LIVE NAPT Las Vegas: Konnikova climbing on Day 3

Maria Konnikova has a small PokerStars shark sitting on top of her time bank cards. When someone inquired about where they might get one, Konnikova nodded apologetically and revealed those sharks aren't for sale. Her spot on Team Pro earned her one of the rare Sharky reissues. 

Matt Affleck looked from across the table and shrugged. "At least you're not like Humberto Brenes with it."

Konnikova's face didn't immediately register recognition, so Affleck continued, miming Brenes' signature move, and swimming an invisible shark across the table to eat the chips. 

"Before my time," Konnikova said innocently. 

Maria Konnikova and Sharky

The shark (Maria's, not Brenes) might have been a good distraction from what was really happening at her table.

Thirty-seven players remain, and Konnikova has enough chips for both her and Sharky.

 Somehow--and in a fashion much quieter than Brenes could ever manage--Konnikova has chipped up to the NAPT Main Event lead. She is sitting on 2.75 million as we begin the fourth level of Day 3.  

If you feel like you haven't seen as much of Jason Koon in the past year, you're right. If you want to see more of him, get ready, because as he told our Matt Hansen this week, he's back with a new fire. Read the full story here.

Koon will be front and center at PokerStars stops at home and abroad.

Matthew Berglund

The short-stacked players left in the Main Event keep looking back over their shoulders, across the aisle, and at the 70+ gathered folks they hope not to join anytime soon. 

That's where the $10,000 NAPT High Roller has been underway for a few hours. While one friend of a Main Event player suggested the field was good and that he ended up with a good table, his buddy was in no hurry to bust the Main. 

"I hope I don't have to see you anytime soon," he said. 

From an amateur's perspective, the field doesn't look so soft. A quick walk through the tables reveals the likes of Super High Roller winner Stephen Song, Jeremy Becker, Patrick Leonard, Sam Grafton, and Jonathan Little.

Patrick Leonard

If the PokerStars Live stream had begun today, PokerOrg's Terrance Reid almost certainly would have been sitting at the feature table. Not only did he have a couple of Top 5 stacks at his table, but he was also sitting with Maria Konnikova and 2024 WSOP champion Jonathan Tamayo. You already know how his day ended. Let's go back to how it started.