Main Event Sets New APT Country Record With Registration Still Open; Mike Takayama and Punnat Punsri Both Bag Big
Main Event Up to 709 Entries; Flight C Draws 156 Entries With China's Zhanghui Yu Topping the Counts, Flight D Attracts 123 Runners With Mike Takayama Bagging Biggest
Ben Wilson / 30 Aug 2023
APT INCHEON SCHEDULE | OFFICIAL RESULTS | IMAGES | WINNERS | PLAYER LISTS
INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA, August 30, 2023 – The APT Incheon, South Korea 2023 continues to raise the bar, with the KRW 1.3 billion (~USD $1 million) guaranteed APT Main Event breaking the tour's country record for South Korea.
Playing out at the tournament tables of the luxurious Paradise City Casino, the Main Event field currently stands at 709 entries – making it the second largest tournament in APT history and the largest APT event ever run in South Korea – and with registration remaining open until 11.59am local time on Thursday, August 31, this number is expected to grow further.
Flight C got underway at 12pm drawing 156 entries (137 unique) who fought it out at the felt over the course of ten 30-minute levels.
It was China's Zhanghui Yu who bagged the biggest Flight C stack, concluding play with 184,100 in chips, putting him 15th in the overall pecking order coming into Day 2.
Thailand's Peerathat Sukpaisarn was close behind, bagging up a stack of 180,300, with Japan's Yuya Omoda (145,900) rounding out the top three, with the top ten Flight C stacks as follows:
MAIN EVENT TOP TEN FLIGHT C STACKS 1.** Zhanghui Yu** (China) – 184,100 2. Peerathat Sukpaisarn (Thailand) – 180,300 3. Yuya Omoda (Japan) – 148,300 4. Yosuke Takagi (Japan) – 145,900 5. Kazuhiro Shirazawa (Japan) – 141,400 6. Jun Hao Wu (Singapore) – 138,700 7. Jeffrey Lo (Hong Kong) – 138,400 8. Bojan Berberovic (Serbia) – 127,500 9. Chun Keat Liu (Malaysia) – 127,200 10. Christopher Park (United States) – 125,700
A total of 85 players made it through, with other notables to lock up a Day 2 seat including Superstar Challenge runner-up Kevin Choi (115,000), APT Cebu 2015 Main Event champion John Tech (61,800), Canada's Duncan Son (55,600), Hong Kong's Winfred Yu (52,000), and Sunday Super Stack champion Bastien Joly (44,600).
For Main Event Flight C Survivors please CLICK HERE
You can follow all the Main Event Flight C action as it played out via the APT Blog.
Two-time APT Main Event champion Mike Takayama topped the Flight D chip counts
Flight D saw a further 123 entries (102 unique) enter the tournament arena, with several reigning and former APT Main Event champions in the mix.
APT Taipei Main Event champion Punnat Punsri, two-time APT Main Event champion Mike Takayama, and APT Cambodia 2016 Main Event champion Hisashi Ogi all made the Day 2 cut, with Takayama topping the Flight D chip counts after concluding play with a stack of 205,000.
Punsri also enjoyed a stellar day at the felt, bagging the second biggest Flight D stack of 201,300, with Japan's Kazuhiko Yotsushika (175,400) rounding out the top three stacks, with the top ten as follows:
MAIN EVENT FLIGHT D TOP TEN STACKS
- Mike Takayama (Philippines) – 205,000
- Punnat Punsri (Thailand) –201,300
- Kazuhiko Yotsushika (Japan) – 175,400
- Takaya Kurose (Japan) – 161,800
- Dongying Ling (Singapore) – 158,600
- XiaoHui Wang (China) – 154,900
- Aaron Lim (Australia) – 154,800
- Ho Lam Man (Hong Kong) – 147,400
- Joseph Talamayan (Philippines) – 116,600
- Shunsuke Ishikawa (Japan) – 112,500
A total of 70 players made the cut from Flight D, with other notables to make it through including Ogi (84,200), Japan's Tetsuya Enoki (62,100), APT Super High Roller champion Milos Petakovic (52,300), Sweden's Daniel Brugman (41,300), Thailand's Kiwanont Sukhum (38,800), and Malaysia's Ben Loo (19,600).
For Main Event Flight D Survivors please CLICK HERE
For Main Event Day 2 Draw please CLICK HERE
You can follow all the Flight D action as it happened via the APT blog.
A total of 331 survivors from the four starting flights will return to action for Day 2, with registration remaining open until 11.59am, with the tournament restarting at 12pm and playing down to the paying positions.
Sparrow Chueng Claims Gold in Event #45: Single Day High Roller - 8 Max
Hong Kong's Sparrow Cheung claimed his sixth APT title in Event #45 Single Day High Roller 8 Max
The KRW 5,000,000 Event #45: Single Day High Roller - 8 Max proved to be the largest of the Series so far, drawing 92 high rolling entries (74 unique).
The field represented the cream of the Asia-Pacific poker scene with bracelet winners Renji Mao, Aaron Lim, and Yan Shing "Anson" Tsang in the running, as well as a sizable Hong Kong contingent with Sparrow Chueng, Vincent Li, Hon Cheong "Ivan" Lee, former Main Event champion Dicky Tsang, Alan Lau, and Winfred Yu all in the running.
Add in prolific high stakes players like Australia's Joshua Mccully, China's Xixiang Luo, and New Zealand's Tae Hoon Han, plus some international flair in the form of the USA's Joseph Cheong and APT Super High Roller champion Milos Petakovic and you had a tough looking line-up.
This was made all the tougher with Natural8 Ambassadors Adrian Attenborough, Yu Chung "Nevan" Chang, Punnat Punsri, and Danny Tang also in contention.
These poker luminares fought it out at the felt over twenty-nine 25-minute levels, all looking to earn a share of the KRW 401,580,000 (~USD $303,313) prize pool.
It was Sparrow Cheung who clawed his way to the top, defeating the UK's Asa Smith heads-up to claim the KRW 85,630,000 (~USD $64,800) top prize and his first New Era APT golden lion silhouette trophy.
This win granted Cheung his sixth APT title, bringing his total live tournament winnings up to over USD $2.1 million and bumping him up to #9 on the Hong Kong All Time Money List.
Smith, making his second final table appearence of the Series, banked KRW 93,680,000 (~USD $70,880) for his runner-up finish.
China's Jieming Xu rounded out the winner's podium, taking KRW 48,790,000 (~USD $36,880) for third.
Singapore's Bao Qiang Ho followed up his double Series title wins with yet another final table appearence, taking KRW 38,350,000 (~USD $28,983) for fourth.
Malaysia's Natalie Teh scored her first cash of the Series, taking KRW 19,080,000 (~USD $14,415) for seventh.
APT Summer Series Hanoi Super High Roller champion Shung Er Sua made a second final table appearence of the Series, finishing in eighth for KRW 14,860,000 (~USD $11,225).
Joshua Mccully's third final table appearence of the Series saw the Aussie bank KRW 11,240,000 (~USD $8,490) for ninth.
A total of 13 players made the money, with the final table paying out as follows:
SINGLE DAY HIGH ROLLER RESULTS
- 1st: Sparrow Cheung (Hong Kong) – KRW 85,630,000
- 2nd: Asa Smith (United Kingdom) – KRW 93,680,000
- 3rd: Jieming Xu (China) – KRW 48,790,000
- 4th: Bao Qiang Ho (Singapore) – KRW 38,350,000
- 5th: Calvin Lee (United States) – KRW 30,920,000
- 6th: Wataru Kosugi (Japan) – KRW 24,090,000
- 7th: Natalie Teh (Malaysia) – KRW 19,080,000
- 8th: Shung Er Sua (Malaysia) – KRW 14,860,000
- 9th: Joshua Mccully (Australia) – KRW 11,240,000
Other notables to cash but come up short of the final table included the aforementioned Mao (10th for KRW 9,240,000), and Natural8 Ambassador Chang (12th for KRW 8,230,000).
For Event #45: Single Day High Roller - 8 Max Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Official Results page.
SIDE EVENT ACTION
Japan's Reiji Kono Wins Event #44: NL Hold'em - Single Re-Entry
Japan's Reiji Kono added a second APT title to his poker resume
The KRW 1,000,000 Event #44: NL Hold'em - Single Re-Entry kicked off at 12.15pm local time and drew a 103 strong field (89 unique), generating a KRW 89,919,000 (~USD $67,916) prize pool.
The action played out over twenty-seven 15-minute levels, with Japan's Reiji Kono emerging on top after cutting a deal with opponent Kiichi Ogura heads-up to claim a KRW 19,749,000 (~USD $14,920) top prize and his second APT title.
Ogura locked up KRW 19,040,000 (~USD $14,380) for second, with compatriot Haruna Fujita rounding out the top three paying positions and taking home KRW 10,390,000 (~USD $7,850).
A total of 15 players made the money, with the final table paying out as follows:
NL HOLD'EM SINGLE RE-ENTRY FINAL TABLE RESULTS
- 1st: Reiji Kono (Japan) 19,749,000
- 2nd: Kiichi Ogura (Japan) 19,040,000
- 3rd: Haruna Fujita (Japan) – KRW 10,390,000
- 4th: Shen Syu Ho (Taiwan) – KRW 8,410,000
- 5th: Buhui Zhi (China) – KRW 6,790,000
- 6th: Kazuki Obata (Japan) – KRW 5,310,000
- 7th: Youkan Li (China) – KRW 4,180,000
- 8th: Jeffrey Lo (Hong Kong) – KRW 3,190,000
- 9th: Tokuya Shuto (Japan) – KRW 2,340,000
Notables to cash but come up short of a final table appearence included Singapore's Andy Li (10th for KRW 1,890,000), the Netherland's Koen Breed (11th for KRW 1,890,000), and China's Xingbiao Zhu (14th for KRW 1,620,000).
For Event #44: NL Hold'em - Single Re-Entry Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Official Results page.
Natural8 Ambassador Hua-Wei Lin Wins Third APT Title in Event #47: Women's Event
Natural8 Ambassador Hua-Wei Lin claimed her third APT title in Event #47 Women's Event
The second of the Series Women's events – the KRW 400,000 Event #47: Women's Event – saw 56 ladies (42 unique) in action, duking it out over twenty-four 20 minute levels to earn a share of the KRW 19,555,200 (~USD $14,775) prize pool.
It was Natural8 Ambassador Hua-Wei Lin who took it down, defeating the Philippines' Karen Talamayan heads-up to claim her third APT title and the KRW 5,875,200 (~USD $4,440) top prize.
Talamayan took KRW 4,240,000 (~USD $3,200) for her runner-up finish, with Japan's Tamao Kobayashi completing the triumvirate and taking KRW 2,740,000 (~USD $2,070) for third, with the tournament paying out as follows:
WOMEN'S EVENT RESULTS
- 1st: Hua-Wei Lin (Taiwan) – KRW 5,875,200
- 2nd: Karen Talamayan (Philippines) – KRW 4,240,000
- 3rd: Tamao Kobayashi (Japan) – KRW 2,740,000
- 4th: Yong Yuan Yang (Taiwan) – KRW 2,070,000
- 5th: Shaotong Chang (China) – KRW 1,600,000
- 6th: Noriko Suzuki (Japan) – KRW 1,250,000
- 7th: Ayaka Muraishi (Japan) – KRW 1,000,000
- 8th: Thanpapha Wattanachaimongkol (Thailand) – KRW 780,000
For Event #47: Women's Event Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Official Results page.
Singapore's Jun Hao Wu Doubles his Series Title Wins in Event #48: Double Stack - Turbo
Singapore's Jun Hao Wu claimed his second title of the Series in Event #48 Double Stack Turbo
The KRW 500,000 Event #48: Double Stack - Turbo got underway at 7pm local time and drew a 151-strong field (137 unique) who battled it out for a KRW 65,911,500 (~USD $49,787) prize pool.
It took Singapore's Jun Hao Wu twenty-five fast-paced 15-minute levels to score his second title of the Series, defeating Serbia's Bojan Berberovic heads-up to claim the KRW 15,851,500 (~USD $11,975) top prize.
Berberovic received KRW 10,740,000 (~USD $8,110) for second, with the UK's Jun Li taking bronze and a payout of KRW 7,090,000 (~USD $5,3500).
A total of 20 players made the money, with the final table paying out as follows:
DOUBLE STACK TURBO RESULTS
- 1st: Jun Hao Wu (Singapore) – KRW 15,851,500
- 2nd: Bojan Berberovic (Serbia) – KRW 10,740,000
- 3rd: Jun Li (United Kingdom) – KRW 7,090,000
- 4th: Shohei Arai (Japan) – KRW 5,850,000
- 5th: Guancheng Wu (China) – KRW 4,700,000
- 6th: Sarawoot Ratanatabtim (Thailand) – KRW 3,680,000
- 7th: Naoki Kuwahara (Japan) – KRW 2,760,000
- 8th: Seiya Komuro (Japan) – KRW 2,040,000
- 9th: Sananthachat Thanapatpisal (Thailand) – KRW 1,580,000
Other notables to make the money included China's Chunsan Fan (12th for KRW 1,150,000), Japan's Yuri Ishida (13th for 1,150,000), and the USA's Kenny Shih (16th for 970,000).
For Event #48: Double Stack - Turbo Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Official Results page.
Thai Jakkapong Sreprasom's Event #41: Lazy Rivers - Hyper Turbo Goes Swimmingly
Thailand's Jakkapong Sreprasom claimed his maiden APT title in Event #41 Lazy Rivers Hyper Turbo
An exciting No Limit Hold'em variant where all players reaching the river receive their own river card, dealt face up, the KRW 300,000 Event #41: Lazy Rivers (Individual River Card Face Up) - Hyper Turbo drew a 40-strong field (38 unique).
The tournament played out in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and with KRW 10,476,000 (~USD $7,900) in the prize pool all competitors were eager to ford the river.
It was Thailand's Jakkapong Sreprasom who proved to be the strongest swimmer; Sreprasom defeated Japan's Kaoru Kishimoto heads-up to claim the KRW 3,576,000 (~USD $2,700) top prize, earning his maiden tournament title and first APT title in the process.
Kishimoto collected a payout of KRW 2,460,000 (~USD $1,860) for his runner-up finish, with compatriot Kazuki Obata taking KRW 1,570,000 (~USD $1,185) for third place.
A total of six players made the money, with the tournament paying out as follows:
LAZY RIVERS HYPER TURBO RESULTS
- 1st: Jakkapong Sreprasom (Thailand) – KRW 3,576,000
- 2nd: Kaoru Kishimoto (Japan) – KRW 2,460,000
- 3rd: Kazuki Obata (Japan) – KRW 1,570,000
- 4th: Mayuko Morita (Japan) – KRW 1,200,000
- 5th: Yu Watanabe (Japan) – KRW 940,000
- 6th: Peterjeean Kwon (United States) – KRW 730,000
For Event #41: Lazy Rivers (Individual River Card Face Up) - Hyper Turbo Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Official Results page.
Trophy Time for China's Hongjie Wang in Event #42: Midnight Tick Tock
China's Hongjie Wang claimed his maiden live tournament title and APT title in Event #42 Midnight Tick Tock
Playing out in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, the KRW 300,000 Event #42: Midnight Tick Tock (Levels decrease every hour 20/15/10/5) proved to be the largest of the late-night Tick Tock events played so far this Series, drawing an 83-stong field (67 unique).
This generated a KRW 21,737,700 (~USD $16,400) prize pool, with the top 11 places paying out.
It was Hongjie Wang whose time had come, with the Chinese player besting Japan's Seiya Komuro to claim the KRW 5,977,700 (~USD $4,510) top prize, earning his maiden live tournament title and APT title in the process.
Komuro took KRW 4,250,000 (~USD $3,210) for his runner-up finish, with compatriot Toshio Kataoka completing the winner's triumvirate and taking KRW 2,780,000 (~USD $2,100) for third, with the tournament paying out as follows:
MIDNIGHT TICK TOCK RESULTS
- 1st: Hongjie Wang (China) – KRW 5,977,700
- 2nd: Seiya Komuro (Japan) – KRW 4,250,000
- 3rd: Toshio Kataoka (Japan) – KRW 2,780,000
- 4th: Siu Mang Chu (Hong Kong) – KRW 2,140,000
- 5th: Keisuke Yamagiwa (Japan) – KRW 1,700,000
- 6th: Tsun Yang Lu (Taiwan) – KRW 1,330,000
- 7th: Ho Lam Man (Hong Kong) – KRW 1,040,000
- 8th: Katherine Zeng (Canada) – KRW 820,000
- 9th: Xingbiao Zhu (China) – KRW 620,000
- 10th: Taehong Koh (South Korea) – KRW 540,000
- 11th: Buhui Zhi (China) – KRW 540,000
For Event #42: Midnight Tick Tock Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Official Results page.
MIXED GAME ACTION
Japan's Kenji Kurashina Wins Second APT Title in Event #43: Limit - Triple Stud (Razz, Stud, Stud Hi-Lo)
Japan's Kenji Kurashina won his second APT title in Event #43 Limit Triple Stud
It was the KRW 300,000 Event #43: Limit - Triple Stud (Razz, Stud, Stud Hi-Lo) that opened the tournament action for the day, getting underway at 11.30am local time and drawing a 24-strong field (21 unique).
The action played out over twenty-two 25-minute levels, with Japan's Kenji Kurashina claiming the lion's share of the KRW 6,285,600 (~USD $4,742) prize pool.
Kurashina bested countryman Kota Nakano heads-up to take the KRW 2,645,600 (~USD $2,000) top prize, claiming his second APT title in the process.
Nakano netted KRW 1,760,000 (~USD $1,330) for his runner-up finish, with compatriot Takayasu Itagaki taking KRW 1,130,000 (~USD $850) for third.
Taiwan's Yu Sheng Lin was the only other player to make the money, collecting KRW 750,000 (~USD $560) for fouth place.
LIMIT TRIPLE STUD RESULTS
- 1st: Kenji Kurashina (Japan) – KRW 2,645,600
- 2nd: Kota Nakano (Japan) – KRW 1,760,000
- 3rd: Takayasu Itagaki (Japan) – KRW 1,130,000
- 4th: Yu Sheng Lin (Taiwan) – KRW 750,000
For Event #43: Limit - Triple Stud Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Official Results page.
OMAHA ACTION
Hong Kong's Wai Kin Wong Claims Maiden Title in Event #46: Omaholic - Sponsored by Natural8
Hong Kong's Wai Kin Wong won his maiden tournament title in Event #46 Omaholic – Sponsored by Natural8
The KRW 500,000 Event #46: Omaholic (Omaha High - PL Pre / NL Post) - Sponsored by Natural8 attracted 33 Omaha junkies (20 unique), generating a KRW 14,404,500 (~USD $10,881) prize pool.
The action played out over twenty-two 25-minute levels, with Hong Kong's Wai Kin Wong defeating China's Yongqiang Song heads-up to claim his maiden tournament title and the KRW 5,334,500 (~USD $4,030) top prize.
Song scored KRW 3,670,000 (~USD $2,770) for second, with Japan's Ori Kossonogi rounding out the podium and taking KRW 2,340,000 (~USD $1,770) for third place.
A total of five players made the money with the tournament paying out as follows:
OMAHOLIC RESULTS
- 1st: Wai Kin Wong (Hong Kong) – KRW 5,334,500
- 2nd: Yongqiang Song (China) – KRW 3,670,000
- 3rd: Ori Kossonogi (Japan) – KRW 2,340,000
- 4th: Li Ta Hsu (Taiwan) – KRW 1,690,000
- 5th: Kristof Segers (Belgium) – KRW 1,370,000
For Event #46: Omaholic - Sponsored by Natural8 Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Official Results page.