Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:19 PM Local Time
Level: 24
Blinds: 12,000/24,000
Ante: 4,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:14 PM Local Time
It's a tight race for the chip lead after roughly three hours of play. Here is a look at the chip counts:
Seat 1: Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 1,195,000
Seat 2: Chris Bibb - 338,000
Seat 4: Matthew Ashton - 1,042,000
Seat 6: Dominik Nitsche - 1,057,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:06 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton raises to 45,000 on the button and Athanasios Polychronopoulos calls out of the big blind. The flop comes and Polychronopoulos checks. Ashton bets 48,000 and Polychronopoulos check-raises to 115,000 total. Ashton folds and Polychronopoulos takes the pot.
Players are now on a 15-minute break.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:05 PM Local Time
With Tracy Doss gone, Chris Bibb (pictured left) is the last man standing left to represent the National Championship qualifiers.
Bibb, an at-large participant, finished 15th in this event last year and hopes to keep the WSOP Player of the Year participants out of the winner's circle. He has his work cut out for him though, as he's currently the short stack at the table and sandwiched between three bracelet winners.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:03 PM Local Time
Athanasios Polychronopoulos raises to 45,000 and Dominik Nitsche defends his big blind.
The flop comes and Nitsche checks. Polychronopoulos bets 50,000, Nitsche folds, and Polychronopoulos takes the pot.
Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 905,000
Dominik Nitsche - 940,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:00 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton gets a walk in the big blind.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:59 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton raises to 40,000 and Athanasios Polychronopoulos reraises to 110,000 out of the small blind. Ashton calls and they go heads-up to a flop of . Both players check.
The turn brings the and Polychronopoulos bets 135,000. Ashton calls.
The river is the . Polychronopoulos checks and Ashton bets 160,000. Polychronopoulos folds and Ashton takes the pot and regains the chip lead.
Matthew Ashton - 1,060,000
Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 860,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:50 PM Local Time
Tracy Doss (pictured) raises to 50,000 and bracelet winner Dominik Nitsche reraises to 155,000 out of the small blind. Action gets back to Doss and he moves all-in for around 400,000 . Nitsche calls, having Doss covered.
Doss shows , while Nitsche has . It's a race.
The flop comes , giving Nitsche a set of tens and leaving Doss drawing to running straight cards. The on the turn leaves Doss drawing dead and out of the tournament in fifth place.
"I'd be lying to tell you I'm disappointed," he said following his elimination. "It's been very humbling, exciting... It's a great, great opportunity and anybody can do it. You can come here, like me, and play against the best in the world."
With his elimination each player is assured a six-figure score.
Dominik Nitsche - 990,000
Tracy Doss - eliminated in fifth place for $86,461
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:46 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton completes the small blind and Dominik Nitsche checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes and Ashton checks. Nitsche bets 20,000, Ashton folds, and Nitsche takes the pot.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:45 PM Local Time
Athanasios Polychronopoulos (pictured) raises to 40,000 and Tracy Doss calls from the small blind.
The flop comes and Doss checks. Polychronopoulos bets 55,000 and Doss calls. The turn comes and Doss bets out 150,000. Polychronopoulos takes maybe ten seconds before deciding to call.
The river is the . Doss bets 200,000 and Polychronopoulos quickly calls.
Doss' rail lets out an audible gasp as Polychronopoulos tables K-2 for a rivered two pair, while Doss holds K-Q for a pair of queens. Polychronopoulos takes the pot and what appears to be the chip lead.
Athansios Polychronopoulos - 1,110,000
Tracy Doss - 410,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:41 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton raises to 40,000 from under the gun and Chris Bibb reraises to 110,000 out of the small blind. Ashton folds and Bibb takes the pot.
Chris Bibb - 375,000
Matthew Ashton - 840,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:38 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton raises to 40,000 from middle position, winning the blinds and antes.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:36 PM Local Time
Tracy Doss raises to 60,000, winning the blinds and antes.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:35 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton completes the small blind and Dominik Nitsche checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes and both players check.
The turn is the and Ashton checks again. Nitsche bets 22,000 and Ashton calls.
The river is the and Ashton takes his time before checking. Nitsche bets 55,000, Ashton folds, and Nitsche takes the pot.
Dominik Nitsche - 575,000
Matthew Ashton - 1,400,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:30 PM Local Time
Athanasios Polychronopoulos raises to 45,000, winning the blinds and antes.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:29 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton raises to 40,000 from early position, winning the blinds and antes.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:28 PM Local Time
Dominik Nitsche raises on the button and Athanasios Polychronopoulos reraises to 115,000 out of the small blind. Chris Bibb folds out of the small blind, Nitsche folds, and Polychronopoulos takes the pot.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:27 PM Local Time
Chris Bibb raises from early position, winning the blinds and antes.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:26 PM Local Time
Athanasios Polychronopoulos raises to 40,000 from middle position and Matthew Ashton reraises to 115,000 out of the small blind. Polychronopoulos folds and Ashton takes the pot.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 2:23 PM Local Time
Athanasios Polychronopoulos raises to 45,000 on the button and Tracy Doss calls in the small blind. Matthew Ashton is in the big blind and reraises to 147,000 total out of the big blind.
After some deliberation, Polychronopoulos folds. Doss takes just a few seconds to call.
The flop comes and Doss moves all-in for around 435,000. Ashton folds and Doss takes the pot.
Tracy Doss - 925,000
Matthew Ashton - 1,300,000