Texas Man Vaults From 9th to 2nd at WSOP Main Event Final Table

LAS VEGAS, TX — Houston’s Han Feng made an improbable jump from ninth place to second place Monday at the World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table.

Feng, who was the short stack much of the night, will now head into Day 2 of the final table with 106.5 million in chips.

Everyone is still chasing runaway leader Lucas Jumalon, who has 212 million chips, but Feng now has a fighting chance to try and chase him down.

Lauri Saaskilahti is third with 84.5 million chips, followed by Rami Hammoud (45.5 million), Michael Gagliano (42 million), Jamie Shaevel (33 million) and Greg Muller (29.5 million).

The 27-year-old Feng began the night in eighth place with 25 million chips, but he was in last place for several hours. When he finally made his move, his A4 ran into the AQ of Mario Boos.

Feng was two cards away from elimination when a 4 hit on the turn to double him up.

He doubled up again later through Jumalon with pocket kings, and he was off and running.

It has been a crazy journey for Feng to the final table, where the winner will leave with $10 million. Even ninth place pocketed $1 million.

Feng was only 514th out of 1,389 people on Day 4 of the Main Event. Yet he ended Day 5 in 24th place out of 533, and he's been near the top of the leaderboard ever since.

Day 2 of the final table will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The televised broadcast will begin at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.