Phil Ivey - chip leader

The remaining 18 players will return at 12:30pm PST Wednesday and they will play until only 6 remain. Here they are with their chip counts (new seats will be drawn tomorrow):

	Paul Smith - mauled

Paul Smith moved in and Phil Hellmuth made the call, showing pocket 9s. Paul held JT offsuit and two overcards to Phil's pair. The cards ran out A 5 2 2 2 and Phil's pair was good for the pot.

Paul Smith finished in 19th place, earning $42,450.

That's it for today. The final 18 players are doing the bag-&-tag routine now. Chip counts coming soon.

On a flop of K T 8 , Blair Hinkle (small blind) checked, Michael Watson (utg) bet 180k and after a bit of thought, Blair made the call. Turn was the J . Blair bet 200k and after a bit more thought, Michael called. River was the 5 and Blair took a while before betting 400k. Michael took about 5 minutes to consider his action, but finally folded, conceding the large pot to Blair.

	Lance Allred - all out

Lance Allred finished in 21st place, earning $42,450.

	Colin Wickersheim - cut

After two players limped in, Colin Wickersheim moved all in for 41k.  Both blinds called and both limpers joined the pot.  Everyone checked the flop of Q Q 4.  The turn was the 9  and Yury Parad (big blind) bet 200k into the dry side pot, chasing everyone out.  Parad turned over KQ for trip Queens and Colin mucked his hand. 

Colin Wickersheim finished in 20th place, earning $42,450.

19 players remain. One more must go to end the day.

	Mike Hamparsomian - history

Quinn Do opened for 50k under-the-gun, then Jennifer Tilly moved all-in (utg+1). Everyone else folded and it was back to Quinn. He had about 450k left and she had him well covered. She sat motionless (I don't even think she was breathing) as he contemplated. At one point, he stacked up his chips like he was going to move them in, but didn't. After about five minutes, he said "You guys can call the clock if you want". After another minute of waiting, a player did call for the clock. Just before time expired, Quinn mucked his hand. With that pot, Miss T crossed the 1 million chip mark.

Meanwhile, on another table, Mike Hamparsomian moved in for 326k. Michael Watson looked him up from the big blind. Mike held pocket 9s and was racing against Michael's AK. An Ace on the flop put Mike way behind and he couldn't catch up.

Mike Hamparsomian finished in 22nd place, earning $42,450.

After Scott Montgomery opened for 50k, David Singer shoved his last 172k all-in. Scott made the call and showed pocket threes. David held A4 offsuit and was, surprisingly, racing. It was a short race, however, as and Ace hit the flop. Then to add salt to the wound, another Ace landed on the turn. David doubled up to about 330k.

Still Level 20: Blinds 8k/16k with 2k antes. Play has resumed. They will play until only 18 remain.

Here are the current chip counts and seat assignments:

The dinner bell has rung and the remaining 22 players have been dispatched on a one hour dinner break. Play will resume at 7pm PST.

	Avdo Djokovic - evicted

Avdo moved his short-stack in and Nam Le looked him up. It was a race between Avdo's pocket 7s and Nam's AK. An Ace hit on the turn and that's all it took.

Avdo Djokovic finished in 23rd place, earning $42,450.

Level 20: Blinds 8k/16k with 2k antes. Play continues without a break until 6pm when they will take an hour for dinner.

	George Panagakis - panned

After Nam Le opened for 34k and Blair Hinkle called, George Panagakis moved in 550k. Nam folded and Blair made the call, showing pocket Aces. George showed T 8 (I don't make this stuff up, folks). The board came J 5 2 4 J and George was done. Blair was up to about 1.5 million after that hand.

George Panagakis finished in 24th place, earning $42,450.

	Brian McCann - canned

Brian McCann got all in with pocket Aces against Blair Hinkle's AK. The rockets held up and Brian got the Courtesy Double-Up (CDU).

Then Nam Le got all in with pocket Kings against Brian McCann's AQ. Although Brian caught a Queen on the flop, he could not overtake Nam's lead and he paid it forward, gifting Nam with a CDU.

Brian was left with only about 38k and he got it in on the next hand with pocket 4s. He ran smack into Brian Taylor's pocket Aces. Then an Ace hit the flop and Brian was drawing to runner-runner. No miracles here and he was done. Brian McCann finished in 25th place, earning $42,450.

The pace has slowed a bit now that they are at the final three tables. The money is becoming more significant. The original plan was to stop at 27 players today, but since they got there so fast, the TD has announced that they will continue playing until only 18 remain.

Quinn Do got his short stack of chips in with K9 off and Jennifer Tilly moved her big stack in over the top to isolate. Everyone else got out of the pool and Jennifer showed AQ suited. The board ran out 9 4 3 5 5 and Quinn doubled up.

The man with too many names, Richard Rick Nason Barstow (his name has been reported using different variations/combinations of those names during this tournament) has finally busted out in 27th place ($42,450).

Defending LAPC Champion Eric Hershler got his last chips in with AK off and was facing the A6 suited of Quinn Do. A 6 landed on the board giving Quinn the upper hand and giving Eric Hershler 26th place and $42,450.

My apologies for the lack of photos to this point. There just hasn't been any time to catch up. Now that play has slowed a bit, I have managed to snap shots of the rest of the field to season the rest of the day's reporting.

Shortly after play resumed, Wayne Chang got all in and busted in 28th place, earning $36,390.

With 27 players left, they stopped the clock again and did another redraw for the final three tables. Play has now resumed once again.

	Phil Ivey

Level 19: Blinds 6k/12k with 2k antes. Play has resumed. Here are the chip counts as of the break:

Another level is over and players are on a break.

Just before the break, Danny Fuhs busted out in 29th place, earning $36,390.

Both players checked the flop of A K K and the turn was the Q . Andrew Robl bet 40k and Theo Tran made the call. River was the 8 and Andrew moved all in. Theo called and Andrew showed KJ off for trip Kings. Theo held A 9 for the nut flush and Andrew Robl slow-played himself right out of this tournament in 30th place (36,390).

Brian Taylor is all in with AK against Danny Fuhs' A8. Big Slick held up and Brian doubled, leaving Danny with less than 60k.

Keith Tilston made it 30k to go and Phil Ivey made the call. On the Queen-high flop, Keith moved in and Phil called, showing KQ for top pair. Keith's pocket 7s were in bad shape and did not improve. Keith earned 35th place and $36,390.

Toto Leonidas found himself all-in with pocket 7s and facing the pocket Kings of Charles Moore. The best hand holds up and Toto is headed back to Kansas in 34th place.

On a J 6 6 5 board, Charles Moore puts Nam Le in for his last 44k. Nam obliges, showing KJ for Jacks-up. Charles held Js for the same hand, but with a weaker kicker. River was a 5 and Nam doubled up.

Mickey 'Mouse' Mills got all in with AK against Brian McCann's pocket 8s. No help for the Mouse and he can head back to the Magic Kingdom with 33rd place and $36,390.

Brian Taylor moved in for ~100k and Hassan Kamoei called all-in with his last ~15k, showing A6 off. Brian had him dominated with AQ off. No help for Hassan -- he gets 32nd.

Neil Ho got his chips in with pocket 6s and faced Phil Hellmuth's AK. Board came A K 4 Q 3 and Phil takes the pot, putting him over a million chips. Neil gets 31st place.

Here's the latest bust order and payouts:

Play has resumed. With 35 players, the average stack is now 380k.

They're down to 35 players now and have stopped the clock to do a complete redraw for the final four tables. Because two players busted on the same hand (Alan Goehring & Noah Schwartz) and they were at a money jump, they are splitting the 36th and 37th place prize money. Here are the latest bustages & payouts:

Jack Boghossian got all in with pocket Jacks, only to run into the pocket Kings of Noah Schwartz.  The better hand held up and Jack was done in 38th place.

Alan Goehring got to a point where his last 2k in chips were all-in the small blind.  Noah Schwarts limped, then Weikai Chang made it 30k to go.  Noah called and the flop came J 8 6 .  Weikai bet 40k and Noah called.  Turn was the J .   Weikai fired 125k and Noah moved in.  Weikai called, showing AJ for trips.  Noah held 9 8 for a pair of 9s and drawing dead.  Weikai took the side pot and when Alan showed his T7, Weikai took the main pot, too, felting two players on the same hand.

On the turn with the board showing J 5 7 4, a player bet, Matt Brady raised, then his opponent moved in for 300k. Matt made the call showing pocket 4s for the set. His opponent held AQ and was drawing stone-cold-dead. The river was another 4, giving Matt Quads for the overkill. With that pot, Matt is up to ~650k.

Level 18: Blinds 5k/10k with 1k antes. Play has resumed. Here are some rough chip counts:

Finally! The craziest round of tournament poker I've ever witnessed is over. The surviving 40 players are taking a much-needed 15 minute break. Here are the latest departures:

Aaron Been got his chips in with pocket 4s and was racing against AK.  He lost the race and was awarded 45th place.

David Stroj got his chips in good with pocket Queens against the pocket 9s of Blair Hinkle.  David was due for a double-up, but a 9 hit the flop and David couldn't beat the set.  He gets 44th place.

Kevin Thong got his chips in with AQ and was dominating Jennifer Tilly's AJ, but the board came K J 2 8 3 to send the pot to Miss Tilly and send Kevin home with 42nd place.

In a huge pot, Kyle Burnside got all his chips in the middle with pocket Queens.  He was facing Michael Watson's AK.  It was all but over on the flop of K J 5.  Kyle was left hoping for one of two Queens or two runners to make a straight.  The last two cards came 8 J and Kyle's run was over.  The chip leader at the start of play today, he is gone in 41st place.

Scott Montgomery opened for 25k from the small and Phil Ivey kicked it up to 80k from the big. Scott jacked it up another 100k on top, then Phil moved in for 300k MORE. Scott called, showing A9 off. Phil was dominating with AK. The board came J T 4 7 K and Phil doubled up to over 950k, good for the chip lead.

OK, they've got Bob Stupak back where he belongs, in 56th place. Here are the next batch of departures, in the correct place and order:

James Lee was incorrectly paid for 55th place and the staff is going to find him and correct that error.  He's got an extra $4,150 coming his way!

Tim Sweeton got his chips in with pocket Jacks and Phil Hellmuth looked him up with AQ.  The board was all bricks, until a Queen landed on the river to give the Poker Brat the bigger pair and the pot.  Tim got 52nd place.

Benjamin Zamani was busted by Quinn Do, earning 51st place. 

Svetlana moved in her last 36k from the button with A8 and ran into David Singer's pocket 7s in the small blind.  It was essentially a race, but David was ahead.  Then the flop came Q 8 3 giving Svetlana the bigger pair.  It then looked like the sullen Russian blonde was headed for a double-up, but alas, the river was a 7 giving David the set and the pot.  She had to settle for 50th place.

Mike Wattel was dispatched by Theo Tran.

Michael Hudson got his chips in with AK and got called down by Jennifer Tilly, who held pocket Jacks.  This time the Lady's pair held up and she sent Michael packing -- 48th place.

Scott Wilson made it 28k and Phil Hellmuth called from the big blind.  On the 8 4 3 flop, Scott fired, Phil moved in, and Scott called, showing pocket Aces.  Phil rolled over 4 3  for two pair.  Last two cards were 9 6 and Phil took the pot.  Scott got 46th place.

Eric Hershler doubled through Jennifer Tilly when his AJ out-raced her pocket Tens. Mickey 'Mouse' Mills got all in with AK and called by AQ. His hand held up and he doubled up.

There will be a short delay in reports due to a discrepancy in the bust-outs. We (the media) saw Bob Stupak bust out and leave the room in 56th place. Unfortunately, the tournament staff missed this and continued to pay other bust-outs. When Bob returned, they were up to 47th place and gave him that position, which was worth $4,150 more than 56th. With numerous witnesses to this, the tournament staff is now trying to correct their error. Rest assured I will get it reported correctly!

On a K 8 5 rainbow flop, James Lee got all his chips in and was called by Phil Hellmuth and Scott Wilson. The other two players checked down the last two cards of 9 3. James held A7 suited, (Ace high) Scott held QJ suited, (Queen high) and Phil held pocket deuces, which were good enough to take the pot. James gets 54th place and $26,170.

Michael Kamran got his last chips in with 97 and got looked up by a player holding A5. The Ace-high was good and Michael was awarded 53rd place and $26,170.

On the flop of 9 6 4 Bob Stupak got all in with T4 (bottom pair) against Brian Taylor, who held 8 7 (open-ended straight draw + flush draw = lots of outs!). The A landed on the turn and it was all over for Bob.

Thu Nguyen got his chips all-in with KJ off only to run into the pocket Aces of Peter de Best. Thu got no help from the board and gets the rest of the day off (along with $20,020).

Here are the departures so far today:

No time wasted getting in the action here today! On the first hand of play we heard "Seat Open!"

Jeff Chotikul got his chips in with pocket 8s and got looked up by Shawn Buchanan who held AJ. Shawn won the race and Jeff gets $20,020 for his efforts.

Jeff Schwimmer opened for 20k and Michael Katz moved in for ~90k. Jeff made the call, showing pocket Jacks. Michael's AQ off would need to improve, but a Jack hit the flop putting Michael futher behind. He earned $20,020 for his time here at the LAPC.

Level 17: Blinds 4k/8k with 1k antes. Cards are in the air!

	Kyle Burnside - chip leader

Day 4 play is scheduled to begin at 12:30pm PST Tuesday. 58 players will return to vie for the top prize over $1.5 million. Here they are, sorted by their day 4 table and seat assignments:

Kaelaine Minton Reporting

Kaelaine is one of the hardest working reporters on the tournament cicruit, and she can play poker, too!  She won the 2007 World Poker Open Media Tournament at the Goldstrike in Tunica, besting a field of 50 to win the event and the WPO gold bracelet!   Her motto is "will do anything poker-related for money".

Contact Kaelaine