Stop! Payout Time!
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The players are on an impromptu 20-minute break with one hour and 41 minutes remaining in the level. With so many bust outs, tournament staff need a few minutes to catch up with the payouts.
The first hour was a blood bath for those who made it to Day 5. We've already lost almost 100 of the 574 who came back today. Fabrice Soulier, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, and Brian Rast were back in their cars in under 15 minutes. Lauren Kling ended Day 2 among the chip leaders, but she quickly found herself on the rail as well. Karina Jett is gone too, further narrowing the race for last woman standing.
Eric Buchman, the last November Niner still alive, is alive no longer after running his 
into Shawn Rice's 
. Shannon Shorr, CK Hua, and Bruce Buffer are also busto. Praz Bansi could have been headed the same way after investing more than a third of his stack in a six-bet. But when his opponent seven-bet shoved, Bansi thought better of it and decided to save his remaining 500,000 for another spot. Turns out the other player was praying for a fold. Read about that fun one here.
Gualter Salles should be out. He was down to one 1,000 chip. But he won his first all in to get himself back over one big blind, then doubled again and again and again. Miraculously, he's gone from .12bb to 50bb. So don't ever doubt the chip and a chair adage.
Phil Galfond took over the chip lead early today and became the first to cross the 2 million mark. He is followed by Matt Affleck and Duy Le. And James Carroll, who ended Day 3 on top, earned is way back to the leader board. Who else will find their way there? Come back in 20 to find out.