Finally, after three days of poker, we've reached Day 2 of the 2009 PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour Macau Main Event. Three separate Day 1 flights produced a total of 429 runners. 196 return today to play another eight levels of poker.
The three different days produced a wide disparity of chip counts. On Day 1a, only one player, Brandon Demes, edged over the 100,000-chip mark. Two players managed that feat on Day 1c. Yet on Day 1b there were five -- led by young Norwegian Kristoffer Myhre's 183,400.
We expect that the eight levels today will reduce the field to about 45, just inside the money. If it reaches the end of the eighth level before he bubble bursts you can be sure the tournament organizers will opt to play to the money rather than ask players to return tomorrow on the bubble.
The players are slowly finding their Day 2 seats and unbagging their chips in preparation of a big day on the felt. We expect to still be around ten minutes away from kick off.
The players seems to be a little sleepy this morning, with action (as of yet) hard to find. Over along the rail, the bold, aggressive Chong Wing Cheong has been active at Table 15. After Victor Torres opened for 2,500, Cheong called and the big blind, Ye Wei Wu, also called. They took a flop of . Wu checked to Torres, who fired out 4,000. Cheong quickly raised to 12,000. Wu tanked a long time, his fingers shaking badly, before ultiately folding his hand. Torres quickly followed suit.
Van Binh Pham opened with a raise to 3,600 from the hijack, only to have Phil Lau essentially click it back to 7,500 from the small blind.
Once the big blind passed, Pham announced raise and mulled over amount before settling on 12,000.
Lau quickly pushed all in for over 30,000 and Pham made the call while he was still putting chips into the middle.
Lau:
Pham:
"What the hell is going on here?" commented Hui Chen Kuo who sat there in amazement.
Lau took the lead on the flop and called for no Jack.
When the turn landed the Lau stood up and screamed, "no Queen, Jack or club, no Queen Jack or club!"
No Queen or club would fall, but the would to see Pham make his gutshot straight and send the Hong Kong native to the rail while climbing to 115,000 in chips.
Jonathan Karamalikis opened with a raise to 2,500 from early position before Daniel Aldridge popped it up to 6,800 from the cutoff. Play folded to the short-stacked Hyunshik Yun in the big blind who committed all of his chips. Karamalikis quickly folded and Aldridge called the additional few thousand.
Yun:
Aldridge:
The first four community cards were spread leave Yun to stand, grab his bag and take one step out the door, before the river of dreams landed with the giving Yun the two outer and the miraculous double up to stay alive!