3.10pm: Break Time
With the bubble burst, the stressful part of the day is over as the remaining players have been sent on a 10-minute break!
3.05pm: And Just Like That, The Bubble is Burst
Just a few minutes after the clock was wound back and the bubble has now burst! The unlucky player to go home with no money for their time was Tan Tai Zheng. It all started with Sunny Jung opening the pot with a min-raise from middle position. Zheng then shoved all in from late position, committing his remaining 16,000 in chips. The rest of the table was out of the way and Jung called it off.
Zheng's [ac][9h] was in good shape against Jung's [js][6s], but an unfortunate [5s][qh][tc][3h][6h] board would mean it was all over for Zheng.
With that, the remaining 31 players are guaranteed a HK$36,100 min-cash!
3.00pm: Wind Back the Clock
With the break just a few minutes away and hand-for-hand taking so long, Danny McDonagh has put his tournament director hat on and directed the clock to be wound back ten minutes. Let's see if we can burst the bubble before the now delayed break!
2.55pm: One Double Up, Hand-for-Hand Continues
Hand-for-hand play is currently looking like it will continue into the next level, with the players sitting tightly in their seats. The only real action hand we have seen so far was when Andy Asihwardji was all in preflop holding [ac][jh] and was up against Jessica Ngu's [6s][6c].
When the dealer turned over a [qs][4d][ts] flop, Ngu said, "I give you a sweat, but I won't let you win." However, when the [td] hit the turn and the [jd] landed on the river, Ngu was proven wrong, with Asihwardji taking the double up.
2.35pm: Hand-For-Hand
With 32 players remaining, we are one spot off the money and the play has now gone hand-for-hand. One unlucky player will be going home as the bubble boy, while the rest will be guaranteed a HK$36,100 min-cash. Stay tuned for the excitement!
2.25pm: Bye Bye Jeppe
Jeppe Drivsholm has just been eliminated a couple of places shy of the money. Drivsholm shoved all in for around 60,000 from early position, at which point Edmund Lee re-shoved for around 130,000 a couple of places to his left. The rest of the table was out of the way and the two players turned their hands over. Drivsholm's [ac][9s] would need some help against Lee's [kd][kc] and it was help that would never come as a [9h][js][4d][td][3d] board sent Drivholm to the rail.
2.10pm: Double for Streatfeild
Robert Streatfeild has already had a roller coaster start to the day, seeing his tournament chips double early, before falling back down to one of the short stacks. Recently Streatfeild was able to yet again double, this time versus Tan Tai Zheng. Streatfeild held [qs][qd] and was all in for roughly 36,000 against Zheng's [ac][7s]. A safe [2h][kd][8h][4c][jh] board meant that all was safe for Streatfeild as he is now looking a lot happier as we edge closer to the bubble.
2.10pm: Shaq Gives Plenty to Yosuke
We recently arrived at table 3 with reigning Asia Player of the Year Shaq Lin faced with a decision for the majority of his chips. There was already around 140,000 in the middle and Yosuke Sekiya was all in from the small blind for an extra amount which was just shy of 200,000. Lin had a similar sized stack to Sekiya and went deep into the tank. Eventually Sekiya called the clock on Lin, prompting Lin to fold fairly quickly. With that, Lin was left with a stack of around 150,000, while Sekiya is doing just fine with a very healthy stack.
2.00pm: Level Up, Blinds 2,500-5,000, ante 400
1.55pm: Carlos Chang No More
The eliminations have been flying fast during these early stages of Day 3, with Carlos Chang the latest player to find the rail. We didn't catch all the action, but we did see the aftermath of Chang's final hand. Robert Streatfeild was the player who dealt the final blow, with his [th][9h] out on the felt against Chang's [as][jh]. Apparently most of the chips went in preflop and the remainder on a [6d][9d][tc] flop. Chang needed help on the turn and river, but two bricks would meant he was sent home just short of the second level of the day.
1.45pm: Zhang Railed by Zheng
Danpeng Zhang has recently been eliminated from the tournament, with Tan Tai Zheng the player to deal the fatal blow. Zhang was short stacked when he shoved around 17,000 from under the gun holding [4d][4c]. Zheng was on his direct left and re-shoved around 65,000 holding [as][qd]. The rest of the table was out of the way and the dealer turned over a [3h][7s][ts][qh][jh] board. The queen on the turn was no good for Zhang and he was sent home just around one table shy of making the money.
1.30pm: Two More Missing
Two more players are missing in action, with Brian Pearson and Nai Yan Hui no longer at the tables. We are now down to 40 players and are nine away from the money.
1.25pm: Another One Bites the Felt
Rui Bao is no longer involved in the tournament, with his day coming to an end at the hands of Jessica Ngu. It was a blind versus blind situation that saw Bao get all his chips in holding [tc][5s] from the small blind, while Ngu held [ad][3h] in the big blind. Bao was the player at risk and when a [ts][qs][ks][4d][jd] board was spread out on the felt, Ngu had managed to make a straight on the river after Bao took the lead on the flop. With that, Bao was sent home.
1.15pm: Big Quad Flop for the Lady
Australia's Jill Maley of Western Australia Poker League fame has perhaps just flopped one of the best hands she will ever see, managing to double up along the way. It all began with Maley three-bet shoving her short stack from middle position holding [qh][qc] after Jin Wenlong opened the pot with a small raise from under the gun. The rest of the table was out of the way and Wenlong made the call holding [ad][kd]. It was a classic race for Maley, but she sprinted ahead when a staggering [qs][qd][7h] flop was spread along the felt. It's safe to say Maley could sit back down and she did exactly that as the turn and river bricked out.
1.05pm: First One Gone
It didn't take long to lose our first player of the day, with Alex Niu the unlucky player having a very short Day 3. We arrived at the table during the hand in question with a flop showing [8d][9c][kd] and Niu getting all his chips in against Sparrow Cheung. Niu held [kh][tc] for a pair of kings, but was in trouble against Cheung's higher kicker as he held [ks][qc]. The [2d] on the turn and the [8h] on the river changed very little and it was all over for Niu.
1.00pm: Throw Those Cards in the Air
The players are in their seats and the call has been made to shuffle up and deal! The first level of the day is 2,000-4,000 with a 400-chip ante. Just 14 eliminations and we are in the money!
Time To Play Down to Nine
The sun is shining brighter than the night lights of the Macau casinos, but for 45 players today, the sun will be replaced by the illumination of the PokerStars Macau poker room. In just a short while Day 3 of the Macau Poker Cup Championship will begin making its way to a final table of nine, but first we need to burst through the money bubble. It will be the top 31 players who will be guaranteed HK$36,100 for their time, but of course it is the HK$1,108,500 first-place prize that everyone will be yearning to get their hands on. Of the returning players it is Ryan Hong who is in the best shape to make a run at the final table, but he will have plenty of stiff competition standing in his way. Some of the players who are still in with a chance of making it to the final day of play include Sparrow Cheung, Zhen Tai Tan, Wenlong Jin, Rui Chen, Daren Yoon and the reigning Asia Player of the Year Shaq Lin. It all begins at 1.00pm, so join us then as we play down to a final table!
