Edward Sabat has picked up another pot. Like many of the pots played at this final table so far, the pot was small and the hand played cautiously by all parties. After Diwei Huang limped in on the button, Charles Chua completed the small blind and Sabat checked his option. On a flop of , action checked to Huang, who made it 15,000 to go. Only Sabat called.
Both players checked the turn. When the river came , Sabat led out for 48,000. Huang gave it some thought but folded his hand.
Kuok Wai Will Cheong opened with a raise to 35,000 from under the gun before Edward Sabat made it 92,000 to go from the small blind. Tian Chen folded from the big blind and Cheong made the call.
They saw a flop of and Sabat led out with a small bet of 61,000. Cheong quickly laid down his hand and Sabat collected the pot to move up to over 1 million in chips for the first time to claim the chip lead!
Edward Sabat has won his third pot in a row. He called a raise to 35,000 from Javed Abrahams, who has seemed to play the tightest at this final table and the most cautiously. On a flop of , Abrahams checked and then folded when Sabat bet 15,000.
Every time Sabat gets involved in a pot, he pulls the sleeve of his shirt down over his hand and covers his mouth with it. After winning this pot, he went out to the gallery for a quick chat with James Honeybone.
Edward Sabat limped in from the hijack position, before Jeppe Drivsholm raised it up an additional 40,000 from the small blind. Mikael Rosen folded his big blind and Sabat called quickly.
The flop came and both players checked. The hit the turn and Drivsholm led out for 65,000. Sabat reached for chips and made the call.
The river was the and Drivsholm quickly checked to Sabat who fired out a bet of 60,000. Drivsholm shuffled his chips in his hands before calling. Sabat insta-mucked his cards conceding the pot to Drivsholm without a showdown!
Diwei Huang was the first player to get things started by raising from under the gun to 35,000. Action folded to Kuok Wai Will Cheong, who has been very quiet so far this afternoon. Cheong has picked his spots very carefully and decided this was a good one for a reraise to 100,000. Huang tanked for a minute before making the call.
The flop was as dry and ragged as could be, coming . Huang checked it over to Cheong, who wasted no time in moving all in for 159,000. Huang didn't think long before folding, drawing cheers from a few of the Macanese Cheong's supporters in the gallery and in the balcony over the tournament area.
Eric Assadourian has taken a seat in the audience to watch some of the final table action and was recently joined by David Steicke. Both played this event; Assadourian was an early casualty but Steicke bubbled the final table, finishing in 10th place.
Of course both players are familiar with this final table set, having reached the final table of the APPT High Rollers event last year with Steicke finishing third and Assadourian taking down the title. They will be keen for a repeat when they return to the Grand Waldo Casino tomorrow for the opening day of this year's APPT High Roller Event.
We haven't had too many showdowns today. Even when a hand has gone to showdown, it hasn't always resulted in cards being revealed. This time, however, at least one hand was opened in an unraised pot between Javed Abrahams and Diwei Huang. Huang led out for 35,000 on a flop of . Abrahams made the call.
When the turn fell , Huang again bet 35,000. Abrahams thought a bit longer before again making the call. The river was a seeming blank, the . Huang led out for 55,000 and after about 20 seconds, Abrahams made the call. Huang showed for two pair, queens and fives, and the winning hand.
Tian Chen limped in from under the gun and four others called along to see our first multi-way flop.
The flop landed and the action checked to Chen who fired 40,000. Diwei Huang and Edward Sabat made the call.
The turn brought the and Sabat led out with a strange feeler bet of 20,000. Chen called before Huang then raised it up to 120,000. Sabat made the call and Chen stepped aside.
The fell on the river and Sabat tossed out a minimum bet of 16,000. Huang announced another raise, making it a healthy 250,000 to go. Sabat stood from his chair, cut down his chips and tanked for several minutes before making a hesitant call.
Huang revealed for the rivered straight as Sabat cringed with his . Huang takes down the biggest pot of the final table to jump to around 1.3 million as Sabat goes for a walk.