Friday, 29th March 2024 04:42
Home / Uncategorized / APPT Macau: Torres, Lin fall; 27 remain in ACOP Main Event

The tension is ramping up as the bubble looms nearer. We’ve seen several all-ins and players at risk during the first part of Level 15. Some survived their moments of worry, while others did not.

Torres tumbles

2010 APPT Macau champion Victorino Torres (Northern Mariana Islands) was one of the unlucky ones, having committed his short stack with Q♦ J♦ versus the A♣ 9♣ of fellow short stack Sparrow Cheung (Hong Kong).

The flop brought a couple of aces, which made the river queen not enough help for Torres who went out in 31st.

“I’ll go.”

Shortly after that hand, a couple of big ones on Table 3 resulted in a lot of drama but no eliminations.

In the first Rahul Byrraju (India) open-pushed all in from middle position, and it folded around to Edmund Lee (Hong Kong) in the cutoff. Lee asked Byrraju for how much he’d pushed — it was about 60,000 — then declined to get involved.

That’s when Team PokerStars Pro Celina Lin (China), playing from the button, checked her hand.

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Team PokerStars Pro Celina Lin

“I’ll go,” she said, and with a smile set her remaining stack of 45,000 or so forward. The blinds got out, and Byrraju stood and spoke.

“I don’t want to show my hand,” he said with a wince. “You can muck now!” said Lin, still smiling.

She showed her 9♠ 9♦ and he his A♠ 10♥ , and after the board rolled out eight-high Lin was up to 95,000 and Byrraju down to less than 15,000.

“I want to keep playing.”

Shortly after it was James McCarty (Japan) reraise-shoving from the blinds for about 50,000 over a Lin open and the Team PokerStars Pro calling. McCarty had A♣ Q♥ and Lin A♥ J♣ .

McCarty stood and articulated the thought all players have throughout a tournament.

“I want to keep playing.”

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James McCarty

APPT President Danny McDonagh walked over with the microphone to announce the action, much as he has done throughout the tournament, his sometimes wry narration helping convey the consequences to the players at the other tables.

The flop came 6♣ 3♦ Q♦ , pairing McCarty’s queen. Then the turn brought the K♦ .

“Sir James does not want to see a ten,” spoke McDonagh with understatement.

It was inarguable. After all, McCarty wanted to keep playing.

The dealer burned a card and flipped over the A♦ , and McCarty sat back down in his still preserved seat, having moved up over 100,000 while Lin slipped again to about 45,000.

Down to 27

Shortly after two more fell, including Byrraju. Then came bad news for Celina Lin.

All in before the flop against Andrew Gaw (Philippines), Lin showed Q♥ Q♣ and Gaw A♥ K♣ . The flop brought an ace, Lin couldn’t catch up, and her ACOP Main Event run had ended.

For more on what’s been happening here late in Day 3, here’s Lynn Gilmartin with your humble scribbler for the “Nightly Notables”:


Just three nine-handed tables left! And five more eliminations to the cash. Everyone wants to keep playing. But not everyone can.

Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

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