APT Main Event - Day 3 - VND 25,000,000,000 GTD

APT Phu Quoc Main Event Final Table

Just 50 survivors of the Day 3 leg of the APT Phu Quoc Main Event returned to the tables at the Corona Resort & Casino to play down to the last nine players to comprise the final table for Saturday's Final Day.

A total of 795 registrants punched their VND 36,000,000 (USD 1,400) buy-ins for a shot to earn a share of the VND 25,000,000,000 (USD 1 Million) guaranteed prize pool. Only 119 made ITM on Day 2 with all players jockeying for a better spot up the payout ladder until 50 remained.

Today, those 50 went into another intense session of nearly ten hours of poker action until the final table of nine was reached.

The elimination of Dongyeol Choi in 10th place officially ended the day with "The Final Table 9" bagging up their chips for tomorrow's final day. All nine who return will be locked in for a payout of at least VND 352,000,000 (USD 13,860). But, of course, the fight will be for the APT Main Event grand prize of VND 4,710,000,000 (USD 185,430) and the coveted Golden Lion APT Trophy.

David "Spade" Erquiaga: APT Phu Quoc Main Event Final Table Chip Leader

Leading the final table with the biggest chip stack is David "Spade" Erquiaga of the Philippines with 5,470,000 chips. Erquiaga earned most his chips by making some key eliminations leading up to the final nine. Erquiaga has won several APT titles and other prestigious hardware to amass a total live earnings of nearly USD 1.8 Million. However, he has yet to win an APT Main Event. Maybe this time's the time.

Junseok Oh of South Korea bagged the second largest count with 5,080,000. Oh earned his way to the second spot by winning huge pots like the straight he had over Jinlong Hu. Oh has capped some nice championships and earned over USD 800,000 from live tournaments, but has yet to bag an APT trophy.

China's Jinlong Hu has the third top-stack with 4,470,000 chips. Hu moved up the ranks when he took all the chips of Kyosuke Nagami . Hu has been traveling around the world to play poker and has won some APT events in the past. Hu's Main Event final table appearance will catapult his earnings to over USD 600,000, and even more if he wins it all.

Some of the Day 3 hopefuls who were considered favorites to make it to the final included the likes of Dylan Foster, who unfortunately ran into a case of bad timing and settled for a 34th place finish.

Kyosuke Nagami

Kyosuke Nagami of Japan had a great run, even making the day's best hand with a straight flush to make him a chip leader at one point, but was stopped short in 11th place.

David Mann of Canada had some brilliant moments to make a comeback, but ended his run in 17th place.

Day 2 chip leader Xuan Thieu Nghiem of Vietnam didn't find the momentum he had in the previous day and was eventually taken out by Erquiaga at 22nd.

Bracelet holder Motoyoshi Okamura of Japan was a top contender, but had to settle for a 14th place payout.

The APT Main Event Final Table continues tomorrow at 11AM and will play until a Main Event champion raises the APT Golden Lion Trophy. There are strict rules that will prevent any ICM deals, so the action is expected to be very competitive.

You can view the Final Table Seat Draw HERE. Meanwhile, here are the Final Table Chip Counts:

Day 3 of the APT Main Event is a wrap. A full recap will shortly.

Dongyeol Choi

Action was picked up with David Erquiaga calling Dongyeol Choi's pre-flop all-in, putting Choi's tournament life on the line.

Dongyeol Choi: A♣ 3♦

David Erquiaga: A♦ J♥

The flop came down J♦ 6♥ 8♥, drawing a cheer from Erquiaga as the window card gave him a pair of jacks. The turn 3♣ offered Choi a glimmer of hope with a pair of threes, but it was too little, too late.

The river Q♥ brought no miracles, sealing Choi's fate as he made his way off the tournament floor.

Kyosuke Nagami

Jinlong Hu bet 260,000 and was met with a raise from Kyosuke Nagami to 1,250,000, leaving him just 70,000 behind. Hu responded by shoving all-in, and Nagami snap-called for his tournament life.

Kyosuke Nagami: A♦ Q♣

Jinlong Hu: A♣ A♠

Nagami’s frustration was evident upon seeing Hu’s pocket rockets, but he stoically awaited the board’s reveal.

The dealer spread 3♠ 4♣ 9♣ J♣ 7♠, offering Nagami no lifeline.

With no outs to save him, Nagami was eliminated, leaving him to head off and enjoy Phu Quoc with his well-earned cash prize of VND 288,750,000 (~$11,370)

Do Tien Vu

The action folded to create a classic Battle of The Blinds.

Small blind Pham Ngoc Quoc Bao just completed and big blind Do Tien Vu raised it to 300,000.

Table chip leader Bao then shoved all-in for 3,900,000, daring Vu to risk his tournament life.

Vu gave it some thought, used some time-bank tokens, convinced himself that unicorns do exist and made the call, risking his last 2,400,000 chips.

Do Tien Vu: A♥ 8♠

Pham Ngoc Quoc Bao: J♣ T♠

The flop came 6♥ 7♠ Q♣. Both missed, but Vu remained ahead.

The 3♥ on the turn and Vu still maintained the lead.

The A♠ on the river was a justified reward from the poker gods for the bold big blind stand.

Vu won the Battle of the Blinds in a huge way and jumped to the top of the table chip lead. Bao was completely crippled and put his stack in near critical condition, with the life support machine on standby.

Duy Nguyen Hoang

Duy Nguyen Hoang went all-in for his tournament life after David Erquiaga opened for 225,000 on the button. After asking the dealer for a count, Erquiaga made the call.

Duy Nguyen Hoang: A♥ T♣

David Erquiaga: 9♦ 8♦

The flop came down 7♦ T♥ 9♠, giving Hoang top pair, but Erquiaga connected with middle pair and an open-ended straight draw.

The turn J♠ completed Erquiaga’s straight, leaving Hoang dismayed.

The river A♣ improved Hoang to two pair, but it was too little too late as Erquiaga scooped the pot, sending Hoang to the rail with VND 258,250,000 (~$10,170).

Minh Truong Thang

Minh Truong Thang raised to 175,000 from under the gun and found one challenger in Pham Ngoc Quoc Bao on the button, who had pocket threes in the hole.

Both players were presented a flop of 5♥ 9♥ 3♣, giving Bao a set of threes.

Thang led out with 175,000 and Bao just slyly called.

With a Q♥ on the turn, Thang tapped his option over to Bao, who fired 450,000. Thang thought about it, but counted out the chips to make the call.

The river showed a J♥. With four hearts on the board, Thang pushed a cool 700,000 to the middle and Bao had to let go of his set.

This pot inched Thang closer to the table chip leader's stack.

Action was picked up with Junseok Oh and Jinlong Hu on the river and a pot worth almost a million in chips.

The board displayed Q♠ J♣ T♦ 4♣ 6♣

Oh checked to Hu, who contemplated what to do next with such a huge pot. To the absolute dismay of Oh, Hu checked.

Oh couldn't help verbalizing his complaint as he showed his hand K♣ 9♦ repeatedly saying, "Why didn't you bet?"

Hu showed his hand Q♥ J♥, and said smiling "I cannot".

Action folded around to the blinds, where small blind Wang Haozhao raised to 240,000 with A♦ Q♠. Big blind Deepankur Gupta defended with Q♣ J♥.

Both players were given a flop of K♥ 2♥ 4♣.

Haozhao led with 160,000 and Gupta called to see a Q♥ fall on the turn.

Both players had made a pair, but Haozhao had the better kicker and Gupta picked up a flush draw.

Haozhao fired a second barrel of 300,000 with Gupta just calling behind.

The river came 7♣ and both were satisfied with the pot to check it down.

Haozhao showed the better kicker and Gupta mucked.

Hyunsick Jang

Hyunsick Jang open-jammed 235,000 chips all-in for his tournament life from middle position. David Erquiaga, the current chip leader in the cutoff, flat-called. When action reached the big blind, Jinlong Hu made a bold three-bet to 600,000, and Erquiaga called once again.

The flop came down 7♠ Q♣ T♥.

Without hesitation, Hu shoved all his chips into the middle. Erquiaga folded, allowing Hu to win the side pot of about 700,000 immediately.

Hyunsick Jang: K♠ 6♥

Jinlong Hu: K♥ K♣

Jang, facing a nearly impossible situation, began packing up his chips as soon as the hands were tabled.

The turn 9♦ and river 9♣ were dealt, and Jang was eliminated, sent to the payout counter, to collect his VND 258,250,000 (~$10,170).