Eric Blair is currently leading the North American Poker Tour tournament from Sam Stein and World Series of Poker bracelet winners Blair Hinkle and John Cernuto.

Day four of the Venetian North American Poker Tour event will begin with just 24 players left in the hunt for the top prize.

Eric Blair is the current chip leader in the tournament after Sam Stein took a huge pile of chips from day two leader Andrew Lichtenberger in the largest hand of the tournament so far.

Lichtenberger had dropped into the mid-ranks during the day but found himself working his way back into the top five towards the close of play.

However, he had not counted on the presence of Stein to take a large chunk out of his chips.

Lichtenberger had seemed in control of the hand and raised with each card turned, but Stein stuck with him and went all in. Stein won the hand after Lichtenberger called.

Stein now lies behind Blair in second spot, ahead of Steve Billirakis, David Miscikowski and Tom Marchese, who make up the rest of the top five.

Blair holds $3.7 million of chips with Stein slightly behind on $3.4 million.

However, it is far from a two-horse race with World Series of Poker bracelet winners Blair Hinkle and John Cernuto, who has earned more than $1.5 million from poker, still in the chasing pack.