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From this point until the end of the 2011 WSOP Main Event, we’re going to change it up a bit and profile some of the current chip leaders and contenders as we approach the November Nine.

Today we are going to look at the two of the current chip leaders going into the last level of Day 4.

Can Barnhart become the first National and World Champion?

Sam Barnhart Looks to Become First National and World Champion

Sam Barnhart came out of virtually nowhere in February to take down the Main Event of the WSOP Circuit stop in Tunica, MS.

As a result, he won a seat into the National Championship freeroll prior to the 2011 WSOP at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Barnhart made the final table of the event and proceeded to take down the event to win the National Championship and his first WSOP bracelet.

The 50 year-old software analyst from Little Rock, AR came into Day 4 play with a solid stack of 469,500. He then got into a huge pot with Day 3 chip leader Patrick Poirier and doubled up through him when his A-K hit two pair on the flop.

After the pot, he moved up over 1 million and chips and then proceeded to chip up to his present stack of 1.95 million. Barnhart’s play is considered unorthodox and with his style, he is just as likely to bust out on Day 5 as he is to make the November Nine.

Barnhart currently sits second in chips but only about 7k behind the chip lead.

Former FTOPS Main Event Champ Looking to Take Main Event Title

Daryl Jace is an online poker pro who is familiar with big pressure situations.

Jace has performed well in every significant major “Main Event” in live and online poker. Jace took down the FTOPS VI Main Event in 2007 for $385,937 and also finished 5th in the WCOOP Main Event in 2005.

In addition, he finished in the money in the 2009 WSOP Main Event where he finished in 196th place.

Jace moved up into chip contention on Day 3 in a huge hand where his pocket deuces outflopped the pocket kings of Billy Paradiso.

He worked his way up to 1.28 million in chips and finished Day 3 in second place. On Day 4, Jace chipped up to 1.5 million somewhat quickly before taking a hit against Joseph Cheong.

He was able to bounce back to move up to 1.7 million and currently sits in 3rd place in chips.

Come back tomorrow as we will bring you two more notable players to keep an eye on as the Main Event works its way towards the November Nine final table.

For daily recaps of all the action at the 2011 World Series of Poker, check our WSOP news section.