Hilton Eliminates the Start-of-the-Day Chip Leader

Valentin Vornicu began the day with the biggest stack in the room, but now he has joined the multitude of players that has hit the rail here on Day 2.

It happened when Vornicu, the Harrah's Rincon Casino Champ, opened for 8,000 only to have Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Champion John Bowman three-bet to 21,000 from the small blind. At-large qualifier Jonathan Hilton then four-bet to 41,000, Vornicu five-bet all in for 145,000 and Bowman moved all in over the top for 159,500. Hilton threw up his arms in disbelief and then tossed his cards to the muck.

Vornicu then rolled over the only to discover he was dominated by Bowman's . Vornicu was distraught and understandably so. He began the day with high hopes of becoming the National Champion, and now here he was in dire straits.

"I'm going to bubble," Vornicu said to no one in particular. While it wasn't the stone bubble, Vornicu would leave empty handed as the board ran out .