Korea National Cup - Final Day - KRW 200,000,000 GTD

Ki On Chan

The KRW 800,000 Korea National Cup has crowned its champion, with Ki On Chan from Hong Kong emerging victorious. The tournament set a new APT country record for field-size & prize pool, with Chan outlasting a field of 404 entrants (268 unique) to claim the top prize of KRW 55,786,600 (~$40,500), along with the coveted APT lion silhouette trophy. Chan was against Taiwan’s Hao-Shan Huang in a heads-up match which saw the Hong Kong native come out on top.

The total prize pool for the event stood at KRW 282,153,600 (205,150), with the bulk of the cash distributed among the final table players.

Final Table Results

Day 2 started with 58 players who had bagged a stack from either Flight A or B the previous day, all of whom had locked up at least a min cash of KRW 1,225,000 (~$890). It was China’s Fei Wang who led the pack with a stack of 519,000 when play got underway. Unfortunately for Wang, he couldn’t bring any of those chips into the final table, busting just shy in 13th place.

It took eight 30-minute levels to reach the final table, where China's Baiyu Ni, who started the day second in chips, departed as the final table bubble boy after his king-jack ended up second best to the pocket nines of Man Fei Celab Chui.

Other notable players who cashed but did not make the final nine include Alan Lau (58th), APT Taipei Mystery Bounty champion Kiwanont Sukhum (45th), and 2019 APT Incheon Main Event Winner Dicky Tsang (22nd).

In the first orbit of the final table, Japan’s Yuki Sakamoyo was eliminated in ninth place for KRW 5,247,000 (~$3,800) after he three-bet shoved all in over an open from eventual champion Chan, only to run into the pocket tens of Chui in the small blind. No help came for Sakamoyo, making him the first to exit the Korea National Cup final table.

Yuki Sakamoyo

A few hands later, Chan was in action again. This time, he moved all in from under the gun with queen-jack, only to be called by the only player at the table he covered, Zhiyuan Xu, in the big blind. Xu turned over pocket sixes and a race would decide his future in the event. However, after the board double-paired on the river, Xu’s pair of sixes lost to the queen-high of Chan, and he was sent to the rail in eighth place, with KRW 6,573,000 (~$4,770) to show for it.

Tao Wei Chang became the next casualty. After grinding a short stack for the majority of the day, he moved all in from middle position with ace-three, only to be called by Chui with pocket aces. There was no miracle runout for Chang, and he would have to settle for seventh place and KRW 9,254,000 (~$6,720) for his efforts.

With six players remaining, Chui held the current chip lead with almost half the chips in play, putting them to good use by raising almost every hand. He got involved in the biggest pot of the tournament thus far after raising from early position and Huang, second in chips, defending the big blind. Huang check-called the flop and turn on a queen-high connected board before Chui put him all in on the river. Huang made the call with a jack-nine for a straight, which was good enough to crack the pocket kings of Chui. With that pot, Huang, who was the wildcard entry in the APT All-Star Challenge yesterday, moved into the chip lead.

Hao-Shan Huang

The next player to be eliminated was Japan’s Manabe Hiroaki in sixth place. He had managed to climb up the pay ladder and was left with just two big blinds at the start of this hand. He shoved all of his chips into the middle and was called by both the blinds. After it checked down to the river, Hiroaki showed king-seven suited for just king-high and was beaten by the ace-nine of Enkhbold Byambajav. Hiroaki departed with KRW 12,310,000 (~$8,940) for his impressive deep run.

It took almost an hour for the next elimination at the final table. Unfortunately for Mongolia’s Byambajav, he was the player to run into a premium pocket pair and be eliminated in fifth place. Byambajav had become short and moved all in under-the-gun with nine-eight suited, only to run into the pocket jacks of Hao Wang. Wang improved to a full house by the river to send Byambajav to the rail, but an extra KRW 15,711,000 (~$11,400) in the pocket will surely soften the pain of elimination.

Wang was the player to finish in fourth place, just shy of a podium finish. He committed his final 200,000 chips from the button with pocket deuces and finished second best to the jack-five of Huang. Wang took home KRW 20,035,000 (~$14,500) for his efforts.

Man Fei Caleb Chui

There was a brief discussion about a potential deal, but Chui quickly dismissed that conversation and requested to continue playing. One orbit later, he became the third-place finisher after getting in a classic flip with ace-king against Chan's pair of sevens. Despite flopping a flush draw, he couldn't improve and had to settle for a score of KRW 25,224,000 (~$18,315).

When heads-up play began both Chan and Huang were almost even in chips. Chan was the more aggressive of the two, picking up multiple pots without seeing a turn. He was able to slowly pull away from Huang and before the final hand of the tournament happened, Chan had over a five-to-one chip lead. In the last hand of the Korea National Cup, Chan shoved all in for Huang’s final 2,000,000 chips from the small blind with ace-three, and Huang made the call with jack-two offsuit. Huang took the lead after flopping a deuce, but a four on the river gave Chan a straight and the Korea National Cup title. Huang took home KRW 35,170,000 (~$25,540) for his deep run.

That leaves just one man standing - Ki On Chan wins the Korea National Cup for KRW 55,786,600 (~$40,500). Congratulations!

Ki On Chan wins the Korea National Cup for KRW 55,786,600 (~$40,500)

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

Hao-Shan Huang

Hao-Shan Huang has been eliminated in 2nd place for KRW 35,170,000 (~$25,540).

Ki On Chan announced all in on the button, and Huang made the call.

Ki On Chan A♠ 3♦

Hao-Shan Huang J♣ 2♦

Huang was looking for help as he was behind with jack high, the flop came 2♣ 6♥ 5♣ giving Huang a pair. Huang held his lead after the K♦ turn.

However, the 4♥ river completed the straight for Chan, knocking out Huang in second place.

Here are the chip counts at the start of heads-up play.

The winner of the Korean National Cup will walk away with KRW 55,786,600 (~USD 40,500).

Man Fei Caleb Chui

Man Fei Caleb Chui has been eliminated in 3rd place for KRW 25,224,000 (~$18,315).

Chui announced all in on the button for 2,150,000 and was at risk after Ki On Chan made the call.

Chan 7♥ 7♠

Chui A♠ K♥

The board ran 3♥ 8♥ 4♥ 3♣ 5♦, no help for Chui and he will be eliminated in 3rd place.

Players are now on a 15 minutes break

Ki On Chan opened shoved for 3,000,000 chips from the button and got called by Hao-Shan Huang in the small blind.

Huang A♥ 3♥

Chan A♦ T♠

Chan was in great shape to take over the chip lead if his ace-ten could hold. The 7♠ J♠ 5♠ flop was great for Chan. The Q♣ turn provided some chop-outs for Huang but the 9♠ on the river secured the full double up for Chan at the expense of Huang.

Hao Shan Huang opened to 500,000, and Man Fei Chui shoved Allin for 1,300,000; Huang made the call to put Chui at risk.

Huang T♦ 8♦

Chui K♣ T♠

The board ran K♠ Q♣ 4♣ J♣ 7♣, Chui held with King high and doubled through from Huang.

Here are a look at the final three players chip counts.

Hao Wang

Hao Wang has been eliminated in 4th place for KRW 20,035,000 (~$14,500).

After losing a pot a few hands ago, Wang was left with just 200,000 chips. He decided to put them all across the line in this hand from the button, and Hao-Shan Huang was the one who put him at risk of elimination, making the call out of the big blind position.

Huang J♦ 5♥

Wang 2♥ 2♦

The K♣ J♣ 4♥ flop was a huge help for Huang as he took the lead. The 5♠ turn improved him to two pair as the 4♣ on the river meant Wang was eliminated in fourth place.