Pros Pushing Forward

As the field continues to shrink here on Day 2, three noted professionals have begun to separate themselves from the pack.

After starting the day with only 20 big blinds, Phil Hellmuth stayed patient and waited for the cards to start coming his way. Eventually, with about 40,000 in front of him, The Poker Brat got his wish and woke up with aces, just as an opponent was making an ill timed all-in bluff. This win propelled Hellmuth to a healthy stack and has continued climbing ever since.

Antonio Esfandiari jumped out to a big stack early in the tournament and has been relentless ever since. He fully exploited the money bubble and chipped up during the stages when most players were tightening their ranges. He now holds a stack in excess of 190,000, which puts him squarely near the top of the leaderboard.

Joe Tehan has quietly dodged the pitfalls posed by the event's massive field and has positioned himself for a deep run, building his stack to over 70,000 as we enter the dinner break.