Action has picked back up and the field has been reduced to about 200 players.
Multiple Day 1 survivor Alexandre Chieng and Team PokerStars Pro Bryan Huang have both been helping reduce the field.
Chieng called a 1,600 raise from middle position and then the player in the hijack moved all-in for 6,900. The initial raiser folded and Chieng, who had slightly more than 10,000, tanked. Chieng called after about a minute and several players whispered in awe when he showed [4s][5s].
His opponent turned over [ac][10h] and was in the lead. It was hard for him not to be.
But then the [3d][6c][4h] flop changed that. Chieng hit a pair and an open-ended straight draw and all of the sudden his opponent was playing catch up. A [9d] came on the turn and the [qs] completed the board.
Chieng then opened to 2,000 the following hand and the cutoff moved all-in for 12,000. Action folded back to Chieng who acted a lot quicker this time.
Chieng folded [as][10h] face-up and caused more whispering. Chieng is up to 17,500 but is still below average.
On the other side of the tournament, Team PokerStars Bryan Huang was doing some eliminating of his own.
Huang raised to 1,800 from under-the-gun and the cutoff called. Then the small blind moved all-in and only Huang called.
Huang turned over [js][jc] while the at-risk player showed [8h][8c]. The board came [qc][6s][qd][qh][ah] and Huang stayed in the lead. The Team Pro eliminated another player and chipped up to 24,000.
One table over, reigning champ, Shaq Lin, and Eddie Tik Fung Hui were going at it. Hui had the chip lead late in the day yesterday, but was chipped down and ended up busting short of the final seven percent.
Hui raised to 1,600 from early position and Lin -- to his immediate left -- called. The flop came [6s][qc][8c] and Hui bet 1,600. Lin thought for about a minute and then called, bringing an [8s] on the turn.
Hui checked and then quickly called when Lin bet 3,000. A [6c] came on the river and Hui checked again. Lin thought for a bit before checking back.
Hui turned over [qh][js] and Lin mucked. Lin is now down to 10,000 while Hui is up to 31,000.
The average stack is quickly rising and players will have to keep chipping up if they plan on making it to the final 41.
Alexander Villegas is a freelance contributor to the PokerStars Blog.