Ryan Sponaugle and the Runaway Chip Lead
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Another 244 players joined up for the 7:00 P.M. start to bring our Main Event field up to a very impressive 712 total. The fresh set of faces that arrived this evening included bracelet winners Robert Mizrachi, Jason Young, and Tom Schneider (2), as well as notable Circuit regulars Kevin Calenzo, "Cowboy" John Land, La Sengphet, Joanne Dorin, and Michael Traylor. Also in the mix were heavyweights Tommy Vedes, Dwyte Pilgrim, and Josh Brikis.
Land could not even make it through the first two levels before his aces were lassoed by a two outer. Full Tilt Red Pro Paul Wolfe didn't last much longer, running his two mystery cards into a set of threes on a 
board to seal his fate. Speaking of sets of threes, Jason Young spent the afternoon in bed fighting a cold, but he insisted on coming here to try and grind out a stack through bloodshot eyes. It was going well for a while, and Level 6 saw Young double up with his own set of 
on a 
board. Just a moment later, however, Young's pocket aces were set up by an opponent's pocket fours on an 
flop, and Young tumbled right back down the hill he had so valiantly climbed.
Calenzo didn't fare much better, and he was joined on the rail by Mike DeGilio, Schneider, and Mizrachi. The older brother of Michael, Robert Mizrachi found a big pot to move to 56,000 at the 250/500 level, but he was busto just a few minutes later after taking his 
up against Ryan Sponaugle's 
. The board full of blanks ushered Mizrachi to the door, and that pot moved Sponaugle into a big chip lead that he would not relinquish. At the end of the day, Sponaugle bagged up 201,200 to put himself atop the field as they combine for Monday's Day 2.
We'll be back at high noon tomorrow for the restart, and we'll play down as close to a final table as we can get in 15 levels. We hope to see you right back here to pick up the story.
Until then, all that's left is goodnight!