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Zhang Chen Xu demonstrated why she was the day’s entering chip leader. Sitting with a stack around the 100k range, she faced off against Dona Zhao for a pot. On a flop of 8♣ 6♣ 7♥ and 26k already brewed preflop, Zhang fired out 8500 from the bb seat, mp Zhao raised to 21k, Zhang re-raised to 55k, and after a minute or so, she won it with Zhao surrendering his stake on the pot.
On a flop of K♥ 3♣ 8♥, short stacked Bradley Cashio was all in with J♥ J♠ and had to fade off Victor Chong with A♥ 3♥ nut flush draw. The turn Q♠ and river 9♣ did just that to secure him a double up.
One of those lucky moments just came down for Michael Ermie. He raised to 5k preflop from the utg seat, cutoff Daniel Tang called, then Lee Chin Yong raised to 16k on the button. Action back to Ermie, he moved all in with 71.8k, Tang joined in, and Yong got out of the way.
Ermie 10♦ 10♣
Tang Q♣ Q♠
The board ran out 2♥ 5♦ 8♠ 10♠ 8♥ improving Ermie to a full house to overtake Tang and double up. Tang dropped down to 31k while Ermie climbed to 155k.
China’s Wang Wenrui kicked off the betting action with a raise to 5500 and right beside him, answering with a re-raise was Phachara Wongwichit to 16.5k. With everyone folding around, Wang gave it a minute while he sized up Wongwichit then flat-called. At the flop 2♦ 6♦ 10♦, Wang checked, Wongwichit c-bet 13k, and Wang gave up his hand.
Looking around the room, Lee Chin Yong is one of the biggest stacks. He had around 300k when we passed by him but dropped down to 270k after paying a double up to Ju Yao. Yao was all in with A♠ 10♣ and Yong had Q♣ Q♠. Yong shouted out for no ace, and he was granted that wish but he still lost with the board running 3♦ Q♦ K♦ J♣ 2♦ for a straight to Yao.
This level has seen many players rise up the ranks but the clear chip leader right now is Ricardo Jose Valim. Valim was already backed by a big stack when he landed all of Flo Campomanes’s chips.
Valim kicked it off with a raise from mid position and was called by both the small blind and Campomanes on the big blind. At the flop 10♠ 6♠ 10♥, sb checked, Campomanes bet 5k, Valim called followed by the small blind. On the Q♦ turn, sb checked again, Campomanes fired out 14.5k, Valim called, and this time, sb folded. On the 7♥ river, Campomanes bet 15k, Valim jammed his monstrous stack, and Campomanes jumped in with a quick call for his tournament life. Valim turned over 6♦ 6♥ for a full house. Campomanes mucked then filed out.
Valim rose to 390k on that hand then surged higher by railing a short stacked player with his A-9 over A-2 on a board of 8-7-2-9-3. Valim now at around 420K.
Overall starting day chip leader Zhang Chen Xu has been swinging a bit. The first two levels saw her go down in chips but two levels later, she is back with a stack well over average. She recently lost some of her towers to Wang Jun.
On a turn board 6♦ K♥ 5♦ K♣, big blind Chen Xu bet 8600 and Wang called. On the 5♥ river, Chen Xu fired out 17.6k and Wang quickly matched it up. Chen Xu had 8♥ 7♠ bluff that lost to Wang’s K♠ J♥ full house.
Short stacks Kosei Ichinose and Victor Chong were all in preflop. Ichinose 8♦ 8♥ and Chong Q♣ Q♥. The board ran a dramatic 8♠ 4♦ 3♠ 7♠ Q♦ for a set to both but Chong with the better spread. Ichinose plummeted down to 1k and busted shortly after.
Two chinese players went at it, Chenbin Xu and Chao Liao, with one of them getting dusted. On a flop 7♦ 2♦ 2♣, Xu was all in with 9♣ 7♥ and Liao gambled with his A♦ Q♦ draw. The turn J♦ and river Q♥ improved Liao to double up and cripple Xu. Xu was eliminated on the subsequent hand.