Play had been hand for hand for a while, through almost a full level and a 15-minute break. After the break, three tables had a player at risk, and they waited for all other tables to finish their hand before tabling the cards.

On table 67, Jérémy Ménard bump raised to 400K, and 2 players called, including short stack Andrejevic Andjelko. Andjelko check raised Stephen Michael Diamantas all-in on a flop.

Diamantas:
Andjelko:

Andjelko did not manage to catch an ace, and was eliminated. Fortunately for him, Ardavan Yazdi also fell in combat on another table.

They both share the 250th prize, which means they got $5,000 each for their Day 3 appearance. In the following few minutes, 25 players lost their chips trying to build back up, with a $10,000 security prize.

Photographs taken during level 18 of the MILLIONS North America Main Event: 

Eliminations have been coming at a steady pace throughout the first level and a half played today – and even more so since the introduction of the shot clock – and with 252 players remaining, the Tournament Director has called for hand-for-hand action to begin.

There will be a scheduled break a few minute into hand-for-hand play, and the clock will continue running through the 2 or 3 hands it takes to get to the break.

Photographs taken during level 17:

The Main Event is down to 263 players, the time when the tournament is scheduled to introduce the shot clock. There are now 33 tables remaining in the tournament and just 12 away from the bubble, so this will serve to accelerate play and prevent unnecessary delays heading into the bubble – and in fact the whole rest of the tournament.

Players will each have 6 time extension cards they can use at any time, and players will receive 6 new cards once they reach the final table.

A few of the players that were eliminated in the early going today: Mukul Pahuja, John Racener, Khaly Dang, Tqm Ho, Philippe D’Auteuil, and Keven Stammen.

Play continues with 6 minutes left in level 17.