Why?
The top 621 players will finish in the money, but the field can't reach the money until the field combines -- for obvious reasons. If, for example, the field played down to 275 people today, and 325 people tomorrow (more players are starting on Day 2b), that would already be inside the money. How would they determine who finished 621st if they were busting on two different days?
So play will end today after five levels, or when the field reaches 350 players. And whenever play ends today, tomorrow's field will play the exact same schedule. So if Day 2a plays four levels, and another 22 minutes and 37 seconds into the fifth level, then Day 2b will also play 22 minutes and 37 seconds into the fifth level. That way, when they combine on Day 3, everything will be fair.
It takes just 39 tables (nine-handed) to hold 350 players. So the tournament side of the room is going to be pretty empty by the end of the day.
There are currently about 648 players left in the field for Day 2a.
. Greenstein found himself all-in on the flop with pocket queens against Brokos pocket aces. The aces held up and Greenstein was eliminated. After the hand, Brokos is up to 285,000.
. The small blind led out for 9,000 and Mizrachi called. The turn was the 
and both players checked. The river was the 
. The small blind bet another 20,000 and Mizrachi called. 
and Mizrachi mucked.
. The board ran out 
and Cohen doubled up to just over 25,000.
. The big blind bet 10,000, Cohen raised enough to put the big blind all in, and he called. Cohen showed 
while the big blind tabled 
. The turn was the 
, and the big blind took it down. 
. Bonyadi flipped over 
. Phillips checked and the button checked behind. Phillips turned over 
