Live updates from Westside Sports Bar & Grill in Mandan, ND for the North Dakota Championship where the top 5 players each earned a seat in the 2008 WSOP!

WE HAVE OUR 5 WINNERS!

Ron Johnson - Dewey's, Kindred

Sean Egstad - The Bowler, Fargo

Preston Sweeney - The Work Zone, West Fargo

Dean Leingang - Silver Dollar, Mandan

Lonnie Schwarz - Bismarck VFW 

12:00am  ART ZIEMANN BUSTS ON THE BUBBLE

Art Ziemann, who came oh so close in the DPL championship in '06, placing runner up and missing out on a seat to the play in the WSOP main event, has bubbled again this time around, placing 6th and missing out on yet another golden opportunity. 

Art's nemesis this time around was Sean Engstad.  In the defining hand of the tournament, both players flopped top pair, with Art being outkicked.  Art was crippled.  He did survive an forced all-in out of the big blind, but lost in the next hand and that ended the tournament.

We can't help but feel bad for Art.  He was the hometown player and had a nice crowd rooting him on but came up short in the end. 

11:20pm OMG WHAT A BLUFF

Sean Egstad doubled up Dean Leingang after getting called on the river.  Dean made the 2nd nut flush on the turn and went into the tank after Sean moved all in on the river on a stone cold bluff...Sean announced he had the nut flush but Dean did not believe him and made the call.  He is now the overwhelming chip leader...

A huge crowd had gathered around the final table to see the hand play out.  The tension was intense! 

10:50pm  GRINDING IT OUT ON THE FINAL TABLE

Cameron Wiegel and Josh Nelson busted 12th and 11th place respectively to get down to the final table of 10 players. 

After a 20 minute break, the final table players got a rousing introduction.

Tim Larson busted first, to Sean Engstad.  Sean is the chip leader with over 300k.  Ryan Olson busted in 9th.  We are now three players away from the final 5...

9:00pm 2 TABLES - 12 PLAYERS

Here's the final 12 players in short-handed play:

Ron Johnson - Dewey's, Kindred

Rick Stine - Speedway, West Fargo

Art Ziemann - Westside Sports Bar & Grill, Mandan

Ryan Olson - Lariat Lounge, Wishek

Tim Larson - M & J Saloon, West Fargo

Amy Smittle - Liquid Assets, Dickinson

Sean Egstad - The Bowler, Fargo

Preston Sweeney - Work Zone, West Fargo

Cameron Wiegel - Liquid Assets, Dickinson

Josh Nelson - M & J, West Fargo

Lonnie Schwarz - Bismarck VFW

Dean Leingang - Silver Dollar, Mandan 

7:30pm  HUGE HAND ALERT!!!!

Sean Egstad is having one hell of a day...He's been playing lots of hands and running good (to the irritation of some of his opponents) and in the pot of the day (so far), he nailed a flush draw in a 3-way pot to bust Collin Cominghay and Kane Souther.  175k pot!

Kane had flopped top 2 pair and got all his chips in on the flop.  Sean moved all in with the nut flush draw and one overcard, and nailed the flush on the river as a huge crowd gathered to hear Mitch's call of the hand...

And on another table, Art Ziemann busted Grace Hugelen (pictured right) from Rendezvous Lounge to build a monster stack...

6:50pm  JUSTIN MCNICHOLAS BUSTS

Tim Larson became the new chip leader before losing a 40k pot to Art Ziemann.  Larson had flopped a set of sixes, but Art made a straight on the river and got paid off.  

The action is heating up, but Mitch as usual is keeping the mood light.  He's famous for his quick one-liners, I overheard him say, "There's 35 players left, 5 of you are going home winners, 30 of you are going home pissed!"

Shortly thereafter, Mitch announced a hand between Collin Cominghay and Justin McNicholas.  Justin lost his tournament in a 75k pot holding pocket Queens vs. Collin's AK.  Collin won the race and Mitch proclaimed, "From the Penthouse to the outhouse!"  

6:30pm DINNER BREAK

Here are the current chip leaders with 42 players left.

Ryan Olson - Lariat Lounge, Wishek 75k

Sean Egstad - Bowler, Fargo 65k

Brian Hensley - Lonesome Dove, Mandan 56k

Amy Smittle - Liquid Assets, Dickinson 56k

Cameron Wiegel - Liquid Assets, Dickinson 54k

Two Liquid Assets players are among the overall chip leaders.  Dickinson players have run well in past championship tournaments. 

4:45pm

Chris Koon, Barry Traub, Scott Eckert, Ron Olson, and Dale Raaum are among players who have busted out. 

2:30pm FIRST BREAK

We've made it to the first break.  Players started with 10,000 in chips and the green 25's are now coming off. 

Here are some of the early chip leaders:

Justin McNicholas - Dempsey's, Fargo 39k

Nick Johnson - South Gate, Grand Forks 27k

Ryan Hensky - Lonesome Dove, Mandan 22k 

Scott Eckert - Old Broadway, Fargo 21k

1:45pm UPDATE

We're about to go to the first break.  We have lost about 5 players.  The first player to bust was Ernie Brookings to Jerry Walth from the Lariat Lounge in Wishek.   

12:30pm TOURNAMENT UNDERWAY!

The tournament started on at noon sharp with Mitch Schock getting the players fired up to play poker!  Mitch Schock has a chuckle with Galen Brown after he wins a showdown pot