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Day 7 at the 39th World Series of Poker in Las Vegas saw the 27 players left out of a Main Event entry field of 6 844 sitting down to decide who the last 9 players on the final table would be. The average stack going into Day 7 was $5 069 630, with Craig Marquis leading the field with a chip count of $11 300 000, not far ahead of nearest rivals Dennis Phillips ($ 11 150 000) and Tiffany Michelle, the only woman left in the tournament, on $9 900 000.
Phillips soon took over the chip lead, building steadily as the field was slowly but surely whittled down, with the first few orbits of the Main Event's seventh day seeing the first departures. Michael Carroll was the first to go, eliminated in 27th place by Gert Andersen and heading home with $247 334. He was followed by Phi Nguyen, out in 26th place and cashing $257 334 after a clash with Paul Snead.
Niklas Flisberg headed for the rail at 25th with $257 334 more in his pocket than he had a week ago, a victim of Joe Bishop, and he was followed in 24th place by the youngest player to start Day 7 - 21-year-old Aaron Gordon, who collected a worthwhile check for $257 334.
Tim Leocke was deep sixed by Ylon Schwartz in 23rd place, cashing $257,334, and Toni Cristian was eliminated in 22nd place with $257 334 by Jason Riesenberg. Paul Snead fell to Craig Marquis in 21st place, taking home $257 334 as well.
Young gun Brandon Cantu, whom many expected to go further, met his nemesis in Peter Eastgate and left in 20th place with $257 334, and Albert Kim was sent home in 19th place with $257 334 by Chris Klodnicki.
Cantu and Nguyen were the last two former WSOP bracelet holders left in the Main Event.
Down to 18 players, the tables were reduced to two and redrawn, with the action slowing somewhat as the survivors saw their chance of making the final 9 come ever closer.
Jason Riesenberg was the first to leave on the pay jump to $334 534, leaving in 18th place after a clash with Dean Hamrick.
The only woman left in the tournament, Tiffany Michelle, was the next elimination, going out in 17th place with $334 534 to Peter Eastgate after a tough run through the day with some hard players.
24-year-old Michelle, a poker-playing Los Angeles actress who has been a poker broadcast host on the Internet (PokerNews.com) and radio (Bluff Radio), began play Monday in third place with 9.755 million chips. But her stack dwindled, until on her last hand, she pushed all-in with about 3.8 million chips. She had an ace in the hole. Combined with an ace on the three-card Texas Hold 'em flop, that gave her a pair.
However Peter Eastgate had two aces in the holes. The flop gave him a set of three.
Michelle hinted that the poker public may see more of her, saying: "We have some deals and things in the works. This was just a starting point. I've always wanted an opportunity to play poker more … So I'm excited with the freedom and flexibility to do that more."
Anthony Scherer was eliminated in 16th place to cash $334 534 - another victim of Eastgate, and Owen Crowe headed to the exit with $463 201 for his 15th place finish, eliminated by Ivan Demidov before the dinner break.
Coming back from dinner, Gert Andersen headed for the exit in 14th place, taking home $463 201 for his time and trouble. He was followed by Nicholas Sliwinski, eliminated in 13th place and also earning $463 201.
Down to 12 players after an hour of play in level 31, Chris Klodnicki was taken down by Scott Montgomery in 12th place for a $591 869 payday.
Out in 11th was Joe Bishop after a tussle with David "Chino" Rheem. Bishop is $591 869 better off in cash and was enthusiastic about the opportunity to play with some of the biggest names in world poker which his Main Event experience afforded.
Ten handed, the game moved to one table to decide who the final 9 would be, and that's where it stood as InfoPowa went to press, with no further elimination in the first hour of play, average stacks at $13 688 000 and the chip counts standing at:
Scott Montgomery $21,500,000
Ivan Demidov $21,100,000
Dennis Phillips $19,600,000
Darus Suharto $17,200,000
Ylon Schwartz $16,500,000
Dean Hamrick $12,420,000
Peter Eastgate $12,080,000
David "Chino" Rheem $8,650,000
Craig Marquis $6,800,000
Kelly Kim $4,180,000
