When you first see Wai Kin Yong walking around the tournament area, you know he is the Bruce Lee of poker. When Yong sits down and surveys his prey, I imagine, to him, they all look like blocks of wood. By the end of the day, his hands need an ice bath; sore from the pummeling.
Very few people have played more hands of Short-Deck, Ante-Only than Wai Kin Yong, and today it showed.
Day 1B of the HKD 100,000 (USD 12,500) Short-Deck, Ante-Only tournament enthralled 42 entrants, buoyed by the register as long as you like rule. Amongst those who partied were the Global Poker Index #1 Stephen Chidwick, Triton Poker Champs Richard Yong and Mikita Badziakouski, the legendary Tom Dwan, World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winners Ben Lamb and Nick Schulman, and the man himself, Mr Phil Ivey.
Here are nine levels of play brought to you in a few short and succinct paragraphs.
Level 4 – 2k Ante
The wizard, Wai Kin Yong, took the early chip lead, tripling up through Yeu Wei Hsiang and Siow Choon Tong when his T9s beat the AQs of both of his competitors, after turning a ten.
Level 5 – 3k Ante
Phil Ivey joined the action.
Brian Potashnik busted to Cheong Cheok Leng after a three-way pileup involving Peter Jetten. Potashnik was all-in KQo versus the QTo of Cheong and the JTo of Jetten, and trip tens with the queen won the hand.
Ivey lost his first bullet all-in pre-flop versus Yong junior when his QTo lost to KJo. His second didn’t last that much longer losing KK to the AJs of Rui Cao to reduce his 100k stack to chip dust.
Yong junior extended his lead at the top after rivering a straight to beat the turned top pair of Lim Chin Wei. The money went in pre-flop.
Rui Cao enjoyed a fruitful Triton Poker Series in Montenegro making the final tables of both HKD 1,000,000 Short-Deck, Ante-Only events, and he began this one as lively, taking the chip lead from Yong junior after his KQ flopped a king against JTo.
Level 6 – 4k Ante
Richard Yong busted to the tag team of Beh Kok Weng and Ben Lamb. In the first pre-flop all-in Yong’s QJo lost to the AQs and ATs of his opponents. Then the trio went for it again on a QT6 board with Yong needing an eight to complete the straight, Lamb holding the top pair, and Weng carrying middle set. Weng won the hand.
At the end of the level, Wai Kin Yong had retaken the chip lead from Cao.
Wai Kin Yong – 2,274,000
Rui Cao – 1,066,000
Foo Sze Ming – 738,000
Beh Kok Weng – 592,000
Ivan Leow – 588,000
Level 7 – 6k Ante
Ivan Leow dusted off his third bullet when his A9s failed to beat the KQo of Cheong Cheok Leng despite flopping an ace. Leng also flopped a queen and then rivered a second for good measure.
“Man this game is cold,” said Leow.
Yong junior eliminated Mikita Badziakouski QJs>AKo after flopping and rivering jacks for a boat.
Siow Choon Tong eliminated Ivey QJs>AQo, flopping and turning a pair of jacks.
Tong then tripled up when his JJ beat the QQ of Schulman, and the AQo of Leng, after flopping a set, Schulman still had plenty of chips; Leng was out.
Tom Dwan is the most relaxed dancer in town, turning up as the cleaners come out of the night like vampires.
Level 9 10k Ante
The Triton Series Montenegro Main Event Champion, Badziakouski, had a bad day at the office. The Belarusian bought in three-times and promptly fired nine bullets into the table never hitting his target once. Lamb put him out of his misery when AK beat JJ all-in pre-flop after flopping an ace.
Dwan’s quick showing ended when Leow sent him to the cash area searching for a seat when J9o beat T7s, all-in pre-flop.
Here are the final day chip counts:
End of Day Chip Counts
1. Wai Kin Yong – 3,380,000
2. Ivan Leow – 2,320,000
3. Foo Sze Ming – 1,595,000
4. Ben Lamb – 1,030,000
5. Siow Choon Tong – 695,000
6. Nick Schulman – 685,000
7. Romain Arnaud – 635,000
8. Rui Cao – 610,000
9. Lim Chin Wei – 510,000
10. Stephen Chidwick – 480,000
11. Chio Lin Ern – 395,000
12. Ying Jinghui – 265,000
And here’s how the field looks going into Day 2.
Day 2 Starting Chip Counts
1. Wai Kin Yong – 3,380,000
2. Ivan Leow – 2,320,000
3. Chow Hing Yaung – 1,953,000
4. Alan Sass – 1,879,000
5. Foo Sze Ming – 1,595,000
6. Ben Lamb – 1,030,000
7. Gabe Patgorski – 962,000
8. Kenneth Kee – 904,000
9. Siow Choon Tong – 695,000
10. Nick Schulman – 685,000
11. Romain Arnaud – 635,000
12. Rui Cao – 610,000
13. Lim Chin Wei – 510,000
14. Stephen Chidwick – 480,000
15. Chio Lin Ern – 395,000
16. Ying Jinghui – 265,000
The action begins at 2 pm (local time).
You can catch all of the action on the Triton Twitch Stream – https://m.twitch.tv/tritonpoker/profile