Event #11: US$20,000 8 Handed (US$500,000 GTD) Day 1 | 2025 The Lord Poker Tournament Jeju

05-19-2025 21:25 UTC+9

Mendoza Bad Beats Nielsen

Christian Zetzsche

Level 7 : 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Martin Nielsen opened the action with a raise to 9,000 first to act and James Mendoza called on the button only for Gary Thompson to three-bet big to 40,000 in the small blind with the Q♦9♦. Nielsen only flat-called and Mendoza used a time bank extension and then declared all-in, Thompson folded and Nielsen snap-called for his last 199,000.

Martin Nielsen: A♥A♦ All in
James Mendoza: 8♠8♣

The K♥J♣8♦9♣10♦ board gave Mendoza a set and short deck specialist Nielsen was knocked out with a bad beat story to tell.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Mendoza	579,000 245,000	245,000
Gary Thompson	226,000 38,000	38,000
Martin Nielsen	Busted

Tags: Gary Thompson James Mendoza Martin Nielsen

05-19-2025 21:22 UTC+9

Yu Doubles Through Lee, Who Busts Shortly After

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Dan O'Hair

Level 7 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

In the first hand, Lei Yu was already all in against Calvin Lee on a completed board of 2♠3♥10♣10♠6♥. Lee had the A♥A♦ in front of him, which was no good against the 2♦2♣ of Lee for a set of deuces to award him the double up holding 80,500.

A few hands later, Yisha Chen called in the small blind and Lee shoved for his last 23,000 in the big blind. Chen called and a showdown was held.

Calvin Lee: K♠Q♥ All in
Yisha Chen: 10♣8♣

The 9♥9♠6♥ flop and 4♦ turn were safe for Lee, but the 8♠ river paired Chen's eight to eliminate Lee late in the evening.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yisha Chen	300,000 53,000	53,000
Lei Yu	170,000 70,000	70,000

Calvin Lee	Busted

Tags: Yisha Chen Lei Yu Calvin Lee

05-19-2025 20:17 UTC+9

Chang Ousted by Mendoza in Duel of Shorties

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 6 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Over on the outer table, the two short stacks got their chips into the middle with near even stack sizes.

Nevan Chang: 10♠10♦ All in
James Mendoza: A♠K♥

The A♣8♥6♠ flop instantly vaulted James Mendoza into the lead and Nevan Chang needed to catch a ten or running cards for a straight. One of the possible options came with the Q♠ turn but the 3♦ river brought no help for Chang, who was covered by a mere big blind and change.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Mendoza	170,000 79,000	79,000
Nevan Chang	Busted

Tags: James Mendoza Nevan Chang

05-19-2025 20:10 UTC+9

Gierse Eliminated by Black

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 6 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Over on the outer table, a preflop clicking war unfolded and Taylor Black four-bet to 42,000. Soon after that, the chips went in against Marius Gierse with the latter at risk in the following duel of premium pocket pairs.

Marius Gierse: K♣K♠ All in
Taylor Black: Q♠Q♥

The Q♠J♦8♥ flop improved Black to a set of queens while the 9♥ turn gave Gierse four additional outs to survive. None of them came on the A♣ river and the stacks were briefly counted.

"I have two sixty, you cover," Gierse said and quickly headed out of the tournament area.

Player	Chips	Progress
Taylor Black	640,000 285,000	285,000

Marius Gierse	Busted

Tags: Marius Gierse Taylor Black

05-19-2025 19:21 UTC+9

Barer Eliminated by Mendoza

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Christian Zetzsche

Level 5 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

The action on the previous feature table saw many smaller pots after the dinner break before Nevan Chang three-bet jammed his shorter stack to force out initial raiser Marius Gierse.

Taylor Black then opened to 5,500 and Gierse three-bet to 15,000 only for Black to go over the top and force a fold.

Ami Barer was the next to raise and made it 5,500 to go from the cutoff. James Mendoza three-bet to 15,500 from the big blind and instantly called when Barer jammed for 67,000.

Ami Barer: 9♥9♣ All in
James Mendoza: Q♥Q♣

The A♠Q♦J♦ flop left Barer on the ropes and he let out an "aiyaaaa" while Gierse had a very dry "boring" as response. No miracle came with the 7♥ turn and 2♣ river to send Barer to the rail.

In the meanwhile, Gavin joined the outer table to bring the field up to 20 entries.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gavin	200,000
James Mendoza	189,000 42,000	42,000
Nevan Chang	95,000 28,000	28,000

Ami Barer	Busted

Tags: Ami Barer James Mendoza Marius Gierse Nevan Chang Taylor Black

05-19-2025 17:48 UTC+9

Chen Sends Zhou Packing

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Dan O'Hair

Level 4 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Quan Zhou opened to 5,000 on the button and was three-bet to 17,000 by Yisha Chen in the small blind. Zhou responded with a four-bet to 45,000 and, undeterred, Chen shoved for enough to put Zhou all in for his last 100,000 behind.

Zhou didn't like it and used up a time bank before eventually committing his stack into the middle.

Quan Zhou: 9♦9♣ All in
Yisha Chen: K♠K♥

Zhou found himself in rough shape againast Chen's cowboys, and the 4♦2♠A♦8♥10♣ runout changed nothing — sending Zhou to the rail to reenter if he should choose.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yisha Chen	320,000 137,000	137,000
Quan Zhou	Busted

Tags: Quan Zhou Yisha Chen

05-19-2025 16:32 UTC+9

Yu Straightens Mao Out

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Dan O'Hair

Level 2 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Lei Yu opened to 2,500 from early position and was three-bet to 11,000 by Renji Mao in the small blind. Yu called.

Yu called a 12,000 bet from Mao on the 5♣4♠8♥ flop and then bet 31,000 after being checked to on the 10♦ turn. Mao called.

Mao checked a final time on the 7♠ river and Yu burned up a time bank before announcing he was all in, which was enough to put Mao all in for 140,000.

Mao threw all his time banks into the middle, clearly pained over the decision, but he eventually stuck in a call.

Yu turned over J♠9♠ for a rivered straight and Mao showed he held J♣J♦ before exiting the tournament area.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lei Yu	450,000 250,000	250,000

Renji Mao	Busted

Tags: Lei Yu Renji Mao

05-19-2025 15:19 UTC+9

Zhang Busts to Song; Immediately Reenters

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Dan O'Hair

Level 1 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Stephen Song and Ivan Zhang were heads-up with a substantial pot already in the middle on a board of 6♦8♣J♣7♠.

Song checked from the hijack to Zhang, who announced he was all in for approximately 150,000 on the button.

"I mean, alright," Song said as he committed his stack into the middle, having Zhang slightly covered.

Ivan Zhang: Q♦8♦ All in
Stephen Song: A♦A♠

"Eight! Queen" Zhang shouted.

Instead, the dealer brought a 2♣ on river — bricking out for Zhang and awarded Song the massive pot with his aces.

Zhang immediately reentered following his elimination.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stephen Song	420,000 195,000	195,000

Ivan Zhang	200,000 2,000	2,000

Tags: Ivan Zhang Stephen Song