by Simon Young

After more than four days solid, stressful and top-class poker, the end can be so abrupt you hardly know what hit you.

So it was for PokerStars qualifier Ryan Lawrence today. He had travelled here from Lethbridge in Canada more than a week ago as one of more than 6,000 hopefuls dreaming of taking down the $8,250,000 first prize - or at the very least pocketing a decent cash.

Ryan Lawrence: out of the Main Event
Ryan not only cashed, but he cashed big, finishing in 66th place for a mouth-watering $130,288. What's more his end could be considered unfortunate. Against a serial raiser, he re-pushed with his K-Q suited in hearts, a pretty hand with plenty of possibilities. Unhappily for him, this time he was walking right into the eye of a storm in the form of K-K.

The board of 6-6-10-8-A, without the required smattering of hearts, failed to help, and Ryan was left to head home with some tremendous experiences to add to his game.

Better news for Hevad "RaiNKhaN" Khan, the PokerStars Supernova who has been taking this tournament by the scruff of the neck since it began. He was up there as one of the chip leaders from the off, which is decent enough. But to be there towards the end of Day 5 is something else.

As I write, he is on 4,385,000 chips, well above the 2.5 million average, and in the top five overall. His latest coup was to bust Naseem Salem, who moved all in for his last 210,000 from under the gun holding A-10 but ran into Khan's A-K.

Meanwhile PokerStars' Rep Porter is up to 3,800,000 after doubling up through Lee Watkinson. On a board showing Qc-6h-4h-Ah, Watkinson bet out 400,000 from the small blind and Porter moved all in for 1,650,000. Watkinson called, showing 6-6 for the flopped set, but no match for Porter's 10-8 hearts for the flush.