We’ve reached the first break of the day in Match 3 action at the National Poker Champion showdown in Goa! We’ve played through the first four levels of this bounty contest, and the five remaining players are stepping away for a short break.

The opening stretch saw Rajasthan’s Anish Vijayvergiya become the first player eliminated, hitting the sidelines in 6th place (-5 points), with Goonjan Mall collecting those bounty points. Since then, the remaining five state champions have been feeling each other out, with chips starting to move around as the first session unfolded.

For those following the stats and wanting a deeper look at the early play style, the VPIP (Voluntarily Put Money in Pot) and PFR (Pre-Flop Raise) numbers give a little insight into who’s been getting involved and who’s been applying the early pressure:

Remember, every knockout today earns 15 bonus points, so expect the dynamics to keep shifting. The players will be back shortly to continue the fight. Stay close as PokerGuru brings you all the updates and big hands!