Ivey Wields Lead Mercilessly, Still Doubles Yong

Wai Kin Yong failed to pick up any big hands recently, and with Ivey's foot on the accelerator, had dropped to 2,600,000 when he received a much needed double through.  Ivey set his short-stacked opponent in with [QdJh], was swiftly called by Yong with [AsJd] and was drawing dead by

Ivey Suddenly Barrels Yong Off with Bottom Pair

After many small pots, one big moment of drama:  Button Phil Ivey bet all three streets with [6h8h] against Wai Kin Yong ([QcJh]), ending up with a potential tournament-deciding shove.  He hit bottom pair on the [6sQsTh] while Yong hit top.  Yong continued to seem dislodgable on the [Td] turn

Maximum Hands Per Hour

What the deck is not delivering in terms of big preflop hand match ups (with one exception: both players receiving pocket jacks, getting it in, and promptly taking it back out again), Phil Ivey and Wai Kin Yong are making up for in speed of play.  Not a whiff of

Ivey Pulls Back Some Chips

A rare preflop call of a raise just now, as Wai Kin Yong called in the cutoff with [8dTd] and Phil Ivey raised to 600,000 with [Ad7d].  Yong check-folded the [AsKs8c] flop, however, when Ivey bet 500,000.

Yong and Ivey Trade Big Blind Antes; Yong Rivers Gutshot

No flops for a few hands.  Action has included both players calling in the cutoff with [9cTd] (Yong) and [8s7c] (Ivey) only to fold to raises from their opponents (Yong at the time with [KsQc], then Ivey with [KdJd]). Yong came out slightly ahead over these multiple small confrontations, then won

Yong Makes Small Inroads Into Ivey’s Stack

Wai Kin Yong has built his stack up by about a million chips in small pots at the start of heads up, including taking advantage of his button with [Qc6d].  He raised to 460,000 after Phil Ivey limped for 160,000 with [QhTh], the latter making the call but folding when

Huge Cooler Sends Greenwood To the Rail in 3rd Place ($350,000)

Phil Ivey called in the hijack with [AhAd]; Sam Greenwood checked the button with [Kc8c].  A flop of [Ac8sQc] boded action, and it did not disappoint.  At this stage, however, it was limited to a 200,000 lead from Ivey, called by Greenwood. Ivey turned quads with the [As] turn and checked

Katz Doubles Up Through Yong, Yong Doubles Right Back Through Ivey

It folded to cutoff Wai Kin Yong, who moved in for 2,000,000 with [9cTc]. Button (and short stack) Cary Katz, took the plunge with [Ad7c], hitting a full house on the river as the board ran out [TsAc7h9s7d]. The very next hand, Yong, down to 1,405,000, called all in with [AcKs]

Yong Doubles Through Van Blarcum

Wai Kin Yong moved all in for 990,000 when it folded to him in the hijack with [QsJs].  Over to button Aaron Van Blarcum, who snap-called him with [TdTc] from a stack of 1,260,000.  Hands went on backs, the board running out [Qc9c7h8s7c].  Yong breathes more easily with over 2,000,000

Mikhail Rudoy Loses Huge Flip vs. Ivey to Bust in 6th Place ($150,000)

After building confidently since Day 2 began, Mikhail Rudoy has found himself abruptly on the rail after a giant flip vs. Phil Ivey.  Ivey called in the hijack with [AcKh], Wai Kin Yong came along with [9h6h], then button Rudoy moved all in for his whole 3,400,000 with [JhJd].  Ivey