Blind level
Level 25: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000
Entries
9/505
Total Chips
12,625,000
Average
1,402,778

Day 2

SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 1:22:15 PM

The Final 9 Of The Circuit Main Event Is Set With William Jia In The Lead

Level 25: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

The Lord Poker Tournament Circuit Main Event with a prize pool of $700,000 has reached the Final 9 down from 60 hopefuls that started Day 2 ten levels ago.


Chip leader William Jia - a young Australian pro who came close to a bracelet at the WSOP last year, finishing 9th out of 965 in the $10k Mystery Bounty for $80K - was 10th in chips this morning, but 2nd on his table with a great position and applied pressure from the get-go. A pivotal hand came in level 22 when he took on then chip leader Stephen Song, defending his big blind with K 2 against a button min-raise. He called a 3BB c-bet on the flop K 7 8 and switched to a 2BB lead on the turn K that got called by Song and the board completed J . Jia checked, Song forked out 5,5BB and called Jia's 16BB check-raise with A A . Close to the end he knocked out Yang Liu after winning a flip with eights against ace-king and ended the day by eliminating AAPoker Ambassador Quan Zhou on the final table bubble, open-jamming the small blind with 4 5 against Zhou's Q 9 and the board ran 8 T 2 3 4 . He brings 2,575,000 (51BB) to the final table.


Second in chips and the most experienced player at the final table is American Stephen Song who has a bracelet and six rings to his name and won the EPT Barcelona $5K Main Event last September for a whopping $1,425,651. He started Day 2 seventh in chips, but had some heavy hitters on his table with overall chip leader Bin Wang to his immediate left. His break came in level 18 when he four-bet jammed Q 6 for 35BB and doubled up against Xuanzhi Zhao with A K when the board ran 7 9 8 5 Q and went on a tear after that. Still on the most stacked table of the tournament he knocked out Rui Sun with aces against kings and won massive pots against other greats like Martin Sedlak and Nevan Chang that took him into a massive lead during level 20 before he lost with A A against Jia's K 2 in the previously mentioned hand. After a roller coaster ending to his day, he bagged 1,945,000 (39BB).


Everyone has $9,700 secure for 9th place, but all of them will be gunning for the first prize of $120,000 and the trophy along with it.


The Final 9 will start at 12:00 on Friday the 16th of May and the SMP Live Updates will be there to cover the action from start to finish.

Final Table Chip Count

PlayerChips
WJ
William JiaAustralia [AUS]Australia
2,575,000(52 BB)
SS
Stephen SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
1,945,000(39 BB)
1,850,000(37 BB)
XW
1,820,000(36 BB)
1,595,000(32 BB)
1,350,000(27 BB)
JZ
605,000(12 BB)
YZ
560,000(11 BB)
HW
330,000(7 BB)

Final Table Seat Draw

PlayerChipsTableSeat
HW
330,000(7 BB)11
1,595,000(32 BB)12
YZ
560,000(11 BB)13
1,850,000(37 BB)14
WJ
William JiaAustralia [AUS]Australia
2,575,000(52 BB)15
XW
1,820,000(36 BB)16
1,350,000(27 BB)17
JZ
605,000(12 BB)18
SS
Stephen SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
1,945,000(39 BB)19
PlacePayout (USD)
1$124,000
2$67,000
3$48,500
4$40,300
5$29,500
6$22,500
7$17,500
8$16,500
9$13,700
SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 11:18:44 AM

Zhanhui Zheng Out In 11th For $12,000

Level 24: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000
Zhanhui Zheng - 11th Place

Hijack Jiaming Zhao opens 90,000, cutoff Xuecong Wu declares all-in for 660,00, big blind Zhanhui Zheng calls for his last 400,000 and Zhao fills up to cover both.

PlayerHandChips
JJ
HJ
1,500,000(38 BB)
XW
TT
CO
1,800,000(45 BB)
AK
BB
busted
Board:4597T
Xuecong Wu
SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 9:44:50 AM

Chip Counts Going Into Dinner Break

Level 23: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000
PlayerChipsTableSeat
NC
775,000(26 BB)11
SS
Stephen SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
1,170,000(39 BB)12
BW
300,000(10 BB)13
WJ
William JiaAustralia [AUS]Australia
1,815,000(61 BB)14
QZ
480,000(16 BB)15
YZ
415,000(14 BB)16
460,000(15 BB)17
1,650,000(55 BB)18
XW
800,000(27 BB)21
HW
255,000(9 BB)22
480,000(16 BB)23
BJ
385,000(13 BB)24
1,470,000(49 BB)25
JZ
650,000(22 BB)26
1,660,000(55 BB)27
PlayerChips
WJ
William JiaAustralia [AUS]Australia
1,815,000(61 BB)
1,660,000(55 BB)
1,650,000(55 BB)
1,470,000(49 BB)
SS
Stephen SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
1,170,000(39 BB)
XW
800,000(27 BB)
NC
775,000(26 BB)
JZ
650,000(22 BB)
QZ
480,000(16 BB)
480,000(16 BB)
460,000(15 BB)
YZ
415,000(14 BB)
BJ
385,000(13 BB)
BW
300,000(10 BB)
HW
255,000(9 BB)
SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 9:37:28 AM

Weizheng Zhong Puts The Hammer Down Pre

Level 23: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000
Weizheng Zhong

With a 75,000 raise from +1 and a 170,000 three-bet from the cutoff in front, big blind Weizheng Zhong cold four-bet jams 1,395,000 and finds no takers.

PlayerChips
1,685,000(56 BB)
1,390,000(46 BB)
HW
535,000(18 BB)
SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 8:50:33 AM

Jiaming Zhao And Weizheng Zhong Still Lead The Pack On Table 2

Level 22: 10,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000
PlayerChipsTableSeat
XW
960,000(38 BB)21
HW
780,000(31 BB)22
450,000(18 BB)23
BJ
550,000(22 BB)24
1,240,000(50 BB)25
JZ
305,000(12 BB)26
1,400,000(56 BB)27
SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 8:44:32 AM

Double Up For Short Stack Zhanhui Zheng

Level 22: 10,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

Jiaming Zhao leads the way for 55,000 from +1, button Zhanhui Zheng three bets 265,000 and Zhao fills up to see the flop K 5 T . Zhao jams and Zheng flicks his last 5,000 onto the pile of chips in the middle.

PlayerHandChips
JJ
UTG+1
1,375,000(55 BB)
AQ
D
600,000(24 BB)

With the dealer getting ready, Weizheng Zhong starts cheering for Zheng and bursts out 'Let's gooooo' after the board completed 5 and A .

SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 8:33:29 AM

Pingfeng Wu Takes Trip To The Payout Desk In 16th For $11,300

Level 22: 10,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000
Pingfeng Wu - 16th Place

Table chip leader Jiaming Zhao raises 55,000 from the cutoff and ends up calling after Pingfeng Wu jammed his last 190,000 from the button.

PlayerHandChips
9T
CO
1,600,000(64 BB)
A8
D
busted

Zhao jumps ahead on the flop T K 4 , but Wu has a ton of outs to dig for. None of them materialize when the board completes 9 and J , sending the last remaining double qualifier to the rail.

SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 8:20:41 AM

We Have Reached The Last Two Tables With 16 Players Left

Level 21: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000
PlayerChipsTableSeat
NC
1,080,000(54 BB)11
SS
Stephen SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
2,200,000(110 BB)12
BW
380,000(19 BB)13
WJ
William JiaAustralia [AUS]Australia
585,000(29 BB)14
QZ
470,000(24 BB)15
YZ
550,000(28 BB)16
1,030,000(52 BB)17
455,000(23 BB)18
XW
525,000(26 BB)21
HW
470,000(24 BB)22
310,000(16 BB)23
BJ
640,000(32 BB)24
1,300,000(65 BB)25
JZ
325,000(16 BB)26
1,380,000(69 BB)27
625,000(31 BB)28
PlayerChips
SS
Stephen SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
2,200,000(110 BB)
1,380,000(69 BB)
1,300,000(65 BB)
NC
1,080,000(54 BB)
1,030,000(52 BB)
BJ
640,000(32 BB)
625,000(31 BB)
WJ
William JiaAustralia [AUS]Australia
585,000(29 BB)
YZ
550,000(28 BB)
XW
525,000(26 BB)
QZ
470,000(24 BB)
HW
470,000(24 BB)
455,000(23 BB)
BW
380,000(19 BB)
JZ
325,000(16 BB)
310,000(16 BB)
SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 8:06:34 AM

Yiyu Zhou More Than Doubles

Level 21: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000
Yiyu Zhou

With a 55,000 raise from under the gun Yiyu Zhou and a 110,000 three-bet from cutoff Jiaming Zhao in front, small blind Xuecong Wu cold four-bet shoves 505,000 and only Zhou fills up for her last 240,000.

PlayerHandChips
YZ
JJ
UTG
630,000(32 BB)
CO
1,515,000(76 BB)
XW
AQ
SB
365,000(18 BB)
Board:228K5
Xuecong Wu
SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 8:05:21 AM

Jiaming Zhao Closes The Gap To The Leader A Little Bit

Level 21: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

Jiaming Zhao opens 55,000 from under the gun and takes hijack Xuecong Wu to the flop 6 4 5 that gets checked to the turn Q . Zhao slides a 55,000 delayed c-bet over the line and Wu sticks around for the board to complete 6 . Zhao jams his massive stack and Wu plays back the entire action in his head - costing him two time banks - before he makes the fold and shows top pair A Q .

PlayerChips
1,660,000(83 BB)
XW
605,000(30 BB)
SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 7:23:58 AM

Chip Counts With 21 Players Left In The Hunt

Level 20: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000
PlayerChips
SS
Stephen SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
2,285,000(143 BB)
1,495,000(93 BB)
XW
800,000(50 BB)
731,000(46 BB)
725,000(45 BB)
BW
700,000(44 BB)
665,000(42 BB)
655,000(41 BB)
BJ
650,000(41 BB)
600,000(38 BB)
HW
510,000(32 BB)
WJ
William JiaAustralia [AUS]Australia
460,000(29 BB)
420,000(26 BB)
350,000(22 BB)
NC
335,000(21 BB)
300,000(19 BB)
QZ
285,000(18 BB)
YZ
265,000(17 BB)
265,000(17 BB)
YZ
230,000(14 BB)
JZ
165,000(10 BB)
SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 5:08:24 AM

Top Stacks Going Into Level 18 With Bin Wang Back In The Lead

Level 17: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000
PlayerChips
BW
1,000,000(125 BB)
842,000(105 BB)
815,000(102 BB)
704,000(88 BB)
624,000(78 BB)
BJ
620,000(78 BB)
619,000(77 BB)
600,000(75 BB)
560,000(70 BB)
NC
480,000(60 BB)
WJ
William JiaAustralia [AUS]Australia
418,000(52 BB)
RS
Rui SunChina [CHN]China
406,000(51 BB)
SS
Stephen SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
405,000(51 BB)
363,000(45 BB)
306,000(38 BB)
GT
294,000(37 BB)
SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 5:05:20 AM

Last September's USOP Super High Roller Champ William Jia Versus Three

Level 17: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000
William Jia

William Jia opens 16,000 from +1 and takes three interested parties to the flop 5 Q 8 where the action gets checked to hijack Jiaming Zhao who tests the waters with a 35,000 bet. Button Gary Thompson and Jia stick around for the turn 6 where Zhao fires another 140,000, Thompson folds and Jia's 181,000 check-jam gets called by Zhao.

PlayerHandChips
WJ
William JiaAustralia [AUS]Australia
KQ
UTG+1
511,000(64 BB)
67
HJ
750,000(94 BB)
GT
D
230,000(29 BB)

The river 2 changes nothing, giving the Australian pro a handy stack to work with.

SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 4:54:44 AM

Jiaming Zhao First To Break 1M

Level 17: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

Cutoff Jiaming Zhao leads 18,000, button Chen Shen makes it 55,000 and calls for a total of 178,000 after Zhao put him all-in.

PlayerHandChips
A3
CO
1,080,000(135 BB)
CS
KQ
D
busted

The dealer keeps it interesting until the end on 8 9 5 2 4 , but ultimately eliminates the underdog.

SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 3:55:07 AM

Table 5 Update With Jiaming Zhao Steadily Building His Stack

Level 16: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000
PlayerChipsTableSeat
GT
123,000(21 BB)51
BJ
482,000(80 BB)52
110,000(18 BB)53
JZ
74,000(12 BB)54
865,000(144 BB)56
CS
Calvin Sungwon LeeUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
160,000(27 BB)58
RM
145,000(24 BB)72
CS
93,000(16 BB)88
SMPSMP
5/15/2025, 3:43:20 AM

Action Player Jieming Xu Bites The Dust

Level 15: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000
Jiaming Zhao

Small blind Jieming Xu and big blind Jiaming Zhao are already all-in when we get to the table and it is Xu who is at risk for 146,000.

PlayerHandChips
JX
79
SB
busted
33
BB
815,000(163 BB)
Board:46QAA
SMPSMP
5/14/2025, 7:35:53 PM

Day 2 Seat Draw

PlayerChipsTableSeat
NC
240,00011
SS
Stephen SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
492,00012
BW
877,00013
235,00014
154,00015
235,00016
625,00017
RS
Rui SunChina [CHN]China
286,00018
HM
48,00021
HW
110,00022
YZ
134,00023
KL
338,60024
YS
Yunkyu SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
374,00025
DJ
Di JinChina [CHN]China
44,00026
CL
93,00027
CY
91,00028
YY
Ye YiChina [CHN]China
84,00031
CY
Chen YuChina [CHN]China
121,00032
148,00033
157,00034
CH
Christian HarderUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
24,00035
620,00036
125,00037
592,00038
LT
153,00041
YZ
110,00042
63,00043
YL
Yi LiuChina [CHN]China
117,00044
103,00045
153,00046
157,00047
JX
102,00048
GT
137,00051
BJ
412,00052
78,00053
JZ
72,00054
JX
241,00055
589,00056
CS
Calvin Sungwon LeeUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
193,00058
DC
Dong ChenHong Kong [HKG]Hong Kong
148,00062
XX
180,00063
QZ
185,00064
88,00065
217,00066
137,00067
95,00068
GL
Gao LuoChina [CHN]China
35,00071
RM
152,00072
WJ
William JiaAustralia [AUS]Australia
369,00074
126,00075
XW
144,00076
666,00077
HW
31,00078
77,00081
YZ
300,00082
ZL
142,00083
JL
Jun LiuChina [CHN]China
197,00085
61,00086
204,00087
CS
141,00088

Chip Count

PlayerChips
BW
877,000
666,000
625,000
620,000
592,000
589,000
SS
Stephen SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
492,000
BJ
412,000
YS
Yunkyu SongUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
374,000
WJ
William JiaAustralia [AUS]Australia
369,000
KL
338,600
YZ
300,000
RS
Rui SunChina [CHN]China
286,000
JX
241,000
NC
240,000
235,000
235,000
217,000
204,000
JL
Jun LiuChina [CHN]China
197,000
CS
Calvin Sungwon LeeUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
193,000
QZ
185,000
XX
180,000
157,000
157,000
154,000
153,000
LT
153,000
RM
152,000
148,000
DC
Dong ChenHong Kong [HKG]Hong Kong
148,000
XW
144,000
ZL
142,000
CS
141,000
137,000
GT
137,000
YZ
134,000
126,000
125,000
CY
Chen YuChina [CHN]China
121,000
YL
Yi LiuChina [CHN]China
117,000
HW
110,000
YZ
110,000
103,000
JX
102,000
95,000
CL
93,000
CY
91,000
88,000
YY
Ye YiChina [CHN]China
84,000
78,000
77,000
JZ
72,000
63,000
61,000
HM
48,000
DJ
Di JinChina [CHN]China
44,000
GL
Gao LuoChina [CHN]China
35,000
HW
31,000
CH
Christian HarderUnited States of America [USA]United States of America
24,000