Zodiac Classic - Day 1 - Sponsored by Natural8 - KRW 500,000,000 GTD

Xiang Yu Yu

Day 1 of the KRW 500,000,000 GTD Zodiac Classic - Sponsored By Natural8 has concluded. With a buy-in of KRW 3,000,000, this highly anticipated event saw 158 entries (136 unique) today, with many more expected to register before the end of late registration, which is before the start of level 11 tomorrow, Friday, May 3rd, around 12:50 PM.

With 98 players managing to bag up a stack for tomorrow, it was China’s Xiang Yu Yu who finished atop the chip counts today after he accumulated a stack of 170,200 chips during eight 40-minute levels of play. Despite not yet cashing in an APT event, Yu has positioned himself perfectly to achieve that feat tomorrow on Day 2.

Hong Kong’s Alan Lau made it into Day 2 with just 48,200 chips. Lau boasts over $2.2 million in lifetime tournament earnings and holds a spot in the top 10 on the Hong Kong all-time money list. With his largest cash approaching $700,000 and having previously final-tabled this very event in APT Taipei 2024, he undoubtedly possesses the skills to make a deep run in this event tomorrow.

Shung Er Sua

Another dangerous player to make it through is Shung Er Sua. He won the 2023 APT Super High Roller in Hanoi for VND 1,922,930,000 (~$81,891) and managed to bag a stack of 67,700 for the day. Sua attempted a three-barrel bluff with four-high at the start of level six, but was picked off by a stubborn Shingo Horikoshi with top two pair. However, he found a way to recover and will definitely be a threat at anyone's table tomorrow.

Kazakhstan’s Svetlana Aubakirova stands out as the only female player to secure a spot in the top ten chip counts for the day. She surged past the 100,000 chip mark during level 7 when she flopped two pair in a four-bet pot against the top pair of Thailand’s Pakinai Lisawad, ultimately sending him to the rail in the process. While Aubakirova finished ninth on the final table of the women’s event here a few days ago, she has positioned herself excellently to make a strong bid for a podium finish in this event.

Other notables that made it to Day 2 are Daniel Lee (142,600), Hong Kong’s Sparrow Cheung (90,100), Hong Kong's Yan Shing Tsang (72,100), Jaemoon Seok (61,000), and Asa Smith (49,500).

Svetlana Aubakirova

The top ten stacks can be found below.

Join us for Day 2 which will kick off at 11:15am on Friday, May 3. As always, live updates will be posted here.

Chaoling Shi

Svetlana Aubakirova opened 1,500 from under-the-gun, and Chaoling Shi three-bet to 3,500 from the cutoff. Aubakirova four-bet to 10,000 and Shi five-bet all in for 22,900. Aubakirova folded her hand.

Zhiyuan Xu during the Mystery Bounty Hunter - Sponsored by Natural8

Zhiyuan Xu opened under-the-gun to 1,700 and was called by Timothy Yim, Hsien Chang Liu, and Ruizi Lin.

When the flop came A♣ T♦ 4♥. Lin checked, and Xu made a continuation bet of 2,600. He was only called by Lin from the big blind.

The 7♠ turn saw Lin check again. This time, after Xu fired bet of 6,500 and this forced a fold from Li.

Five more hands will be played before players bag up their chips for evening.

When we got to the table the flop of 8♣ 5♠ 4♠ was already out and Neo Zhi Han had check-raised to 4,500 from the big blind over a bet by Hongyu Liu on the button. Liu made the call and they headed to the turn.

When the turn came a board-pairing 5♥ Han put out another bet, this time for 6,000. Liu called and they went to the river.

The A♥ on the river got checked by both Han and Liu. Han turned over 8♦ 6♦ for a pair of eights and took down the pot. Liu is now left with just 20,000 chips.

Short stack player Matthew Aaron announced Allin for 8,600 and was at risk after Fei Wang made the call in the button.

Wang A♣ J♣

Aaron A♠ Q♠

The board ran 7♠ 6♦ A♥ 5♠ 5♥, safe runout for Aaron and he will double up through Wang.

Svetlana Aubakirova

When we got to table, we saw the board of 5♦ 9♠ 2♠ 4♥ 8♦ came out and there was around of 9,000 in the middle.

Yu Jung Lo checked from the hijack, and Svetlana Aubakirova fired a bet of 3,000 from the button. Lo check-raised to 10,000 and Aubakirova made the call.

Lo flipped over the K♣ J♥ and Aubakirova turned over the 8♣ 9♦, to win the pot with two pairs.

Svetlana Aubakirova

Yu Jung Lo opened to 1,300 and was three-bet to 4,500 by Kazakhstan's Svetlana Aubakirova on the button. Sat in the small blind was Thailand's Pakinai Lisawad who put in the cold four-bet to 12,000. Lo got out of the way but Aubakirova made the call to see a flop.

Lisawad placed a 9,000 continuation bet on the Q♦ 4♥ T♠ flop, and Aubakirova called.

When the 8♠ came on the turn, Lisawad shoved all in 24,400 and got snap-called by Aubakirova.

Aubakirova Q♠ 4♠

Lisawad K♣ Q♣

Aubakirova had flopped two pair and turned a flush draw. Lisawad was on the brink of elimination, and when then 7♣ came on the river he said "Let's go party" as he exited the tournament area.

We saw a 4-bet pot by Man Lok Chan 4-betting to 8,600, and Shuang Gao made the call.

Heads up to the flop of A♣ 8♥ 3♦, Chen continued with 7,000 but got raised by Gao to 18,000 quickly.

Chen eventually decided to fold after the Tank, seeing like there was nothing he could do on that spot against Gao.

Adalsteinn Karlsson opened to 1,600 from middle position and Jiazhong Yu called in the seat to his left. Man lok Chan then three-bet to 6,800. Karlsson folded but Yu made the call.

When the flop came 5♥ 3♦ T♥ Yu checked and Chan put out a bet of 7,000. Yu didn't think for too long before making the call.

The turn was the 2♥ and both players checked for the dealer to peel the 5♦ on the river. Once again the action went check-check and Yu turned over J♠ T♠ for a flopped top pair and took down the pot.