
Day 3
James Mendoza Finishes Runner-Up For $450,000

While the players are still talking about the last hand, Stephen Song jams his massive stack and James Mendoza double checks his cards before making the call.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
SS Stephen Song | J♥3♣ D | 48,000,000(120 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | K♠Q♦ BB | busted |
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.
Stephen Song Slowly Grinds Down His Opponent
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.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 45,000,000(113 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 3,300,000(8 BB) |
Mendoza Claws Back A Few Chips
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.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 40,000,000(100 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 7,600,000(19 BB) |
Stephen Song Back In Control

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.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 42,000,000(105 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 5,800,000(15 BB) |
James Mendoza Starts Heads Up With Aggression

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♠ .
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 39,000,000(130 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 9,200,000(31 BB) |
Chip Count Last 2 Players Remaining

Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 41,000,000(137 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 6,400,000(21 BB) |
Marius Gierse Out In 3rd With Big Slick For A $320,000 Payday

Right after doubling up, Marius Gierse opens 600,000 with from the button, small blind Stephen Song ups it to 2,000,000 and big blind James Mendoza cold four-bets to 5,500,000. Back to Gierse, all-in for 8,800,000 is announced and Stephen Song successfully isolates with a jam of his own.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
MG Marius Gierse | A♠K♥ D | busted |
SS Stephen Song | J♥J♣ SB | 41,000,000(137 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | A♥K♦ BB | 6,400,000(21 BB) |
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.
Marius Gierse Doubles Up

After bleeding some more chips in the previous four hands, small blind Marius Gierse limps, chip leader Stephen Song puts him all-in and Gierse takes the offer for a total of 4,200,000.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
MG Marius Gierse | 6♣6♦ SB | 8,800,000(29 BB) |
SS Stephen Song | A♥T♣ BB | 27,000,000(90 BB) |
Chip Count With 3 Players Left
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 30,000,000(100 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 13,000,000(43 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 5,100,000(17 BB) |
Short Deck Specialist Martin Nielsen Takes Trip To The Payout Desk In 4th For $220,000

After two orbits of chips moving back and fourth with not much changing in chip counts, Stephen Song leads 600,000 from the button and Martin Nielsen defends his big blind. Song continues for 400,000 on the T♠ 8♦ 3♣ flop and fills up after Nielsen check-raised to 1,000,000. The turn 8♥ has Nielsen put out another 500,000 that gets called and the board completes 5♠ . Nielsen wagers his last 3,000,000 for a massive bluff with 7♦ 6♦ , but Song snaps with trips K♠ 8♣ to extend his lead even further.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 30,000,000(100 BB) |
MN Martin Nielsen | busted |
Chip Count Update
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 21,000,000(70 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 16,000,000(53 BB) |
MN Martin Nielsen | 6,900,000(23 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 3,900,000(13 BB) |
Chip Count Update With 5 Players Left
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 20,000,000(67 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 8,900,000(30 BB) |
MN Martin Nielsen | 7,600,000(25 BB) |
PD Patrik Demus | 6,900,000(23 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 4,700,000(16 BB) |
Ivan Zhang Eliminated In 6th For $130,000

Cutoff Stephen Song opens 600,000 and snaps after big blind Ivan Zhang declared all-in for 3,700,000.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
SS Stephen Song | A♣J♠ CO | 20,000,000(67 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | K♥2♣ BB | busted |
Latest Chip Count
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 15,000,000(50 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 9,700,000(32 BB) |
MN Martin Nielsen | 7,600,000(25 BB) |
PD Patrik Demus | 6,900,000(23 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 4,700,000(16 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 4,000,000(13 BB) |
Hua Wei Lin Takes Home Biggest Cash Of Her Career In 7th For $100,000

When the action gets folded to small blind Stephen Song he slides 2,200,000 over the line and Hua Wei Lin defends to see the flop 4♠ A♣ 5♥ where she puts her last 125,000 in the middle and Song calls.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
SS Stephen Song | T♥9♦ SB | 15,000,000(50 BB) |
HW Hua Wei Lin | Q♦6♦ BB | busted |
Being ahead, Lin needs to evade six outs and does so on the turn A♠ before the river 9♠ gives Song a pair to knock her out.
Chip Count Update
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 12,000,000(40 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 9,700,000(32 BB) |
MN Martin Nielsen | 7,600,000(25 BB) |
PD Patrik Demus | 6,900,000(23 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 4,700,000(16 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 4,000,000(13 BB) |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 2,600,000(9 BB) |
James Mendoza Chips Back Up
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.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 13,000,000(52 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 9,700,000(39 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 4,800,000(19 BB) |
The Chip Leaders Collide

Under the gun Patrik Demus min-raises A♥ T♣ and cutoff Stephen Song comes along for the ride with 6♠ 6♦ to the flop A♠ T♦ 6♣ . Demus goes on to triple barrel for 400,000, 1,300,000 and 1,600,000 to the river 2♦ and K♠ where Song takes a time bank before deciding to raise to 4,800,000. Demus gives it some thought, but makes a strong fold.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 15,000,000(60 BB) |
PD Patrik Demus | 7,300,000(29 BB) |
Latest Chip Count With 7 Players Left
Player | Chips |
---|---|
PD Patrik Demus | 11,000,000(44 BB) |
SS Stephen Song | 10,000,000(40 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 6,800,000(27 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 6,000,000(24 BB) |
MN Martin Nielsen | 5,900,000(24 BB) |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 3,900,000(16 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 3,900,000(16 BB) |
Chip Count Update
Player | Chips |
---|---|
PD Patrik Demus | 11,000,000(55 BB) |
MN Martin Nielsen | 8,100,000(41 BB) |
SS Stephen Song | 7,600,000(38 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 5,700,000(29 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 5,100,000(26 BB) |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 4,500,000(23 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 3,500,000(18 BB) |
JZ Jiaming Zhao | 2,700,000(14 BB) |
Haitao Lei Stays Alive
After he won the next three hands, Stephen Song is involved for a fourth time by successfully isolating Haitao Lei's 1,400,000 open-jam with an all-in of his own from the button.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
HL Haitao Lei | Q♥J♥ UTG | 3,200,000(16 BB) |
SS Stephen Song | 4♦4♣ D | 7,600,000(38 BB) |
Chip Count Update
Player | Chips |
---|---|
MN Martin Nielsen | 8,600,000(43 BB) |
SS Stephen Song | 7,000,000(35 BB) |
PD Patrik Demus | 7,000,000(35 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 6,200,000(31 BB) |
JZ Jiaming Zhao | 5,500,000(28 BB) |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 5,400,000(27 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 4,000,000(20 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 2,300,000(12 BB) |
HL Haitao Lei | 1,900,000(10 BB) |
Chip Count Update
Player | Chips |
---|---|
JZ Jiaming Zhao | 8,900,000(45 BB) |
SS Stephen Song | 7,100,000(36 BB) |
MG Marius Gierse | 7,100,000(36 BB) |
PD Patrik Demus | 6,900,000(35 BB) |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 5,900,000(30 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 4,100,000(21 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 3,100,000(16 BB) |
MN Martin Nielsen | 2,400,000(12 BB) |
HL Haitao Lei | 2,300,000(12 BB) |
Jiaming Zhao Keeps Up The Pressure
Right the next hand, first to act Jiaming Zhao raises to 450,000 again and finds two customers to share the 9♦ 2♦ 5♣ flop with. He continues for 500,000 and only big blind Stephen Song pays up for the turn 7♠ to be revealed where two checks complete the board J♥ . Zhao fires another 1,100,000 which gets Song to lay it down.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
JZ Jiaming Zhao | 8,900,000(45 BB) |
SS Stephen Song | 7,100,000(36 BB) |
HL Haitao Lei | 2,400,000(12 BB) |
Chip Count Update
Player | Chips |
---|---|
MG Marius Gierse | 9,800,000(49 BB) |
SS Stephen Song | 7,800,000(39 BB) |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 5,900,000(30 BB) |
PD Patrik Demus | 5,700,000(29 BB) |
JZ Jiaming Zhao | 5,600,000(28 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 4,200,000(21 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 3,100,000(16 BB) |
MN Martin Nielsen | 3,000,000(15 BB) |
HL Haitao Lei | 2,800,000(14 BB) |
Biggest Pot Of The Tournament Ends With A Chop

Stephen Song opens 300,000 from +2, lojack Jiaming Zhao ups it to 1,000,000 and Song declares all-in for 6,700,000. Zhao doesn't lose much time an fills up for a total of 5,300,000.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
SS Stephen Song | A♣K♥ MP | 6,900,000(46 BB) |
JZ Jiaming Zhao | A♠K♠ MP | 5,600,000(37 BB) |
Final Table

Player | Chips |
---|---|
MG Marius Gierse | 9,875,000(66 BB) |
SS Stephen Song | 6,700,000(45 BB) |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 5,750,000(38 BB) |
JZ Jiaming Zhao | 5,375,000(36 BB) |
PD Patrik Demus | 5,125,000(34 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 4,325,000(29 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 3,825,000(26 BB) |
HL Haitao Lei | 3,425,000(23 BB) |
MN Martin Nielsen | 3,350,000(22 BB) |
Stephen Song And Marius Gierse Dominate Their Tables On The FT Bubble
Player | Chips |
---|---|
MG Marius Gierse | 10,325,000(83 BB) |
SS Stephen Song | 8,250,000(66 BB) |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 5,525,000(44 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 4,800,000(38 BB) |
PD Patrik Demus | 4,675,000(37 BB) |
JZ Jiaming Zhao | 4,450,000(36 BB) |
HL Haitao Lei | 3,575,000(29 BB) |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 2,475,000(20 BB) |
MN Martin Nielsen | 2,100,000(17 BB) |
BL Bin Leng | 1,575,000(13 BB) |
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 8,250,000(66 BB) | 2 | 2 |
PD Patrik Demus | 4,675,000(37 BB) | 2 | 4 |
JM James Mendoza | 4,800,000(38 BB) | 2 | 6 |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 2,475,000(20 BB) | 2 | 7 |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 5,525,000(44 BB) | 2 | 8 |
MN Martin Nielsen | 2,100,000(17 BB) | 3 | 1 |
HL Haitao Lei | 3,575,000(29 BB) | 3 | 3 |
MG Marius Gierse | 10,325,000(83 BB) | 3 | 5 |
BL Bin Leng | 1,575,000(13 BB) | 3 | 7 |
JZ Jiaming Zhao | 4,450,000(36 BB) | 3 | 8 |
Table 2 Update
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
QZ Quan Zhou | 1,555,000(12 BB) | 2 | 1 |
SS Stephen Song | 7,100,000(57 BB) | 2 | 2 |
MM Martin Michael Sedlak | 555,000(4 BB) | 2 | 3 |
PD Patrik Demus | 2,420,000(19 BB) | 2 | 4 |
JM James Mendoza | 6,100,000(49 BB) | 2 | 6 |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 2,400,000(19 BB) | 2 | 7 |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 5,000,000(40 BB) | 2 | 8 |
Stephen Song Continues His Ascent

A min raised pot between under the gun Stephen Song and hijack Patrik Demus gets checked to the turn 9♦ 7♣ 4♦ 4♣ where Song lays out a 275,000 delayed c-bet and Demus calls to see the board completes 4♥ . Another 600,000 from Song gets the job done.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 7,100,000(57 BB) |
PD Patrik Demus | 2,420,000(19 BB) |
Hua Wei Lin Takes On Stephen Song

Under the gun Hua Wei Lin min-raises and takes hijack Stephen Song to the flop T♣ 9♣ 4♠ where she check-raises 700,000 and Song fills up his 200,000 bet. Lin takes a time bank before checking the 4♦ turn and Song follows suit for a free 9♥ river. Lin forks out a 1,000,000 lead that goes unanswered.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 6,800,000(68 BB) |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 5,000,000(50 BB) |
Big Stacks Collide
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.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 7,300,000(73 BB) |
JM James Mendoza | 3,300,000(33 BB) |
Table 2 With Stephen Song Taking Over The Lead
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
QZ Quan Zhou | 2,175,000(22 BB) | 2 | 1 |
SS Stephen Song | 5,600,000(56 BB) | 2 | 2 |
PD Patrik Demus | 1,900,000(19 BB) | 2 | 4 |
JM James Mendoza | 5,000,000(50 BB) | 2 | 6 |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 2,800,000(28 BB) | 2 | 7 |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 5,300,000(53 BB) | 2 | 8 |
MM Martin Michael Sedlak | 4,400,000(44 BB) | 3 | 3 |
Stephen Song Is Running Over The Table

Stephen Song limps his small blind before filling up a 350,000 raise from Martin Sedlak. Both players check to the river 8♣ K♣ 2♣ 8♠ 4♥ where Song leads 580,000 with top-pair K♥ T♥ and Sedlak calls, throwing it in the muck after seeing his opponents hand.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 5,600,000(56 BB) |
MM Martin Michael Sedlak | 4,400,000(44 BB) |
Junbo Qu Becomes Firs Elimination Of The Day In 15th For $38,000

Junbo Qu declares all-in for 730,000 from +2 and big blind Stephen Song has an easy snap-call with kings.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
JQ Junbo Qu | 7♦7♠ MP | busted |
SS Stephen Song | K♥K♦ BB | 4,700,000(47 BB) |
Stephen Song Adds Some More

First to act Junbo Qu lays out 180,000 and fills up button Stephen Song's 410,000 three-bet to see the flop 3♣ Q♦ 6♣ where Song's 150,000 continuation is enough to take it down.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 4,200,000(53 BB) |
JQ Junbo Qu | 830,000(10 BB) |
Bracelet And Ring Holder Stephen Song Starts The Day Strong
After just scooping a pot, under the gun Stephen Song leads 170,000 and finds no callers, adding some more to his mid-sized stack early.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SS Stephen Song | 3,560,000(45 BB) |
Day 3 Chip Count
Player | Chips |
---|---|
MG Marius Gierse | 7,545,000 |
MM Martin Michael Sedlak | 4,755,000 |
JZ Jiaming Zhao | 4,685,000 |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 4,265,000 |
JM James Mendoza | 4,085,000 |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 3,550,000 |
MN Martin Nielsen | 3,505,000 |
SS Stephen Song | 3,330,000 |
PD Patrik Demus | 2,250,000 |
QZ Quan Zhou | 2,140,000 |
MS Mauricio Sanches | 1,920,000 |
BL Bin Leng | 1,915,000 |
GT Gary Thompson | 1,460,000 |
JQ Junbo Qu | 1,370,000 |
HL Haitao Lei | 985,000 |
Day 3 Seat Draw
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
QZ Quan Zhou | 2,140,000 | 2 | 1 |
SS Stephen Song | 3,330,000 | 2 | 2 |
PD Patrik Demus | 2,250,000 | 2 | 4 |
JQ Junbo Qu | 1,370,000 | 2 | 5 |
JM James Mendoza | 4,085,000 | 2 | 6 |
IZ Ivan Zhang | 3,550,000 | 2 | 7 |
HW Hua Wei Lin | 4,265,000 | 2 | 8 |
MN Martin Nielsen | 3,505,000 | 3 | 1 |
HL Haitao Lei | 985,000 | 3 | 3 |
MM Martin Michael Sedlak | 4,755,000 | 3 | 3 |
GT Gary Thompson | 1,460,000 | 3 | 4 |
MG Marius Gierse | 7,545,000 | 3 | 5 |
MS Mauricio Sanches | 1,920,000 | 3 | 6 |
BL Bin Leng | 1,915,000 | 3 | 7 |
JZ Jiaming Zhao | 4,685,000 | 3 | 8 |