A quick update on what the big board is showing at the moment — just under 30 minutes to go here in Level 15 (the final level of the night), and 693 players remaining. That's just 45 off the cash.
Picking up the action after the turn of a 
board, action was checked to Jonathan Lane and he bet 70,000. His opponent, who had previously checked, called after a few moments to see the 
turn and checked again. Lane shoved for an effective 160,000, resulting in a fold from his opponent.
With that pot, Lane is up to about 915,000.
Action folded to Marcel Luske who opened to 10,000. In the next seat over, Rachid Ben Cherif reraised to a total of 31,000. Action folded around to Luske who called.
Both players checked down until the board read 
putting four clubs on the board. On the river Luske checked again. Ben Cherif fired off a bet of 46,000 and after thinking about it for just a few seconds Luske counted out and made the call.
Ben Cheriff turned up 
for just a pair of threes, but Luske showed for a pair of aces. That was good to earn him the big pot which was a much needed help just before he changed tables.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
710,000
-125,000
|
-125,000 |
|
330,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
||
Sarah talks to Mark Kroon about his bar in Wisconsin, his drinking habits, and of course a little poker.
Ronnie Bardah called a raise out of the small blind after an early-position player opened to 10,000. The flop came down 
, and Bardah checked. The preflop raiser fired 18,000, but Bardah fought back with a check-raise to 44,000. After several long minutes in the tank, the player folded, and Bardah won the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
342,000
12,000
|
12,000 |
|
||
After the player in Seat 1 four-bet to 76,000, Rep Porter reraised all in from the button.
The player seemed frustrated, repeatedly slapping his chips together as he consider his options.
"If you think I was making a move on you, you're crazy," the player said.
After a few minutes, he folded, and his hand was revealed to be 
as he mucked it.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
480,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
||
We just saw a big hand between Somar Al-Darwich and Brad Myers that reached the river with the board showing 
and a pot of more than 200,000 already built between the pair.
Following a big river push by Myers, Al-Darwich went deep into the tank, coming up after several minutes to ask Myers about his hand. Finally Al-Darwich let his hand go, and Myers showed the before scooping the chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
795,000
-159,000
|
-159,000 |
|
|
590,000
590,000
|
590,000 |
"You'll be glad to know ladies and gentleman... the next World Series of Poker Main Event Champion is in this room!"
So announced Tournament Director Jack Effel moments ago as the last tables in the Brasilia room finally broke and all of the remaining 684 players now find themselves in the spacious Amazon room, each sharing the hope to continue further toward the money, final table, and Main Event bracelet.
Effel added an assurance that the cash bubble would not be bursting tonight, a hot topic at the moment.
Russell Thomas — a.k.a. "RunGoodRussell" — earned a boost to his stack and one last knockout in the very last hand of the night when he took 
up against a short-stacked opponent's 
, and the board ran out 
to give Thomas the better flush and the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
562,000
234,000
|
234,000 |
All tables have wrapped up play for the night, and the players are bagging and tagging their chips. A complete recap of the night will be posted shortly, along with the eventual official chip counts once received.