Tianyuan Tang was active in the blinds, getting involved when in both the small blind and big blind.
In the big blind, he saw a flop of with Artem Metalidi. Tang check-called a bet of 68,000 from Metalidi and the turn was the . Tang checked again and faced a bet of 110,000. He folded this time, giving the pot to Metalidi.
The next hand took nearly 15 minutes to play out with both players taking their time with each decision in the big moment. Dong Guo raised to 70,000 from middle position and Tang three-bet to 215,000 from the small blind. Guo called and the flop came .
Tang continued for 125,000 and Guo called again, seeing a turn of . Tang checked this time and Guo bet 255,000. Tang pushed all in for about 700,000.
Reading through this hand history gives the illusion that this all happened quickly. At this point, the hand had gone on for more than 10 minutes. Guo then went in the tank for a few minutes, sitting back in his chair to think through the important spot. Ultimately, he folded, giving Tang the enormous pot.
Yan Li missed the first hand played at her table arriving just after. Good timing on her part as the second time the blinds came around turned her tournament around quite significantly.
From the small blind, Li opened to 65,000 and got three-bet by Thibaut Blondel out of the big blind to 180,000. Li took no time asking for the all-in triangle and Blondel took even less time tossing in a calling chip.
Li:
Blondel:
Li was in bad shape being covered and out-kicked by Blondel. The flop, however, gave her outs to a straight and she wouldn't have to sweat long finding an on the turn.
Li faded the on the river to score the double up and vault into the chip lead with Hata and Guo.
Feng Wen Chen open-shoved from late position and when action folded around to Yen Chen in the big blind, he called, putting Chen at risk.
Yen Chen:
Feng Chen:
Feng was in trouble, needing a miracle to at least chop the pot, the dealer patted the table and swept out a board reading , giving Feng some hope on the turn but ultimately whiffing on the river and taking his leave in 16th place, good for HK$170,000.
Both tables went to showdown at the same time and both tables were heads-up. Both players on one table held and both players on the other table held . Both tables chopped pots. Is there a glitch in the matrix?
Elliot Smith opened to 50,000 from the cutoff and Feng Wen Chen three-bet to 137,000 in the small blind. Smith called. The flop came and Chen continued for 100,000. Smith called once more.
The fell on the turn and both players checked to see the on the river. Chen checked again and Smith pushed his three stacks of yellow 5,000 chips into the middle. A bet worth 330,000, leaving just 30,000 behind.
Chen thought for a moment before releasing his cards to the muck.
Play is now underway after opening announcements. The final 16 players have stacked up their chips and taken their seats for the final 20 minutes of Level 23 where play paused last night. Play will continue today until six players remain, and tables will be consolidated to a final table at nine players remaining.
The final table approaches as just 16 hopefuls will return for Day 5 of the PokerStars Championship Macau Main Event. German Aymon Hata and China’s Dong Guo will resume play at the top of the chip counts, separated by less than one big blind.
Hata carries a stack of 2,188,000 into play with Guo close behind wielding 2,160,000. Thibault Blondel (1,388,000), Wenlong Jin (1,296,000), and Yan Li (1,248,000) among the other big stacks.
Several notables still remain in the hunt including Daniel Laidlaw (1,077,000), Canadian Spin n’ Go qualifier Avraham Oziel (873,000), Elliot Smith (583,000), Fabrice Soulier (472,000), and Winfred Yu (385,000) who will return today as the shortest stack.
The plan for Day 5 is usually to play down to the final six. Play will begin with the final 20 minutes remaining in Level 23 where play paused last night. Here is a look at what blinds the players will face today:
Level
Duration
Small Blind
Big Blind
Ante
23
21:41
12,000
24,000
4,000
24
90
15,000
30,000
5,000
25
90
20,000
40,000
5,000
26
90
25,000
50,000
5,000
27
90
30,000
60,000
10,000
28
90
40,000
80,000
10,000
The first player eliminated today will earn HK$170,000 and then everyone will get a pay jump with the next few spots paying HK$221,000. Those numbers will just be on the back of everyone’s mind while the HK$3,130,000 top prize will take center stage.
PokerNews' live reporting team will be back on the tournament floor today, providing live updates of all the action. Keep your browser locked on this page to stay up to date as the tournament progresses.