Welcome to Day 2 of the Card Player Poker Tour (CPPT) World Cup of Cards. Just 43 players will return to the felt when cards hit the air at noon local time inside Playground Poker Club. World Series of Poker bracelet winner Michael Malm has a sizeable lead over the remaining field.
Along with his WSOP bracelet, Malm also captured a World Cup of Cards (WCC) title back in 2016. Malm starts the day with 414,500, miles ahead of Blake Tarbell (274,500) who will start the day second in chips.
Also topping the leaderboard are Jonathan Marrie (267,000), Jake Labonte (248,000), Jiachen Gong (226,000), who also won a 2016 WCC title, and Gregory Hartwick (221,500).
The defending champion remains in contention. Brady Hinnegan (42,500) topped a field of over 350 players in 2016 to claim a $110,000 first place prize. Other former WCC title winners returning for Day 2 include William Blais (169,000), Andrew Watt (111,000), David-Valcourt Dube (57,000), and Nathan Hall (48,000).
The top 24 places will walk away with a prize today. All of them will be guaranteed $3,600 with the Champion's trophy and a top prize of $98,000 awaiting the eventual winner.
Day 2 is scheduled to play nine 60-minute levels though that number could be extended or reduced depending on the outcome of the early stages. With just 43 players left, a champion could very well be crowned late Sunday evening.
PokerNews will be here throughout the festival, bringing you all the news and updates. Follow @pokernews on Twitter for live updates and more. Also, follow PokerNews on Facebook and Instagram.
On a board reading , with 100,000 in the pot already, Patrick Braga was in middle position and got his last 100,000 chips in, quickly called by Jonathan Cohen on the button.
Braga was the player at risk but locked up the pot with the nut flush, tabling . Cohen revealed for an inferior flush and was drawing dead to the on the river.
Braga doubled while Cohen dropped down to 130,000.
Matthew Paplyk was in middle position and put in a dramatic raise to 45,000. Jonathan Marrie was in the cutoff and three-bet to 100,000. Action came back around to Paplyk and he moved all-in for 110,000 total. Marrie called.
Matthew Paplyk:
Jonathan Marrie:
Paplyk was miles ahead and was the player at risk. Unfortunately for him, the dealer fanned the flop of to give Marrie a set of queens right in the window. The turn was the and Paplyk yelled "King!" but the hit the river and he was sent to the rail.
Paplyk took it like a champ and said "Nice hand. We were getting it in no matter what" as he left the tournament area.
On the flop of a board, Sam Chartier bet 12,000 and called a check-raise from Douglas Watson of 40,000.
The fell on the turn and Watson bet 50,000. Chartier called, bringing the on the river. Watson checked and Chartier moved all-in. Watson thought briefly before making the call, putting himself at risk.
Chartier tabled , making a straight on the river and Watson mucked, exiting in 18th place.
Jean-Philippe Piquette's run has come to an end in 16th place. According to his table, Picquette was all-in with ace-queen racing against an opponent's pocket eights.
Unable to find any help from the board, Piquette was eliminated.
Michael Malm opened to 30,000 from the hijack and action was on short-stacked Gregory Hartwick in the big blind. The took a look at his cards and said "Alright. All-in". Malm snap-called.
Hartwick was at risk with , well behind Malm's .
The board ran out and Hartwick was unable to improve.
![[user270022]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
, Michael Malm bet 12,000 and Jake Labonte called on the button. 
and Malm paused for a moment before looking back at his cards. After a few moments of thought he called. 
for trip queens with a jack kicker. Labonte mucked.
. Cohen revealed 
for an inferior flush and was drawing dead to the 
on the river.
and the ace in the window sent Scott to the rail in 26ht place.
and Paplyk yelled "King!" but the 
hit the river and he was sent to the rail.
fell on the turn and Watson bet 50,000. Chartier called, bringing the 
on the river. Watson checked and Chartier moved all-in. Watson thought briefly before making the call, putting himself at risk.
