In other competitive pursuits the predictability of the result can lessen the joy of watching it transpire. Bring to mind the soccer team unrivalled in its division (to the neutral fan at least), or the tennis player unbeatable year on year. It remains a remarkable achievement, but as a spectacle it isn't as great because the shock win, or the unlikely success story. 

Weirdly poker doesn't have that. Consistent winners delight as opposed to disappoint. 

So when Daniel Negreanu goes on yet one more deep run, as he did within the early hours of this morning, it's tantalising, not tedious. 

Kid Poker is likely one of the last 13 of the $50,000 Poker Players Championship on the World Series in Las Vegas. 

If you're unfamiliar with this event, it's some of the prestigious of the Series. It features round after round of various poker variants, a skill level which, at the side of that price tag, ensures only the supremely gifted (or the supremely deluded) ever consider a tilt at its title. 

It typically ends up in an all-star line-up, and this year was no exception.

Leading presently is Justin Bonomo, hotly pursued by the likes of Michael Mizrachi, Brian Rast, and Paul Volpe. For his part Negreanu has work to do from his spot in 12th place. But if has that ever been much of an issue before? After all, Negreanu gave the look to be enjoying himself. 

Play restarts at 2pm (PST) Tuesday, with a last table of six in place around this time tomorrow. 

With every week to move until the principle Event begins, an increasing number of players are arriving in Las Vegas in preparation. What better method to acclimatise to the usually harsh Rio conditions than with a deep run in a WSOP event? That seems to has been the plan all along for Team Pro Fatima Moreira de Melo. 

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In the everyday style that earned her the reputation of a bulldog an international, Olympic-gold-medal-winning hockey player, she took Event #58 by the neck, and currently sits in ninth position from a field once 1,397 strong and now reduced to an insignificant 28 players. 

Moreira de Melo has history on the WSOP. She has seven cashes to her name, opened up during the last six years, but never has she gone so far as last night. There is a first prize of $221,000 to the winner, let alone a winner's bracelet. There could be a unique roughly gold glinting within the Moreira de Melo trophy cabinet by the tip of this week.

WSOP Photos by PokerPhotoArchive.com

Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

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