Michael Mariakis

After we caught this particular hand from Michael Mariakis he joked with us that he didn’t want it written up. Sorry, Michael, the power of the press demands it – plus it’s pretty funny.

After an all in for just 2000 from the cutoff player, PokerStars qualifier Yuki Ko, with K♦ 4♦, Mariakis decides to try his luck with 10♠ 6♠ on the button. However, China’s Shaobo Liu wakes up with Pocket Queens in the big blind and moves all in for 8000. Mariakis finds himself priced in enough to make the call and the board runs out 6? K? K? J? 6?, giving Ko the triple up, Mariakis the side pot and cruelly sending Liu to the rail.

Korea’s Gab Yong Kim is building up a sizable chip stack at the expense of several of his tablemates.

We caught the action on the river on a board of J♥ 6♥ 8♥ Q♠ 7♠ as Kim fired out a value bet of 7,500. China’s Rong Fan makes the call only to see Kim flip over 10♥ 9♦ for the nut straight. Fan is left shaking his head as he mucks, accidentally revealing the 8♦ as he does so.

Flush from his success Kim has become increasingly active and just two hands later he opens to 525 from early position finding a caller in the form of Japan’s Masakazu Okamoto.

Kim c-bets the 2♣ Q♣ 7♠ flop and Okamoto makes the call to see the A♠ turn, which both players check. Kim fires out a 1,500 bet as the 7♥ hits the river and Okamoto makes the call only to find out the bad news – he’s behind to Kim’s 10♠ 7♥. Okamoto slips to 10,000 and Kim’s now up to the 30,000 mark.

Andrew Scott

It was another case of Big Slick not working for World Gaming magazine CEO, Andrew Scott, today. From middle position he raised to 525 after being dealt A♦ K♦. The player in the hijack three-bets to 2000 but Yeo Ooi Keong wakes up with K♣ K♠ in the big blind and pushes all in for 6775. Scott shoves and the hijack folds.

The board runs out 10-high without even a draw for Scott and his stack is crippled to just 4500.

Not long after Scott walks past the media desk and tells us he’s out. In a limped pot Scott has J♣ 2♦ in the big blind and hits his top pair on the flop. He check-shoves his short stack into a raise from a “maniac who’s playing every hand” but, unfortunately for Scott, his opponent has a legitimate hand after flopping two-pair. Scott is unable to catch up and his tough week continues at the MPC. However, he’s philosophical about his bad run… “At least now I can go grab a beer…” he says of the silver lining to his bust out.

PokerStars Macau

Players are now on a short 10 minute break, stay tuned and we’ll bring you more action and adventure when play resumes. Tournament Director Danny Mcdonagh has just informed us that we’ll be playing seven levels today so play should be all done and dusted by around 10pm.

Percy Yung

On a flop of K♥ 5♥ J♦, Nicolas Brion looked to be in good shape holding K♠ J♣. From UTG, he bets out 900 and is raised from the button player, Percy Yung, to 2000. The action is pumped up even higher from the big blind who makes it 5000. Brion pushes all in and Yung follows for her remaining 8300. The big blind, who obviously picked a bad time to three-bet, makes the fold.

Yung turns over 5♦ 5♣ for the set to have Brion dominated. A Q♦ turn and Q♥ river give her the full house for the double up and Brion’s stack is cut down to just 9000.

Shashank Rathi

Following a late position raise to 625 India’s Shashank Rathi makes the call from the button as does the UK’s Richard Larkin from the small blind.

The flop comes down 4♣ 5♣ 9♠ and after Larkin checks Rathi fires out a bet of 1,300 prompting folds from the original raiser and Larkin. It’s a win without showdown for Rathi who’s now up to the 25,000 mark.

Jason Gemanil

Jason Gemanil (we’re told the ‘G’ in his name is pronounced like an ‘H’), who qualified for this event via a World Gaming magazine competition, has got off to a flying start and now has a 47,000 stack.

We caught his latest chip up on a board of Q♣ 9♦ 10♠ 10♥ 2♦. With three players in the hand an opponent goes all in for 2175. Gemanil pauses and considers his option for a good long while before announcing a reluctant call. The other opponent folds and Gemanil sheepishly turns over Q♠ Q♦ for the second nuts, while sharing a chuckle with the third player in the pot over his failed attempt to extract more chips from them.