Mystery Bounty Hunter - Final Day - Sponsored by Natural8 - KRW 300,000,000 GTD

Zhiyuan Xu

The largest and richest KRW 1,000,000 Mystery Bounty Hunter - Sponsored by Natural8 the APT has run in South Korea has come to a close with China’s Zhiyuan Xu finishing at the top of the podium.

Xu maneuvered his way through the APT's largest-ever Korean Mystery Bounty field of 511 entries (297 unique) to claim victory. After a three-way deal was made, Xu, who finished eighth in the Korea National Cup just yesterday, ended up with a payday of KRW 42,355,000 (~$30,750) and the prestigious lion silhouette trophy.

Xu defeated Junjie He of China in a short heads-up match, which saw He walking away with KRW 39,205,000 (~$28,460) for his runner-up finish.

The two Day 1 starting flights created a total prize pool of KWR 292,803,000 ($212,640) – also setting a new APT country prize pool record for this event.

All 73 players who made it to Day 2 were guaranteed a minimum cash prize of KWR 1,016,000 ($800), while the top Mystery Bounty was set at KWR 30,000 (~$21,830).

Final Table Payouts

Day 2 started with eventual third-place finisher Chun Ting Chu as the chip leader. Chu steamrolled the field, collecting bounty after bounty during his quest for the final table.

It took eight 30-minute levels of play to whittle the field down to the final nine, with some of the players unable to make the cut including Cezar Quiambao of the Philippines (54th), Singapore’s Jereld Sam (42nd), and Japan’s Sho Katsura (16th). The eventual final table bubble boy was Haisheng Bi whose his seven-three went down to the queen-jack of Hsien Lee Chu.

It was overnight chip leader Chu who held the chip lead going into the final table, but in one of the first hands played, two of the other biggest stacks got involved in a huge pot after He four-bet all in with pocket queens over a Man Lok Chan button three-bet. Chan called turning over pocket aces and looked set to become a new overwhelming chip leader. That appeared even more likely when there was an ace in the window, but miraculously, He managed to spike a straight to double up and take the chip lead himself, leaving Chan as one of the shortest stacks on the final table.

Hsien-Lee Chu

It wouldn’t be the first time aces got cracked at this final table as Chu moved all in from under-the-gun with the pocket rockets and was called by He, who was going bounty hunting with jack-nine. He hit a flush on the turn, leaving Chu drawing dead. Chu would have to settle for a ninth-place finish and KRW 5,051,000 (~$3,670) for his efforts.

Coming in eighth place was Chan after he three-bet squeezed all in from the small blind with ace-king, finding callers in Hao Zhang and Chu. After a nine-high runout, Chan’s Big-Slick ended in third place after Zhang showed ace-nine for top pair, and Chu tabled pocket tens for an overpair to scoop the entire pot. Chan was never able to recover after his aces got cracked earlier, but he took home KRW 6,396,000 (~$4,650) for his troubles.

Hao Zhang

Arguably one of the luckiest players in the entire room was Zhang, who pulled the biggest bounty of KRW 30,000,000 ($21,830) on his first attempt, much to the anguish of the remaining players. Zhang ended up being the seventh-place finisher for KRW 9,236,000 ($6,700) after his ace-ten was outdrawn by the king-nine of He.

Chih Hsiang Chih had been nursing a short stack for the entire final table but managed to climb nicely up the pay ladder. In his final hand of the tournament, Chih shoved all in from early position and was looked up by He in the big blind with pocket sevens. Chih couldn’t find a way to win the hand, and would be the sixth-place finisher, taking home KRW 12,374,000 (~$8,990) for his deep run.

Next to fall was Russia’s Andrei Kim after he moved all in with jack-ten suited and was called by Chu holding pocket sixes, and it was off to the races. Kim flopped a flush draw but wasn’t able to spike any of the outs needed to survive. Kim collected KRW 15,752,000 (~$11,440) for his fifth-place finish.

Andrei Kim

The United Kingdom’s Stephen Honey was the next casualty, busting just shy of a top-three podium finish. Honey called off the last of his chips with pocket threes after He shoved from the small blind with queen-ten. A ten-high flop spelled the end for the Brit, who earned himself KRW 20,086,000 (~$14,590) for his deep run.

With three players left, discussion of a deal began. After only around ten minutes, the three remaining players, He, Xu, and Chu, agreed a straight ICM chop, playing for the remaining KRW 11,400,000 ($8,270) in bounties. Not long after this, a massive three-way all-in happened, with Xu coming out on top after his ace-ten held up against the ace-three and ace-eight of Chu and He. Chu ended up walking away in third place with KRW 37,561,000 ($27,270).

Heading into heads-up, Xu had a fourteen-to-one chip advantage, and in the third hand of heads-up play, Xu managed to pick up pocket eights against He's six-four. Xu had He drawing dead by the turn, securing the Mystery Bounty Hunter - Sponsored by Natural8 title. Although He was a little deflated at not being able to convert his chip lead into a first-place finish, a prize of KRW 39,205,000 (~$28,460) will surely help lift his spirits.

Xu was awarded the first-place prize of KRW 42,355,000 (~$30,750) and his first APT lion silhouette trophy.

The second-place finisher, Chu, was the player to pick up the most bounty chips with nine, followed by the runner-up He and seventh-place finisher Zhang, both with seven. For a full breakdown of the bounty payouts, please click here.

Zhiyuan Xu Wins the Mystery Bounty Hunter - Sponsored By Natural8 for KRW 42,355,000 (~$30,730)

A full recap of the day's action will follow shortly.

Junjie He

Junjie He has been eliminated in 2nd place for KRW 39,205,000 (~$28,450)

Zhiyuan Xu open-shoved allin to put Junjie He at risk, He made the call with only 2 big blings left.

Both players haven't looked at their cards yet.

He flipped over 6♠ 4♥

Xu flipped over 8♠ 8♣

The board ran K♥ 2♣ K♠ 7♣ A♦ , Xu hold up till the end, knocking out He for the win.

Che Chun Chu

Che Chun Chu has been eliminated in 3rd place for KRW 37,561,000 (~$27,260)

Junjie He shoved all in for 7,900,000 from the button, and the small blind Zhiyuan Xu called with 6,900,000. Che Chun Chu had just one big blind remaining and was forced all in for 250,000 from the big blind. He had a chance to eliminate the remaining two players and win the tournament.

Xu A♦ T♣

Chu A♥ 3♣

He A♠ 8♣

The board came out T♠ 7♠ K♥ 4♣ 7♦. Xu flopped a pair of tens eliminating Chu and doubling his stack up through He to become an overwhelming chip leader going into head up play .

Che Chun Chu open raised to 400,000 from the button, and Zhiyuan Xu made the call from big blind.

Xu checked the K♦ 2♠ A♠ flop, and Chu fired 500,000 into the pot. Xu folded and forefeited the pot to Chu.

Play has been paused while the remaining players discuss a possible deal. Updates will follow shortly.

Zhiyuan Xu shoved all in for 1,300,000 after Junjie He opened to 400,000, and He made the call quickly.

Xu J♠ Q♠

He 9♣ 7♦

The board ran safe for Xu as it came K♦ 2♣ 8♥ 5♣ A♣, a crucial double up for Xu.

Players are now on a 15-minute break.

Junjie He

Zhiyuan Xu open raised 320,000 from the button, and the big blind Junjie He made a call.

On the 7♦ 4♦ Q♥ flop, we saw Xu continued for 280,000 and He called.

When turn came out a 2♦, both players checked.

A 7♠ hit the river and He bet 750,000 and Xu made a call after he thought for a while.

He 7♥ T♥

Xu K♣ 9♦

He made trips on the river and chips up.

"I was thinking about to bluff you. Will you fold if I went all in?" said Xu.

"No I won't fold my trips 7 as my chips cover yours." said He.

Here is a look at the prize money for the final three players. With one KRW 10,400,000 (~$7,570) bounty still left to be one