2008 WSOP Main Event Day 3 Recap

There was a pop heard around the poker world today as the money bubble burst on Day 3 of the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event.

In fact, while the day started with just over 1,300 players and some seriously deep stacks, close to two-thirds of the field said goodbye today, leaving us with just 474 players still chasing the dream.

The money bubble came and went with the second-last level of the night when one shorty shoved with eights and ran into an opponent's kings. That left just the number of the beast to play Day 3's final two hours.

While most of the 666 who made the money celebrated the moment, PL.com did take note of at least one player who wouldn't have minded seeing those kings get cracked and the bubble extended.

Waffle-crushing.

With over $1 million in chips at the time and a healthy lead on the field, former poker blogger Jeremiah Smith had been crushing the bubble and adding to his stack time after time, including in one hand where he pushed a player all-in holding just the 9 6.

Expecting that player to fold everything except aces, kings or maybe queens, Jeremiah didn't blink an eye when his opponent turned over the ladies and could only apologize when he flopped the nut straight on him with two clubs for the redraw, to boot.

Smith has been in this position before, but blown the big leads. And although it looked like he would end the day as chip leader, building a stack into the $1.3 million range - enough clay that he needed a server's tray to move them when his table broke - a player by the name of Jeremy Joseph came from out of nowhere to leapfrog Smith in the last level of the day.

Joseph will enter the final 474 on top with $1.47 million. Just making the money here in the Main Event represents Joseph's biggest career cash, which might explain why he flew under the media radar for most of the day, but you can bet the hacks will be on him like white on rice come the start of play on Day 4 tomorrow.

Here we grow again.

When play wrapped it looked like Owen Crowe was the only other player over $1 million in chips, but there are a whole host of others with more than just an outside shot at taking this thing.

Among them is Dag Martin Mikkelsen, who led the 2007 Main Event for quite some time before imploding. Add his $930k to the experience of running deep last year and he'll be one to watch as we go deeper this time around as well.

Alexander Kostritsyn is also right there and has the experience edge, having done more than just lead a major tournament - he actually won one, taking down the Aussie Millions earlier this year.

Top pros like Shawn Sheikhan, Matt Matros, David "Chino" Rheem, and Team PokerStar's Victor Ramdin also have enough chips to have a say in the outcome as things play out here.

Can't kill Phil.

And while Phil Hellmuth made the money today, breaking his own record for WSOP cashes, by building a stack close to the $500k mark he still has a legitimate shot at adding a record 12th WSOP bracelet to his trophy case. A win by Hellmuth and any argument that this isn't the Year of the Pro would be over before it even started. You can bet Phil at least is making himself the favorite here.

We know Day 4 will be entertaining as Mike "The Mouth" Matusow remains in contention, as does back-to-back WSOP Main Event champ Johnny Chan.

Plus, we won't be without our fair share of lovely ladies, as Bodog's Evelyn Ng reached the $300k mark before play was halted. And although PokerStars EPT Hostess Kara Scott took a big hit at the end of the day, she survived it to make the money and Day 4.

The list of marquee names still alive goes on, but we won't bore you with all the gory details. For those, you'll have to tune into PL.com tomorrow for all the Day 4 debauchery live from the floor of the Amazon Room. We recommend constantly tapping that refresh button. The blisters will be surely be worth not missing a single update.