TLPT MAIN EVENT 15K (SHR) - 8 HANDED ($15,000)

Bad news for Mendoza after falling behind on the flop 3♦ 7♥ 2♣ and not being able to catch up when the board completes 7♦ J♦ . He still takes home the biggest cash of his career that stood at just over $300K until today for finishing 3rd at the 2023 WSOP Bracelet Event #59.

After some back and forth in the last few hands and James Mendoza down by a little bit, he limps T♦ 6♣ and Stephen Song opts to check again with 5♦ 3♥ . Song check-calls a 500,000 bet to the 3♠ turn that gets rejected and the board completes J♦ . Song forks out a massive 3,000,000 over-bet and Mendoza doesn't buy it, making the call with the aid of a time bank. Some friendly banter between the two contenders follows before they focus on the next hand.

James Mendoza limps 6♥ 2♥ and Stephen Song opts to check for the flop 5♦ 9♦ 2♣ that gets rejected for a free turn 3♣ where Song tries to steal with an 800,000 lead, but Mendoza pays up. The board completes Q♠ with both players checking and Mendoza's bottom pair coming out on top.

Aside from a preflop scoop with a four-bet and a walk for James Mendoza every other hand went to Stephen Song who increased his lead to a 7:1 now.

A limped pot gets checked to the turn 8♣ T♥ 7♣ 2♥ where James Mendoza bets 800,000, Stephen Song check-raises to 2,200,000, but decides to let go of J♦ 2♠ after Mendoza jammed for a total of 6,100,000 with Q♥ 8♠ .

No help for the German online crusher on 3♣ T♦ 2♥ Q♣ 6♥ sees him vacate his seat and the table gets prepared for the very lopsided heads-up.

Digging for two outs with his bare hands, Demus improves to a four outer on Q♦ 6♥ 9♦ J♠ but the river Q♠ makes his elimination official, banking the biggest win of his career.

First to act Stephen Song makes it 500,000 and takes two players to the flop 5♠ 6♠ T♣ where his 450,000 c-bet gets filled by both to reveal the J♥ turn. He fires a second barrel of 800,000 with A♦ K♠ , hijack James Mendoza raises T♥ T♦ to 2,200,000 after using a time bank, big blind Marius Gierse folds A♥ T♠ and Song follows suit.

Zhao's live cards can't hit on 4♥ 9♥ 4♠ 2♥ 8♣ ending his second final table after finishing 6th in the Circuit Main Event just a few days ago.

The dealer keeps it interesting until the end by flipping over 4♥ 3♠ 5♠ J♣ A♣ and grants Mendoza his third double up in a row.

Nielsen's rockets stay ahead on T♣ 3♥ and Mendoza picks up the tiny side pot to stay alive.

After losing some chips to Ivan Zhang and Patrik Demus, Marius Gierse is back with a 400,000 open from the lojack and big blind James Mendoza defends to see the flop 8♥ Q♥ A♦ where he check-calls a 300,000 c-bet from Gierse. An 800,000 2nd barrel on the 4♠ turn gets the job done for the German.

A limped blind battle gets checked to the turn T♠ 7♦ 3♣ 3♥ where small blind James Mendoza leads 225,000 before filling up Ivan Zhang's 525,000 raise. The river Q♥ is checked down with Zhang's T♣ 5♣ granting him another pot against Mendoza with A♥ J♣ .

After just scooping a pot, Patrik Demus open-limps his small blind and fills up after James Mendoza made it 375.000 to see the flop 7♣ 4♣ 3♣ . Mendoza's 175,000 c-bet and a call is the last action before the turn Q♠ and river A♣ get checked down where Demus flips over the winner Q♣ 5♣ and Mendoza mucks.

Mendoza immediately hits a set on Q♦ 2♦ 9♦ K♥ 2♣ for a boat in the end and a massive double up, leaving Sedlak with crumbs after starting the day in 2nd.

James Mendoza kicks off the action with a 200,000 raise from +1, small blind Stephen Song pumps it to 800,000 and Mendoza pays up to see the flop 6♥ 3♦ K♠ where Song's 400,000 c-bet gets called. After using a time bank on the 5♣ turn, Song fires another 900,000 which sends Mendoza in the tank. The Filipino-American uses up three time banks before letting it go.

With a 200,000 open from hijack Patrik Demus and a 520,000 three-bet from cutoff James Mendoza in front, Quan Zhou cold four-bets 1,300,000 from the big blind which is enough to scare his competition away.

Also with an early win under his belt already, James Mendoza opens 170,000 from +2, hijack Ivan Zhang ups it to 450,000, Mendoza uses a time bank before putting a 1,400,000 four-bet in the middle and Zhang goes in the tank. After using up three times banks the AAPoker ambassador let's it go.