Thursday, 28th March 2024 08:16
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Congratulations to Yuguang Li, winner of the MPC22 Red Dragon (HK$1,848,000)!

After seven days of tough poker and 986 eliminations, China’s Yuguang Li has been crowned the champion of the MPC22 Red Dragon.

As per a heads-up deal with runner-up Yunye Lu, Li picked up HK$1,848,000 which includes an ACOP Main Event seat.

Congratulations go out to Lu on his fantastic effort!

1st: Yuguang Li – $1,848,000* (includes ACOP Main Event seat)
2nd: Yunye Lu – $1,645,000*
3rd: Yifan Zhang – $783,000
4th: Yi Won Lee – $563,000
5th: Takuya Yamashita – $384,000
6th: Eileen Wang – $281,612
7th: Fan Xu – $235,000
8th: Xiaodong Lin – $204,500
9th: David Steicke – $174,000
* denotes heads-up deal

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Champion Yuguang Li celebrates his victory

Thanks for tuning into our live updates of the MPC22 Red Dragon! That’s all from us for this event, but you can return tomorrow (Saturday) from 3:00pm local time as we provide coverage of the conclusion of the HK$80,000 High Roller event.

Until then, expect a full recap of today’s Red Dragon to appear on the PokerStarsBlog as soon as possible!

10:05pm: Yunye Lu eliminated in 2nd place (HK$1,645,000), Yuguang Li wins!

The final hand of the MPC22 Red Dragon has just played out!

Following the big hand as outlined below, Yunye Lu was down to just a couple of big blinds and he promtply got them in the middle preflop holding A♦ 2♥ and was up against the 10♣ 4♥ of Yuguang Li.

The window card was a 2♦ to give Lu a pair, but when the dealer revealed 8♣ and 4♦ , Li had taken the lead.

The 5♣ turn and the K♠ river were no good to Lu and with that, it was all over!

As per the deal, Lu takes home HK$1,645,000 while the champion Li claims HK$1,748,000 and the 2015 ACOP Main Event seat worth HK$100,000!

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Yuguang Li (right) – 2nd place

10:00pm: Yugiang leaves Yunye for dead

Yunye Lu has been left for dead after a bit of a mistimed aggression.

The hand started with Yugiang Li raising the button to 300,000. Lu called and the dealer spread out a 5♦ K♦ 3♣ flop. Lu checked here and Li bet 400,000. Back on Lu and he raised it up to 1 million. Li called and the dealer turned over a 2♣ turn.

It was at this point that Lu decided to shove all in for just around 6 million.

Li snap-called and tabled K♣ 2♥ for two pair.

Lu simply smirked as he showed Q♣ 9♥ for just queen-high and no draws.

Lu was drawing dead and so once the formality of the 7♦ river was out of the way, he had doubled up to around 14.5 million in chips, while Li was left very short with only 290,00.

9:55pm: Back on same level

The two players are back in their seats.

Blinds are still 60,000/120,000 with a 20,000 for another half an hour.


9:45pm: Break time

The two players have been sent on another 10-minute break!

Action has been very slow during the last hour or so… Maybe the break will pep the players up. Check back here soon as continue playing towards crowning a Red Dragon champion! The eventual winner will take home that gorgeous looking specimen below.

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Both players want to get their hands on this

9:40pm: Count update

Here are the current counts for the two remaining players.

Yunye Lu – 7,500,000
Yuguang Li – 7,300,000

9:30pm: One flop in many

There hasn’t been too much action of late.

One of the few hands that saw some chips hit the felt began with Yuguang Li opening the button to 310,000. Yunye Lu called and the dealer spread out a 4♠ Q♣ 4♥ flop. Lu checked here and Li bet 400,000. Back on Lu and he check-raised to 1,000,000. Li opted to fold and the pot went to Lu!

9:15pm: Double for Yuguang

Yunye Lu had the button and raised it up to 350,000. Yuguang three-bet to 770,000 and Lu moved his big stack all in. After just a few moments, Li called off his stack of 2,930,000 total and was all in for his tournament life!

Lu had A♥ Q♦ and was looking good to win the tournament against Li with K♥ J♣ .

Then Li would send out some fist bumps and cries of enthusiasm when the dealer turned over a K♦ 10♣ 10♥ flop to give Li the lead. No danger on the 4♦ turn or the 6♦ river and with that, it was a double up for Li!

It now just under 6 million for Li and around 8.8 million for Lu.

9:00pm: Level 29 begins, blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000)

8:50pm: Some post-deal aggression

We have already seen some aggressive play in one of the early hands after the deal.
It started with Yunye Lu opening the button to 250,000. Yuguang Li three-bet to 500,000 and with a call from Lu, the dealer spread out a 4♦ 9♦ A♥ flop. Li led for 675,000 here and Lu raised it up to 1.5 million. Li quickly folded and the chips went to Lu.

8:40pm: Deal done, cards back and flying

The players have made an ICM deal!

Firstly, here is how the chip stacks looked:

Yunye Lu – 7,805,000
Yuguang Li – 6,935,000

The deal that was done sees the eventual champion take home HK$150,000 and a HK$100,000 ACOP Main Event seat, while below are the deal amounts.

Yunye Lu – HK$1,645,000
Yuguang Li – HK$1,598,000

Of course the champ also takes home the magnificent Red Dragon trophy!

There are 15 minutes remaining in the current level!

Let’s see who wins!

8:30pm: Deal talk

The players have paused the clock and are now discussing a deal.

8:20pm: Nearing even

Yuguang Li and Yunye Lu are closer to being even in chips than ever before.

Li has been chipping away for quite some time and after winning a recent three-bet pot without contest after a continuation bet on the flop, Li is up to 6.8 million. Lu, meanwhile, has just around 8 million.

8:10pm: Nice river for Yuguang

Yuguang Li has just found a nice river to move back to 6 million.

The hand started with Yunye Lu limping the button. Li raised it up to 250,000 and Lu made the call to see the dealer spread out a 8♣ 9♥ 7♣ flop. Li led for 300,000 here and Lu called. Li checked the 2♠ turn, while Lu led for 500,000. Li made the call and a Q♥ completed the board.

When both players checked, Li turned over Q♦ J♣ , with the rivered queen good enough to send Lu’s cards into the muck.

7:55pm: Yunye gets aggressive

There was just under 1 million in the pot by the time the dealer had spread out a J♦ J♣ 5♥ 2♦ 9♣ board. Yuguang Li was first to act on the river and led out for 500,000 before Lu raised it up to 2.2 million from the button. Li tanked and eventually folded.

With this hand, Li is back to around 5 million in chips, while Lu has just under 10 million.

7:40pm: Back and forth

For a little while there it was looking like Yuguang Li was gaining some ground. He won several small uncontested pots. Then Yunye Lu won our first three-bet pot since returning from the break and it was back to the same stacks as just prior to the break.

This one started with Li opening to 250,000 from the button. Lu three-bet to 600,000 and Li made the call. On the 4♣ 3♥ 7♦ flop, Li led for 650,000 and Lu took some time before folding.

7:25pm: Heads-up continues with Level 28

Cards back in the air!

Blinds are now 50,000/100,000 with a 10,000 ante.


7:15pm: Break time for two

The two players have been sent on a 10-minute break.

The MPC22 Red Dragon will continue soon!

7:05pm: Yunye gets some back

Big stack Yunye Lu has won some chips back off Yuguang Li.

It started with Li limping the button. Lu then raised it up to 550,000 and Li made the call.
Both players checked the 4♥ Q♣ J♥ flop and on the 7♥ turn, Lu led for 300,000. Li called and the board completed with a 8♥ . Lu led again here, this time for 1 million. Li eventually folded and the chips went to Lu.

6:55pm: Chips in one direction

It seems that every pot that goes past a flop, or has a three-bet involved, goes to Yuguang Li. That was case recently when Li and Yunye Lu went to showdown on a J♥ Q♦ J♠ 7♣ 6♣ board. Lu had raised the button preflop which Li called. Li then check-called a bet of 200,000 on the flop before both players checked the turn and river.

At showdown, Li tabled A♣ 9♣ for ace high and took down the pot.

Li has built back up to around 6 million, while Lu is ahead with 8.8 million

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Yuguang Lu during heads-up

6:35pm: Yuguang continues chipping away

Yuguang Li has continued to win chips off big stack Yunye Lu.

There hasnt been any big hands recently, but Li seems to be scooping almost every pot, either taking it down preflop or with a single continuation bet.

Li is now up to his all-time high 5.3 million against Li’s 9.5 million.

6:20pm: Another one for Yuguang

Yuguang Li continues to gain some ground.

A recent pot that went to him saw Yunye Lu open the button and Li call from the big blind.

On the 8♥ 10♦ 6♠ flop, Li check-called a bet of 175,000 and a J♥ hit the turn.

Another check and this time Li called a bet of 400,000.

The board completed with a 2♠ and Li checked for a third time. Lu checked behind and then mucked when Li showed J♦ 6♦ for two pair.

6:10pm: Yuguang gets some back

Yuguang Li has finally gained some ground on Yunye Lu.

It started with Lu opening the button and Li calling.

On the 6♠ J♣ Q♥ flop, Li led out with a bet and Lu called.

The 2♦ turn would see Li bet again, this time a large 500,000.

Lu called and the board completed with a Kâ™  .

Li moved all in for around 2.5 million here and Lu made a fairly quick call.

Li now is back to around 4 million against the 10.8 millions of Lu.

6:00pm: Level 27 begins, blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000)

5:50pm: First big one goes to Yunye

Chip leader Yunye Lu has yet again won some chips.

The heads-up battle began relatively slowly, but then Lu and Yuguang Li played out a big hand on a 3♠ 6♦ J♦ 6♣ 10♥ board. Preflop saw Lu open the button to 150,000 and Li call.

On the flop, Li check-called a bet of 150,000 while the turn saw both players check. On the river, Li led for 300,000 and after a few moments Lu called.

Li instantly mucked his cards here and so Lu took down the pot without showing.

Lu is now up around 12 million while Li is down to 2.8 million.

5:35pm: Heads-up begins

The heads-up battle between Yunye Lu and Yuguang Li has begun!

Here is how the chips look:

Yunye Lu – 11,050,000
Yuguang Li – 3,750,000

There are just around 20 minutes left in the current level – 30,000/60,000 (5,000).

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Heads-up at the MPC22 Red Dragon

5:30pm: Yifan Zhang eliminated in 3rd place (HK$783,000)

In just over two hours of play we have gone from nine players to heads-up.

It was Yifan Zhang who fell in 3rd place.

He was in the big blind and three-bet all in for around 1.5 million after Yunye Lu had opened the button. Lu called to put Zhang at risk with Q♥ J♣ against his K♦ 10♦ .

Zhang needed help but it didn’t come on a 3♦ 9â™  4♥ 9♥ Aâ™  board and so Zhang was to the tournament booth to collect HK$783,000.

With that, its Lu up against Yuguang Li for the title!

The table is being readied for the heads-up battle, with cards back in the air soon.

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Yifan Zhang – 3rd place

5:20pm: Back for more three-handed action

The three players are back from their break.

Blinds are still 30,000/60,000 with a 5,000 ante.


5:10pm: Break for three

The three players have been sent on a break!

Here is how they stack up:

Yunye Lu – 9,500,000
Yuguang Li – 3,800,000
Yifan Zhang – 1,550,000

As you can see, Yunye Lu has a big chip lead!

5:05pm: Another big pot to Lu

Yunye Lu’s stack continues to grow!

The most recent pot that went to him began with Yifan Zhang raising to 135,000 from the small blind which Lu called from the big blind.

On the J♥ 8♠ 10♦ flop, Zhang led for 140,000 and Lu called.

The turn was a 6♥ and this time Zhang checked. Lu bet 200,000 and Zhang called.
When the board completed with a 5â™  , Zhang checked for a second time before Lu bet a large 800,000. Zhang went into the tank and eventually called, leaving himself with 1.5 million behind.

At showdown, Lu tabled J♣ 6♣ for two pair and Zhang’s cards went into the muck!

4:55pm: Yi Won Lee eliminated in 4th place (HK$563,000)

The action will not slow down!

Despite starting the day with a 40 big blind average and even having a 75 big blind average during six-handed play, we are already down to three players in under two hours.

The latest player to hit the rail was Yi Won Lee.

He got his stack in preflop with A♣ Q♥ and was up against Yuguang Li with 9♦ 9♥ .

The rail was screaming for an ace, but instead they were greeted with a 3♥ 9♠ 10♠ flop which gave Li a set of nines. The A♦ turn gave Lee a pair, but he was now drawing dead and with a meaningless 7♣ on the river, Lee was sent home in 4th place for a HK$563,000 score.

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Yi Won Lee – 4th place

4:40pm: Takuya Yamashita eliminated in 5th place (HK$384,000)

It’s probably not a great time to get 65 big blinds in preflop with K♦ 9♥ when your opponent has A♦ Aâ™  . That’s what just happened to Takuya Yamashita.

The epic hand started when Takuya min-opened to 120,000 from the cut off.

It was Yunye Lu who three-bet to 350,000 from the big blind.

Back on Takuya and he four-bet to 800,000.

Now it was five bet time with Lu min-clicking to 1,250,000.

Yamashita then six-bet all in for just shy of 4 million.

Snap-call and Lu turned over the aces having Yamashita covered by just a small amount.

The board ran out 5♦ J♥ 6♥ 6♠ A♥ and just like that Yamashita was eliminated in 5th
place, collecting HK$384,000.

Lu is now up to around 8 million in chips – well over half of everything in play.

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Takuya Yamashita – 5th place

4:25pm: Level 25 begins, blinds 30,000/60,000 (5,000)

4:20pm: Five-handed stack update

Here are the approximate counts of the five remaining players.

Yunye Lu – 4,100,000
Takuya Yamashita – 3,800,000
Yuguang Li – 3,100,000
Yifan Zhang – 2,300,000
Yi Won Lee – 1,600,000

At the moment the average stack is 75 big blinds, but the blinds are set to go up soon.

4:10pm: Eileen Wang eliminated in 6th place (HK$281,612)

Eileen Wang has been the short stack for the entire final table and now found herself on the rail in a solid 6th place, collecting HK$281,612.

Wang was all in preflop with A♠ J♠ and was up against Yi Won Lee with 9♠ 9♥ .

Wang managed to find a flush draw on the Q♠ 8♠ 5♥ flop, but with a Q♣ turn and a 10♦ river, it was all over for Wang.

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Eileen Wang – 6th place

4:00pm: Fan Xu eliminated in 7th place (HK$235,000)

The action has continued at a rapid pace during these early stages of the MPC22 Red Dragon final table as we have lost our third player of the day.

It was Fan Xu who got his short stack all in preflop holding 9♥ 9♣ and ran into the J♠ J♦ of big stack Yunye Lu.

The 8♣ 2♠ 5♥ flop was no good for Xu and the J♥ would leave him drawing dead.

For the 7th place effort Xu takes home HK$235,000.

The six remaining players are now guaranteed HK$281,612.

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Fan Xu – 7th place

3:45pm: Seven-handed count update

Here are the approximate counts of the players during seven-handed action.

Yunye Lu – 3,800,000
Takuya Yamashita – 3,700,000
Yuguang Li – 3,300,000
Yifan Zhang – 1,700,000
Yi Won Lee – 1,050,000
Fan Xu – 900,000
Eileen Wang – 400,000

3:35pm: Xiaodong Lin eliminated in 8th place (HK$204,500)

Another player gone!

Xiaodong Lin was in the cut off when he raised it up to 80,000. Yuguang Li, from the small blind, three-bet to 200,000 and it was back on Lin. After a few moments, Lin moved all in for just around 1 million and Li instantly called and tabled A♠ A♥ .

With that, Lin was at risk with 8♣ 8♠ .

The Q♦ 10♠ J♠ 2♦ 4♠ board was no good for Lin so it was home in 8th place for a HK$204,500 score.

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Xiaodong Lin – 8th place

3:20pm: David Steicke eliminated in 9th (HK$174,000)

Just a few minutes into the final table and we have already lost a player!

Takuya Yamashita had the button and opened it up with a min-raise. David Steicke, from the big blind, three-bet to 250,000 and it was back on Yamashita. After a few moments, he moved his big stack all in with Steicke having around 1 million more behind.
Steicke quickly called and tabled A♥ K♣ to put his tournament life at risk.

Yamashita, meanwhile, had the Q♦ 9♦ .

The 9♣ 8♣ 2♠ flop gave Yamashita the lead, but Steicke found an A♣ on the turn.
That ace also gave Steicke a club draw.

Then a 9♥ was dealt on the river and Steicke humbly mad his way to the rail.

“Off to the high roller,” Steicke said in reference to tonight’s HK$80,000 side event.

Yamashita is now up over 3.5 million in chips.

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3:10pm: Cards in the air at final table

The players have been introduced and the cards are in the air at the final table.

As per the generous 40 big blind guarantee at the final table, the blinds have been wound back to the start of 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante. Levels also run 75 minutes long at the final table, as opposed to 60 minutes.

Strap yourselves in, lets crown a champion!

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MPC22 Red Dragon final table

3:00pm: Photo shoot and preparations

The final table players have arrived at PokerStars LIVE Macau.

Play will be underway once some photos have been taken and the players have been introduced.

Time to crown the MPC22 Red Dragon champion

This is it! After six days of poker the 987 unique starting entrants is down to just nine as the MPC22 Red Dragon final table is set to begin.

There are six players from China, one from Japan, one from Korea and one a Hong Kong based Aussie. All of them want to win the HK$2,199,000 (~US$285,000) top prize and of course, the Red Dragon title.

Leading the way is China’s Yunye Lu with 3,780,000 in chips. Japan’s Takuya Yamashita is second in chips with 2,350,000. Amazingly this is back to back Red Dragon final tables for Yamashita after he finished third at last year’s August Macau Poker Cup.

Here is how the final nine stacks up:

Seat 1: Takuya Yamashita (Japan) – 2,350,000
Seat 2: Eileen Feng Jiao Wang (China) – 675,000
Seat 3: David Steicke (Hong Kong) – 1,270,000
Seat 4: Yi Won Lee (Korea) – 990,000
Seat 5: Yifan Zhang (China) – 1,825,000
Seat 6: Xiaodong Lin (China) – 1,275,000
Seat 7: Yunye Lu (China) – 3,780,000
Seat 8: Yuguang Li (China) – 1,665,000
Seat 9: Fan Xu (China) – 810,000

Click here to learn more about the players in our final table profiles

The cards will be in the air from 3:00pm today (Friday) and you can stay tuned and catch all the live updates and action on the way to crowning the MPC22 Red Dragon champion!

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