Christopher 'PokinStaR' Alcindor had quite a run today. Not only did he come into Day 2 tied for the smallest stack in the game and run that up to the final table, but he ended up heads up against the defending champion of this event from last May. And to top it all off, he was one card away from being runner-up tonight until a king on the river flipped the script.

He started heads up against Graham Lupton with a slightly bigger stack, but Lupton turned it on in the early phase. He eventually chipped up to a lead of about 28 million to 14 million for Alcindor until the massive flip reversed the situation to give Alcindor around 30 million to 12 million for Lupton. That seemed to take the wind out of Lupton's sails, and a few hands later, his king-ten was all in on a ten-high flop, but well behind the flopped two pair for Alcindor.

Lupton bricked tripping up or hitting a better two pair on the turn and river, and Alcindor was sitting behind all the chips. That result seems to be becoming a habit for the KK Poker rep, as he picked up two wins earlier this year in the Station Poker Classic in Regina. He won the first Regina event, then took a day off to do some work before jumping into Event 3 and winning that one for more than $50k.

That was his biggest score until today when he capped that by a few thousand. Tonight's win will push his Hendon Mob earnings over $100k.

Graham Lupton was looking for his third ring tonight, and second in a Calgary Monster Stack game, and he was within one card of getting it done. In the pivotal hand, the money went in preflop for a classic race between pocket fives for Lupton and big slick for Christopher Alcindor. The board ran clean for Lupton's pair until a king came on the river to give Alcindor the huge double to the lead.

After that, the game only lasted a couple of hands before the rest of the money went in on a flop of . Lupton was on top pair with king-ten, but Alcindor smashed the flop for two pair with seven-four. on the turn and river bricked out for Lupton and he missed out on defending this title from last May.

Graham Lupton was one card away from his third ring, and second in a Calgary Monster Stack. Lupton raised to 3 million, which had Christopher Alcindor a bit confused with the sizing. After quite a while in the tank, he shoved and Lupton snapped him off with the covering stack.

Christopher Alcindor:
Graham Lupton:

It was a race for the ring, and Lupton looked set to win it all until the river of the board flipped the script and sent a huge double across the table to Alcindor.

They've been pretty even up to this point, but Graham Lupton just took a big lead. The nstarted with both players limping to the flop where Lupton fired 800k. Christopher Alcindor called to the turn, where he called again for 2 million.

Lupton sized it up on the river to 6 million, and that seemed to confuse Alcindor. "What can I call that bet with. Is a deuce good here?" He deliberated for a few minutes before tossing in the call, but mucked his jack-four when Lupton rolled over four-three for the rivered trips.

They both limped to the flop of where Christopher Alcindor check-called the bet of 700k from Graham Lupton. Alcindor check-called again for 2 million on the turn, and both players checked the river.

Alcindor showed for the turned two pair while Lupton flashed a king as he mucked.

Hua Zang got the rest of his money in for a race with king-seven against the pocket threes for Christopher Alcindor. The board ran clean for the pair and Zang was out in 3rd place tonight.

Alcindor and Graham Lupton are now on a break before they resume heads-up in Level 34 with Alcindor in the slight lead.

Graham Lupton raised to 1.2 million from the button and Christopher Alcindor called from the big blind. Alcindor check-called for 1 million on the to see on the turn. He checked again, but folded when Lupton bet 2.5 million. Lupton showed a pair of eights for the flopped set as he collected the pot.

In the next hand, Alcindor and Lupton limped blind on blind to a flop of . Alcindor check-called the flop for 800k and both players checked the turn. Alcindor fired 1.25 million on the river, and Lupton found the fold button.

Graham Lupton opened the button to 1 million and Christopher Alcindor called from the big blind. Alcindor check-called for 1.2 million on the flop and both players checked the turn. On the river, Alcindor fired 1.7 million, and after a couple of minutes in the tank, Lupton folded.

Graham Lupton raised to 800k from the small blind, and Hua Zang called from the big. Lupton fired 1.1 million on the flop and Zang flatted to the turn.

Lupton led out again for 2.5 million, but after some time in the tank, Zang shoved 8.2 million. Lupton tanked for about a minute before mucking his hand.

I've just learned that Lupton is, in fact, looking for his third ring. He won his first here last year in this event, but he's just informed me that he won a second one recently in Montreal.

Graham Lupton opened to 600k, and Hua Zang called the button before Kevin Mymryc raised it up to 2.5 million. Lupton shoved a stack the covered Mymryc, while Zang mucked his hand. Mymryc called for his tournament life, but was in rough shape with ace-ten against pocket queens for last year's winner.

Mymryc flopped a ten, but it wasn't enough and he had to settle for fourth place tonight.

They are down to 4 players left now after Gerald Nelner got it in with a dominated ace. Graham Lupton raised to 600k under the gun, then snapped it off when Nelner shoved from the big blind. Nelner was on ace-jack against ace-king for Lupton, and Lupton held with a king on the river for good measure.

It was blind on blind when Aaron Froese shoved the small blind and Christopher Alcindor called with more. Froese was looking to steal with against for Alcindor. Froese flopped a four in the window, but Alcindor hit his queen as well, and then rivered trips.

The flop was already out reading and Stephen Dauphinais check-shoved over the 600k bet from Christopher Alcindor. Alcindor was in the tank for a bit but made the call with pocket threes.

He was ahead but the for Dauphinais was drawing to clubs. bricked for him though and he was out in 7th place.

Tyler Panas finished his day in 8th place tonight shortly after the dinner break ended. Panas got his money in with ace-ten on the a flop with two tens, but Christopher Alcindor's pocket eights went runner-runner straight to send Panas to the rail.

Shane Chief shoved his button for a bit more than 500k, but Graham Lupton woke up with the goods in the small blind. He re-raised to 1 million and the big blind folded.

Chief was on big slick, but he was drawing thin against the pocket kings of Lupton. Chief couldn't improve, and he was out in 9th place.

They are now just over 5 minutes away from the dinner break.

It was a bit of a bad beat that sent Andrew Van Graans to the rail in 10th place today. Christopher Alcindor shoved the small blind with a covering stack, and Van Graans squeezed his hand with Alcindor.

"Oh Oh," said Alcindor with a smile when the pair of jacks was revealed for Van Graans. Alcindor had and was looking for a king, which came in the window of the board.

They are down to the final ten now in the Monster Stack after Mark Inglis lost a race with pocket eights against the big slick for Kevin Mymryk. Mymryk spiked his ace on the river to take it down.

They are now breaking down to the final table of ten players.

They are down to the final table bubble now with 11 left after Deven Lane took 12th place tonight.

They are now two players away from the 10-handed final table with about 20 minutes to play in Level 28. Weston Pring was among the players to bust recently, with full prizes to 13th place under the Payouts tab.

I had a quick look around on the break and it looks like Stephen Dauphinais is the runaway leader right now with almost 8 million in front of him. Andrew Van Graans also looks to have a decent stack in front of him with about 4.8 million to start Level 28.

They are down to the final 15 players left in the Monster Stack now, and only one player still has a chance to book their second ring today. Dylan Ellis just hit the cash cage for 16th place right before the break, which leaves only Graham Lupton in the game with a ring to his name. Lupton won this very event last year, so don't count him out going for the repeat.

Level 27 has just begun and they are down to 17 players on the final two tables now. Prizes are updated under the payouts tab, but among the players to bust recently were Tyler Hurman, Darlene Lee, and Chris Schimanski.

They are down to 21 players left with just under 30 minutes to play on Level 26. Ivan Chuvyrov, who led the 1b chip counts and came into today second in chips, was among the players to hit the rail recently.

Level 26 has just begun and they are down to 25 players left. Cuong Nguyen was the most recent casualty from the game.

So far, two of the possible double-ring winners in the field today have bowed out before the end. Evan Thomas was the first to go, and chip leader Joon "Huge Hammer" Park just hit the rail in 27th place as the first player to bust from the final three tables.

Graham Lupton and Dylan Ellis are still in the running to book their second ring tonight.

They are down to 27 left in the Monster Stack with 25 minutes to play in Level 25. The three-table redraw has just occurred.

They are down to 28 players left now, one elimination away from the three-table redraw. Scott Calvank was among the recent busts after his flopped set was crushed by a rivered flush just before the break. He was left on fumes and the rest ended up in the middle shortly after they returned.

They are moments away from the first break of the day with 31 players still alive. Full prizes to 32nd place are listed under the payouts tab.

They are down to four tables now with 33 players left in the game with just under 15 minutes to play in Level 24. Among the recent busts were Evan Thomas, who won this event in Jan 2023, as well as Johnny Shi, and Din Rajabi.

Prizes will be updated in the Payouts tab shortly.

Level 24 has just begun, and this is the final level of Day 1 blinds. Players will head out for a break following this level and Level 25 will play at the Day 2 length of 445 minutes.

There are now 38 players left in the game with two more players set to make $1,474 until the money jumps to $1,527 for 36th place.

There are just over five minutes left in Level 23 with the field down to 40 players remaining. Full prizes to 41st place are posted in the Payouts tab, but among the players to cash out so far were Jayvee Lumahan, Pete Fylya, Wayne Hoffert, and Brendan Faulkner.

They are down to 47 players left as Level 23 begins, and there are two more payouts to decide at the $1,454 min-cash level before money jumps to $1,474 at 45th place.

Just over 5 minutes are remaining in Level 22 and the field is down to 49 left. Moon Lee, Essam Saadeddine, and Kyle Ho are the players to cash out on Day 2 so far.

The Day 2 players in the Monster stack are in their seats and cards are now being dealt for the opening hands of Day 2. Action is in Level 22 with about 24 minutes remaining, and they'll play Levels 23 and 24 at the Day 1 blinds of 30 minutes before the official Day 2 levels start at Level 25.

I had to redo the Day 2 prizes as Day 1b finished with 29 players left instead of the expected 30, and that changed the payouts for Day 2 slightly with most spots getting a slight boost.

Full prizes are listed under the payouts tab but first place is set to pocket more than $58k while the first players to bust will collect $1,454 today.

Day 2 Seat Assignments for Monster Stack

Event #9: $400 Monster Stack ($330 + $70)

Date: Day 2: May 9, 2024, Noon
Start Stack: 40,000
Blinds: 30/45 Min
Entries: 1,050
Prizes: $346,500 (combined - $273,802 on Day 2)
1st Place: $58,109

Joon Park, pictured winning Event #1 in January 2023

Joon "Huge Hammer" Park is the chip leader going into Day 2, and he is the only player with a hammer worth more than 2 million. He bagged that stack on Day 1a, and the 1b flight leader, Ivan Chuvyrov could only manage 1.87 million. Numbers 3, 4, 6, and 7 all came from Day 1b as well, with Dwayne Reid at 1.58 million as the only other 1a player in the top 7. A total of 15 players bagged 1 million or more for Day 2.

Day 2 action kicks off at noon on Thursday and they'll play down to a winner. 52 players are returning for Day 2 after Day 1b played a little lower than expected with two players busting on the final hand for 23 players from Day 1a and 29 from 1b.

Day 2 players are asked to be in the room by 11:45 AM so the bags can be opened and play started on time. I should be on the floor for this one from start to end. At least four players are returning who could win a second ring in this event - Leader Park started his epic 2023 with a ring here in the January series, while 6th place Ellis won a ring this past January in the 4-Flight after getting runner-up in the Mystery Bounty the night before. Graham Lupton won this Monster Stack event last May, while Evan Thomas won this event in Jan 2023. Any of those four players could bag #2 tomorrow.

Follow along here on Thursday to find out if we have a repeat winner, or a new recipient of a WSOP ring. See the Chip Counts tab for a full look at the Day 2 stacks and players, and stay tuned for a post with the full Day 2 seat assignments coming shortly.