Sampo Ryynanen was first to act in the hijack and he set the price to play at 17,000. His only customer was Zelijko Krizan in the cutoff, who made the call.
Ryynanen continued with a 21,000 bet on a flop and was quickly called. The river was met with a 43,000 bet from Ryynanen and it was enough to end the hand as Krizan folded.
Jack Salter opened to 18,000 from middle position but that would ultimately be his last participation in the hand because Hui Chen Kuo three-bet to 45,000 and then Serkan Kurnaz four-bet to 72,000 and Salter folded.
The dealer got busy putting out the , Kuo checked, Kurnaz made a continuation bet 82,000 and Kuo was done with the hand and she folded.
The action folded around to Yorane Kerignard in the small blind and after peeling back his cards raised to 19,000. Jonathan Roy was the big blind and he decided to defend by calling.
The first three cards onto the felt were and both players checked. The turn saw Kerignard check again but when Roy bet 21,000, Kerignard sprung into action and check-raised to 53,000. This was too much for Roy to pay and he quickly got out of the way and folded.
Hui Chen Kuo may be of the fairer sex and the last woman standing in this tournament but she is not letting that faze her one iota. In fact, she is the most active player in the opening couple of orbits.
In one hand she opened to 17,000 from the hijack and Serkan Kurnaz made the call next to act. Kuo then fired a 20,000 continuation bet on the flop and Kurnaz called. The turn was the and Kuo bet again, making it 39,000 to play and this was enough to fold out Kurnaz.
Shortly after Kuo opened to 17,000 from middle position and this time it was Tony G, in the big blind, who made the call. Tony G checked to her on a flop, Kuo bet 13,000 and Tony G folded.
"I will take all of your pink chips," joked Kuo before Tony G said, "Unlikely! I am better than you, trust me!"
"Yes, but I have time on my side to get better," quipped Kuo.
"How old are you?" asked Tony G.
"You cannot ask a person that. You cannot ask how old or how much money they make. Plus, I don't want to make you feel old!"
Kuo certainly holding her own, even against Tony G!
The tournament area is a quieter place after Ilan Boujenah has just lost his stack. Tony G opened to 14,000 from the button, Jackson Genovesi three-bet to 40,000 from the small blind and the split second he three-bet Boujenah four-bet all-in. Tony G folded and the active duo showed their hands.
Boujenah held and Genovesi the . The board ran out and Boujenah busted and Tony G looks upset that his lowly pair of fives would have won him a big pot had he called.
Jack Salter is back in the game after a timely double up through Sampo Ryynanen.
It was Yorane Kerignard who opened to 12,000 from the cutoff, Ryynanen three-bet from the button to 30,000 and Salter four-bet to 50,000 from the big blind. Keirgnard folded but Ryynanen made the call
The duo shared a flop. Salter quickly moved all in for 160,000 and after almost 90 seconds deliberation Ryynanen made the call.
Ryynanen
Salter
Ryynanen needed a nine and only a nine to prevent Salter from doubling up but both the turn and river bricked and Salter finds himself with 375,000 chips.
Despite holding almost 500,000 chips at the last count, Francesco Favi's tournament is over.
Favia opened from the cutoff and found three callers, Jack Salter on the button, Serkan Kurnaz in the small blind and Yorane Kerignard in the big blind. The layer saw the dealer place the flop onto the felt, and they checked to Favia who bet 37,000. Kerignard check-raised to 67,000, which forced everyone else out of the pot but Favia.
"I'm all-in," declares Favia and Kerignard cannot believe is luck and he makes the easiest call of his life with . Favia flipped and was in a whole world of trouble.
The turn nor the river were any help to Favia and he is out of the WPT Malta Main Event.