Pavel Shirshikov once again starts the day as chip leader as the final 16 players from an original field of 387 return to play down to a final six on Day 5 of the inaugural PokerStars Championship Sochi Main Event.
Team PokerStars Pros Bertrand Grospellier and Chris Moneymaker are still in with a chance of taking the crown but they are the two short stacks with just over 10 big blinds each and will be hoping to get a double up to get back in contention.
The next player to be eliminated will collect RUB 1,635,000 ($28,929) with the eventual winner getting RUB 29,100,000 ($514,893) the trophy and the all-important title.
Play resumes at Noon with 58 minutes remaining in level 21 with blinds at 8,000 / 16,000 with a 2,000 ante.
You can follow the action here as the PokerNews live reporting team keep you up to date with all the big hands and bust outs as well as on the live stream with commentary from James Hartigan and Joe “Stapes” Staleton.
PokerStars Spin & Go qualifier Timur Bubnov opened to 33,000 from late position, and Mikhail Rudoy shoved for 335,000. Bubnov called, putting Rudoy at risk.
Bubnov:
Rudoy:
Though Rudoy picked up a flush draw on the turn of a board, the river bricked and Rudoy was eliminated in 16th place. Earning RUB 1,635,000, approximately USD $28,929.
Vladimir Troyanovskiy raised to 45,000 from the hijack and Junya Yamada three-bet all in for 211,000 from the button. Dmitry Vitkind then four-bet all in himself from the big blind and Troyanovskiy folded.
Vitkind:
Yamada:
It wasn't a good flop for Yamada coming . There was even less help with the on the turn meaning Yamada was drawing dead and the was too little too late, meaning Yamada is eliminated in 14th Place ($32,114)
It folded around to short-stacked Bertrand Grospellier in the small blind and moved all in for 160,000 or his last seven big blinds. Dmitry Vitkind called in the big blind.
Grospellier:
Vitkind:
The flop was but the turn was the giving Vitkind the lead. Grospellier still had some outs to a straight, but the on the river wasn't one of them and he was eliminated in 13th place for $36,361.
The action started with a raise to 46,000 by Pavel Shirshikov in the cutoff and Vitaliy Li three-bet to 120,000 on the button. Daniyar Aubakirov four-bet to 275,000 in the small blind, which he had done so twice earlier already, and the action was back on Shirshikov.
He gave it some thought and the clock was requested on him. It was not enforced just yet, though, and when the one minute countdown was about to start, Shirshikov five-bet to 477,000. Li quickly announced all in and Aubakirov sighed, but folded in a few seconds. Shirshikov snap-called and the cards were tabled.
Pavel Shirshikov:
Vitaliy Li:
The left Li in even more desperate shape, as he needed running kings for quads to survive. It was all over after the turn, making the river a formality. The stacks were counted and Shirshikov had 1,160,000, while Li was covered by just 10,000 to hit the rail in 12th place. Li receives RUB 2,055,000 for his efforts, which equals around $36,361.
Seyed Ghavam opened to 45,000 from early position and Timur Bubnov three-bet jammed for 538,000 on the button. Alexander Lakhov called all-in for 282,000 and Ghavam folded.
Lakhov:
Bubnov:
The board ran out , giving Bubnov a pair of aces on the turn and Lakhov hit the rail in 11th place, earning RUB 2,370,000 (approx. USD $41,934).
Oleg Chebotarev moved all in from under the gun and it folded round to small blind Lavrentiy Ni who moved all in. Nadar Kakhmazov was in the big blind and he called to make it a three-way all in.
Oleg Chebotarev:
Lavrentiy Ni:
Nadar Kakhmazov: .
The board ran out .
A flush on the turn for Ni eliminated Chebotarev in 10th for $41,934 and put a big dent in Kakhmazov’s stack.
Said Butba open-jammed all-in for 200,000 from early position, getting a call from Lavrentiy Ni in the cutoff.
Butba:
Ni:
A classic race was underway for Butba's tournament life. The dealer tapped the table and fanned out a board. Butba received zero help from the board and fell in ninth place for RUB 2,865,000 (approx. USD $50,693).
board, the river bricked and Rudoy was eliminated in 16th place. Earning RUB 1,635,000, approximately USD $28,929.
.
and was in a race against the 
of Aubakirov.
and Moneymaker was liking his chances.
and Moneymaker imploered the dealer to keep the river under a nine.
and Moneymaker was eliminated in 15th spot for $32,114.
. There was even less help with the 
was too little too late, meaning Yamada is eliminated in 14th Place ($32,114)
but the turn was the 
on the river wasn't one of them and he was eliminated in 13th place for $36,361.
with an Ace in the window to shoot Ghavam into the lead where he stayed. 
