The penultimate day of Week 5 of the PokerNews Deepstack Challenge has arrived, and with 9,518 entries already recorded, the race for leaderboard glory is as tight as it’s been all summer. More than $2,109,140 has been paid out in prize pools this week, with $351,213 going directly to event winners, but for those grinding the daily deepstacks, the focus remains squarely on locking up a seat to the $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship.

After five full days of tournaments, it’s Geary Hill who clings to the top spot on the Week 5 leaderboard with 893 points. Hill picked up a win in Wednesday’s $250 Deepstack and added a second cash to keep himself in front, but with just 50 points separating the top five, the leaderboard remains wide open.

Luis Cichoski is hot on his heels with 844 points, thanks to his victory in Tuesday’s 1,290-entry $250 event — the largest tournament of Week 5 to date. Not far behind is Las Vegas business owner Waheed Feda on 840 points. Feda, who already found success at this year’s WSOP, claimed the $400 Deepstack title on Saturday for $37,640 to vault himself into contention.

Champions Stack Up in Crowded Leaderboard Chase

Ricardo Andino Claudio (816 points) and Donald Rosenberg (810) sit fourth and fifth, respectively, following their wins earlier in the week. Kevin Frame, fresh off his $31,007 victory in Friday’s $400 event, remains in striking distance with 808 points, followed by Ryan Brown (770), Tefan Liu (762), Shayne Mogilski (751), and Japan’s Shota Utsunomiya (747), who complete the current top ten.

Every player in the top ten has captured at least one PNDC title this week, but only Hill has managed multiple cashes to help boost his points tally.

With Sunday’s tournaments now underway and one final day of deepstack action set for Monday, players still have ample opportunity to climb the leaderboard. Given how volatile the standings have proven throughout the summer, one more deep run or outright win could prove decisive in punching a ticket to the upcoming $600 Championship.