We're experiencing a heatwave in Adelaide today with the temperature soaring to 43 degrees celsius. Walking outside the casino means keeping to the shade and trying to stay out of the hot spots. It is the same inside the casino with the tension mounting as the short stacks try and stay in the shade and out of the way of the chip leaders.

PokerStars sponsored players Tony Hachem and Emad Tahtouh got off to good starts. Hachem doubled up early when his Ad-9d made a flush against an opponent holding Ah-Kc. Earlier today Hachem began preparing for the day during breakfast with Bruno Potaro and Steve Topakis, who challenged Hachem to complete 100 push ups. Unfortunately he only made it to 80 before he broke down into laughter. He seems just as light hearted now, sitting with plenty of chips with which to take a tilt at the title.

Tahtouh's double up put a smile on his face for the first time this year, when he made a straight on flop against his opponent's two pair. Shortly after Tahtouh was moved to his good friend Joe Hachem's table - which they believe to be the first time they have played together on the same tournament table. They also have the inimitable Billy the Croc at their table so action should be fast and furious.

One of the great survival stories from yesterday was Melbourne player Bruno Potaro. Seated at the same table as PokerStars sponsored players Ray Sukkar and Aussie Millions fourth place finisher Chris Chronis, Potaro found himself short stacked. For three hours his stack moved between 2,000 and 8,000 chips until late in the day when he managed to make a late charge. By the start of play today he had 77,000 and is in a good position to make the money.

Sukkar and Potaro stayed at the same table for the whole of day 1B. But unfortunately the short-stacked Sukkar was one of the early departures this morning and Chris Chronis was eliminated late on the first day.