Mystery Bounty ($565)

Already an endangered species after the debacle against Alex Wong the hand previous, Masataka Nishada goes all-in from the +1 position for his last 135,000. It is folded to the D where chip leader Erik Rozhynskyi makes the call. Vietnam’s Tran Vong Huan 3-bets all-in from the BB for 475,000 and Rozhynskyi chooses to fold.

Nishada shows 7♥ 7♣ while Tran has A♣ Q♦ .

The flop immediately favored Tran: 5♠ Q♠ 8♦ while the runout was completed by the 4♥ and the J♥ as Nishada gets busted in eighth place but was also able to get one bounty drawn for US$500.

Tran now nears the 800,000 chip mark with seven players remaining.

Alex Wong goes for a Hail Mary and chucks in his remaining 240,000 to the middle of the table from the +1 Position and gets called in the +2 position by Japan’s Masataka Nishada.

Wong flips over Q♦ J♠ while Nishada shows 9♦ 9♥ .

The flop gives the lead to the Malaysian: 8♠ J♦ 8♣ and the turn did provide some excitement as the T♦ comes out, the river card is the 3♣ gives Wong the double up but Nishada now has to play perfectly in order to catch at least another pay jump.

Japan’s Masataka Nishada open shoves from the CO for his remaining 165,000 and gets called by Zheng Anshu in the SB.

Nishada turns over K♦ K♠ while Zheng shows a dominated K♣ T♥ .

The runout stayed low: 2♥ 3♦ 6♠ 4♦ Q♣ as the Nishada double up drags Zheng’s stack back into the mud.

The action is folded to the CO where Adi Putra Roy of Indonesia makes a raise to 30,000 and gets a call on the D from Japan’s Masataka Nishada.

The flop comes 4♦ 8♠ 9♣ as Adi Putra continues for 15,000. Nishada calls. The turn is the 8♦ and this time, both players check. The river is the 9♠ as the Indonesian checks. Nishada fires 50,000 and Adi Putra chooses to fold.

Roy Adi Putra of Indonesia opens from the +1 position for 20,000 and gets re-raised all-in by Japan’s Masataka Nishada on the CO for his remaining 217,000. Adi Putra makes the call.

Nishada tables A♦ K♣ while Adi Putra is barely ahead with 5♥ 5♠ .

The flop gives the advantage to the Japanese player: A♥ 2♥ 3♣ but it also gives the Indonesian additional outs with a gutshot. The turn gives Adi Putra more outs as the 7♥ appears as a backdoor flush looms. The river card, however, dashes all hopes as the 6♦ arrives and the double up bring’s Nishada’s stack nearer the half-million mark.

The action starts from UTG on a raise to 16,000 and gets a 3-bet from Vietnam’s Huynh Ngoc Thai in the +1 position to 36,000. At the HJ, Masataka Nishada of Japan performs a 4-bet to 75,000 as the initial raiser opts to fold. Huynh then goes for a 5-bet shove, to which Nishada has no answer for.

Huynh nears the 500,000 chip mark with that maneuver.

American Michael Truong shoved his dwindling stack of 16,000 from the HJ after a raise from the +1 position. Four players converge on him like vultures.

The flop is 9♥ 7♦ 4♠ as it is checked to CO where Japan’s Masataka Nishada bets 40,000.

All fold as Truong turns over Q♠ J♠ while Nishada shows T♦ 9♦ for top pair on the flop. It will be enough to bust Truong as the turn is the 2♥ and the river is the K♠ .

Truong crashes out in 15th place.

We have yet another hand joined in progress as there is a pot of already 83,000 and a board of 7♠ 3♦ T♦ A♥ between Korea’s Hong Sung Heon in the HJ and Masataka Nishada of Japan on the D.

Hong checks the turn and Nishada announces he is all-in for his remaining 83,000. Hong snap calls the shove.

Nishada turns over A♠ 3♠ for two pairs on the turn while the Korean tables A♦ T♥ for a higher two pairs on the turn. The poker gods give the Japanese player a reprieve as the 3♣ arrives on the river to give Nishada a full house and a new lease on his tournament life.

The hit reduces Hong’s stack to less than 100,000.

Vietnam’s Huynh Ngoc Thai opens from the CO for 9,000 and gets a call from a player on the D. Waiting in the wings is Masataka Nishada of Japan who 3-bet shoves for his last 63,000. Huynh calls while the player on the D folds.

Nishada shows A♠ Q♠ dominating his Vietnamese opponent who tables Q♥ J♥ .

The flop gave Huynh a reason to hope: J♦ 7♠ 2♠ , However, the 9♠ showed on the turn and the river is the T♥ which dashed any ambitions for Huynh.

The Japanese player gets a badly needed double up.

Hong Sung Heon of Korea opens the action from UTG for 8,000 and gets calls from Japan’s Masataka Nishada in the +1 position and Li Qinglin of China in the HJ.

The flop is 2♦ K♥ J♥ as all players skip this betting street. The turn is the 5♠ and Hong suddenly comes to life and bets 5,000. No one calls.

Vietnam’s Mai Bien opens from the CO for 5,000 and gets a call from Nishada Masataka of Japan and another player in the BB.

The flop comes 6♣ K♦ J♣ and it is checked to Masataka who leads out for 9,000. The player in the BB and Mai calls. The turn is the T♣ as both players skip this street. The river is the 4♠ as Mai checks. Masataka suddenly goes all-in and Mai makes the call for his remaining 25,000.

Masataka shows K♠ J♦ for top pair while Mai tables Q♣ J♠ for second pair.

Mai busts in seventh and is the money bubble for Flight A.

The chip counts of those who advanced follow shortly.

Hong Sung Heon once again is in action as he raises from the HJ for 4,000. He gets a BB defense from Japan’s Nishada Masataka.

The flop comes 6♦ 4♦ A♥ as Masataka checks. Hong fires a CBet of 3,000 and gets called. The turn is the 9♦ as Masataka checks anew and once again the Korean unloads, this time for 7,500. The Japanese player still makes the call. The river is the 7♠ and Masataka checks a third time. This time, Hong checks behind.

Masataka turns over 8♦ 5♦ for a flush on the turn while Hong opts to muck. It’s been awhile since Hong has fallen below the 200,000 chip mark.