It was an odd, long bubble.

It started with Chen Ang Lin’s elimination. Lin was short-stacked and went all-in blind. Ping Cheong Fung quickly called and turned over A♠ Q♠ .

Lin grabbed one card and quickly flipped it over, Q♣ .

“That’s not bad,” someone at the table mentioned.

Second card: 10♣

The flop came Q♦ Q♥ 2♠ and both players hit trips. Instead of calling for a 10, Lin started shouting for a pot-splitting deuce.

But his prayers went unheard and an 8♥ and 6♦ completed the board. Lin was out and play went hand-for-hand.

Things almost ended on the first hand when Jan Riha — who was the chip leader at the time — moved all-in from the small blind. Youhong Liu was the shortstack on the big blind. He called instantly.

Liu turned over Q♣ Q♦ and the table laughed when Riha tabled J♦ 4♥ .

The board ran 7♥ 10♦ K♣ 2♥ K♦ and Liu doubled up.

Jan Riha

Then Riha lost the chip lead.

Riha raised to 20,000 from the button and Ping Cheong Fung called from the big blind. The flop came 6♣ 7♠ K♥ and both players checked. Fung bet 19,000 when the 10♣ came on the turn and Riha called. A 5♥ completed the board and Fung bet 21,000. Riha thought for a few seconds and then mucked when Fung turned over K♦ Q♥ .

In a few hands, Riha’s stack went from 190,000 — the chip lead — to just 60,000. Then he found his tournament life at risk.

Riha moved all-in from the cutoff and Youhong Liu called from the button. Riha showed 7♣ 7♠ and Liu tabled K♥ K♣ . Riha sighed, but then his disappointment exploded into cheers when the board came 7♦ J♦ 8♥ 10♠ 4♠ .

Riha was back in the game while Liu found himself back in the bubbly trenches.

Then, Riha eliminated Liu. Well, kind of, Ping Cheong Fung did too, they split his chips.

Riha raised to 16,000 from the button and Liu moved all-in for 22,500 from the small blind. Fung called from the big blind and the flop came 2♣ 9♠ 9♣ . Both players checked and a Q♦ came on the turn.

Fung checked, Riha bet 20,000 and Fung called. The river brought an 8♥ and both players checked again.

Ping Cheong Fung

Liu turned over A♠ K♥ but both Fung and Riha showed a queen. Riha turned over Q♥ 3♠ while Fung showed Q♣ 8♠ . Riha and Fung split Liu’s chips and the tournament came to an end.

Stay tuned for a full wrap of the day’s events.

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