Nguyen Takes Three-to-One Lead

[user75032]

11:12pm -- That's a New One

The heads-up play had settled into a predictable rhythm that was just jolted by Cornel Andrew Cimpan. He called Binh Nguyen's preflop raise to 375,000. Both players checked the {Q-Spades}

flop. The turn {J-?}

is where things started to get mixed up. Cimpan checked to Nguyen, who bet 400,000. Cimpan went for the first check-raise we've seen in a long while, check-raising to one million. Nguyen called.

On the river {8-Spades}

both players quickly checked. Nguyen showed down {K-Diamonds}

for top pair; it was enough to drag the massive pot. He's up to 10 million now, with Cimpan down to 3.7 million.

11:05pm -- Another Curious Line

We've seen some unusual betting lines from Binh Nguyen in this heads-up match. Consider the following: he opened for 375,000 preflop and was called by Andrew Cimpan. On a flop of {6-Diamonds}

, Cimpan check-called another 400,000. Both players checked the {Q-Hearts}

turn and the {A-Hearts}

river. Nguyen turned over {Q-Diamonds}

for a pair of queens and the winner.

10:53pm -- Round and Round They Go

Heads-up poker play is often a graceful pas de deux, with the players continually shifting up their lines as they attempt to exploit each other's perceived weaknesses. Cornel Andrew Cimpan is limping most of his buttons; Binh Nguyen is raising most of his. Cimpan limped again in a recent hand, with Nguyen checking his option from the big blind. Nguyen led out for 175,000 on a flop of {6-Diamonds}

and was called by Cimpan. When the turn fell {7-Diamonds}

, Nguyen checked and snap-folded to a bet of 275,000 from Cimpan.

10:49pm -- Nguyen Fighting Back

If the first half-hour of heads-up play belonged to Cornel Andrew Cimpan, the second half-hour has belonged to Binh Nguyen. Nguyen is taking pot after pot from Cimpan. He recently raised to 310,000 and was called by Cimpan. The flop came {3-Spades}