The action continues here in Match 5 of the National Poker Champion showdown in Goa! We’ve seen two players hit the rail already – Goonjan Mall and, surprisingly, the overall points leader Sreekanth Narayan. That leaves just four state champions still grinding it out in this afternoon session.

For these remaining players, the points on offer are absolutely vital. With the exception of Ankit Wadhawan, who sits comfortably near the top of the overall leaderboard, the other three contenders know that a strong finish here could be the difference between making the final six on Day 5 or heading home early. The pressure is definitely building!

Here’s how the stacks shape up as they play on, with the blinds currently at 400/800 and an 800 big blind ante.

Chip Counts
Saahib Bawa – 107,300 (134 BB)
Ankit Wadhawan – 94,900 (119 BB)
Anish Vijayvergiya – 50,900 (64 BB)
Bhanuprakash KC – 41,000 (51 BB)