Canlin Chen prior to the pack on Day 1B

Another Day 1 flight, another bunch of poker hopefuls and another 12 levels of exciting action here at PokerStars LIVE Macau. We saw 363 take to the felt today - a large improvement on yesterday's 248 - and tomorrow is predicted to be much, much bigger.

At this pace the MPC25 Red Dragon is easily on its solution to eclipsing the sector record of 1,075 set last series. With 611 already accounted for we can need 465 players tomorrow for back-to-back record breaking events.

Chip stacks rose and fell through 8 hours of play but if the top of proceedings was upon us the day belonged to Canlin Chen. It was a late surge that saw Chen cruise into the lead. His pocket jacks knocking out a tablemate within the final level to solidify Chen's spot on the top. He bagged up 202,900 - only just shy of yesterday's frontrunner Yandong Liu who will take 203,600 through to Day 2.

Today's chip leader Canlin Chen

Chen's best live result to this point occurred on this very room only a few months back when he final tabled the ACOP Platinum Series XIV. That 6th place finish saw him take home HK$55,600 ($7,168). Chen has only two other live cashes to this point (both from the similar ACOP series) and he has an even shot at finding another one here this week.

He leads the 89 Day 2 qualifiers from this flight. They are going to get an afternoon off tomorrow before returning on Wednesday to continue the quest for the Red Dragon title. A few of those lucky enough to make the cut include Nan Tu (113,700), Dapeng Mu (107,300), Benjamin Hamnet (90,300), Valentyn Shabelnyk (64,000) and Matthew Boucher (40,400),

While they are going to be celebrating, it's condolences for many who couldn't hang on. Our four other Team Pros who hit the tables today were all sent packing. Bryan Huang, Yaxi Zhu, Kosei Ichinose and Randy Lew all did not secure an afternoon 2 seat.

Lew's demise took place when he ran 7♣7♦ into the J♠J♦ of MPC24 Red Dragon 4th place finisher and today's runner up chip leader Liang Xu's. It was just about all over at the 6♦J♣T♦ flop before the 3♠ turn meant Lew was drawing dead. He left us about three quarters of ways during the day in Level 9.

Eliminated - Randy Lew

That's all from us here tonight. You will see that a whole list of today's survivors here. We'll be back for a later start of 7pm for Day 1C tomorrow. Here's hoping we will break another record! See you then.

10:20pm: Chen making wavesLevel 12: Blinds - 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

We're within the dying stages of the night and it sounds as if Canlin Chen has run away with the chip lead here. He was already touting an excellent stack and he just felted a player to acquire much more chips.

Chen opened at the button to 4,500 before the small blind pushed all in for 22,000. Team PokerStars Pro Celina Lin folded the massive blind but Chen snapped it off with the simpler hand.

Chen: J♣J♦Small blind: Q♣8♣

Chen's pocket jacks were in front and stayed that way because the cards fell 6♦T♥3♠5♦A♦. His opponent was sent packing and Chen established himself because the first of today's players over 200,000 in chips.

10:10pm: Final seven handsLevel 12: Blinds - 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

The announcement have been made. There'll only be seven more hands played here on Day 1B.

Who will join yesterday's 55 survivors on Day 2? Who will bag up the chip lead and can it eclipse Day 1A frontrunner Yandong Liu's 203,600? Stick with us here on the PokerStars Blog to search out out!

9:45pm: Chen chips upLevel 11: Blinds - 800/1,600 (200 ante)

Victor Chen just claimed another pot. He now has 44,000 in chips to work with.

It was a board of 9♣6♠K♦4♣ and Chen check-called a chance of 5,500. The 5♥ rolled off at the river and both players checked their options before Chen tabled the winner.

He revealed 6♣5♦ for a rivered two pair which was ok to assemble the chips.

9:25pm: Cade and Bilychenko bustLevel 11: Blinds - 800/1,600 (200 ante)

South Africa's Ben Cade and Russia's Alexey Bilychenko has been eliminated late within the day here.

Cade met his demise with K♠9♥ against A♣T♣. The board ran out A♠2♣A♦3♠2♥ to peer him drawing dead at the flop before the inconsequential turn and river.

Bilychenko's run came to an end when he bricked with A♦Q♥ versus J♠J♣. The cards fell 7♥2♦6♥4♠2♥ to signal that it was all over.

9:05pm: Chip count updateLevel 10: Blinds - 600/1,200 (200 ante)

It's almost the penultimate level on Day 1B and at this stage it looks as if the title of chip leader is anyone's for the taking. Our last remaining Team PokerStars Pro Celina Lin remains to be some of the action, she has an above average stack of 54,000.

Here's how a few of our other players stack up.

Alexey Bilychenko - 42,000Victor Chen - 38,000Valentyn Shabelnyk - 37,000Ben Cade - 34,000Yvo Molin - 33,000

Team PokerStars Pro Celina Lin

8:45pm: Boucher buildingLevel 10: Blinds - 600/1,200 (200 ante)

Matthew Boucher is building a tight stack, he now sits with 62,000 to play with. He acquired a few of those chips in a contemporary hand after knocking out a shortstack.

He brought it in for a raise to 2,500 from under the gun before he picked up two callers.

Boucher continued for 4,500 at the 5♦J♣3♠ and after one call, the player at the button moved all in for 6,700. Boucher and the third player both flicked within the extra and the J♥ arrived at the turn.

The action was checked through to the 6♥ river where Boucher led out for 7,000. That was met with a snappy fold before the button tabled Q♠Q♥ for an overpair. Boucher had that trumped, however, showing A♣A♦ to deliver an elimination and claim the pot.

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8:25pm: Break o'clock

It's that point again. Play resumes in 10 minutes.

8:15pm: Qiu crippled and Li doubles upLevel 9: Blinds - 500/1,000 (100 ante)

Ye Qiu was knocked all the way down to only 4,700 after doubling up tablemate Weiyu Li.

All the chips were within the middle preflop with Li in peril for his last 8,800. He got his money in good though holding 6♠6♥ to be out in front of Qiu's 4♣4♦.

The players on the table laughed on the 3♣5♦7♥ flop as Li and Qiu needed each other's cards to spike a straight. Nothing changed at the 9♦ turn or 2♦ river and Li held to secure the pot.

7:55pm: Lin last Team Pro as Lew eliminatedLevel 9: Blinds - 500/1,000 (100 ante)

Celina Lin is the last surviving Team PokerStars Pro here on Day 1B after Randy Lew was eliminated by MPC24 Red Dragon 4th place finisher Liang Xu. They got the entire money in preflop before turning their hands up.

Lew: 7♣7♦Xu: J♠J♦

Lew was in trouble and things got worse when the 6♦J♣T♦ left him drawing super thin. The 3♠ turn signaled the tip for the Team Pro while Xu now has 28,000 to play with.

7:35pm: The numbers are inLevel 8: Blinds - 400/800 (100 ante)

The tournament is now locked out for Day 1B and with that we have got the official entrants count. There are 363 players confirmed for today. Adding that to yesterday's tally we have a running total of 611.

The previous record was set at MPC24 when 1,075 entered the Red Dragon. To damage the record again and return to back we'll want to see 465 players here for Day 1C tomorrow.

7:10pm: Lu sends one packingLevel 8: Blinds - 400/800 (100 ante)

Lin Lu just eliminated a shortstacked opponent. After an under the gun all in for 2,800 Lu isolated from middle position with a raise to 5,300. The remainder of the tabled folded and the cards went on their back.

Lu: 9♣9♦Under the gun: A♦K♣

They were off to the races and Lu had the most productive of it when the board ran out 5♦2♠2♣5♣8♦. He added those chips to his stack and moved as much as 43,000.

6:45pm: Lew dips to the chance zoneLevel 7: Blinds - 300/600 (75 ante)

Team PokerStars Pro Randy Lew hasn't been in a position to get much going here today, and he just lost over half his stack after a preflop confrontation.

It folded around to Lew in middle position and he raised to 1,200 before a tablemate moved all in for 5,750. The remainder of the table folded and the verdict was back on Lew.

He looked torn between calling and folding, deliberating for around a minute. Ultimately Lew did commit the chips with Q♥J♠ and was behind his opponent's A♦K♥.

The K♣2♦2♣ flop was a nasty one for Lew and things didn't recover because the 2♥ turn meant he was drawing dead. The inconsequential 3♦ arrived at the river and Lew was left with only 4,850.

Randy Lew

6:25pm: Li climbingLevel 7: Blinds - 300/600 (75 ante)

Ran Li just added around an additional 50% to his stack with a well-timed preflop move.

Lin Lu began the betting with a raise to 1,350 and after the player within the cutoff called, Team PokerStars Pro Randy Lew called from the massive blind. The verdict then fell on Li within the big blind. He stacked up his 10,700 in chips and pushed it into the middle.

The three other active players all relinquished their hands and Li added a significant portion to his stack without risk of elimination.

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6:10pm: Scheduled break

The remaining players have stepped clear of the tournament area for a ten minute break. Play will resume shortly.

6pm: Bilychenko doubles upLevel 6: Blinds - 200/400 (50 ante)

Russia's Alexey Bilychenko just faded danger and held to double through his tablemate.

After an open to 1,050 Bilychenko bumped it as much as 3,050. His opponent called they usually saw a flop of J♣T♣5♥. It was checked to Bilychenko and he fired for 2,200, leaving himself only 2,150 behind. The bet was met with a choice and the 6♥ arrived at the turn.

Bilychenko's opponent then put the Russian all in and Bilychenko called with K♠J♥ for prime pair. He was in front but still in danger along with his tablemate holding K♥Q♥ for both open ended straight and flush draws.

Luckily for Bilychenko the river bricked off and he survived the encounter to double up.

5:45pm: Yaxi Zhu eliminatedLevel 6: Blinds - 200/400 (50 ante)

Team PokerStars Pro Yaxi Zhu joined us late today and he or she has already made her solution to the exit.

The story goes that when a raise to 1,100 and a choice from the player at the button, Zhu moved all in for her last 2,250 from the small blind. The massive blind isolated with another raise to 4,200 and with the remainder of the table out of how the active players table their cards.

Zhu: A♠K♠Big blind: 5♣5♦

It was a coinflip and Zhu had to improve to outlive. She missed at the Q♦9♦3♣ flop and was drawing dead by the 5♥ turn.

Her departure means only two Team Pros remain within the field.

Yaxi Zhu

5:25pm: ACOP is fast approachingLevel 5: Blinds - 150/300 (25 ante)

Asia's richest poker festival is coming back to Macau soon with the Asia Championship of Poker returning on October 28.

You can read all about it and find the whole schedule here. We'll see you there!

5:15pm: Zhu caught bluffingLevel 5: Blinds - 150/300 (25 ante)

Yaxi Zhu recently joined the sphere and he or she was just looked up after barreling off on a bluff in a battle of the blinds.

On a flop of 3♣K♣T♥ Mingqin Liu checked from the small blind before Zhu fired for 500. Liu called and the dealer turned the Q♠. Another check from Liu saw Zhu continue for 1,500 and Liu called again.

Liu checked for a last time at the 8♦ river and Zhu had one last stab at it for 3,500. The bet was quickly called by Liu and Zhu tabled J♣7♣ for a bricked flush and straight draw. Liu revealed A♠A♦ for an overpair and picked up the pot.

He now has 32,300 in his arsenal while Zhu falls to 10,225.

5:00pm: Two Team Pros out, yet one more inLevel 5: Blinds - 150/300 (25 ante)

The Team PokerStars Pro contingent here in Macau just lost two players from this Red Dragon, but gained one back after a late registration.

It was Bryan Huang and Kosei Ichinose who've been felted so far.

Yaxi Zhu, however, has decided to enroll in us. She just sat down in what was James Chen's seat - he was also eliminated not too long ago.

4:45pm: Fighting fatigueLevel 4: Blinds - 100/200 (25 ante)

Many players around the tournament floor are staying sharp by enjoying various Red Bull products without cost. The Macau Poker Cup's official energy drink provider has stocked fridges full of Red Bull varieties here at PokerStars LIVE Macau.

Team PokerStars Pro Celina Lin took to Twitter to inform her followers she was about to check out the brand new Tropical Summer Edition.

4:35pm: Jingtao Liu wins a flipLevel 4: Blinds - 100/200 (25 ante)

Jingtao Liu was having a coarse start today but he has kept his tournament alive after winning a pot against Satoshi Hara.

Hara three-bet all in from the massive blind for 6,875 before Liu called all in for less to position himself in danger. With the remainder of the table out of how the 2 players tabled their hands.

Liu: A♣J♣Hara: T♥T♦

Liu had to improve and he did that at the 6♦J♦3♣ flop. He improved to trips at the J♠ turn and faded danger at the Q♠ river to attain the double up. Hara was out of his seat and heading for the exit but he was summoned back to the table by the dealer to play his final 1,625.

4:25pm: Yogo takes chips from ChenLevel 4: Blinds - 100/200 (25 ante)

Iori Yogo is beginning to build a stack. He just won a pot from MPC23 High Roller champion James Chen.

We arrived on the table with the board showing J♥T♣5♦J♦6♥ and Yogo was first to behave within the big blind. He selected firing for 450 and Chen paid him off.

Yogo flipped up A♠J♣ for 3 of a sort jacks and Chen surrendered his hand to the muck. With that pot Yogo moves as much as 19,000 in chips.

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4:00pm: Take a break

It's time for the primary break of the day. Play resumes in 10 minutes.

3:50pm: More familiar facesLevel 3: Blinds - 100/200

The Team PokerStars Pros are out in force today. We already spotted and Celina Lin and Randy Lew earlier within the day and now their teammates Kosei Ichinose and Bryan Huang have joined the hunt.

Also seen at the tournament floor was Kitty Kuo. She started out the year right with a last table appearance on the Aussie Millions Main Event and can be chasing another deep run on this Red Dragon in Macau.

Team PokerStars Pro Bryan Huang

3:30pm: Cade climbingLevel 3: Blinds - 100/200

South Africa's Ben Cade is within the building and having a perfect begin to the day. He had already moved as much as over 20,000 in chips from the 15,000 start bank.

It was a contemporary pot that saw Cade collect a few of those chips. The board was spread 7♣7♠5♥2♥J♥ and when the player within the big blind led out for 1,700, Cade came around the highest with a raise to 6,750.

Cade's opponents folded and the South African raked within the chips.

3:10pm: Eclipsing 300Level 2: Blinds - 50/100

It's just over an hour into Day 1B and the sphere has just ticked over 300 players.

301 have pulled up seats up to now - already beating out the 248 who tried their luck yesterday. Tomorrow is anticipated to attract an enormous field so we're already well on our option to breaking the record of 1,075 entrants from MPC24.

2:50pm: Demlakian droppingLevel 2: Blinds - 50/100

Australia's Ken Demlakian isn't off to a fair start here. He was just at the wrong end of an enormous pot.

The action began with Bingfu Huang raising to 225 before Shao Li next-to-act made it 700 to head. It folded around to the player at the button and he installed a 3rd raise to an excellent 2,000. Demlakian was sitting within the small blind and motioned to peer the button's stack.

"I started with 15. I HAVE NOT played a hand yet" came the response.

Demlakian cold called, Huang folded and Li called because the flop landed 9♠6♦J♥. It was checked through to the button and he continued for 3,500. Demlakian and Li both called to look the A♣ turn.

Three checks followed and the K♠ completed the board. Demlakian led at it for 2,500, leaving himself only 3,700 behind. His opponent sat shaking his head but ultimately installed a raise for enough to hide Demlakian's remaining chips.

"You've got either ace-king or pocket queens" Demlakian said after a while within the tank.

A little while passed and Huang called the clock. Demlakian was informed he had just one minute remaining to behave and the countdown began. He deliberated right down until the four second mark before finally letting the hand go.

Demlakian drops to 3,700 from a starting 15,000 but with the blinds still at 50/100 he's not within the danger zone just yet.

Ken Demlakian

2:30pm: Chen chipping upLevel 1: Blinds - 25/50

Victor Chen is on the table at already accumulating chips. He just took down a large pot after a barrel at the river.

The board read 2♣9♥7♣T♣ and both Chen within the big blind and his opponent at the button checked it through to the J♣ river. The pot was already bloated with over 4,000 within the middle and Chen asked he dealer to spread it before he acted.

Chen selected of venture of 3,300 leaving himself only 9,000 behind. The player at the button studied Chen for roughly 30 seconds before relinquishing his hand. With that Chen moves as much as over 16,000 in chips.

2:15pm: Sharks within the waterLevel 1: Blinds - 25/50

The field is growing here and we've already spotted some notable names some of the pack.

Flying the flag for the PokerStars contingent to this point are two-time Red Dragon champion Celina Lin and APPT Macau champion Randy Lew. They've both achieved stellar results here prior to now and can be seeking to accomplish that again this week.

Joining them on the tables are MPC23 High Roller champion James Chen and PCA Main Event final tablist Ken Demlakian. There are already 269 players seated and with late registration open for 6 levels that number is predicted to grow.

2:00pm: Cards within the airLevel 1: Blinds - 25/50

PokerStars LIVE Macau's Fred Leung just took to the microphone to kick off proceedings. Let's go!

1:30pm: Day 1B set to begin

We're back again for Day 1B of this MPC25 Red Dragon Main Event. There may be already a protracted line on the registration desk and we're expecting to look a larger field than yesterday's 248 here this afternoon.

Just like yesterday the plan is to play 12 40-minute levels, with the action concluding at around 10:30pm. Players start with 15,000 in chips and Level 1 has blinds of 25/50.

We'll have the entire news live from the tournament floor here at PokerStars LIVE Macau. Keep your browser locked to the PokerStars Blog!

PokerStars Blog reporting in Macau delivered to you by Brad Kain. Photos by Kenneth Lim Photography courtesy of PokerStars LIVE Macau.

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