Mystery Bounty Hunter - Sponsored by Natural8 - Final Day - VND 2,000,000,000 GTD

Zhi Wen Deng

China's Zhi Wen Deng has emerged victorious in the VND 11,000,000 Mystery Bounty Hunter - Sponsored by Natural8 - for a payday of VND 551,154,000 (~$23,300) and will also take home a lion silhouette trophy for his achievement. Deng topped the field of 448 entries (270 unique) on his way to the title that saw him claim the biggest share of the VND 4,302,144,000 (~$181,830) prize pool after defeating Nguyen Thi Bao An heads-up which left the Vietnamese player with VND 347,450,000 (~$14,685) for her runner-up finish.

A full Mystery Bounty Hunter Payout List can be found by clicking here.

There were 61 players who qualified from the two opening flights and it was Vietnam's Tuan Nguyen that brought through the biggest stack of 683,000 into Day 2. Some of the more notable names to make it through were APT title holder Armon Van Wijk, previous Mystery Bounty Hunter champion Kyle Bao, former APT Main Event champion and five-time APT title holder Vamerdino Magsakay, and another former APT Main Event winner Hai Nam Hoang.

It took ten 30-minute levels to whittle the field down and reach the final table with some of the players not to make it being Amit Kaushik (55th), Ashish Munot (54th), Gavin Flynn (36th), and Kyle Bao (28th). The unfortunate title of final table bubble boy went to Singapore's Jin Lee when his pocket queens couldn't hold on against the ace-jack of Junam Lee, who rivered a flush to send Lee to the rail.

Indian player Ramesh Thotapalli deserves a mention as he was the lucky player that pulled out the biggest bounty available of VND 300,000,000 (~$12,670). Thotapalli came into the day fifth in chips and managed to make a deep run before eventually bowing out in twelfth for VND 37,310,000 (~$1,580).

A full list of the bounties won can be seen by clicking here.

Ramesh Thotapalli

It was South Korea's Lee who held the chip lead going into the final table and he would be soon be joined at the top of the leaderboard by Craig Trevenna after the Australian player scored a big double up holding ace-jack against the pocket nines of Pham Bao.

The first player to be eliminated was Russia's Stanislav Kuvaev after he had shoved all in with ace-queen but had run head first into the pocket aces of Nguyen. The board saw no improvement for the Russian and he was out in ninth for VND 51,830,000 (~$2,190).

A meltdown from overnight chip leader Nguyen over the course of a few hands first saw the Vietnamese three-bet fold the turn against Lee and then shove queen-seven into eventual champion Deng, who held pocket tens. Nguyen then got the last of his chips into the middle with ace-seven but Deng delivered a killer blow with ace-five after flopping a pair of fives which sent Nguyen packing in eighth for VND 64,930,000 (~$2,750).

Tuan Nguyen

Mateusz Kaczmarek followed Nguyen to the rail just moments later after he shoved the last of his stack in pre-flop holding pocket nines but was undone by the ace-ten of South Korea's Min Ho Cho who paired his ace. A good run from the Polish player but he was left in seventh for a payday of VND 91,420,000 (~$3,860).

Bao had managed to ladder himself up the pay jumps but eventually fell after shoving his short stack into the middle holding eight-nine and being put at risk by Trevenna who held pocket threes. The board would run clean for the Australian which meant Bao was out in sixth for VND 121,610,000 (~$5,140).

Trevenna joined him on the sidelines shortly after when he shoved all in on the turn with a flush draw holding ace-ten and was called by Deng who had a lower flush draw but had made a pair holding seven-eight. The Australian wouldn't be able to find the river card he needed which meant he was out in fifth and takes home VND 155,210,000 (~$6,560) for his efforts.

Craig Trevenna

Play wasn't four-handed for long after Cho shoved all in for his last eight big blinds holding king-deuce with Bao An putting him at risk holding queen-jack. Bao An would end the hand with a full house which was more than enough to send Cho to the rail in fourth for VND 197,930,000 (~$8,365).

During three-handed play it was Deng who catapulted into a huge chip lead after he picked off a bluff holding pocket queens against the ace-nine of Lee which saw the Chinese player hold over half of the remaining chips in play.

Lee then found himself short-stacked and in need of a double up so found himself all in from the small blind holding king-eight but some bad timing meant he ran into the pocket jacks of Bao An. No help would arrive for the South Korean player and he was out in third for VND 249,200,000 (~$10,530).

Nguyen Thi Bao An

When heads-up play began, the stacks were almost exactly even with just one big blind separating them, but it was Deng who slowly extended his chip lead and left Bao An short-stacked when he got value with a flush holding ten-seven.

In the final hand of the night, Bao An had shoved all in for a little over six big blinds with ace-four but was up against the ace-king of Deng. By the turn, Deng had Bao An drawing to just a chop but she wouldn't be able to find any help by the river which meant she had to settle for second and the VND 347,450,000 (~$14,685) that comes with it.

Deng, who seemingly didn't know he could claim bounties at any time throughout the tournament, had accumulated eight green-bounty chips and took the last of the mystery envelopes which totaled an extra VND 135,000,000 that he can add to his first-place prize money.

Congratulations to Deng on his first APT title!

A full tournament write-up will follow shortly.

Nguyen Thi Bao An

Nguyen Thi Bao has been eliminated in 2nd place for VND 347,450,000 (~$14,685).

Nguyen Thi Bao An shoved all in from the small blind for 1,700,000 and before she could even push her chips forward, Zhiwen Dong had already made the call.

Bao An A♠ 4♠ Deng A♣ K♥

Deng was in the driving seat and just five cards away from claiming his first APT title and the added bonus of Bao An's bounty.

The dealer thumped the table and fanned a flop of 9♣ 5♥ A♥ which gave both players top pair but Deng's king-kicker was playing with him just needing to fade a four to win the tournament.

A 5♠ turn was a fantastic card for the Chinese player which left Bao An drawing to a chop as her four was now dead.

When the river 7♠ was dealt Deng let out a jubilant roar as he eliminates Bao An and wins the Mystery Bounty Hunter event.

Nguyen Thi Bao An just called the big blind and Zhiwen Deng checked his option.

The flop fell Q♦ 6♦ 6♣ and Deng checked to Bao An on the button, she went for bet of 350,000 and Deng threw in the chips to match her bet.

When the flush came in with the A♦ turn both players checked and saw a 4♥ on the river

Deng slid out a 800,000 bet and Bao An made the call, only to be shown T♦ 7♦ for a flush by Deng. Bao An was now left very short stacked as Deng had hos grasp on the title

Zhiwen Deng opened to 650,000 and Nguyen Thi Bao An made the call to see a flop.

They saw a flop of T♠ 3♠ 2♥ which they both checked.

When the 7♥ landed on the turn Bao An led for 550,000 into Deng. The Chinese player wasn't done with the hand yet and put in calling chips to see a river.

On the T♥ river both players checked it down with Deng taking the pot holding A♦ K♠, beating the 8♠ 6♠ of Bao An.

Zhiwen Deng opened to 650,000 and Nguyen Thi Bao An called from the big blind.

They both went to a 6♥ K♥ 8♣ flop and Bao An started of with a check. Deng decided not to check and instead continued the aggression with a 400,000 bet, this didn't deter Bao An as she came along with a call.

The turn was a K♠ and both players checked to see a 5♣ river. Bao An checked again and after some thought Deng checked back only to be shown the 3♣ 3♠ by Bao An for the winner.

Deng muttered to himself and shook his head in frustration at perhaps not firing another bet.

Nguyen Thi Bao An opened to 525,000 and got a call from Zhiwen Deng.

On a flop of K♥ K♦ 9♠ Deng checked over to Bao An who put together 400,000 in plaques and slid them across the line. Deng made the call and they went to the turn.

The turn 3♣ came and again Deng checked to Bao An who fired a much larger bet of 800,000. Deng didn't need to think for long before throwing his hand away.

Zhiwen Deng

Zhiwen Deng opened up the action to 625,000 and was called by Nguyen Thi Bao An from the big blind.

They saw a flop of A♦ 3♦ 6♥ and Bao An started off with a check. Deng gathered some chips and put 550,000 of them into the middle with Bao An making the call.

An A♥ fell on the turn which slowed both players down as they checked to see a free river card.

They also both checked the 9♥ river and Deng took the pot holding 5♣ 3♣ for a pair of threes.

With blinds up Nguyen Thi Bao An opened to 650,000 from the button and Zhiwen Deng defended his big blind.

On a flop of T♥ 3♣ T♦ Deng checked to Bao An who followed suit and checked.

The turn was the 9♣ and after Deng checked for a second time Bao An bet 450,000 to which Deng called

The river fell the 2♠ and this time the action went check check.

Deng tabled A♠ 4♦ and Bao An A♥ 6♦

It took her a few seconds to realise she had the winner with her six kicker

Nguyen Thi Bao An opened to 600,000 and was 3-bet by Zhiwen Dong to 1,600,000. Bao An looked at her stack before electing to fold her cards.