APT Main Event - KRW 1,300,000,000 GTD - Final Day

Shoichiro Tamaki

The record-breaking KRW 2,300,000 APT Incheon Main Event has been won by Japan's Shoichiro Tamaki after he outlasted the field of 930 runners (563 unique) and takes home a bumper first prize of KRW 271,447,000 (~$206,030) for his victory after cutting a three-way ICM deal with China's Tsz To Wan and Thailand's Napat Chokejindachai.

The tournament saw two tour records broken with the prize pool of KRW 1,867,347,000 (~USD $1,411,975) being the largest ever for a Main Event in South Korea and the number of entries crushing the previous high of 540 set at APT Korea in 2021.

"I hoped, I hoped, but I didn't expect," said an overwhelmed Tamaki immediately after his victory.

"This is... so big...in my life," Tamaki said emotionally before asking if he could finish his interview in Japanese.

"Thanks to everyone, I was able to win the championship! Thank you for your support. I was happy with your messages – it was really encouraging. Thank you!"* Tamaki stated, before bowing and heading off to the cashier to collect his winnings.

*Tamaki's words were translated into English via the use of an interpreter.

Incredibly, this is only Tamaki's third-ever live tournament cash and his second APT score after finishing runner-up in a Midnight Tick Tock event earlier in the series for KRW 5,120,000. It brings the Japanese player up to 69th in Japan's All-Time Money List, up 1,309 spots from his previous position of 1,378th.

*denotes deal made

When the day began there were sixteen hopefuls all looking to first secure their place at the final table, ladder up the payouts, and then go on to lift the golden lion trophy. All of them had secured a payout of at least KRW 15,300,000 (~$11,570) and it was New Zealand's Tu Tran who fell first after his pocket aces were undone by the seven-five of Wataru Kosugi who turned a flush.

Artem Sofronov (15th), Kosugi (14th), Zhanhui Zheng (13th), and Inaba Katsuhiro (12th) all fell short of making the final table as did the APT Super High Roller champion Milos Petakovic after the Serbian ran his king-nine into the king-queen of Japan's Masahiro Adachi to finish eleventh.

The final table bubble burst with Adrian Chua hitting the rail in tenth after he called off the last of his short stack with king-four and couldn't get there against the ace-nine of Napat Chokejindachai.

Adrian Chua bubbles the APT Main Event final table

When the final table got underway it was Tamaki who led the way, just as he did at the end of Day 3, with over ten million chips which was a little under thirty percent of the total chips in play.

Spain's Raul Martinez Gallego started the final table as the shortest stack and he would be the first eliminated when his king-nine couldn't overcome the ace-king of Wan. It was the first APT final table of the Spaniard's career and he took ninth for KRW 25,700,000 (~$19,430).

Adachi would soon follow when the Japanese player shoved over the early open of Tamaki with ace-seven but ran into his countrymate's pocket queens. Tamaki flopped a set which ended the run of Adachi in eighth and he locked up a career-best score of KRW 32,600,000 (~$24,650).

Masahiro Adachi

Just eight hands later there would be another player heading to the cashier as Jason Lau hit the rail with Singapore's Abraham Ceesvin being the one to send him there. Lau had shoved all in with ace-king and was put at risk by the pocket eights of Ceesvin but the king-high flop wouldn't be enough to keep him alive as the Singaporean had flopped a set to send Lau out in seventh for KRW 45,700,000 (~$34,550).

Tamaki then took a bit of a dent to his stack after getting ace-jack in preflop against the ace-seven of Ceesvin. The Singaporean looked destined to be the next player eliminated but flopped a flush draw and turned the flush to stay alive and knock Tamaki off the top of the leaderboard.

King Wai Cheung found himself on the wrong side of a cooler after flopping trip aces with ace-eight but running into the ace-ten of Tamaki. The Japanese player had rivered a full house and put Cheung to the test for all of his chips and the player from Hong Kong couldn't find the fold button which left him out in sixth for a payday of KRW 63,900,000 (~$48,310).

Abraham Ceesvin's bustout

It took just three more hands to be dealt before the next player's chip count hit zero as Ceesvin shoved pocket eights and was put at risk by the king-ten of Wan. A safe flop would have given the Singaporean hope but the king on the turn ended his dream of a Main Event title and he finished fifth for KRW 86,300,000 (~$65,250).

Veleriy Pak's unorthodox playing style proved to be successful and at one point he took the chip lead but started to lose chips after his ace-nine couldn't overcome the pocket nines of Chokejindachai. The two clashed not long after with Pak's pocket kings being outflopped by the ace-eight of the player from Thailand to leave the only player in the tournament from Uzbekistan with just six big blinds.

It was Tamaki who delivered the final blow after Pak shoved all in with eight-nine and was put at risk by the king-queen of the Japanese player. Tamaki flopped trip queens to leave Pak drawing extremely thin and there would be no miracle runout for Pak which left him out in fourth for KRW 110,900,000 (~$83,850).

Veleriy Pak

When play dropped to three-handed the remaining players immediately decided to discuss a deal and it didn't take long for it to be agreed. An ICM chop saw them all lock up a fixed amount regardless of where they finished in the tournament but KRW 26,347,000 (~$20,000) would be left for the eventual champion along with the APT golden lion trophy.

The three battled it out with them all taking their turn at the summit of the leaderboard but eventually it would be Chokejindachai who would occupy the bronze-medal position after running pocket threes into Wan's pocket fives. No help from the dealer would arrive which left the Thai player out in third for KRW 222,200,000 (~$168,050).

When heads-up play began it was Wan who held a slender four-to-three chip advantage over Tamaki but the Japanese player pulled some aggressive moves to regain the chip lead. Tamaki had a chance to end it all when he called the shove of Wan with jack-ten but couldn't get there against the Chinese player's ace-king.

Tsz To Wan

In the twenty-ninth hand of heads-up play, both players had seen a flop after Wan limped in and then uncharacteristically open-shoved the flop for twelve big blinds with an open-ended straight draw holding seven-eight. Tamaki was deep in the tank and elected to call off with bottom pair holding five-three to give himself another chance at winning the title. Wan couldn't find any of his outs on the turn or river which meant he was eliminated and took home KRW 211,200,000 (~$160,300) for his runner-up finish.

Wan won his seat online in an invitation-only influencer event hosted by Natural8 that saw seven players secure a $1,700 APT Main Event seat plus $875 in cash which meant he had paid nothing to enter this tournament. A fantastic result for the video game streamer.

It left just one man with all of the chips and that was Shoichiro Tamaki. The Japanese player fought hard and turned up the aggression when he needed it to win the APT Main Event and lift the golden lion trophy.

Congratulations to Tamaki on a well-deserved victory.

Japan's Shoichiro Tamaki wins the APT Main Event for KRW 245,100,000 (~$186,030) plus a further KRW 26,347,000 (~$20,000)!

A full write-up of the day's action will follow shortly.

Tsz To Wan

Tsz To Wan has been eliminated in 2nd place for KRW 211,200,000 (~$160,300).

Hand 158 Tsz To Wan limped in preflop and Shoichiro Tamaki checked.

On the 6♥ 9♥ 3♠ flop, Wan just shoved all in for 9,500,000 and Tamaki went into the tank. Eventually, the Japanese player did make the call and give himself a chance at winning the APT Main EVent.

Wan 7♣ 8♦

Tamaki 5♥ 3♦

A huge call from Tamaki and he is ahead but has a lot of outs to fade.

The turn brought a 4♣ which was no help for Wan and the river 2♥ confirmed Tamaki as our champion!

Hand 157 Shoichiro Tamaki raised to 1,600,000 and Tsz To Wan made the call. The flop came 9♥ 3♥ 4♥ and both players checked and also checked the 6♥ turn. Tamaki fired 800,000 on the 5♠ river and Wan called. Tamaki won with Q♣ 7♥.

Hand 153 Shoichiro Tamaki made it 1,600,000 and won the pot.

Hand 154 Tsz To Wan limped in preflop and Shoichiro Tamaki checked behind. The flop of Q♥ 4♦ 4♣ was checked through and the 9♥ turn saw Tamaki fire 1,400,000 and Wan called. The river came a 5♣ and Tamaki bet 2,000,000 which Wan called. Tamaki tabled 9♦ 6♣ and won the pot.

Hand 155 Tsz To Wan got a walk.

Hand 156 Tsz To Wan shoved all in for 6,400,000 and Shoichiro Tamaki made the call.

Wan A♦ K♦

Tamaki J♣ T♦

Tamaki had a chance to win the title here but didn't capitalize as the board ran out T♣ 4♣ K♠ 4♠ J♥ and Wan doubled up.

Players are on a 15-minute break.

Hand 148 Tsz To Wan limped in and Shoichiro Tamaki checked. The action was checked to the turn on the T♣ 3♥ J♣ 5♣ board and Wan fired for 1,000,000 which Tamaki called. The river brought a T♦ and Wan put out another bet of 2,000,000 and Tamaki quickly called. Wan took it down with K♥ K♣.

Hand 149 Tsz To Wan got a walk.

Hand 150. Shoichiro Tamaki got a walk.

Hand 151 Shoichiro Tamaki opened to 1,200,000 and Tsz To Wan made the call. The flop of T♦ 6♦ J♠ went check-check and the 8♥ came on the turn. Tamaki bet 2,000,000 and Wan folded.

Hand 152 Tsz To Wan limped in preflop and Shoichiro Tamaki checked his big blind. The flop came 5♦ 8♥ 2♠ and it went check-check. The turn brought a 2♥ and Tamaki bet 1,500,000 which won the pot.

Tsz To Wan

Hand 141 Shoichiro Tamaki raised to 1,200,000 and Tsz To Wan made it 3,500,000. Tamaki folded.

Hand 142 Tsz To Wan raised to 1,300,000 and Shoichiro Tamaki three-bet to 3,000,000. Wan quickly folded.

Hand 143 Shoichiro Tamaki limped and Tsz To Wan checked. On the K♥ 4♠ T♦ flop Tamaki bet and Wan folded.

Hand 144 Tsz To Wan limped the button and Shoichiro Tamaki checked. On the A♠ 9♦ 2♠ flop Tamaki led for 900,000 and Wan folded.

Hand 145 Shoichiro Tamaki made it 1,200,000 preflop and Tsz To Wan made the call. The flop came down J♥ 6♠ 9♠ and it went check-check. The turn brought a 4♥ and Tamaki won the pot with a bet of 2,000,000.

Hand 146 Tsz To Wan limped in and Shoichiro Tamaki raised to 1,500,000. Wan made the call to see a flop of 8♠ 5♠ Q♠ and they both checked. The turn was a 4♠ and it was also checked through with a J♣ falling on the river. Tamaki bet and Wan folded.

Hand 147 Tsz To Wan got a walk.

Hand 135 Tsz To Wan got a walk.

Hand 136 Tsz To Wan raised to 1,400,000 and won the pot.

Hand 137 Shoichiro Tamaki made it 1,200,000 from the button and Tsz To Wan made the call. The flop came down K♣ T♣ Q♦ which went check-check. The T♦ turn saw Wan bet 1,200,000 and Tamaki made a quick call. On the 7♣ river, Wan fired a bigger bet of 4,000,000 and Tamaki quickly folded.

Hand 138 Tsz To Wan raised to 1,300,000 and Shoichiro Tamaki made the call. On the 7♥ J♣ 5♣ flop both players checked to see the 6♦ turn. Tamaki bet 1,500,000 which won him the pot.

Hand 139 Tsz To Wan got a walk.

Hand 140 Tsz To Wan raised to 1,300,000 and Shoichiro made the call. On the A♣ 2♦ 3♦ flop which they both checked. Tamaki fired a bet on the 8♦ turn and won the pot.

Hand 130 Tsz To Wan limped from the button and Shoichiro Tamaki checked. On the 5♣ 8♠ 6♥ flop, Tamaki check-called a bet of 500,000. The turn was a Q♥ and both player checked to see a 5♦ river. Tamaki check-called a bet of 1,000,000 from Wan and won with Q♣ 8♦.

Hand 131 Shoichiro Tamaki limped in preflop and Tsz To Wan checked. The flop came A♦ 9♦ 9♠ and both checked to see a 3♣ turn. Tamaki bet 500,000 and Wan called. The river Q♦ saw Wan check and Tamaki bet 2,000,000 which was called. Tamaki tabled A♦ 4♦ to win the pot.

Hand 132 Tsz To Wan limped in preflop and Shoichiro checked his big blind. A flop of K♠ K♣ 2♥ saw Wan bet and Tamaki fold.

Hand 133 Shoichiro Tamaki limped in preflop and folded to a raise of 1,500,000 from Tsz To Wan.

Hand 134 Tsz To Wan made it 1,300,000 preflop and Shoichiro Tamaki made the call. On the 6♥ 3♦ 9♦ flop both players checked. When the 9♥ came on the turn Tamaki bet 3,000,000 and Wan called. The river was a 3♠ and Tamaki shoved all in and Wan quickly folded.