APT High Roller - 8 Max Final Day

Jinwoo Kim

The ₫50,000,000 + 5,000,000 APT High Roller - 8 Max has been won by Jinwoo Kim of the United States. Kim outlasted a field of 102 entries on his way to the trophy and a payday of ₫1,263,940,000 ($54,350). Kim beat Ngoc Minh Le of Vietnam heads-up in a grueling battle that stretched across three levels with the American player coming out on top. Kim adds another major title to his name after winning the APT Main Event in Seoul almost five years ago for ₩26,225,000 ($23,719).

Day 2 of the High Roller - 8 Max began with 31 players fighting to make the final table of nine and the line-up couldn't have looked more exciting. The first to fall would be China's Xiaochun Shi in ninth when he was involved in a three-way all-in pot with countrymate Yuhang Chen and Portugal's Jose Catela. Shi held ace-ten after re-shoving his stack over Chen's initial all-in, only for Catela to go all in covering them both. Chen would find a triple up in that hand but Shi would come up short to both players and be our first player eliminated.

Catela's stack would dwindle and he would finally shove the remainder of his chips in the middle with pocket nines. Unfortunately for the Portuguese player he ran into Le's pocket queens and was almost drawing dead when the flop came queen high. Catela took victory in a US-based tournament last year for $224,405 so had the ability to handle high-pressure final tables but alas he would be our second casualty of the final table and finish eighth.

Shunsuke Tokoo

Popular Youtuber and vlogger Shunsuke "Shunpoker" Tokoo would be next to fall as he finished seventh for ₫230,040,000 ($9,890). Tokoo would run his ace-ten suited into eventual champion Kim's pocket jacks. The Japanese player couldn't find a way to win the hand, but I'm sure he will be impressed with his run here.

In sixth would be China's Yuhang Chen. The cheerful Chen has played an array of events during the Phu Quoc leg of the APT and his name appeared several times on the payout sheets. Chen would be eliminated when his shoved queen-jack but ran into runner-up Le's ace-jack and could not improve. Chen takes ₫291,870,000 ($12,550) home with him,

At the start of the final table it was Nikolay Ponomarenko who had the bulk of the chips in play bringing through a stack worth around 33% of the total chips in play. Ponomarenko would play the big-stack-bully at the final table but lost a huge hand to Kim when his flopped two pair ran into the turned straight of the American. Ponomarenko would bust when he rivered two pair with queen-ten but that same river card gave Kim broadway and the Russian player was out in fifth.

William Jia

William Jia would fall just shy of the podium places in fourth for a cash of ₫462,540,000 ($19,890). Jia won an interesting hand against Kim when he appeared to call light on the river and Kim mucked his hand without revealing his hole cards. Luck would not be on Jia's side today as his ace-seven would be rivered by the ace-four of Kim when it seemed certain the two players would chop the pot.

Taking third place was Japan's Yamamoto Kazuo ₫571,380,000 ($24,525). Kazuo held with pocket tens against the ace-king of Ponomarenko to help him stay afloat and into the final three. Kazuo would bust when his pocket deuces couldn't win a flip against Kim's queen-jack and the Japanese player took home the bronze medal.

When heads-up play began both players had very similar chip stacks with Kim just edging out Le in the counts with a 60:40 split in Kim's favor.

The two would battle it out for almost 90 minutes across three different blind levels before a winner could be found.

In the final hand Kim was the aggressor across all three streets with the river bet being a shove which was enough to put Le all in. Le had run out of time-extension chips during the final table so only had 30 seconds to act with each decision, and without much thinking time, he elected to call down Kim with a flopped pair. That pair would be no good as Kim had flopped a straight and got maximum value to win himself the APT High Roller - 8 Max title and take home ₫1,263,940,000 ($54,350).

Ngoc Minh Le

Ngoc Minh Le has been eliminated in 2nd place from the APT High Roller - 8 Max for ₫870,670,000 ($37,440).

The hand starts with Ngoc Minh Le limping the small blind and Jinwoo Kim checked his big blind.

The flop came Q♠ 8♣ J♦ and Kim checked it over to Le who bet 160,000 only for Kim check-raise to 560,000. Le made the call and both players saw a turn card.

The turn was a K♣ and the action was on Kim who slid out a bet of 900,000. Ngoc, who had no timebank chips left, was forced to act within thirty seconds and made the call.

A river 7♦ completed the board and Kim now shoved his entire stack in the middle covering Le. Le had to make a decision within the thirty seconds that each player was allowed and he did just that. He called to put his tournament life on the line.

Le would see bad news when Kim turned over T♥ 9♦ for a flopped straight. Le called down the American player with 8♥ 9♠ for a pair of eights.

Le looked dejected while Kim was elated with his victory as he applauded and looked around the room to soak it all in.

Ngoc Minh Le opened to 320,000 and was called by Jinwoo Kim.

A flop of 2♠ J♣ 2♥ was dealt and both players checked.

The turn A♦ was also checked by both players.

The river T♣ completed the board and both players checked.

Le showed king-high which was good for the pot.

Jinwoo Kim limped the small blind and Ngoc Minh Le checked his option.

The flop came 8♠ Q♠ 2♦ and Le checked it over to Kim who bet 160,000. Le quickly called and both players saw a turn.

A T♦ fell on the turn and Le checked it over to Kim once again who slowed down and checked back.

A river K♥ completed the board and Le counted out a bet of around 600,000 and Kim quickly folded.

Players are on a 15-minute break.

Jinwoo Kim opened to 240,000 and was called by Ngoc Minh Le.

The flop came Q♥ 8♥ T♦ Le checked and Kim led for 200,000. Le called and we saw a turn.

The 2♣ fell on the turn and Le checked again to Kim who bet 1,000,000. Le made the call and both players went to the river in the 3,000,000 chip pot.

A K♥ completed the board and Le checked it over to Kim for a third time in the hand. Kim shoved all in and Le went deep into the tank using all of his three remaining time extension chips.

The shove as for 3,300,000 with Le having around 3,900,000 in his stack.

If he calls and loses he would be severely short-stacked meaning Kim would have a huge advantage in the chip counts.

Le eventually did find a fold and Kim won the pot to boost his stack to 6,300,000.

Ngoc Minh Le limped the small blind and Jinwoo Kim checked his option.

Both players saw a flop of 8♥ Q♠ K♠ and Kim checked it to Le who bet 120,000. Kim quickly folded and Le took the pot.

Jinwoo Kim raised to 240,000 pre-flop and was called by Ngoc Minh Le.

The flop came T♣ 9♣ 9♠ and Le checked to Kim, who bet 200,000. Le called to see a turn.

The turn bought an 8♥ and Le once again checked it over to Kim who this time bet a larger amount of 700,000. This was enough to make Le fold and win the pot.

Ngoc Minh Le

Ngoc Minh Le opened his small blind to 360,000 and Jinwoo Kim called.

The flop came J♥ A♥ 9♠ and Kim checked it over to Minh who bet 280,000. Kim called and both players saw a turn card.

The T♥ fell on the turn completing the front door flush draw plus some various straight draws. Both players checked to see a free river.

A river 7♥ put four to a flush on board and Kim bet 850,000 into Le. Le used a time-bank chip to get an extra 30 seconds to think about the hand.. Le eventually called showing 8♦ 4♣ for a rivered straight which was enough to take the pot.

Jinwoo Kim opened to 240,000 and Ngoc Minh Le 3-bet to 880,000 which was enough to make Kim fold.