With both Day 1s in the book, we're outta here for the night and set to return tomorrow to start Day 2 of the second $1,000 tournament of the series.
1,050 players ponied up a $1,000 entry fee to today's event. It was a much smaller number than the 1,992 who showed up yesterday. 278 players from yesterday's field made it through to Day 2, while 168 from today's did the same. They'll return tomorrow to play through the money bubble, which will pop when there are only 324 players left. With players dropping as quickly as they are, the bubble shouldn't take too long to burst.
From there we're going to try to play our way down to the final table. If things play out the way they have in other tournaments during the series, we're likely to see a quick drop in players after the bubble, with play tightening up as the final table approaches and money jumps become more significant.
Our chip leader heading into Day 2 is Andy Black with 90,275. His closest competitor is Pedros Preis, with 78,550. There are a number of other players hovering within striking distance, though. Matt Vance finished Day 1B with 60,475, David "Bakes" Baker has 60,950 and the Day 1B's chipleader is Jack Schanbacher with 64,700
Other notables still in the hunt include Phil Gordon, Paul Wasicka, Bill Chen, Tony Cousineau, Perry Friedman, David Baker, Kelly Kim, Brian Rast, John Phan, Eugene Todd and Ylon Schwartz
Brian Rast raised to 1,400 in middle position and the cutoff raised to 3,500. Rast made the call and the two saw a flop of .
Both players checked and the hit on the turn. Rast bet 1,500 and the cutoff called. Rast bet another 3,400 when the hit on the river. Once again, the cutoff called.
Rast revealed for two pair, which was good enough to beat the cutoff's .
John "The Razor" Phan called an opponent's all in bet with and was dismayed to see he was up against .
The flop was no help to Phan when it came . The on the turn left Phan drawing to a ten for a win. "Ten of clubs," Phan said.
The dealer burned and revealed the river; alas, it was not the ten of hearts . . . it was the . Phan hit his pair on the river to eliminate his opponent and take down the 6,500 pot.
button in Safari
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hit on the turn. Rast bet 1,500 and the cutoff called. Rast bet another 3,400 when the 
hit on the river. Once again, the cutoff called.
for two pair, which was good enough to beat the cutoff's 
.
and was dismayed to see he was up against 
.
. The 
on the turn left Phan drawing to a ten for a win. "Ten of clubs," Phan said.
. Phan hit his pair on the river to eliminate his opponent and take down the 6,500 pot.
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