HomeWe are at the break with 18 players remaining. They are all in the money. Leading in chips is Korea’s Jae Hyun Lim with 923k. Next in line is Mike Takayama with 630k. Average stack is 366,666. There are three past APT champions still in the running, Gyeong Byeong Lee, Soo Jo Kim, and Takayama who is hunting for his third title.
After nearly two hours, the bubble finally burst! The unfortunate casualty was past APT Main Event champion Shinichiro Tone. Tone started the day not too far from average stack but with not much momentum going for him, his stack continued to dwindle until it was a lowly 65k, which is just 6 big blinds.
With action folding to the sb, Tone went all in and big blind Daiki Kohagi called. Tone held Q♥ J♦ and Kohagi with A♣ 8♣. Though Tone was behind, the board ran Q♠ Q♦ Q♣ 7♠ 6♥ for a roaring quads and a double up to 136k.
Despite his double up, it all went south on the next hand. Hanna Khalife raised to 27k, Jae Hyun Lim called, Tone all in, Khalife fold, and Lim called.
Tone 8♥ 8♦
Lim 9♣ 9♠
The board ran 2♣ J♦ Q♠ 5♦ K♦, and with no hits this time for Tone, he bubbled. We are down to 18 players.
It is rare to see Tetsuya Tsuchikawa tank for a long time but it does happen and one of those moment just passed by. Tsuchikawa raised to 25k preflop and both William Ysmael and Mike Takayama called. On the A♣ J♦ 3♦ flop, Takayama checked, Tsuchikawa continued with a 55k bet, Ysmael called, then Takayama check-raised all in. Having Tsuchikawa well covered, this sent the Japanese pro deep in decision. He eventually folded, followed by Ysmael, and Takayama scooped up the pot.
Takayama now at 660k. He is second in chips.
We have a new chip leader and yes we are still on the bubble. The new king is Jae Hyun Lim who has been picking up numerous pots at his table. His latest one was against the day’s entering second leader, Soo Jo Kim.
The hand started with a raise of 22k by Kim on the utg seat and Lim calling on the button. At the flop 9♠ K♣ 4♣, both checked. On the A♠ turn, Kim led for 25k and Lim called. On the river 9♣, Kim checked to Lim who bet 40k. Kim called. Lim won with 6♠ 7♠ flush.
Lim now at 740k, Kim down to 430k.
The once massive chip leader at the start of Day 3 has now been humbled down to just slightly average stack. Gyeong Byeong Lee continues to enter numerous pots at the bubble round but others are capitalizing especially Mike Takayama who shaved more out of Lee’s stack.
Lee kicked off the hand with a 23k raise and Takayama called. On the flop 5♠ 9♣ Q♠, Lee check-called a 33k bet by Takayama. The 2♠ turn saw the same action with Lee check-calling a 53k bet. Then on the 5♥ river, Lee checked, Takayama fired out 106k and Lee gave up his stake on the pot.
Takayama up to 460k while Lee dropped to 400k.
We are still on the bubble. The three remaining tables have been hand-for-hand for the past hour. 19 players remaining. At table 19, Daiki Kohagi has grown from 167k at start to around 450k. One of the latest pots that got him there was up against Zentaro Nakayashiki.
Preflop action Nakayashiki raised to 20k and Kohagi called on the big blind. At the flop 8♣ K♥[ks}, no bets came. On the 2♣ turn, Kohagi check-called Nakayashiki’s 20k bet. On the 4♣ river Kohagi once again check-called, this time a 35k bet. It was a good call with his 3♦ 3♥ two pair besting Nakayashiki’s A♥ 9♦.
Kohagi reaches 450k.
Gyeong Byeong Lee is very active at the felt however he isn’t winning too many of the big pots. Having just lost one to William Ysmael, he proceeded to double up fellow past APT champion, Mike Takayama.
On a raised pot preflop, both players stared down a flop of 5♣ A♣ 8♠. and everyone checked. On the 8♣ turn, Lee bet 30k, Takayama called, and third player Hideaki Ohashi folded. The river 3♠ had Lee check followed by Takayama who moved all in with his remaining 97k. Lee tanked then called. Takayama won with his Q♣ 10♣ flush.
Takayama is now up to 315k, over double the amount he started with today. Lee dropped to 560k.
William Ysmael started the day with 312k and now he sits with nearly 600k. During the bubble round, he picked up a big pot against the leader Gyeong Byeong Lee. The hand began with action folding to the blinds. Ysmael on the sb raised to 28k and Lee called on the bb.
At the flop Q♠ 2♣ K♠, Ysmael checked, Lee bet 30k, and Ysmael called. On fourth street 10♠ Ysmael checked, Lee bet 80k, and a call again. The river 4♥ saw both players check it down and Ysmael won with A♥ 10♣.
Players at the felt taking slices of Gyeong Byeong Lee’s big stack. Tetsuya Tsuchikawa won two pots off the leader and moments ago, Mike Takayama did the same. Action with Takayama raising to 20k from the utg seat and Lee defending on his big blind.
On the flop 8♦ 9♠ Q♣, Lee checked, Takyama bet 22k, and Lee called. On the 9♥ turn action was the same with Lee check-calling a 23k bet. On the river A♥, it was another check-call for 63k. Takayama opened Q♦ Q♠ for a full house.
Takayama is now up to around 265k.