Zodiac Classic - TWD 3,000,000 GTD - Sponsored by Natural8 - Final Day

Winner, Younghee Park

The APT Zodiac Classic TWD 3,000,000 GTD - Sponsored by Natural8 has come to an end. It was Younghee Park from South Korea who came out victorious.

Park bested a record field of 386 entries to claim the first prize of TWD $1,307,760 (~$42,600). There was one crucial hand, that one key pot that carried Park all the way to the finish line, the biggest flip of the tournament, for more than 70 percent of the chips in play - Park had the pocket jacks against the ace king of the chip leader at the time - Nebojsa Blanusa. Park's hand held to the end and won the biggest pot of the tournament. It was an easy cruise after this hand and Park lifted the trophy without running into much trouble.

Final table results:

Sumire Hori from Japan came into the final table as the shortest stack. Although she found a double-up in the early stage of the final table, she had lost a flip and busted to Blanusa soon after. Hori took home TWD $128,700 (~$4,200) for her ninth place finish in this event, adding on top of her 4th place finish in the APT Women's Event just a couple of days ago.

Kuan Han Chen was next to fall. The Taiwan native failed to win a flip with pocket eights vs the ace queen of Chak Lam Tsang in his final hand and settled for eighth place, he took home TWD$159,100 (~$5,185). This was his first final table and the first ITM finish during this Asian Poker Tour series.

Chanasit Sangrungkongka from Thailand fell just a couple of hands after Chen's elimination, his ace ten outpipped by Fung Kong's ace king. The Thai took home TWD $219,700 (~$7,160) for his seventh place finish here today.

Chak Lam Tsang definitely gave the most action on this final table, up till the point of his elimination at least. Tsang was all-in multiple times and got unlucky in a couple of them, leaving him short-stacked several times before his last hand where he lost a with pair of tens to Blanusa's trip sevens. Tsang's sixth place finish is worth TWD $295,200 (~$9,620).

Daewoong Song

Daewoong Song was the most accomplished player on this final table with a live winnings of over US$1,000,000. Song lifted a trophy just a few days earlier in APT Single Day High Roller event. He lost his last hand holding the dominated king ten against the king queen of Kirshima Akinobu. With two more days to go in this APT series, will we see Song on yet another final table here in CTP Asia Poker Arena? We sure hope so.

Nebojsa Blanusa from Australia had the chip lead coming into the final table. The Aussie further increased his chip lead after a couple of knock-outs. Blanusa then lost a big pot against the eventual winner in the aforementioned hand. If he had won that pot, he would have been the favourite to win the title. Park finished the job in the very next hand busting the Aussie in third place, good for TWD $484,600 (~$15,800).

Fung Kong elimination came in a hand where all the remaining three players were involved. Kong was forced to go all-in with his less than one big blind stack and lost with eight-high. Kong won an APT Title in Phu Quoc and followed up with an impressive third place finish here in APT Zodiac Classic Taipei just a couple of months later. Kong took home a handsome prize of TWD$599,100 (~$19,525).

One of the final two players to participate in the final hand of the tournament was Kirshima Akinobu from Japan. The Japanese player was offered a deal, but after a 15-minute discussion they decided to play on.

Ironically, it only took one hand to end the heads-up match. Both players went all-in, Akinobu had queen jack suited and rivered a flush, but unfortunately the ace of diamonds completed Park's boat meaning the Japanese player finished second best in the hand, as well as in the tournament. For his runner-up finish, he earned TWD $829,000 (~$27,020).

A full result of the APT Zodiac Classic can be found here.

This Asian Poker Tour Series in Taipei has been a big success so far, with two more days of action to come. The APT Main Event Day 3 also concluded today with 17 players heading into Day 4. More information can be found here.

Thank you for being with us today and we will be back again soon.

This live report is bought to you by lifeofpoker.com.

After a long discussion on making a potential deal, the two players failed to come to terms. And the heads-up match began.

The very first hand, Park, who wanted to go home, went all-in, Akinobu called.

Park: K♥ 6♥ Akinobu: Q♦ J♦

Flop gave Park a commanding lead, but he wasn't home yet. Turn 2♦ gave Akinobu a flush draw as well as a gut-shot he had on the flop.

River came a diamond, Akinobu celebrated with his mate, but soon realised it was the only diamond that wouldn't give him the winning hand, the A♦, which gave Park a full house!

After just one hand into the heads-up play, Akinobu was eliminated in 2nd place for TWD $829,000 (~$27,020).

Both Park and Akinubo were involved in Fung Kong's final hand of his tournament run.

Board came A♥ J♣ Q♠ 7♠ 9♦.

Cards were not revealed because there were still action between Park and Akinubo, who checked all the way.

Park was first to turn his hand over and it was an airball - T♥ 6♥, but Akinubo turned over 7♣ 7♥ for a set. It was too strong of a hand for Kong to beat as he turned over 8♠ 3♠.

Kong was out in 3rd and cashed in TWD $599,100 (~$19,525).

The two short stacks found themselves all-in against each other while Park watched on the sideline.

It was Akinobu at risk and behind holding Q♥ 7♣, Kong held A♠ Q♣. But Akinobu isn't quite done in this final table yet, as the dealer put out 2♦ 3♣ 7♠ 8♦ J♥, keeping Akinobu alive.

Although the two players are still miles behind the mighty Park who is sitting on over 80 percent of the chips in play now.

With over 70 percent of chips in play, Park is in cruising mode. But he is not letting his guard down till the job is done, he had passed on a several opportunities to put his opponent at risk.

Park is cruising in a safe speed towards the finish line.

It was one big gigantic hit to stun to Aussie here. Blanusa from Australia had the chip lead throughout most of the Final Table, providing a few knock-outs along the way. But in that one crucial hand, Blanusa fell to just a few big blinds and puts it all in the very next hand.

Park, who was still tidying up his massive chip stacks, put the Aussie at risk.

Park: K♠ K♦ Blanusa: A♥ 2♠

Yes, you read it right. Park had woken up with another monster hand! And it was a quick death for Blanusa as the dealer put a K♣ on the flop.

Blanusa was no doubt disappointed with this result but he was still taking home the 4th place prize of TWD $484,600 (~$15,800).

Park, who had the second biggest stack just went head-to-head against the chip leader Nebojsa Blanusa and took a big chunk out of him. Both players woke up with a monster hand and got it in pre-flop.

Park: J♣ J♥ Blanusa: A♥ K♠

Perhaps the biggest flip of the tournament, for more than 70 percent of the chips in play, this hand will most likely determent the outcome of this Final Table.

Flop came Q♦ 5♠ 6♥

Everyone is up from their seats at this point.

A 7♦ on the turn.

Blanusa couldn't hide his anxiousness as he awaits the final card of the board, if he doesn't hit, he would be left crippled.

Dealer slowly turned over the river card. It was the 6♠. Park with a big smile knowing he had secured this key pot in his path to the title.

Blanusa rasied to 750,000 from the small blind and Akinobu used his newly earned chips to put in a call.

Flop came 2♠ J♦ 9♦, Blanusa made a c-bet for 700,000 before Akinobu announed all-in. Blanusa leaned over to have a clear look of Akinobu's stack and folded soon after.

Akinobu is now sitting on 4,000,000 in chips.

Akinobu hasn't picked up any blinds in a while his chips stack had free fell to 1,200,000 in chips, but he finally picked up a hand and got it in against the chip leader Blanusa.

Akinobu was holding the 8♦ 8♥ and Blanusa had one over card holding A♠ 8♠. The dealer was kind to Akinobu as he put out J♠ 4♦ Q♣ 6♦ 7♥ and Akinobu is back from the danger zone, at least for now.

During this level, we have seen less than a handful flops and almost none went to the turn, let alone the river. We are just a few minutes away from the next level where the blinds are 125,000/250,000 BBA.