Shunu Zang opened the action with a raise to 160,000 and Shashank Rathi made the call out of the big blind. The whole table expected yet another spectacular action-loaded hand as Rathi had been running hot, but the flop was checked through. Rathi check-called a bet of 80,000 on the turn and the river was checked through again.
Rathi flipped over the first and then showed his as well, which prompted Zang to shake his head and muck.
Shashank Rathi raised to 225,000 from under the gun and Chang He moved all in from two seats over. The action reached back to the chip leader and he asked for a count. He was at risk for 740,000 and Rathi announced the call.
Rathi:
He:
The Chinese had two over cards and immediately improved on the flop. The turn even gave He two pair but also opened the possibility of a straight. On the river, the appeared and gifted yet another bustout to the resume of Rathi, who made it three for three on the final table thus far.
He didn't believe his bad luck and then exited to the cashier in order to collect his HK$587,000.
Randy Lew moved all in from early position and the action reached to Chang He in the small blind. He made the call and Shunu Zang mucked out of the big blind.
The PokerStars Team Online member had two live cards with against the of the Chinese and made trips on a board of .
From early position, Marcus Lau moved all in for his last 270,000 chips and the action reached to chip leader Shashank Rathi in the small blind. He double checked his cards and then made a triangle sign to announce all in himself. Jack Hu folded with the words "I was gonna call with queen high" and the showdown proceeded as follows:
Lau:
Rathi:
The flop was a sweat for the Malaysian with an additional flush draw, but he found no help anymore on the turn and river. Lau takes home HK$489,000 for his efforts and Rathi extended his lead.
Hao Tian shoved from early position and also stole the blinds and antes one hand later with a raise to 215,000.
Then, Yuan Zhou moved all in and was called by Liang Yu from two seats over whereas everyone else folded.
Zhou:
Yu:
The board ran out and the straight for both players made for a split pot.
Yet one hand later, Zhou shoved again, this time for 490,000. Chip leader Shashank Rathi made the call and nobody else was interested in the hand.
Zhou:
Rathi:
The Canadian had gotten it in ahead but the board ran out to give Rathi a pair of kings on the turn and Zhou the exit in 9th place for a payday of HK$391,000.
Randy Lew got through with an all in as nobody wanted to look up the short stack.
Then, Shashank Rathi raised to 150,000 and was called by Shunu Zang from three seats over on the button. On the flop, Rathi continued for 225,000 and was called before the fell on the turn. The second barrel was already worth 415,000 and that proved to be too much for Zang, he mucked.
Over in the Main Event, a champion has been crowned. Yat Wai "Tony" Cheng got the best start he could hope for today, and never let his chip lead go. He knocked out players left and right, and ran away with the top prize without having to make any concessions. We congratulate Yat Wai "Tony" Cheng with the HKD 2,525,000 ($325,659) first place prize and the trophy!
Within three hands, the chip distribution on table 4 has changed dramatically and the final table of the last nine is set.
Shashank Rathi limped the button and Randy Lew moved all in for 445,000 to scoop the pot without showdown.
One hand later, Lew shoved from the button and Asa Smith called all in for his last 475,000 with out of the big blind. The PokerStars Team Online member held and the board ran out to leave "nanonoko" with less than two big blinds.
Rathi limped again the very next hand and Lew moved all in for 105,000 from one seat over. Smith reshoved from the small blind for exactly 1 million chips and Rathi made the call!
Lew:
Rathi:
Smith:
The board ran out and Lew tripled whereas Smith was sent to the rail in 10th place. Rathi is the big chip leader going to the final table and there is now a short break to set up the final showdown.