Main Event
Day 6 Completed
2017 PokerStars Championship Macau
Main Event
Day: 6
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 6
2017 PokerStars Championship Macau
Buy-in
42,400 HKD
Prize Pool
20,796,800 HKD
Entries
536
Level
34
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
50,000
Elliot Smith Wins PokerStars Championship Macau Main Event for HK$2,877,500
![[user270022]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Level 34
: 150,000/300,000, 50,000 ante
In what is undoubtedly one of the longest heads-up battles in poker tournament history, Canadian Elliot Smith defeated Chinese local Tianyuan Tang to claim the title of Main Event Champion of the first-ever PokerStars Championship Macau. Smith takes home a top prize of HK$2,877,500 after a heads-up deal with Tang
"It was just a grueling, grueling battle. We were just at it, back and forth. The lead changed probably ten times, and hat's off to my opponent, he played fantastic." Smith said to Sarah Herring after his big win.
| Place | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elliot Smith | Canada | HK$2,877,500 |
| 2 | Tianyuan Tang | China | HK$2,577,500 |
| 3 | Daniel Laidlaw | Australia | HK$1,724,000 |
| 4 | Avraham Oziel | Canada | HK$1,280,000 |
| 5 | Aymon Hata | UK | HK$950,000 |
| 6 | Yen ‘Pete’ Chen | Taiwan | HK$705,000 |
It took only two hours to reach heads-up play with several of the final six started off relatively short. On the sixth hand of the day, Yen ‘Pete’ Chen open-shoved from late position with pocket tens, running into Tianyuan Tang’s pocket jacks. Chen did spike a ten on the flop but a river jack seen his main event run end in sixth place.
Aymon Hata was the next to depart, running into chip leader Elliot Smith’s pocket kings. Hata had shoved preflop with queen-jack and managed to hit two pair before Smith made his own two pair on the turn and just like that, the Day 4 chip leader was out in fifth.
Canadian Spin & Go qualifier Avraham Oziel was a victim of a sick beat to bust in fourth. A dream spot for the Montreal native turned around very quickly. Oziel got it in preflop with pocket aces against Tang’s pocket sevens but a seven on the flop put the dagger into Oziel’s day.
A few hands after Oziel hit the rail Daniel Laidlaw put his tournament life on the line against Smith. Laidlaw was in great shape to score a double up having ace-ten against Smith king-five. Smith took the lead on the flop, pairing his five but Laidlaw picked up a flush draw. Unfortunately, the Aussie bricked the turn and river and took third place.
Once heads-up play began, the two finalists had the clock paused so they could discuss a deal. An hour later, they returned to the table with an even chop of HK$2,577,500, leaving HK$300,000 and the trophy for the eventual champ.
At around 3 p.m. local time, heads-up play ensued with less than a couple million in chips ever separating them. They traded the chip lead back and forth every few hands with the vast majority of pots being limp-checked preflop.
Over 11 hours after they began their heads-up battle, Smith limped to induce a shove from the shorter-stacked tang, and that's just what happened. Tang shoved and Smith called. Tang had pocket sixes up against Smith's ace-king. Tang smashed the flop hitting a set but there were outs to a chop or Smith could hit running spades for a flush. The turn brought another spade into the mix and another spade on the river gave Smith the title.
Many notables crossed seas, oceans, and thousands of miles of land to take a seat in the first ever PokerStars Championship Macau Main Event. PokerStars Team Pros Chris Moneymaker, Celina Lin, Aditya Agarwal, Randy 'nanonoko' Lew and Bertrand 'Elky' Grospellier made the trip, though none of them made the money.
Some familiar faces to earn the Macau flag on their Hendon Mob page include Fabrice Soulier (9th - HK$386,000), Dong Guo (10th - HK$291,300), Winfred Yu (13th - HK$221,000), David Peters (37th - HK$101,000), and Sofia Lovgren (44th - $101,000).
That is a wrap on PokerNews' coverage of the PokerStars Championship Macau. Up next is the PokerStars Championship Monte Carlo running from April 25-May 5, 2017.
Hand #316: Tianyuan Tang Eliminated in 2nd Place (HK$2,577,500)
Level 34
: 150,000/300,000, 50,000 ante
Elliot Smith limped in and was faced by an all-in jam by Tianyuan Tang. Smith though for just a few seconds before slamming down a stack, making a call to win the championship.
Smith: 
Tang: 
As the crowd gathered, the dealer patted the table and swept out a 
flop. Tang's crowd erupted as the local player hit a set of sixes, almost guaranteed a double up for the chip lead. Almost.
Smith needed running spades to eliminate his opponent. The dealer patted the table again and laid down a 
on the turn. A collective gasp echoed around the table. As more spectators gathered, the dealer tapped the table one more time and dropped the 
on the river, giving Smith a flush and the PokerStars Championship Macau Main Event Title.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
16,115,000 | |
|
Busted |
Hands #314-315: One For Each
Level 34
: 150,000/300,000, 50,000 ante
Hand #314: After the preflop action went limp, check, both players checked the 
flop. The 
landed on the turn and Tianyuan Tang bet 400,000, getting a call from Elliot Smith. The river was the 
and Tang bet 1,000,000. Smith folded.
Hand #315: Another limped pot preflop got to a 
flop. Tang bet 350,000 and Smith called. The turn was the and Smith decided to lead out for 250,000. Tang folded.
Level: 34
Blinds: 150,000/300,000
Ante: 50,000
Another Break
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 25,000 ante
The final two players are now on a 15-minute break.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
11,020,000 | |
|
|
5,950,000 |
Hands #309-313: Smith Builds an Advantage
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 25,000 ante
Hand #309: A limped flop of 
was taken down by Tianyuan Tang when he bet 300,000.
Hand #310: Smith raised to 500,000 and Tang called, seeing a flop of 
. Tang check-called a bet of 350,000, going to the 
on the turn. Tang led out for 800,000 and Smith called. The river was the and Tang bey 1,300,000. Smith called and won the pot with his 
over Tang's 
.
Hand #311: Smith was given a walk.
Hand #312: The limped pot came 
and Tang checked to Smith who bet 250,000. Tang raised to 1,000,000 and won the chips.
Hand #313: Tang raised to 625,000 and Smith called. The dealer swiped 
across the table. They checked to the turn and the river. Smith bet 600,000 and won the hand.
Hands #303-308: All-in Triangle Makes an Appearance
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 25,000 ante
Hand #303: A limped preflop pot was won by Tianyuan Tang with a bet on the flop.
Hand #304: Tang open-shoved and Elliot Smith folded.
Hand #305: Tang raised to 550,000 and Smith called, receiving a flop of 
. Tang bet 600,000 and Smith check-folded.
Hand #306: Smith opened to 500,000, Tang jammed all-in for a little more than 7,000,000 and Smith folded.
Hand #307: Smith got a walk.
Hand #308: Tang got a walk.
Hands #297-302: Tang Pushes Back
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 25,000 ante
Hand #297: Elliot Smith was given a walk.
Hand #298: Smith raised to 500,000 and then folded as Tianyuan Tang shoved all in.
Hand #299: Tang raised to 525,000, getting a call from Smith. But Smith folded to a bet of 500,000 on the 
flop.
Hand #300: Smith raised to 500,000 and Tang three-bet to 1,300,000, winning the chips.
Hand #301: The limped flop was and Smith check-folded to a bet of 300,000.
Hand #302: Another checked flop came 
and Tang check-called a bet of 250,000. The turn was the 
and it checked to the 
river. Tang check-folded to Smith's bet of 500,000.
Hands #291-296: Tang Nears the Danger Zone
Level 33
: 125,000/250,000, 25,000 ante
Hand #291: Tianyuan Tang opened to 700,000 and Elliot Smith folded.
Hand #292: Smith opened to 500,000 and Tang folded.
Hand #293: Tang limped, and then folded when Smith raised to 750,000.
Hand #294: Tang got a walk.
Hand #295: Tang limped and Smith checked. The flop came 
and Smith check-called a bet of 400,000. Both players checked the 
on the turn and the fell on the river. Smith bet 450,000 and tang called. Smith showed 
and won the pot.
Hand #296: Smith limped and tang checked. The dealer gave them a 
flop and Tang led out with a bet of 300,000. Smith called to see the come on the turn. Both players checked getting the on the river. Tang bet 700,000 and Smith folded.