HomeDay 1a of the Main Event has been bagged with 27 out of 73 entries surviving the day. In the lead is Calvin Tan with a massive stack of 197,700. The only other player who crossed the 100K chip mark was Alex Lee (running second in chips) with 135,800. Congratulations to all the qualifiers!
See you tomorrow for the final Day 1 flight!
Sam Nee eliminated Nick Alexander in a hand that saw Alexander all in for 11,500 pre flop and getting a call from Nee. Alexander had Q♥ Q♣ and Nee had K♥ 9♠. With the board running 2♣ 10♣ 8♦ 7♥ 6♦, Nee filled up a straight crushing Alexander’s queens. Nee now has around 50,000 chips.
Calvin Tan and Jojo Tech, two big stacks just tangled in a pot which saw Tan catapulting to a dominating chip lead. During the hand, Tan raised to 2,300, was three-bet to 5,900 by Tech, and Tan called. At the flop of J♥ 7♥ J♦, both players checked to see a free turn of 3♠. With action at Tech, he bet 7,800 which was answered with a raise to 28,000 from Tan. Tech announced all in and Tan quickly called with his remaining 80,000. Tech had 3♣ 5♣ which was way behind Tan’s 7♦ 7♣ full house. With the river of 2♥, Tech was unable to improve and Tan was shipped a massive pile bringing him up to 175,000 chips. He is currently the overwhelming chip leader. Tech fell to around 40,000.
Several hands after, Tan took more chips from Tech bringing him over 190,000 chips while Tech fell even more to below starting stack.
Alex Lee is picking up the pace here at the final level of the day. It began with Norbert Koh raising to 2,500 which was called by Alex Lee and Erick Marzan. At the flop of A♣ 2♣ 5♥, Marzan checked to Koh who continued with a 4,000 bet. Lee called and Marzan folded. At the turn of 6♣, both checked. Then on the river of K♥, Koh checked to Lee who sent out an 11,500 bet. Koh called and then mucked when Lee revealed his 7♣ 8♣ flush. Lee now has around 110,000 chips.
We are now at the last level and Kenji Kurashina shoved his below average stack of 20,000. He was called by Geoffrey Mooney and they went to a showdown.
Kurashina: Q♦ Q♣
Mooney: A♦ K♣
This is the classic coin flip. With the board running K♠ K♦ J♦ 6♥ 3♣, Mooney took down the pot and eliminated Kurashina from the field.
Tony Seol bagged a sweet double up against Sam Nee when he went all in on a board showing 8♠ 3♠ 2♥. Nee tanked for a bit then decided to call. Nee was ahead with A♥ K♦ but Seol had A♠ 9♠ nut flush draw. The turn of 3♥ was no help to Seol but the river of J♠ saved him from elimination. Seol now sits with around 45,000 chips.
Calvin Tan seems to be on the rise. In a hand against Jester Intia, the flop was J♠ A♦ 10♠. Tan bet 4,300 and was called by Intia. At the turn of 2♠, both checked. Then on the river of 9♦, Intia checked to Tan who bet 13,200. Intia tanked for some time then eventually called. Tan had K♠ Q♠ for a beautiful straight at the flop with a possible straight flush draw. Tan now has over 90,000 chips.
Looking to get a move on with more chips, Piyush Gupta called a raise to 2,000 by Antonio Angeles with Sam Bolung already in the action. At the flop of 9♠ 8♥ 8♣, Gupta checked to Angeles who continued with a 3,200 bet which Bolung called but Gupta turned the tides and check-raised to 10,400. With that, Gupta won as both Angeles and Bolung folded. Gupta now at around 40,000 chips.
Three aggressive players, John Tech, Jester Intia, and Wyngard Brillo engaged in a raised pot pre flop that was initiated by Tech. At the flop of 2♦ 2♣ 2♠, Tech and Intia checked to Brillo who laid out 5,000 worth of chips. Opting not to go any further, Tech and Intia folded giving Brillo the pot.