As play comes to an end for the night only twenty tables remain.  With less than 160 players, around 120 will need to be eliminated tomorrow before play ends.  With $146,987 going to first place, the play is sure to be intense.

During the last level Huck Seed was eliminated when his pair of jacks ran into trip tens. Max Pescatori and Greg Raymer got involved in a big pot. With a board of A10J, Pescatori check-called Raymer, who was showing the 10J9, and said, "I think you're bluffing."  Sixth street brought Pescatori the 3, and Raymer the 6. Pescatori once again check-called, and did the same after the final card was dealt.  Raymer revealed the (A65) for an ace high flush, which he rivered.  Pescatori was indeed correct in thinking that Raymer was bluffing, but Raymer thought that Max's comment was just an attempt to get a free card, so he continued to bet on the come, until he got there.

Notable big stacks going into day two include Josh Arieh, Thor Hansen, and Paul Darden Jr. Make sure to check in on Cardplayer.com as action resumes tomorrow at 3 p.m.

Phil Ivey and Mimi Tran were on short stacks last level but won key pots to survive.  Both have continued their comeback, and now sit with more than double the starting chip stack. On the other hand, both Andy Bloch and Keith Sexton had been wheedled down to short chips. Bloch eventually busted, and with only $150 left Sexton was all in with a board of JQK3 6against his opponents pair of threes. The 10 on sixth made things interesting for Sexton, and it was the 10 that did indeed win the small pot for Sexton. Despite winning this, Sexton was eliminated only a short time later.

A few notable players have amassed sizable chip stacks, including Josh Arieh and Michael Mizrachi, who both sit with more than $15,000.  Ted Forrest increased his stack when he check-raised an opponent on the river with a board of 9798.  The opponent, who was showing the 6K102 called, and Forrest revealed the (AAA) for rolled down aces, making a full house.  His opponent mucked and Ted, who had just moved to the table, raked in the huge pot. "Welcome to the table, sir," Perry Friedman said with a wry smile.

Play will end after one more hour, so make sure to check back for the end of the night update at 3 a.m. here at Cardplayer.com.

A number of big name players have been nursing short stacks.  Some are making comebacks, while some have hit the rail. Phil Ivey got all in on the river and doubled up with a board of (234)437A, for fours up.  Chris Tsiprailidis got his chips all in with a better two pair, eights and fives. His results were not as good, however, because he was up against trip nines, did not improve, and was eliminated.

John Phan and Cory Zeidman also busted in this level.  Zeidman made it deep in the $5,000 stud event which played late into last night, and like Ivey and Sherkhan Farnood, couldn't wait for more WSOP stud action.

Mimi Tran was  dangerously short stacked during this level. With a board of 8JA5 against an opponent's A4A8 for aces on the board, Tran raised her opponent's bet to $600. After he called, the final card was dealt. He checked, and she again bet. He called and she quickly revealed her holecards, the JJ8, for jacks full. Her opponent muck and Tran increased her stack and her chances of surviving.

Make sure to check in on all the short stacks, and the chip-leaders as they break away from the pack, in the hourly updates here at Cardplayer.com.

Of the 395 who entered the $1,500 Seven Card Stud even, only 328 remain. Eighty of those players were moved from the outdoor Player's Pavilion tent into the Amazon Room directly after they returned from dinner break, including stud heavy hitters David Williams, Alan Boston, Paul Darden and John Phan. 

Shawn Sheikhan went toe to toe with Ted Forrest after coming back from the dinner break.  In a multi-way pot for the first few streets, Sheikhan's betting dropped a bomb on the other three players and when the smoke cleared, only Ted Forrest remained.  After fifth street, Sheikhan's board read Q910 and Forrest's 747. Forrest bet $200 with his sevens, and Sheikhan called.  The K then fell for Sheikhan, while Forrest picked up the 8.    Forrest checked and called Sheikhan's bet, and the players were dealt their seventh card.  Forrest again checked, and called after Sheikhan bet.   Sheikhan revealed his holecards, (JJ10) for a king-high straight and Forrest mucked.  Sheikhan chuckled and said, "Now I finally win a hand against you and get it documented." Forrest quietly let the table know that Shiekhan had caught up with the worst hand.

Make sure to check back for more updates and Andy Bloch's Pro Blog here at Cardplayer.com.

Players are on their dinner break from ten to eleven p.m.  Before the break, a few big name players hit the rail. Miami John Cernuto was put on life support last level.  In one hand, Cernuto called down John Juanda only to be shown an ace-high spade flush after seventh.  With only a small stack of red $5 chips, the smallest chip seen in play so far at the year's World Series of Poker, Cernuto was on the way out and did eventual bust in the past hour. Paul "Eskimo" Clark was also eliminated this past level when his straight draw failed to improve.  With eliminations beginning to pick up, tables are beign broken and balanced, resulting in a few new pro match-ups.  Greg Raymer was joined by Max Pescatori, and Shawn Sheikhan joined Ted Forrest, who is a tough stud player and a spook by reputation.   The action is sure to heat up after the dinner break, so make sure to check back at Cardplayer.com for hourly updates and the Pro Blog of Andy Bloch.

As the dealer pitched the cards, a frustrated Jean Gaspard announced that "All flush draws are good today.  Aces up will not hold, unless it's this guy that has them," pointing to the player two to his left.   Shawn Sheikhan completed to $75 with the 10, Gaspard called with the 6 and Josh Arieh also called with the 2.  After Sheikhan pulled the Q, Gaspard picked up the A and Arieh caught the K, Gaspard hard checked and both opponents checked behind him. The dealer then gave Sheikhan the 2, Gaspard the K and Arieh the 4. This time Gaspard bet $150, Arieh called and Sheikhan folded. After Gaspard was dealt the J and Arieh the 8, Gaspard again bet $150. After calling, Arieh ribbed Gaspard, saying, "You said flush draws are good, right?" Gaspard responded by betting $150 in the dark. Arieh check his seventh card, then bet out. After Gaspard called, Arieh revealed the (229) for trip twos, and Gaspard mucked his hand, saying, "That's good, too."

Make sure to check back later for more hand updates and Pro Blogs here at Cardplayer.com.

Phil Ivey is an unstoppable force. Within two hours of finishing second in the $5,000 World Championship of Seven Card Stud, Ivey is already playing in today's $1,500 stud event.  Thor Hansen and Barbara Lewis are also playing today after making it deep in the Championship event last night.

Though the limits are low, some interesting hands have arisen.  In one, Shawn Sheikhan completed showing the 8 and was raised by a player showing the Q.  Sheikhan paused for a moment, the mucked his hand.  Sheikhan asked his opponent to show one card, and he revealed the 2.  Jean Gaspard chuckled a bit and said, "I like this guy."

John Juanda and Barbara Lewis got involved in a big pot with the player in seat four.  Juanda's board read 101067, Seat four's read KJ93, and Lewis' read 8985.    On sixth street Juanda bet, seat four raised, Lewis called, and Juanda reraised. After the other players called, the river was dealt.  Juanda checked, seat four bet, Lewis raised, Juanda folded, and seat four reraised.  Lewis called the third bet, and the player in seat four quickly revealed his hole cards, (KK9) for kings full. Lewis mucked, and was left short stacked as her opponent raked in the sizable pot.

Make sure to check back for more hourly updates and Pro Blogs here at Cardplayer.com.

It's no surprise that the $1,500 7 Card Stud Event has gotten off to a slow start.  Players are being frugal with their chips and not too many have busted out. 

Despite the lack of action, there are one or two decent matchups amongst the approximate 380 player field.  Table 38 features Shawn Sheikhan, Jean Gaspard and Josh Arieh.  John Juanda and "Miami" John Cernuto are also seated at the same table, and feature the only pro vs. pro action spotted today.  Juanda had (3 4) 3 9 6 6 (9) and Cernuto showed down (7 7) Q 9 2 2 (K).  On sixth street, Juanda had Sixes up and Cernuto had Sevens up.  But on the river, Juanda caught a Nine to make Nines up and take down the pot. 

Ted Forrest, after struggling for awhile, is climbing his way back to his starting stack of $3,000.  Forrest called a raise with the 4 showing.  The raiser had the 10 showing and another opponent followed along with the J as his door card.  The action got headsup when Forrest reraised a 4323 board and his opponent folded a 10K105 board to boost Forrest's stack to $2,700. 

The players are going to play a partial level before going to break at 7:30.