Fabiano Michael Eliminated in 2nd Place (PHP 3,660,000); Young-shin Im Wins!
Fabiano Michael opened to 150,000 from the button, and as Young-shin Im contemplated her decision, the dealer dragged in her 50,000-chip big blind into the pot.
Im slid in a stack of 150,000 assuming that it was 150,000 to call, and when APPT Tournament Director Danny McDonagh was called over to make a ruling, he deemed that Im would be bound to a min-raise of 250,000.
With Michael seeming a little confused, he opted to move all for his last 1,945,000 which was just 10,000 shy of Im's total chips. A few moments went by before Im announced call and over thirty players rushed the table.
Michael:
Im:
With Im standing over her chips and Michael in the arms of his good friends Van Marcus and Gokhan Kursunlu, the dealer paused for dramatic fashion before dropping a to thrust Im into the lead.
As Michael's smiles of being ahead, now turned into a frown at the hands of needing to catch a five to remain alive, Im would quietly utter those tournament-immortal words of, "Hold! Hold! Hold!"
The crowd pushed tighter on the table as the landed on the turn, and as Michael - who seemed to have already resounded to his fate of a second place finish - slowly backed away from his railbirds, the dealer peeled off the on the river.
For his fantastic efforts, Michael heads back to Australia not only more confident in his game and his loyal friends, but also PHP 3,660,000 richer as Young-shin Im is crowned the PokerStars.net APPT Cebu Champion!