• Michael Christopher Soyza wins High Roller for HK$2,037,000 – FULL RECAP
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2:10am: Finger falls in 2nd (HK$1.7M), Soyza wins High Roller (HK$2,037,000)
Level 23: 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)
It’s all over, Michael Christopher Soyza is our High Roller champ!
He limped his button and Martin Finger checked to see a 6♦ 10♦ 2♦ flop. Finger led out for 600,000, and that got a call to see the 7♣ turn. Action didn’t slow down as Finger fired again for another 600,000. Soyza didn’t budge.
The river was the 9♣ and Finger put in a triple-barrel all in for 1.86 million. Soyza snap-called with a very good reason: he’d flopped a flush with the Q♦ 7♦ .
The two players, who were chummy at the table, shook hands and that was that!
Soyza wins HK$2,037,000 and the trophy, while Finger banks HK$1.7 million.
Thanks for reading our live updates, we have a full tournament wrap here.
1:55am: Deal is done
Level 23: 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)
A deal has been agreed, and here’s how it works out.
Michael Christopher Soyza has locked up HK$1,987,000.
Martin Finger is guaranteed HK$1,700,000.
They’ll play for HK$50,000 and the trophy.
1:45am: Heads up chip counts
Level 23: 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)
Here’s how they stack up:
Michael Christopher Soyza: 8,325,000
Martin Finger: 3,575,000
The two are currently looking at deal numbers.
1:40am: Zhong Wang gone in 3rd (HK$979,000)
Level 23: 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)
It’s heads-up time.
After Michael Christopher Soyza made it 250,000 on the button, Zhong Wang jammed. “How much is it?” asked Soyza, and as soon as he replied “1.72 million” the Malaysian made the call.
He had the 4♦ 4♠ while Wang held A♦ 2♠ . The board ran out K♥ J♥ 5♠ 8♦ 4♣ , and despite Wang’s rail’s screams for an ace, he was out in third.
1:30am: Table bully
Level 23: 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)
Michael Christopher Soyza is putting his big stack to good use, having just used brute force to push Zhong Wang off a hand.
Picking up the action on the 3♣ A♥ 8♠ flop (after what I think was limp, complete, call pre-flop), Soyza and Martin Finger both checked and Wang led for 140,000. It went call call, and the turn came the 6♥ .
It checked to Wang again and he continued firing for 300,000. Soyza weighed up his options and then came in for a raise to 800,000, which shook off Finger, and got a reluctant fold from Wang who drops to 1.5 million.
1:20am: Finger takes from Soyza
Level 23: 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)
Michael Christopher Soyza limped the small blind after Zhong Wang folded, and Martin Finger checked his option. The two saw an A♥ 7♠ 4♠ flop, and both checked.
The turn came the 7♥ , and Soyza checked again. Finger took his time but eventually put out a bet of 125,000, only for Soyza to raise it up to 275,000. Finger let his clock count down but did make the call.
They saw the 2♦ on the river and Soyza slowed down again, checking it. Finger took almost his entire 30 seconds before placing down a stack worth 600,000, and Soyza released his hand immediately.
1:10am: Double up for Finger
Level 23: 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)
In one of the first hands back, Michael Cristopher Soyza put Martin Finger all in small blind to big, and Finger called with the Q♠ J♦ which was ahead of Soyza’s 10♥ 6♣ . The 3♠ J♣ Q♥ flop was music to Finger’s ears, and the 4♦ turn and 10♦ river kept him in front.
He’s up to 2.7 million now, while Soyza dips to 8 million.
12:50am: Three-handed at the break
Players are on a 15-minute break. Here’s how they stand:
Michael Christopher Soyza: 8.355 million
Martin Finger: 1.33 million
Zhong Wang: 2.215 million
12:45am: Wing Cheung Chong gone in 4th ($810,600)
Level 22: 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)
And then there were three!
Just a hand or two after Canlin Chen’s departure, Wing Cheung Chong jammed with the K♥ 9♥ and was called by Michael Christopher Soyza who had min-opened under the gun. Soyza had Chong in bad shape with his A♥ K♣ , and the 7♣ 3♦ 5♠ J♣ A♠ never posed a threat to Soyza.
12:40am: Bad beat sends Chen out in 5th ($653,800)
Level 22: 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)
Ouch. We were about to see the chip lead swing Canlin Chen’s way, but a river card changed everything.
Chen open-jammed for more than 2 million and it folded to Michael Christopher Soyza in the small blind who made the call. Soyza had the 9♦ 9♠ , but that was way behind Chen’s K♥ K♦ , whose rail were going crazy.
The 5♦ 8♦ 10♣ flop was great for the pocket kings, as was the 2♥ turn. But then out of nowhere the 9♣ landed on the river, muting Chen and his rail, and eliminating him in the process.
Soyza has an even bigger chip lead now, playing around 8.5 million.
12:30am: Chip counts
Level 22: 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)
Here’s how they stack up five handed:
1. (Empty)
2. (Empty)
3. Michael Christopher Soyza – 5.9 million
4. Martin Finger – 1.2 million
5. Canlin Chen – 2.7 million
6. (Empty)
7. (Empty)
8. Zhong Wang – 1.8 million
9. Wing Cheung Chong – 1 million
12:10am: Huang finds a caller, then the door (6th – HK$515,720)
Level 21: 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Well, he was begging for a caller before, but this time when he moved all in for 885,000 Michael Christopher Soyza made the call. He held the 7♥ 7♠ to put Huang at risk with his A♥ K♥ , and sadly for Huang the 3♣ 4♣ 8♣ 4♦ 9♦ board gave him no help. For efforts he’ll collect more than half a million HK dollars.
12am: Back to back knockouts; Luo (8th) and Francolini (7th)
Level 21: 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
It’s a crazy orbit, culminating in two eliminations in consecutive hands.
The first to fall was Qi Luo. Action folded to him in the hijack and he jammed for only a handful of big blinds, only for Mauro Francolini to isolate with a shove of his own and the bigger stack.
Francolini had the best of it with his [AD][KS] against Luo’s J♦ 8♦ , and while the K♥ Q♣ J♠ flop paired both, the 2♥ turn and 7♣ river kept Francolini in front with his pair of kings. Luo was out in 8th.
In the very next hand, though, Francolini would fall too. Michael Christopher Soyza opened under the gun and Francolini jammed. It folded back to Soyza, and he made the call with the A♥ Q♦ . It was a flip, as Francolini had the 9♣ 9♦ .
The dealer put out a J♠ K♠ 5♥ flop which kept the nines in front, and the 5♠ changed nothing. But the A♦ sure did, giving Soyza a bigger pair and busting Francolini in 7th.
11:40pm: Soyza waits, Huang begs
Level 21: 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)
Michael Christopher Soyza opened to 170,000 in the UTG+1 seat and it folded to the big blind of Zhong Wang who made the call. They saw a K♥ 7♦ Q♣ flop and Soyza chose not to c-bet, checking it back. The turn then came the 2♥ , and again there’d be no more betting.
The 3♥ river completed the board, and Wang checked once more. Now Soyza put in a very delayed c-bet of 150,000, and that was enough to get a fold.
In the very next hand, Shan Huang moved all in and stood up to beg each opponent for a call. Alas, he got no takers.
11:30pm: Leow first to fall in 9th (HK$222,000)
Level 20: 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
It took longer than expected but our final table has suffered its first casualty.
The hand began with a 140,000 open from Ivan Seng Yee Leow from middle position, which then folded to Canlin Chen on the button. He went into the tank, taking more than his allocated 30 seconds and thus giving up a time bank chip, before announcing a raise to 290,000. Back to Leow it was his turn to time bank, and after a minute he made the call.
The dealer spread a 2♣ 8♣ Q♣ flop and Leow checked it. Chen continued for 285,000, and after his full 30 seconds Leow moved all in for 915,000 total.
Chen got a count and after ten seconds or so he made the call. Leow flipped over his 3♣ 3♥ , while Chen’s 9♣ 9♥ were best, much to the delight of his rail.
The turn came the 4♣ completing the flush, and the 5♥ river changed nothing. Leow said his goodbyes, and Chen now sits with 2.8 million.
11:15pm: Finger doubles through Soyza
Level 20: 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
Could Martin Finger go better than his fourth-place finish in Monday’s Single Day High Roller? Odds of that have greatly improved as he’s just doubled up.
Michael Christopher Soyza opened to 130,000 under the gun and Finger jammed from one seat over for 680,000. It folded back to the big stack of Soyza and he made the call with ace-jack, which was in bad shape with Finger’s pocket aces. The aces held up when Finger eventually made a flush.
A few hands later and Finger is up to 1.8 million.
11pm: Another level
Level 20: 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)
The blinds are up, but we’ve not much action to report as of yet. Michael Christopher Soyza three-bet a Zhong Wang 135,000 under-the-gun open to 350,000 and got a fold; and Mauro Froncolini jammed the small blind when it folded to him and Wang let his big blind go. That’s about it for now, but stay tuned and we’ll be back when we have something better for you!
10:40pm: Final table chip counts
Level 19: 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)
1. Ivan Seng Yee Leow – 1.54 million
2. Shan Huang – 708,000
3. Michael Christopher Soyza – 3.53 million
4. Martin Finger – 780,000
5. Canlin Chen – 785,000
6. Qi Luo – 715,000
7. Mauro Francolini – 1.195 million
8. Zhong Wang – 1.39 million
9. Wing Cheong Chong – 1.22 million
10:20pm: Luo final table bubbles in 10th
Level 19: 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)
That’s it! It’s final table time.
After losing that big hand we told you about, Xixiang Luo was all in for his last 60,000 with the 9♦ 8♦ and was called by Shan Huang in the big blind with the K♣ 8♠ . The board ran out A♣ 4♥ 8♥ 3♥ J♦ keeping the king high in front, and Luo made an exit.
Nine remain – we’ll have a final table draw and chips shortly.
10:15pm: Barry Greenstein saves Zhang Wang
Level 19: 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)
We were one card away from our final table.
Zhang Wang was all in and at risk with ace-deuce, called by Xixiang Luo’s pocket deuces. The flop and turn kept the deuces in front, but a miracle ace on the river (aka the Barry Greenstein) saved Zhang and brought Luo down to less than 100,000.
Wang is up to 1.25 million.
10:05pm: Double KO! Tsuji out in 12th, Chen gone in 11th
Level 19: 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)
Just two tables of five now remain, making this our final table bubble.
It was a double KO that saw both James Chen and Yasuyuki Tsuji fall. Chen opened under the gun to 100,000 and Soyza popped it up to 200,000 in the hijack. Tsuji then jammed the cutoff for his last 60,000, and when it was back to Chen he moved all in. Soyza snap-called.
Tsuji: A♠ 7♣
Chen: A♥ K♠
Soyza: Q♥ Q♦
Chen and Soyza were flipping for Chen’s 600,000 and his tournament life. The flop came 9♦ 5♥ 4♣ keeping Soyza in front. The 2♣ hit the turn changing nothing, and the 5♣ completed the board sending both to the rail.
As Chen started the hand with more, he’ll finish in 11th to Tsuji’s 12th. Meanwhile, Soyza is up to 2.95 million.
9:55pm: Another Chen double, another Leow hand
Level 18: 15,000/30,000 (5,000 ante)
All our action this level revolved around people called Chen and Seng Leow.
It’s not Canlin Chen this time though; overnight chip leader James Chen just doubled up through Leow, getting the money in on a jack-high board with pocket aces against Leow’s jack-ten.
9:50pm: Jin’s gone in 13th
Level 18: 15,000/30,000 (5,000 ante)
Seng Leow is playing executioner left and right. He’s just taken down another player, Xin Jin, with his pocket tens against Jin’s king-jack off. The tens held, and Leow is up to 2.9 million now which is likely good for the chip lead.
9:45pm: Davies departs
Level 18: 15,000/30,000 (5,000 ante)
The number 13 is unlucky for some, but it’s 14 that Scott Davies will be superstitious about.
He’s just become our 14th place finisher, getting his 500,000 stack in on a 3♦ 4♦ Q♣ flop, only to be called by Seng Leow’s A♦ K♦ for a flush draw and two overs. Leow improved immediately on the A♣ turn, and the K♣ river gave him a bigger two pair than Davies’.
Leow is up to 2.3 million now.
9:35pm: Chen chances it
Level 18: 15,000/30,000 (5,000 ante)
Canlin Chen has been getting frisky with his newly acquired chips. First, he opened in the UTG+1 seat to 120,000 -four-times the big blind – and got no callers.
Then when he was under the gun, he only opened to 70,000. There was a reason: he had the A♦ A♥ and obviously wanted some action. Alas, everyone folded and Chen proudly showed them.
9:20pm: Chen doubles first hand, Noda busts in 16th
Level 18: 15,000/30,000 (5,000 ante)
Action has started as (we hope) it means to go on, with a big double up followed by an elimination.
First, Hiroyuki Noda called the all in of Canlin Chen with the A♣ K♥ against the J♥ 8♥ and the A♦ 7♣ 8♠ J♣ Q♠ board gave Chen two pair and the double up, much to Noda’s disappointment.
He was all in a hand or two later with the A♠ Q♠ , and was dominated by Xixiang Luo’s A♥ K♥ . The big slick held up after the flop, and we’re down to 15.
9:15pm: Welcome back
Level 18: 15,000/30,000 (5,000 ante)
The final two tables have returned, and they’re all in the money. Cards are in the air.
8:15pm: Dinner break
Players have just commenced a 60-minute dinner break.
8:05pm: Francolini bests Chen in battle of the blinds
Level 17: 12,000/24,000 (4,000 ante)
Mauro Francolini limped in the small blind before James Chen raised to 80,000 from the big blind. Francolini called and the flop was spread 9♣ 4♠ K♠ .
Francolini check-called a bet of 70,000 and the 2♣ arrived on the turn. Again Francolini check-called for 150,000 and the A♣ completed the board.
The action was checked through on the end and Francolini tabled 9♥ 8♠ for the winner.
7:45pm: Final two table draw
Level 17: 12,000/24,000 (4,000 ante)
Table 1
Seat 1: Canlin Chen – 180,000
Seat 2: Zhang Wang – 1,000,000
Seat 3: Martin Finger – 450,000
Seat 4: Xi Xiang Xi – 600,000
Seat 5: Qi Luo – 970,000
Seat 6: Shan Huang – 910,000
Seat 7: Hiroyuki Noda – 320,000
Seat 8: Chunjie Liu – 220,000
Table 2
Seat 1: Scott Davies – 850,000
Seat 2: Seng Leow – 1,650,000
Seat 3: Mauro Francolini – 1,100,000
Seat 4: James Chen – 1,150,000
Seat 5: Motoki Jinno – 230,000
Seat 6: Michael Soyza – 1,200,000
Seat 7: Yasuyuki Tsuji – 330,000
Seat 8: Wing Cheung Chong – 600,000
7:25pm: Linh Tran bubbles
Level 16: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)
APPT Manila champion Linh Tran has taken a rough beat to stone bubble the High Roller Event in the first hand of hand-for-hand play.
It was a three-way all in between Tran, Zhong Wang and Michael Soyza which saw the players from neighbouring tables huddle around to sweat the possibility of a guaranteed payday.
Tran: K♥ K♣
Wang: 10♠ 10♣
Soyza: 7♠ 7♣
One railbird was cheering for a seven but the Q♥ 10♦ 4♦ flop saw Wang spike middle set and shoot to the lead. The A♥ turn gave Tran four extra outs to Broadway but the 4♠ on the end signalled the end of Tran’s tournament run and took us to the money.
7:15pm: Hand for hand
Level 16: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)
We’re now on the direct money bubble so hand-for-hand play has begun.
7pm: Soyza applies bubble pressure
Level 16: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)
Michael Soyza is using his big stack to bully the table as we’ve now reached the soft bubble.
It folded around to Soyza and he moved all in from the cutoff with enough to cover the three players behind. The button and the small blind folded but Martin Finger was in the big blind with a tough decision.
He looked a little tormented but after some time in the tank he threw his hand away.
“How painful was the fold?” Soyza asked.
“Pretty painful,” Finger lamented.
“Ace jack?” came the follow up inquiry from Soyza.
Finger nodded and the pot was pushed to Soyza who now has 1.7 million.
6:40pm: Tsuji sends one home
Level 15: 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)
We’re one place closer to the bubble now after Yasuyuki Tsuji sent a tablemate railward.
Tsuji moved all in for 210,000 from under the gun before a player with just two antes flicked them into the middle behind. The rest of the table quickly relinquished their hands and Tsuji showed A♣ Q♦ and saw he was dominating Q♣ 2♦ .
The J♠ 6♣ 3♠ K♦ 7♦ runout brought no change and with that we’re down to just 20 players remaining.
6:20pm: Shove life
Level 15: 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)
Despite the bubble fast-approaching, players haven’t shown any signs of being gun-shy.
We just saw two all-in jams transpire. The first came after a raise to 38,000 and when it folded around to Mike Huang in the big blind he moved all in with enough to cover the raiser’s 106,000 behind.
Huang’s move was too strong and it was enough to take down the pot.
“If I shove do you call?” Huang’s opponent inquired.
“It’s close,” came the response.
The second shove was from Shan Huang. When action folded around to Wing Cheong Chong in the small blind he limped in, and Huang pushed his stack of 250,000 in from the big blind. Again the jam went uncontested and Huang picked up the pot.
5:45pm: Take a break
The remaining 26 players have stepped away for a 15-minute break.
5:15pm: Finger on the trigger
Level 14: 6,000/12,000 (1,000 ante)
Martin Finger has moved up to 660,000 now after a big river jam versus two-time High Roller champion and Day 1 chip leader James Chen.
There was a full house on board with the community cards reading K♦ 10♦ 10♣ 10♥ K♣ and Chen led out for 97,000 from the big blind. Finger then announced all in and pushed for 400,000.
Chen’s shot clock counted down to about five seconds before he decided to let it go. The pot was pushed Finger’s way and Chen dropped down to 575,000 in chips.
4:55pm: Prize pool and payout information
Level 13: 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)
Registration is now locked out and that means we can bring you the prize pool and payout information.
We have a total of 119 entries made up of 95 unique players and 24 re-entries which generated a total prize pool of HK$8,863,120 (~$1.135 million). The eventual champion will pocket HK$2,230,000 (~$285,500) with 17 places paid and the min-cash set at HK$139,000 (~$18,000).
4:35pm: Leow leading the way
Level 13: 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)
Ivan Leow has charged to the front of the pack today. Here’s how he stacks up among some of the other notables.
Ivan Leow – 1,250,000
Michael Soyza – 740,000
Linh Tran – 365,000
Martin Finger – 350,000
James Chen – 305,000
Mike Huang – 300,000
Tom Alner – 290,000
Michael Addamo – 265,000
Scott Davies – 240,000
Sparrow Cheung – 130,000
4:15pm: Adios Aido
Level 12: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)
Sergio Aido has been eliminated after a one-two punch.
The first saw Aido run A♣ Q♦ into K♠ K♥ and fail to overcome the odds on a 8♦ 2♣ 7♣ 2♠ 8♥ runout.
That left him down to just 11,000 and he was in the small blind the very next hand.
After an open to 16,000, Yasuyuki Tsuji moved all in next to act for 113,000 and Aido flicked in the last of his chips behind. The original raiser got out of the way both Aido and Tsuji tabled their cards.
Aido: 4♦ 2♥
Tsuji: A♥ A♣
Aido was behind to put it lightly and he couldn’t catch a miracle on the 6♣ 10♣ K♦ 2♦ K♣ runout.
3:50pm: ACOP Super High Roller Early Bird Special
While this High Roller is cruising along we thought it’d be a good time to tell you about the Asia Championship of Poker and its Super High Roller Early Bird Special.
The ACOP is the richest poker festival in the Far East and runs from October 13-29. They’re now offering complimentary hotel nights for pre-registering the Super High Roller on October 21-23.
You can read all about it right here.
3:30pm: First break of the day
Players have begun a 15-minute break.
3:10pm: Lew loses to Leow
Level 10: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)
PokerStars Team Online Randy Lew was mounting a comeback earlier today but unfortunately for the Red Spade he’s since been relegated to the rail.
He and tablemate Ivan Leow got all the chips in on the turn with the board reading 5♦ 5♥ 3♥ 7♠ before Lew quickly found out he’d been hit by a cold deck.
Lew: K♥ K♣
Leow: A♠ A♦
Lew couldn’t catch the two outer on the river and he was eliminated not long before the end of late registration. It doesn’t look like he’ll be jumping back in but you can catch Lew on Twitch during WCOOP.
KK vs AA for the LEW-S! Stream WCOOP soon? #bustonoko #MPC27
— Randy Lew (@nanonoko) September 9, 2017
2:45pm: Addamo loses a flip
Level 10: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)
Australia’s Michael Addamo has just been eliminated at the hands of Mike Huang.
Huang opened the betting before Addamo moved in over the top for right around 45,000. It folded back around to Huang and he called to put Addamo at risk.
Addamo: 6♠ 6♦
Huang: A♥ 10♥
The A♦ 2♦ 7♠ flop saw Huang shoot to the lead and Addamo was unable to find a six or running diamonds when the 10♣ turn and 9♣ river meant the end of this bullet.
Addamo fans shouldn’t fret just yet, however, as he was spotted headed to the registration desk to fire again.
2:30pm: Lew lifting early
Level 10: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)
PokerStars Team Online Randy Lew started short today but he has more than double his starting stack already. He just got some of those chips by picking off a bluff from Rui Ye.
Lew initially raised to 8,500 from under the gun and Ye defended his big blind to see a flop of 3♠ 6♠ 10♠ . Ye checked and Lew continued for 8,500 again. Ye made the call and they both subsequently checked on the A♣ turn card.
The 7♥ river prompted a bet of 21,000 from Ye and Lew called it off to see he’d made the correct decision. Ye held Q♠ 5♥ for a busted flush draw and Lew revealed K♣ 10♥ for flopped top pair.
Lew now has 185,000 in play.
2:10pm: Play begins
Level 10: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)
Cards are now in the air for Day 2.
High Roller final day ready for kick-off
Welcome back to PokerStars LIVE Macau for our final day of live coverage from the Macau Poker Cup. Today we’ll see the HK$80,000 High Roller event play down to a champion!
That’s still some time away, however, as play starts at 2pm local time (GMT+8) and there are still 51 players remaining with late registration open for the first two levels of play.
It comes as no surprise that MPC23 and MPC25 High Roller champion James Chen is currently out in front with 660,500. He has won this tournament around this time two years in a row and has propelled himself into a great position again to take down the trilogy.
Also returning today is Team PokerStars Online Randy ‘nanonoko’ Lew who had a slow start yesterday and bagged 67,000.
Check back with us soon to follow all the action when cards are in the air. In the meantime you can find today’s table draw here.
High Roller reports by Brad Kain and Jack Stanton. Photos by Long Guan from Kenneth Lim Photography courtesy of PokerStars LIVE Macau
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