The stacks are still fairly deep with the blinds increasing to 2,500/5,000 (5,000) after the break. For example, Thomas Boivin is in a list of the ten shortest stacks in the field, but still sits fairly comfortably with a 45 big blind stack.
Players have reached the last 15-minute break of the opening day.
Play will resume with blinds of 2,500/5,000/5,000, and two more levels to complete before bagging for Day 2.
Alex Foxen opened to 5,000 from under the gun and Manuel Fritz called in the cutoff.
Mike Watson three-bet to 33,000. It folded back to Foxen who also folded before Fritz four-bet all in for 357,000. Watson called and was all-in for 143,000.
Mike Watson: Q♣Q♦ 
Manuel Fritz: A♠K♣
Fritz spiked a king on the K♦9♣2♦10♠8♠ board and sent the runner-up in the $75,000 Triton PLO earlier this week to the rail.
Action was heads up to the 2♥2♠7♣ flop, where Taylor von Kriegenbergh led out for 45,000 from the big blind. Jesse Lonis called to the 2♦ turn, and von Kriegenbergh fired again for 60,000.
Lonis stuck in another call, and both players checked it down after seeing the 6♠ river. Lonis mucked his cards after watching von Kriegenbergh table 8♠8♣ for a full house.
After an open to 10,000 from Javid Ismayilov, Yu Zhang three-bet to 40,000 and Mark Hammond four-bet to 102,000 from the small blind.
Ismayilov folded and Zhang called.
The flop came J♣10♦6♠ and Hammond continued for 100,000. Zhang called. The turn was the 8♥ and Hammond shoved for 260,500 into a pot of around 430,000.
Zhang sat with only slightly less in his stack, 245,000 or so, and used up six of his time banks before ultimately folding.
Among the recent eliminations is Triton Poker Series Ambassador Jason Koon, who ran fives into the pocket queens of Aleksejs Ponakovs.
Mark Hammond raised to 8,000 in early position, and Cong Pham quickly three-bet to 30,000 on his left. Javid Ismayilov made the call on the button, while Hammond got out of the way.
Pham led out for another 30,000 on the 7♠3♥K♣ flop, and Ismayilov stuck in the call. The J♥ turn saw Pham fire 60,000 into the middle, and another call was made.
Both players then checked down the 6♥ river, and Ismayilov tabled K♦Q♣ for top pair. Pham indicated he had a jack, and mucked his cards allowing Ismayilov to claim the pot.
The tournament chip counts currently show the top seven players in the chip counts are Invitees, playing separately in the Invitee side of the tournament.
Players such as Adrian Mateos and Jesse Lonis were discussing the format, with invitees allowed two re-entries as opposed to the pro's one, and the Return on Investment (ROI) for each side.
"The stakes are so high at the final table though," said Mateos.
"Who would have to go over there to make there then?" asked Daniel Negreanu.
"I'd love to play over there," said Kristen Foxen.
"If you get to play over there, I'll play over there," replied Danny Tang.
"What qualifies you for the Invitee side, Kristen?" asked Negreanu.
"I'll just say that my husband plays poker!" she replied.
"That would make every woman in America eligible," joked Lonis.
Juan Pardo opened to 8,000 from under the gun, and action folded around to Teun Mulder in the big blind.
Mulder called to see the 5♠9♦3♦ flop, and checked to his opponent. Pardo counted out a bet of 28,000, good enough to take the pot as Mulder slid his cards into the muck.
Level: 8
Blinds: 2,000/4,000
Ante: 4,000
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