Among those to jump in before the start of level seven were Barny Boatman and Felipe Ramos. The field size was bumped up to 736 entries, but that number is yet to be confirmed. One thing is certain though: No further players can sign up anymore, as registration is officially closed.
The mission to claim yet another bracelet has taken a setback for Michael Gathy, as he just doubled up a short stack in a seven-card stud hand. Preflop, Gathy faced a completion and raised, the player next to him made it two bets, and Gathy called. The completer folded.
On fourth street, the short stack bet 500 with 300 behind, and Gathy raised to create the following showdown.
Gathy:
Opponent:
The buried queens of Gathy were slightly ahead, and he caught the on fifth and on sixth to improve to two pair. The player at risk found no sufficient help on fifth street () or sixth (), but the on seventh completed his flush. Gathy picked up a blank and was sent back to less than half the starting stack.
Dzmitry Urbanovich could not catch a miracle and was just spotted leaving the tournament area. At the same time, Michael Lech was also at risk in a razz hand and fell to John Racener. It all went in after third street, as Lech only had four bets left.
A total of 736 entries created a prize pool of $993,600, and the top 111 spots will get paid at least $2,247 for their efforts. A first-place prize of $203,709 and the elusive gold bracelet awaits the Champion.
With the end of registration and prize pool being released, the tournament screens have also been updated with respect to the remaining players. Just half the field remains, and some of recent casualties include Norman Chad, Fabrice Soulier, and Michael Gathy.
Ben Yu is one of many well-known faces in the field and hovers well below the average, while his tablemate Greg Mueller is right above that. In a recent Omaha hi-lo hand, Yu raised to 1,000 from the cutoff, Mueller folded in the small blind, and the big blind called.
On the flop, the big blind check-called a continuation bet before the fell on the turn. This time, the check and bet were followed by a fold, and Yu raked in the pot without showdown to secure an important boost to his stack.
A player in middle position raised, the hijack called, Maria Ho re-raised from the big blind, and her opponents called.
On the flop, Ho bet-called the hijack's raise. On the turn, Ho bet, and the hijack called. On the river, Ho check-called and lost to the hijack's for a straight.
on fifth and 
on sixth to improve to two pair. The player at risk found no sufficient help on fifth street (
) or sixth (
), but the 
on seventh completed his flush. Gathy picked up a blank and was sent back to less than half the starting stack.
/ 
flop, Ho bet-called the hijack's raise. On the 
