Day three of the Mirage Poker Showdown championship event has come to a close. Instead of playing down to just 27, the day was extended and the field narrowed to 18. Tomorrow will pick up at noon once again and the field will play down to the final six. Those lucky players will play in the World Poker Tour television table later in the week. End of day chip counts will be posted within the hour, and the daily recaps will be up on the front page of the website soon.

Stay tuned to CardPlayer.com for live coverage of day four beginning at noon. 

Mark Ketteringham gets it all in with AK against Richand Kirsch's 77.  The comes with two spades, then Ketteringham picks up a gutshot on the turn.  But the river is a brick, Ketteringham fails to improve and is sent home in 19th with $17,292.

Darrell Dicken bets $35,000 and is called by Cuong Nguyen and Gabriel Alarie. The flop comes 875 and Dicken bets out $100,000. Nguyen folds and Alarie raises all in. Dicken makes the call and shows 1010. Alarie turns over 97. The turn is the J and the river is the Q. Alarie is eliminated in 20th place, earning $17,292.

David Pham raises to $24,000 from the cutoff (leaving him $4,000 behind) and David Peat calls from the big blind.  The flop comes K99 Peat checks and Pham goes all in for his last $4,000.  Peat calls with A2 and Pham tables KQ.  The next two cards come 2K doubling Pham up to just under $70,000.

Jon Little bets out $21,000 and Solomon Niyazov pushes all in for a few thousand more. Little makes the call and shows K10 and Niyazov has A8. Little hits his ten on the river and eliminates Niyazov.

The price of poker has gone up! Blinds are now $4,000-$8,000 with a $1,000 ante.

The players are on a fifteen minute break.

Alan Goehring makes it $12,000 to go and is called by Phil Ivey and Darell Dicken. The flop comes 1094 and Dicken checks. Goehring checks and Ivey bets $25,000. Dicken and Goehring make the call and the turn is the 10. Dicken and Goehring both check again and Ivey bets out $60,000. Dicken and Goehring both make the call and the river is the 7. The action checks around and Darell Dicken turns over A10. Goehring and Ivey both muck their hands into the middle and Darell Dicken now has $750,000.

Randall Holland raises to $18,000 from the cutoff and John Esposito goes all in for $42,000 more.  Holland Makes the call with AQ and Esposito shows down 66.  The board comes AK459 and Esposito is sent to the rail in 22nd place with $17,292.