There was a way of momentum to Daniel Negreanu's progress today. Unlike that of Joe McKeehen, who seems unstoppable. Instead Negreanu looks and plays like a person who doesn't need probably the most chips, he just needs enough.

Shortly before the dinner break those watching found themselves wondering whether he did have enough. In the course of the space of a degree he'd dropped from greater than 10 million to lower than six. Then a hand against McKeehen, who would show kings to an agonised Negreanu, sent him right into a tough spot.

With 12 big blinds the Thunder Dome, that where Negreanu has played for the past few days, went quiet, looking forward to the inevitable shove from the Team Pro. They did not need to wait long.

It came moments later, again against McKeehen, the one player with enough chips to name his all-in with no moment's thought.

So with 2.8 million Negreanu shoved with pocket fours, which McKeehen called with ace-seven off-suit. Negreanu knew this was it, the group new this was it, but we wanted the board to make a decision for certain. Would this be the tip of his Main Event?

In what was one of the memorable poker moments I WILL BE ABLE TO remember for some time. Everyone at the stage waited. It's pointless to indicate it's anything but a partisan crowd, they usually all wanted the similar outcome. Nothing personal Joe, however the audience had come to look Negreanu, and so they didn't' wish to see him leave.

"Four!"

The flop came ten-nine--three with two spades. After an agonising wait the turn was a jack, which gave McKeehen four more cards with which to bust the house town hero. He waited, the group waited, we waited, all eyes at the dealer, who burned a card and dealt a king at the river.

The crowd erupted in cheers. Negreanu raised his arms aloft. How could even the most efficient players on the earth be expected to stay calm at a moment like this? Suddenly, wiping the invisible sweat from his brow, he was off the critical list, for now no less than. The blinds now go up, and Negreanu is on no account out of danger.

But he has chips, and thus far this week that's all that's mattered.

Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

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