Monday's Day 3 of the 2015 partypoker World Poker Tour Canadian Spring Championship at PlayGround Poker Club in Montreal, Quebec, was a short, and certainly sweet one for some.
Play began with 45 players already in the money and played down to just 15 after four 90-minute levels. World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner and Heartland Poker Tour title holder Ari Engel came in with the healthy chip lead as the only player holding over 1 million in chips. But it would have to be considered a sour day for Engel, as he doubled up Lu Zhang twice to fall from the top of the counts early, then busted in 17th place later on.
The chip lead changed hands several times throughout the day, with at least half a dozen players reaching the top at one point. In the end, it was Samuel Tsehai that bagged the biggest number. Tsehai is a player that counts a 25th-place finish at WPT Montreal in 2013 and a 70th at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure this year as his two biggest scores. Tsehai will come into Day 4 with a little over 1.5 million, but 2014 WPT Montreal 10th-place finisher Sheraz Nasir and fellow Canadian Trevor Delaney are close as the only other two over 1 million in chips.
The aformentioned Zhang, who finished ninth at WPT Fallsview earlier this year, Montreal local and 2014 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown champ Eric Afriat, and Aussie online star and two-time APPT title holder Jonathan Karamalikis are also within striking distance.
A $237,390 first-place prize that comes with a seat in the WPT Season XIV World Championship still awaits the winner here in Montreal and play will resume at 12 p.m. local time Tuesday with plans to play down to the final table of six.
As you've come to expect, the PokerNews Live Reporting team will be on hand for all the action from beginning to end, with live updates and videos throughout, so stay tuned.
Dylan Wilkerson looked him up with and flopped a set to put him away. Now down to 18 players they are redrawing for seats at the final two tables with 10 minutes left in the level.
Jonathan Karamalikis made it 26,000 and Senthuran Vijayaratnam three-bet to 66,000.
Karamalikis fired back with a four-bet to 121,000 and Vijayaratnam five-bet shoved. Karamalikis shrugged and called with almost knowing what he was about to see.
Vijayaratnam turned over and doubled through him on a run out.
The chips are flying around now down to 22 players remaining.
Lu Zhang slipped under one million losing a couple of pots, then busted a short stacked Kevin MacDonald to push above once again.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Karamalikis' unrelenting aggression saw him fall under one million as well, but just served him well moments ago against Trevor Delaney.
Delaney made it 22,000 and Karamalikis bumped it up 25,000 more. Delaney called and they went heads up to a flop.
Delaney checked, Karamalikis made it 42,000 and Delaney check-raised to 100,000 total. Not to be outdone, Karamalikis made another raise, making it 178,000 total and Delaney folded.
Once again, Karamalikis pushed over the one million mark, but he and Zhang still trail chipleader Gary Lucci.
Lu Zhang is firmly in the lead now after knocking out Canadian Griffin Benger moments ago.
She called a flop lead from Benger on a board, then snapped when he shoved the turn.
Benger held and needed a spade or a ten against Zhang's turned two pair. The river wasn't either and as he hit the rail, Zhang got some separation from the log jam at the top of the counts.
Lu Zhang got it in with top-pair top-kicker against an Ari Engel flush draw, fading all his outs to double up once.
A few hands later they were in a battle of the blinds and Zhang was seen leading out on a flop. Engel called, but when Zhang bet the turn, making it 63,000, Engel shoved.
Zhang made the call for her tournament life and a massive pot with , having flopped a set.
Once again, Engel was on the flush draw, showing . The river came the and Zhang's at the top of the counts now as Engel's stack falls to just a small percentage of what it once was.
A suddenly short Ivan Mamuzic shipped it in with and ran smack into Jeff Gross' pocket aces.
Aces held to send Mamuzic to the cage and Gross, who made third at WPT Montreal and second at the partypoker Premier League VII right here at Playground in 2013, is starting to look like a contender again.
Day 3 of the 2015 partypoker.net World Poker Tour Canadian Spring Championship is set to go off at the Playground Poker Club in Montreal, Quebec, at 12 p.m. local time Monday.
There are currently 45 players remaining in this first event of the WPT's 14th season, with the money bubble popping just before play closed Sunday.
Ari Engel, who has been killing it in poker's minor leagues for years to the tune of $2,031,122 in career earnings, including two deep runs on the WPT's West Coast Swing last season, comes in as the overwhelming chip leader seeking his first major title.
In fact, Engel is the only player over one million in chips right now, with only Canadian Trevor Delaney close.
However, dangerous names like Montreal local and 2014 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown champ Eric Afriat and Down Under online star Jonathan Karamalikis will start with a little over half a million each.
With three days left to play down to a winner they will likely get down to 18 today as the real contenders separate themselves from the pretenders. Today the levels jump to 90 minutes each with a break after each one.
Up top sits a $237,390 first-place prize that comes with a seat in the WPT Season XIV championship and every player left is currently guaranteed at least a $6,330 min-cash.
The PokerNews Live Reporting team will be on hand for all the action from start to finish, with live updates and videos throughout.
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.
and after a call and a board that brought no miracles for Molson, he's out.
.
almost knowing what he was about to see.
run out.
flop.
board, then snapped when he shoved the 
turn.
and needed a spade or a ten against Zhang's 
turned two pair. The 
river wasn't either and as he hit the rail, Zhang got some separation from the log jam at the top of the counts.
flop. Engel called, but when Zhang bet the 
turn, making it 63,000, Engel shoved.
and Zhang's at the top of the counts now as Engel's stack falls to just a small percentage of what it once was.
and busted Buckner after a board of bricks for both.
. Tsehai turned a set to sew it up.
