One of the biggest single-day field in WSOP history has been culled like a mob of kangaroos down to approximately 1600 with the day three field now decided in the 2009 WSOP Main Event.

After starting with 2934 players, which had tables filled from one end of the Rio to the other, eliminations continued at a rate of three per minute almost all day, leaving around 2200 players scheduled to return on Friday (tomorrow is a day-off).

A total of 46 Australian players took their seats today (more than 60 reached day two) but a steady stream of departures meant that less than half of them will return for day three.

With official chip counts still to come, the biggest stacks belonged to Jeff Lisandro (180,000), Charlie Elias (175,000), Joe Hachem (130,000) and Ross Parsonson (100,000) but Tony Hachem fell to just 60,000 in the last hour.

Others who’ve progressed include Jai Kemp, Steve Topakas, Will Mitchell, Bill Jordanou, Craig Ivey, Emma Grace, Shane Brown, Jonathan Wertheim and Parry Lee, who started the day with 3400 and flirted with disaster for eight hours but somehow hung on in a stunning performance.

With thanks to www.worldseriesofpoker.com, the top five stacks (unofficial) at the end of day 2B were Troy Weber (453,200), Dan Bilzerian (439,500), Gabe Walls (417,900), Franklin Grigsby (369,000) and John Hammer (363,000). Phil Ivey was sixth overall on 325,000.

In the final level of the day, players to have their Main Event dreams dashed included Tom durrrr Dwan, Johnny Lodden, Daniel Alaei, Ylon Schwartz, Robert Williamson III and Maya Geller, the only member of the Antonius family to play in the Main Event after her husband Patrik was caught up in yesterday’s lockout.

There’ll be more news on players who were allegedly allowed to enter the Main Event after the day 1D lockout was declared. At least two have reached day three, and there’ll be a storm of controversy if either should make the money.

Posted by Sean Callander, 11pm, 8/7/09

Apologies for the wait while the Main Event diverted our focus over the past few days, but Only in America returns today with a story about two of the things we love most about this country … barbecued food and fair zoning laws:

"BarBe Q, the shapely mannequin outside KT's Barbecue restaurant in Reading, Ohio, can continue wearing her revealing halter top and short shorts. On May 13, the city's Design Review Board agreed to let BarBe Q remain on display outside as long as she dressed more modestly.

But restaurant owner Kenny Tessel appealed, and Monday night Reading's Board of Zoning Appeals agreed with him 3-2.

He had told the design review board that the advertising gimmick had increased his business by 40 percent.

"I am very happy," Tessel told The Cincinnati Enquirer. "Now, we can get back to business"."

Four hours down, four to go on day 2B of the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event. Already 828 players have been sent to the rail – that’s a rate of almost 3.5 per minute – with 2095 of the 2923 remaining for the last two levels of the day.

More than 800 players have been eliminated, but the dude in the emu-esque jacket is still with us

Just before the dinner break, Dean Hopkins joined the list of Aussies on the rail when he found himself with top-pair and a flush draw after the turn only to have an opponent’s set send him packing.

Currently flicking through the latest copy of Bluff Australasia, the choice of all the top players (!), Jeff Lisandro has been incredibly steady today and has edged up to 165,000. We can’t remember the last time we reported his stack being reduced in size.

Jeff Lisandro ... nice logo!

One Hachem rise; one falls – the 2005 WSOP champ just won a nice pot when he called a short stacks all-in and made a set of nines against A-K on a 10-high board to climb to 80,000.

After sliding to 130,000, Tony Hachem has climbed to 180,000 after his flopped two-pair, jacks and 10s improved to a full-house on the turn, with his opponent’s flush arriving too late on the river

It's been a lean day for popular Sydneysider Jai Kemp

Over in Brasilia, Steve Topakas and Jai Kemp are seated on the opposite side of the room and both are doing it tough. With the chip average breaking through 100,000, both have just over 40,000 and looking for a spot to double-up.

On www.worldseriesofpoker.com, the chip count has Thomas Fougerron as the chip leader on 440,000 ahead of Troy Weber (410,000), Andreas Altmeyer (315,000), Brian Lemke (291,000) and Dan Bilzerian. Phil Ivey is ominously placed on 230,000.

Phil "Not Craig" Ivey is on the move

Players to be eliminated since the dinner break included Philip Tom, Adam Levy, Noah Schwartz, David Sklansky, Gavin Griffin, Justin Smith, Lee Childs, Howard Lederer, Michael Mizrachi, Rob Hollink and Alex Outhred.

Posted by Sean Callander, 7.35pm, 8/7/09

He’s known as the player who nurse a stack better than a casualty department, but the cards just didn’t come for laconic Sydneysider Joel strongplay Dodds as he bowed out of the race early on day 2A of the 2009 WSOP Main Event.

No more antes, or chips, for Joel Dodds

Indeed, it was a tough level for the big Aussie contingent with George Manolas, Majed Haddad, Leno Icaca and Geoff Menz all heading out the door, while Joe Hachem’s attempt to bluff on the river with Q-10 on a board of 8-6-5-6-4 board (no flush draw) proved ill-timed as his opponent called and showed pocket aces. He’s now back up to 65,000 after being halved then doubling up with pocket queens.



Got me there: Joe Hachem has had an up and down start

Unsung Sydneysider Charlie Elias is leading the Aussie chip count on 193,000 with PokerStars Team Australia pro Tony Hachem (180,000) and Jeff Lisandro (160,000).



Those chips don't belong to Adelaide's Jonathan Karamalikis ... yet

Steve “The Big Show” Topakas has tread carefully so far today to be on 40,000, Jonathan Karamalikis has 55,000 while fellow top Aussie online player, Daniel Neilson, is up to 72,000.



It's certainly "chip me up" time for Steve Topakas

Troy Weber is still the overall chip leader according to www.worldseriesofpoker.com on 352,000, Howard Lederer has 300,000, Dan Bilzerian is on 275,000, Jeremiah holds 210,000 with Tony Hachem not far behind (180,000).

There will be a 90-minute dinner break at the conclusion of level seven and when players return, blinds will be at level eight (400/800 with a 100 ante).

Players eliminated so far today have included Scotty Nguyen, Kathy Liebert, Vanessa Rousso, Brett Jungblut, Andrew Feldman, Shannon Shorr, Bill Chen, Victor Ramdin, Eric Froelich and Paul Darden.

Posted by Sean Callander, 4.15pm, 8/7/09

Let the carnage begin … players are dropping at an astounding rate with hundreds being sent to the rail during the opening level on day 2B of the 2009 WSOP Main Event.

Virtually every spare poker table in the Rio is in use at the moment – from the main Amazon, Brasilia and Miranda ballrooms to rows of tables outside Buzio’s restaurant near the main gamin floor – even the relatively small Rio poker room, a good five-minute walk from the main tournament area, is in use today.

Jeff Lisandro is buried away deep in the Miranda room – just how he likes it – while Joe Hachem is front and centre in the Amazon Ballroom, but called for a scarf to ward off the air-con that’s blowing directly on to him. Joe’s brother and fellow PokerStars Team Australia Pro Tony suffered an early setback and is back to 72,000 but just doubled up after making two-pair, aces and sevens on an ace-high flop against A-Q is now second among the Aussie contenders on 140,000.

Sean Keeton bows out of the Main Event, but leaves Vegas with a WSOP final table on his CV

Among the other Aussies in action today, Sean Keeton (who finished a stunning fourth in the $5000 Six-handed No Limit Hold’em event) bowed out when his busted straight draw was neatly dispatched by quad fives.

We met James Bills, who arrived 30 minutes late after both alarm clocks failed to go off in time. He’s holding firm on approximately 40,000, however, the tournament is over for Dhiya Majeed.

Daniel Neilson and George Manolas (pictured above), are seated next to each other on table 97 in seats four and five while nearby, Adelaide’s Craig Ivey just sent Erick Lindgren to the rail when he rivered a set of jacks against the Team Full Tilt pro’s pocket queens.

Craig "Not Phil" Ivey ... it's a suckout, but he'll take it!

According to the www.worldseriesofpoker.com, two of the top five stacks belong to Australians with Troy Weber on 447,000 ahead of Carter King (170,000), Jeff Lisandro (150,000), Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier (145,000) and Tony Hachem (140,000). Sebastian Ruthenberg, Andrew Robl and Erick Lindgren have been among the early eliminations.

Posted by Sean Callander, 2pm, 8/7/09
 

A massive line-up of 46 Australians have just taken their seats as part of one of the biggest single-day fields in WSOP history as the survivors of days 1C and 1D converge for day 2B.

Today’s field comprises 2923, which means we’re going to cover a few miles through the hallways of the Rio in an attempt to track down all the Aussies.

Joe Hachem signs a copy of his critically-acclaimed book Pass the Sugar for one of his many fans at Poker Palooza

The list of Aussies playing today is led by 2009 triple WSOP bracelet winner Jeff Lisandro on 146,950, with Team Hachem – Joe on 84,550 and Tony 89,250 – not far behind. The Aussie chip count reads:

Jeff Lisandro 146,950
Mike Comer 93,000
Dean Hopkins 90,250
Tony Hachem 89,250
Joe Hachem 84,550
Dane Coltman 87,350
Charlie Elias 83,525
Jonathan Karamalikis 71,975
Majed Haddad 69,225
Shane Brown 68,375
Mark De Martino 64,125
Bill Jordanou 58,000
Daniel Neilson 54,100
Pande Nikolovski 52,575
Tim Horan 50,375
Robert Jackson 50,175
Aaron Lim 49,050
Billy Seri 47,475
Matt Downing 46,975
Dave Fox 46,950
Emma Grace 46,825
George Manolas 45,800
Geoff Menz 42,150
Charles Caris 41,575
Craig Ivey 40,150
James Bills 39,175
James Carey 38,450
Nick Nicolaou 36,800
Sevag Yedelian 36,800
Mark “MJ” James 36,775
Jonathan Muir 35,350
Steve Topakas 34,275
Steven Mac 33,525
Ross Parsonson 33,125
Joey Lawrence 32,800
Sean Keeton 29,525
Rob Campbell 27,050
Jonathan Wertheim 24,800
Matthew Pearson 22,750
Dhiya Majeed 21,900
Joel Dodds 21,500
Jai Kemp 21,300
Kevin Nguyen 14,300
Leno Icaca 9450
Andrew Barter 9425
Parry Lee 3700

The chip leaders from days 1C and 1D are:

1 Troy Weber (West Terre Haute, IN) 353,000
2 Tyson Marks (Missoula, MT) 196,500
3 Stephen Costello (East Longmeadow, MA) 192,000
4 Mads Wissing (Copenhagen, Denmark) 185,750
5 Joseph Sanders (Lima, Peru) 175,800
6 Mikael Ay (Gothenburg, Sweden) 173,900
7 Carter King (Columbia, SC) 170,000
8 Mark Weil (Cincinnati, OH) 168,575
9 Paul Wolfe (West Palm Beach, FL) 163,000
10 Alessandro Pastura (Guidizzolo, Italy) 160,900

To balance out the levels for day three, players face four levels today with a 90-minute dinner break:

Level 6: 250/500 (ante 50)
Level 7: 300/600 (ante 75)
Level 8: 400/800 (ante 100)
Level 9: 500/1000 (ante 100) 

• Remember, you can keep up to date with the latest happening from the 2009 World Series of Poker by following twitter.com/bluffaussie.

Posted by Sean Callander, 12.10pm, 8/7/09