Short stacks in the centre

With thanks to Poker10.com

Twice we've seen our shortest stacks under threat in the lead up to our first break, but twice they have survived to keep us at 15 players after two hours of play.

First it was a battle of the shorties, as Frank Van Spaandonk got it in with A♠Q♣ and was snap-called by David Montoro, who started the day with just 44,800.

Montoro proudly showed his K♥K♦ and the cards were kind to him, barely offering a hint of drama as it came 893-5-2.

That left Van Spaandonk on just 64,000 but in the last hand before our breather, he doubled up with A♥ 6♦ vs the A♠5♠ of Pascual Gil.

The hand had seemed destined for a split when the dealer flipped 10♦J♦K♠ but a 6♥ on the turn revived Frank's stack to around the 130,000 mark.