There are 57 tables left in play (we erroneously reported 56 a short while ago), with approximately 510 players left for the dinner break.
Play resumes at 8:30 pm PDT.
Play will continue tonight for two more levels or until the field reaches 350 players. If they are close to that number at the end of the next level, tournament director Jack Effel reserves the right to stop play at that point to make things easier on the players.
Players on Day 2b will play the exact same schedule that we have today. If Day 2a plays only four levels, then Day 2b will only play four levels. They must play the exact same length of time before the fields are combined on Day 3 (Thursday).
PokerNews caught up with Joe Sebok on break from day 2a of the Main Event to chat about his rollercoaster day so far, and some regrets he’s having about letting Gavin Smith buy his way out of wearing a jester suit while playing in the Main Event.
PokerNews grabbed online legend Johnny Lodden on break from day 2a of the Main Event. Johnny talked about the differences in play between the fields he’s seen in Europe vs. the US, how his table is playing, and his post-WSOP plans.
One of the great tournament players on the circuit today, David Pham has been steadily growing his stack all afternoon. He just won another large pot with pocket jacks vs. Dennis Perry to send his stack over the 300K mark.
On a flop of , Laura Fink moved all in and her opponent called. She flipped over . Her opponent showed . She stood up, rolled up her iPod and was ready to leave. The turn was the and the river was the . Fink rivered a full house and doubled up. She has a stack close to 77,000.
Robert McAdam took his 9-9 up against the A-7 of Joe Shield. The flop was Q-Q-6, the turn was a 3, but the river was an ace, causing McAdam to jump out of his chair in disbelief. It was the second pot in a row that his pocket pair was sucked out on.
Jon Moondes just won two monster pots in a row to take his stack up to 350,000. He won his first pot with pocket Queens against a player trying to run a stone-cold bluff, and he scooped so many chips that it took him nearly an entire orbit to stack them...which is when he won his second monster pot.
"Stacking your chips, baby! It's the most fun you can have, it's better than sex!" he said.
These are the cries that just erupted from Table 65.
David Katalan held and was up against Jim Routos' A-K. The "Aaaaahhhhs!" were cried out when the flop came down . It was the on the turn, making Routos trips that elicited both players to simultaneously scream, "OH MY GOD!" The river was the , missing Katalan's flush draw and Routos dragged the pot.
After the hand Routos was up to 213,000 while Katalan was down to 92,000.
Amanda Baker
On the board of with 50,000 in the pot, one player moved all in for 35,000. Amanda Baker quickly called.
Opponent:
Baker:
Baker was ahead with top pair and a flush draw. Her opponent had nothing except an open-ended straight draw. The river was the and Baker busted her opponent. She increased her stack to 237,000.