Players notoriously, and quite literally, fold under these lights… but not JC Tran. When the WSOP Main Event reaches its last couple days before the final table, the tri-colored beams spotlighting the ESPN stage and camera bulbs surrounding the outer tables seep through players’ minds and alter their decision-making.

They tighten up their games, getting involved with fewer hands in an effort to increase their chances of earning the vaunted status as a member of the November Nine final table. Any experienced gambler knows there’s value to responding in a contrarian manner and mixing it up as much as possible.

“I’m playing plenty aggressive right now,” said two-time WSOP bracelet winner JC Tran at the end of Sunday’s Day 6 at the Rio. Tran is one of 27 players, out of a starting field of 6,352, returning at Noon Monday for a shot at advancing to the final table of poker’s world championship. All the remaining players are guaranteed a payout of at least $285,408, but salivating over the first-place prize of $8.36 million.

Tran took a stride in the right direction Sunday, rocketing from the middle of the pack to the top with eight hours worth of sharp reads and relentless bets. At the epicenter of the whole tournament, the ESPN featured table, there was never 10 minutes that went by without Tran raising or re-raising to pressure his opponents.

“Any time you do that, there are going to be players that want to step in and try to take a shot here and there,” Tran said. “But, at the same time, I’m picking up hands and their timing has been off.” You can read more about the success of JC Tran when you visit the Las Vegas Sun website.