HomeLester Edoc is the next player into the seven-digit marker. In true Edoc fashion, it wasn’t one big hand that drove his stack to those heights, instead it was a steady grind earning numerous pots of different sizes. One of the meatier pots he won was against Trygve Leite.
On a flop K♦ 7♠ J♣, utg Edoc bet 30k and Leite called. On the 2♦ turn, Edoc sent another 55k to the pile and Leite called. On the Q♠ river, both checked. Edoc won with K♠ 10♠ top pair over Leite’s 5♦ 7♦ pair.
Another pot he took down saw Leite raise to 35k, Edison Marzan called, Edoc three-bet to 140k and won it with no callers.
Joseph Talamayan shoved four times with no callers. On the fifth shove, Jiajun Wang took on the challenge having initially raised to 36k.
Talamayan A♥ Q♠
Wang A♦ J♠
The board ran 7♥ 6♣ 10♣ 5♣ J♦ for a pair spiked on the river by Wang. This eliminated Talamayan in 14th place and earned his first-ever APT tournament payout. Impressive run for the newcomer!
Wang is into the million range with 1.145M. He is running second to William Ysmael with 1.5M. Average stack is 558,461.
Dhanesh Chainani was seen shoving a couple of times but no customers until his third push. He was all in with 3♥ 3♠ and Jiajun Wang called with K♥ J♥. The board ran 7♦ K♣ 7♥ Q♣ 4♠ for a higher two pair to Wang.
Chainani took 15th place. We are down to 14 players.
On a board 4♣ J♠ 7♦ 2♦, Eric Tsai bet 125k and got called by William Ysmael. On the river 5♦, Tsai immediately jammed and still Ysmael challenged.
Tsai opened 8♣ 6♦ straight but was no good against Ysmael’s J♦ 9♦ flush. Tsai out in 16th place. Ysmael took the lead with a massive 1.55M.
We haven’t had stories on the defending champion today so here’s one. Just before the break, Lester Edoc three-bet Joseph Talamayan’s 24k bet to make it 124k to go. Talamayan folded and so did the two callers to Talamayan’s raise, Richard Marquez and Benedict Koh. Edoc now at 775k.
Rehg Delos Reyes entered Day 3 as the chip leader but couldn’t turn it to a final 8 berth. After losing a costly pot to Benedict Koh on a three-way showdown, she continued to lose chips. On her last hand at the Main Event, she shoved on a board 8♦ 3♥ 6♥ and Tryvie Leite called.
Delos Reyes J♥ 9♥
Leite K♥ Q♥
The turn 3♠ and river 10♣ ended the hand. Delos Reyes filed out in 17th place. We are down to 16 players.
Konstantin Pogodin was the first one out of the final two tables. Hand began with Eric Tsai raising to 27k, Pogodin shoved with 144k, Manuel Mascunana also all in with shorter of 75k, and Tsai called.
Pogodin A♠ 7♦
Mascunana A♣ Q♣
Tsai A♦ Q♠
Board ran 5♥ 5♦ Q♦ Q♥ 2♥ for a full house to both Mascunana and Tsai to rail Pogodin in 18th place.
Eric Tsai doubled up with A-J against Czar Ian Marcos with K-Q with both players missing the board.
At the same table, Michael Kim Falcon 15 minutes into the new round and we are down to the final two tables with 18 players.
David Chargualaf Sr. is now the overwhelming chip leader having just booted out the biggest threat of the Main Event… German pro Marvin Rettenmaier. We caught the action at the flop Q♦ Q♥ 8♦ and a raised pot brewed in the middle. Chargualaf checked, Rettenmaier bet 27k, called by Chargualaf. The turn 6♦ had Chargualaf check again, Rettenmaier bet 71k, Chargualaf shoved, and a snap-call by Rettenmaier.
Chargualaf K♦ Q♠ trips
Rettenmaier A♦ 9♦ nut flush
Though Rettenmaier was ahead, the river Q♣ quickly changed that for a dominating quads to Chargualaf. He shipped all of Rettenmaier’s chips and has taken the chip lead with 1.2M. Rettenmaier out in 20th place.
We are down to 19 players.