It’s our own Tiffany Michelle flying high with 3.4 million in chips!! Tiffany experienced small bumps here and there but for the most part played all of day five beautifully. An unfortunate suck and re-suck on a hand with Marc Podell sent Marc home, but added another 500,000 chips to Tiffany’s stack putting her in the elite three million in chips trio with Mark Ketteringham and Nikolay Losev. As day five entered into the last level of the evening, five more players would push their stacks over the three million mark, two others would push over four million and the chip leader, Mark Ketteringham, now sits atop the mountain with 5.8 million in chips. Tiffany begins day six with 3,438,000 chips.

Still alive at the end of day five is Lisa Parsons. Lisa began her day with 348,000 chips and played with no fear doubling up early thru Keith Ferrera. Lisa worked hard at keeping her momentum going and taking a couple of hits to her stack along the way. In one of the last hands of the evening, Lisa was forced to muck her hand at the river, taking her stack down to about 500,000. Lisa’s determination has carried her through day five to end with 581,000 in chips.

First, to fall of the five women who started day five was Karen Manfrede from Santa Monica California. Karen started the day with 195,000 chips. Although she never really gained any ground, Karen played a good game making it to day five when over 6000 other players fell much earlier. Karen finishes her 2008 WSOP Main Event in 139th for $41,816. Great job Karen!!

Second to end her run at the main event was Minna Ritakorpi from Vantaa Findland. Minna began her day five with 257,000 chips. Gaining some ground when her pocket 8’s doubled thru Jeff Kimber’s AK that never connected, she moved up to 450,000. Still looking to break the half million mark, Minna was able to chip up to her highest count around 570,000. Her demise would come later on when she and Michael Carroll would mix it up in a hand that would give her a straight on the turn card and her opponent a set of 5’s. The trouble came on the river when a 6 paired the board giving Carroll a full house. Minna finishes in 136th for $41,816.

Third woman to succumb to a big stack was Kara Scott from Brighton England. Kara started her fifth day with 247,000 chips. Kara played a tight game and managed to chip up as high as 460,000 chips. Her game ended with Phi Nguyen’s A/10 against Kara’s K/Q. Kara finished a very impressive 104th place for $41,816. Congratulations Kara!

Follow Tiffany and Lisa’s action on PokerNews at noon today to see if WSOP history will be made!

As the remaining ladies fell one by one, at the end of the day we find five of the best poker players in this years main event still standing.

Tiffany Michelle will start day five with 909,000 in chips. I can’t help but wonder exactly where Tiffany’s real chip count would be right now had she not taken a huge bad beat on day two from Tony Antonius from Florida. Crippled down to 8000 in chips, this young lady battled her way back to show everyone she has what it takes to stay with the Big Boys. Tiffany hails from Los Angeles California. This 2008 main event marks her first in what I am sure will be many to come.

Lisa Parsons will begin her day five with 348,000 in chips. Lisa spent a great part of the day playing at one of the feature tables that in itself is added pressure. She held up well and will to do battle once again today. Lisa cashed last year in the WSOP Ladies event, finishing in 33rd place for over $3000. She also has a cash to her credit in another ladies event at the Borgata Poker Open.

Minna Ritakorpi from Vantaa Finland will be stacking 257,000 chips in front of her for the start of day five. At one time during day four, Minna had over 600,000 in front of her; do not count her out just yet. She is a fierce player and had the boys scattered at her table yesterday. Minna has one cash to her credit from the Midnight Sun Poker Festival in Helsinki where she took seventh place.

Kara Scott comes to us from Brighton England. She will begin day five with 247,000 chips. Kara built her stack slowly and deliberately. I was impressed with her solid play and skill to manipulate her opponents. Kara has a first place finish in the Party Poker Sports Star Challenge last February among several other cashes. She has some ground to make up on day five, but I have no doubt she can take on this challenge with the spirit of a winner.

Karen Manfrede from Santa Monica California, begins day five with 195,000 chips. Karen has worked very hard every day of the main event carefully choosing her spots to make her moves. Although she is the lowest chip count of the remaining women, she still has some room to maneuver if she gets into position and catches some hands. Karen has proven talents as her poker resume shows a finish in this years $1500 No Limit event where she cashed in 17th place for over $21,000. She also has two other cashes from past WSOP events as well as finishes in the LA Poker Classic.

Over all, it appears the women have been represented quite well in this years WSOP main event. I am proud of these women who have made it to day five, as well as those who were able to make it to the money.

Stay with PokerNews today for what will truly be an exciting day of poker and dare I say, to watch one of these women go all the way to the final table!

Chau just came over to the reporters table to tell me she pushed in about 80,000 with A/10 into an unopened pot, it folded around to Kido Pham who woke up with pocket Aces. Chau was not too disappointed, she said, "I was too low to waste too much more time. We're in the money and I'm okay with it."

Chau collects $32,166 for her efforts at this years main event.

We picked up the action on the flop of 2c/2s/8d..Evelyn bet 33,000 to which her opponent re-raised another 40,000, after Evelyn thought for a very long time she re-raised another 68,000 to which her opponent pushed all in for 74,000 more. Evelyn called, as she was pot committed beyond any turning back. She flipped over pocket 6's to her opponents pocket Kings. The turn brought a 5x and the river a 7x. Evelyn has been severely crippled after this hand. Evelyn now sits with 170,000.

 

Carmel Petresco just changed tables and played her first hand with KJ against AK. The AK held and Carmel headed for the cashier.

Veronica Dabul - 140,000
Minna Ritakorpi - 440,000
Tiffany Michelle - 280,000
Alana Morin - 620,000
Karen Manfrede - 160,000
Kara Scott - 238,000
Chau Do - 148,000

Jolyne Thompson finished 402nd for $28,950
Maya Gellar-Antonius collects $32,166

Just when we're about to go to the break, Joanne Monteavaro finds a hand she thinks is best for her last 7,500 in chips. She gets two callers, which isnt all that bad for a chance to triple up. The board read 8h/3h/3d/Ks/6h. Joanne turns over J/4, but the winning hand is A/10.

Joanne Monteavaro finishes 354th and collects $28,950 for her main event.

The first hour has been ALL-IN and CALL! every two or three minutes! The action and excitement is so thick you can cut it with a knife! Lisa Parsons had a big decision to make after she got her money in with a board of 2d/Ks/Js/4d/Qd....her opponent bet enough to put her the rest of the way in. Going into the tank to think out the hand she determines that she has the best hand and calls. Her opponent turns over a bluff and she jumps out of her chair tabling K/8 for a pair. That doubles Lisa up to about 450,000.

 

Kara Scott moved her stack of 118,000 into the middle with pocket Kings to get called by A/Q off suit. The board was getting scarey when the flop came down 8s/Kh/As...turn Qc...river 6d. Kara's set of Kings held up and she doubles up to 236,000.

 

The women are turning in on!! In only 30 minutes into Day Four we have the women moving in and doubling up!
Next to double thru is Joanne Montavaro with Kh/Qd against her opponents Ac/5c. The flop comes down 7h/8h/6h...turn 4s and river hit the QUEEN! Joanne doubles thru and stacks about 100,000 now!