The bubble approaches. The tension builds.

We’re about half way through Day 2 here for the APPT9 Macau Main Event and the bubble looms as we close in on the 59 paid places. Energy is high here with a rail developing at PokerStars LIVE Macau as players battle it out for a return on their investment.

While the bubble should burst before the day is done here, let’s take a look at the last three bubble boy moments from APPT Macau Main Events.

Last year brought a surprising sight as the bubble popped in quick fashion. So much so that here wasn’t even time for the normal hand for hand procedure. With a string of quick eliminations, the tournament clock had to be paused as APPT President Danny McDonagh counted the remaining runners. He found exactly 60 were left in the field, and with 60 places paying, floor staff found the latest to be eliminated and he donned the title of bubble boy. That honour went to Indonesia’s Frangky Tegoeh.

The bubble story from APPT7 in Macau was another interesting affair. Day 3 began exactly one away from the money and therefore hand for hand. That would only last for 12 hands though as a pot developed between Manuel Blaschke and Vladimir Troyanovskiy who was in town for the $130,000 GuangDong Asia Millions.

The two players bloated the pot preflop, and on a flop of 10♦ 7♦ 9♥ they had all the money in the middle. Blaschke was in front with A♠ A♥ but Troyanovskiy was certainly live with J♦ 10♥ . The turn brought the 5♦ adding a flush draw for Troyanovskiy, and the river landed the J♣ to make top two pair and eliminate Blaschke one shy of a payday.

APPT7 Macau bubble boy Manuel BlaschkeAnd finally APPT6 saw a bubble that stretched so long that plans were made to halt play and continue the following day. With 23 players left and 22 paying dividends, on what was already officially called the last hand of the night, Linh Tran found himself at risk after a preflop confrontation with Aaron Lim meant the players were all in.

Tran held A♣ K♠ and was flipping against Lim’s 9♠ 9♦ . The flop landed 9♣ 3♠ 3♥ bringing a full house for Lim and all but sealing Tran’s fate. He was unable to find a miracle on the turn and river to finish painfully short of the cash.

Linh Tran finds the exit one shy of the moneyWho will be the bubble boy or girl for this year’s APPT Macau? With 77 players remaining and only 59 places paying out, we’ll be watching to find out through the second half of Day 2 here. You can keep up to date with all the Main Event action in the live reporting section of the APPT9 Macau page, and stay tuned to the PokerStarsBlog for the feature stories from Macau.

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