Bubble Bursts, Steinberg Takes Lead, and Tex Dolly Cashes Again as Break Arrives

The first level of Day 4 is done and what an exciting two-and-a-half hours it was. The extra time was due to the fact that the cash bubble burst and players in the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event are at last making their way to the cashier as the first to get paid in the tournament.

Play resumed with 666 players left, meaning 18 more eliminations were needed to reach the money. Age Ravn, Jarod Ludemann, and Mark Nguyen were among the first to fall today, with Iain Brassell falling shortly thereafter in a nasty hand that saw his outrun by .

Soon hand-for-hand play arrived, and after Yuri Dzivielevski was crippled and then busted in 650th, it would take just a couple of hands more for Farzad Bonyadi to be eliminated in 649th and the bubble to burst.

The eliminations picked up considerably thereafter, with 80 players hitting the rail before the level completed. One player still here and with chips, however, is Doyle "Tex Dolly" Brunson, who today has cashed in the Main Event for the fifth straight decade (!).

The focus will soon return to the big stacks when play resumes, with Max Steinberg having moved to the top of the counts to join Bryan Pellegrino, Nick Schwarmann, Jonathan Lane, Maxx Coleman, Matthew Huey, and a few others in the million-chip club. Meanwhile, Luke Schwartz lost a massive hand right near the end of the level to Josh Pollock that would have catapulted him ahead of everyone into first position.

The break is scheduled to take 20 minutes, but a color-up is needed as well which will add some extra time. Back when play resumes for more from the WSOP Main Event!