The start of Day 6 of the 2012 World Series of Poker Main Event took center stage this week as part of ESPN‘s coverage of the $10,000 buy-in tournament. On Tuesday night, 97 players remained, with ESPN poker commentator Lon McEachern sharing what could be the best strategy at this point in the game: “The best game plan might be no game plan at all.” Five women were still standing and Kyle Keranen (pictured) was the chip leader.

Vanessa Selbst shed chips early, calling for 80% of her stack with A-J pre-flop against PokerStarsGame Security Manager David Balkin, who had pocket fours. Balkin hit top set on the flop and never looked back, crippling one of only two women with multiple WSOP bracelets in open events.

Selbst later picked up pocket kings and moved all-in pre-flop, but found no takers. The next hand, she was all-in with a far inferior Q-7 and, this time, Greg Merson knocked her out with A-8 of clubs by making a straight on the river. Remember, at one point in the Main Event, Merson held just three big blinds.

Another pro hitting the rail was former Full Tilt Poker endorser Gavin Smith, who lost a race with A-Q against jacks for his last 13 big blinds. Then, WSOP Circuit gold ring winner A.J. Jejelowo moved all-in on a board of 4-9-7-Q with 10-8 for a straight draw and doubled after hitting an eight-outer on the river.

PocketFives staple David GhettoFabolousRandall (pictured) went busto after Germany pokercommunity member Jan Heitmann flopped a pair of aces. The Main Event marked Randall’s fifth cash of the 2012 WSOP.

Jeremy Ausmuscontinued his assault up the leaderboard by scooping a pot worth 3.1 million in chips, or 50% more than the average stack, with A-J against Keranen’s K-J. Ausmus hit aces-up in the critical hand. Also flying high was France’s Gaelle Baumann, who continued to hit the deck hard after coming out on the winning end of a coin flip against Stephane FouTight Bisson, who was knocked out.

Jejelowo fell from grace after bluffing all-in on a board of 9-8-3-9 with A-7. Amit amak316 Makhija, who had bet 500,000 prior to the all-in shove, called all-in with pocket kings and doubled. Jejelowo dropped two-thirds of his stack in the process and was later eliminated after his pocket threes could not trump Big Slick.

Elsewhere in the cavernous Amazon Room, former WSOP November Niner Eric Buchman moved all-in for 1.6 million with tens and Jason JCarverSomerville (pictured) called for his tournament life with pocket nines. Somerville hit one of the two remaining nines in the deck on the flop and doubled up. You might recall that Somerville hit a two-outer in a similar spot with pocket queens to make Day 5. Buchman was later eliminated at the hands of Elisabeth Hille as part of a double TKO.

To open the second one-hour episode on ESPN, Leo Superfluous ManWolpet, who hails from Virginia, drew out on A-K with A-Q of diamonds after hitting a flush on the river. Not as fortunate was Somerville, who, despite his newfound chips, was axed with queens against the K-10 of Jacob Balsiger.

The last remaining former November Niner in the room, Sam SamDMND Holden (pictured), doubled up with pocket jacks against A-Q after ducking a flush draw and two overcards on the river. Shortly thereafter, the Brit hit a boat with queens against A-10 and doubled up once more.

Meanwhile, Daniel Deoxyribo Strelitz doubled his stack with kings against A-K to become the new chip leader of the 2012 WSOP Main Event at 6.8 million.

In a highly talked about hand, David “ODB” Baker put in a check-raise with 10-9 for just 10-high on a board of 2-6-K-3 with two spades. Erik Hellman, who held 10-8 of spades for 10-high and a flush draw, called and the river was a red ace. Baker bet 750,000 with 10-high with a nine kicker and, amazingly, Hellman shoved all-in for 1.8 million for 10-high with an eight kicker. Baker mucked his cards and Hellman proudly showed his busted flush draw.

The hand prompted ESPN poker commentator Norman Chad to remark, “Another squadoosh classic where a guy with a ‘0%’ next to his name is dragging a big pot.”

Next Tuesday, the action begins on Tuesday at 9:30pm ET on ESPN with more coverage of Day 6.