the button. Medved folded before Likins called all-in for 18,000 and Haist folded.
David Likins: A♥K♦
Mason Jones: A♣K♥
Both players laughed it off as they tabled the same hand. The Q♣9♥2♣ flop brought a backdoor sweat before the 9♠ turn sealed the chop to the irrelevant 3♣ river.
Level: 6
Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 800
Level: 5
Blinds: 300/600
Ante: 600
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