9.20pm: Three Break for Ten
The three remaining players have been sent on a break at the 2012 MPCC Main Event final table. Ten minutes and they will be back in their seats to try and crown a champion!
9.10pm: Big Hand Into the Break
The players were scheduled to be sent on a break at the end of that level, which was around 9.10pm. However, Wenlong Jin and Rui Chen have just played a big hand that went 10 minutes past that time. It started with Chen calling out of the small blind and Jin raising to 140,000 from the big blind. Chen called and a [7c][qh][2c] flop was spread out on the felt. Chen opted to check-call a bet of 150,000 here and an [as] landed on the turn. This time when Chen checked, Jin would hesitate before betting 240,000. Jin made a very quick call and a [8s] completed the board on the river. A check from both players would see Chen table [qd][th], with the pair of queens good enough to scoop up the pot.
8.50pm: Give the Lead Back to Chen
"No ace!" screamed Rui Chen's rail as he was once again all in preflop and looking to dodge some cards preflop. This time it was against Yosuke Sekiya, with all the chips going in after a raising war in the blinds. Chen was all in for 1,310,000 and managed to hold [kd][kc], while Sekiya held [ad][th]. Once again Chen's rail would have their wish come true, with a [qs][5c][qd][2h][4h] board safe enough to give Chen the double up. Chen is now the chip leader yet again, while Sekiya and Wenlong Chen are trailing.
8.40pm: Rui Chen Elimin... Oh Wait, Never Mind
Rui Chen was looking like he would be on his way home, with his tournament life on the line preflop holding [7h][7s] against the [as][8c] of Winlong Jin and with a [5c][8s][4h][9h] board running out to the turn. Chen was all in for around 700,000 and a rail of friends screamed for a seven and they got their wish when a big [7c] was flipped on the river. With that, Jin and Chen are back to having very similar stacks.
8.20pm: Chen Falling
Rui Chen hasn't had this few chips since late on Day 3. Chen recently lost a lot of his chips, in a hand that started during the last level and with Chen on the button. He opened it up with a raise to 90,000. Wenlong Jin was in the small blind and promptly three-bet to 260,000. With the big blind out of the way, Chen took his time before calling. When a [3h][2s][ts] flop was spread on the felt, Jin checked and then called a 220,000-chip bet from Chen. On the [9s] turn, Jin shoved his stack in on the turn. While Chen had Jin covered, if he called he would be left with just a couple of big blinds. He tanked for a long time, with the blinds ticking over into the current level. Eventually he opted to fold, sending the big pot to Jin and leaving himself in need of some work.
8.10pm: Level Up, Blinds 25,000-50,000, ante 4,000
8.05pm: Jin Pushes Twice
Just prior to the level up, Wenlong Jin has three-bet shoved after Rui Chen opened two out of the last three hands. That sees his stack now very similar to Chen's, with Yosuke Sekiya the clear chip leader.
7.50pm: Chip Lead Changes for the First Time
Rui Chen has been the chip leader for the entire day. For almost seven hours, no player has had more chips than Chen. However, that has all changed now as Yosuke Sekiya has stormed into the chip lead, giving himself a great chance to move ahead in the Asia Player of the Year leader board.
The hand in question began when the action folded to Sekiya in the small blind and he raised it up to 80,000. Chen called out of the big blind and a [as][6c][4c] flop was dealt. Sekiya led for 80,000 here and Chen called, ushering in an [8s] on the turn. Sekiya would continue to lead, this time tumbling out a bet of 180,000. Chen made another call and a [6s] completed the board on the river. Without too much hesitation, Sekiya bet 425,000 and leant far back in his chair. Chen tanked for around two minutes before he called. He would regret doing that though, with Sekiya's [8d][6d] good for a full and good to take down the massive pot to move into the chip lead.
With that, Sekiya has a stack of around 2,200,000, while Chen is down to his lowest of the day with 1,450,000 in chips.
7.35pm: First Bit of Action
Three-handed play started off very slow following the break, with only one pot growing to over a few hundred thousand. It started with Rui Chen opening the button to 90,000. Wenlong Jin then three-bet to 250,000 out of the small blind and with the big blind out of the way, Chen opted to call. The [kc][2h][qs] flop would see Jin lead out for 215,000, which was enough to scoop the handy little pot.
7.15pm: Three-Handed Play Continues
The three players are back from their quick break and ready to continue playing down to a champion here in the 2012 MPCC Main Event.
