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The second day of action at the first-ever Epic Poker League Main Event has come to a conclusion and noted high stakes pro Sam Trickett is currently leading the pack with just over one million chips. A field of 63 competitors was whittled down to just 18, all of whom are now guaranteed points that will be counted after the end of the season to determine who gets invited to the $1 million EPL freeroll, scheduled for February 2012.

A number of fan-favorites were eliminated from the competition shortly after play resumed for the day, including Justin Young, John Racener, Shannon Shorr, Dan Shak, Phil Laak, Sorel Mizzi, Dwyte Pilgrim, Dan Alael, Mike Sexton, Vanessa Selbst and Antonio Esfandiari.

Sam Trickett, a British poker player with just under $4.7 million in career tournament winnings, emerged as the clear leader following over a dozen levels of play. The final 18 have already agreed on a deal in which over $17k will be taken from the second-place prize and given to the top finisher, raising the tournament’s grand prize to an even $1 million.

Later in the day, Tom Marchese and WSOP November Niner Ben Lamb received their eliminations. Brian Rast took one of the day’s worst bad beats when his K-9 suited fell to Jason Mercier’s 4-4. Matt Graham had the misfortune of getting knocked out just before the money bubble broke when Chino Rheem scored a nut flush to defeat Graham’s pair of jacks.

Aside from Trickett, the final 18 includes famous poker pros such as Isaac Baron, in third place with 637k chips, and Erik Seidel, in fourth with 609k. Adam Levy trails closely in fifth with 587k. Players including Justin Bonomo, Huck Seed, Brandon Meyers, Eugene Katchalov and Matthew Glantz remain as well.