Superstar Challenge - 8 Max

Jun Hao Wu

The record-breaking KRW 13,000,000 Superstar Challenge has been won by Singapore's Jun Hao Wu after he was the last man standing from the 72 entries (57 unique) and banked a career-best score of KRW 177,660,000 (~$134,130) for his victory after cutting a three-way ICM deal with Hong Kong's Kevin Choi and Thailand's Thanisorn Saelor.

Two new records were set for the tournament with the number of entries crushing the previous field size record of 46 which was set at APT Hanoi earlier this year. The prize pool record was also smashed to pieces after KRW 873,000,000 (~USD $657,970) was up for grabs which more than doubled the previous high set at APT Taipei just a few months back.

Wu spoke to APT host Greg Goes All In after his victory.

"On the bubble, I ran pretty hot; I got in a four-way all-in and I woke up with kings on the big blind so I think other than skill I think I have to... It's not all about skill, the luck factor involved is also very important." Wu humbly stated in his post-match interview.

This is Wu's second APT title after he won a Single Day High Roller event at the APT Summer Series Hanoi this year for VND 487,650,000 (~$20,770).

*denotes deal made

The cream of the crop in the poker world were attracted to Paradise City Casino for this event as some of the world's biggest names took their seats in the Superstar Challenge including defending champion Joshua Mccully, bracelet winners Alex Lindop and Joseph Cheong, Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier, and Wai Kiat Lee to name just a few.

A pivotal hand played out for Wu during the last two tables when he woke up with pocket kings in the big blind to eliminate Asa Smith, Natural8 Ambassador Kannapong Thanarattrakul, and Adam Martinsson all in the same hand after they had shoved pocket deuces, ace-ten, and pocket queens respectively to bring us down to the bubble.

The unfortunate title of bubble boy went to Australia's Tim Heath after his ace-king was taken down by the ten-five of Daniel Lee who flopped two pair and rivered a boat to secure the final nine players a min-cash of at least KRW 26,190,000 (~$19,740).

Tim Heath

Wu was the clear chip leader going into the final table and had over double the amount of chips that his closest rival had accrued with second place in the counts belonging to none other than the ex-professional Starcraft player Grospellier. Some poker prodigies had made it to the final table including Saelor, Abraham Ceesvin, Jeffrey Lo, and Wing Po Liu who were all looking to ladder up the payouts.

One player who didn't manage to make any pay jumps was Julian Kleiber after his ace-queen suited couldn't improve against the pocket eights of Choi which left the German player out in ninth for a payday of KRW 26,190,000 (~$19,740).

Soon to follow him to the rail would be Lo after he shoved all in with queen-ten and was called by the ace-five of Lee. The player from Hong Kong didn't manage to connect with the board which left him on the rail in eighth for KRW 33,170,000 (~$25,000).

Jeffrey Lo

A double elimination came next after Choi's pocket queens turned a flush that took out Liu's ace-jack and also the pocket tens of Grospellier after the three of them got all the chips in preflop. Liu had the fewest chips at he start of the hand so he finished seventh for KRW 42,780,000 (~$32,240) while Grospellier took sixth and added KRW 54,130,000 (~$40,790) to his bank balance.

Lee's run came to an end after he called the four-bet shove of Saelor with ace-ten and just needed to hold against the king-jack of the player from Thailand. The runout was safe for Lee until Saelor paired his jack on the river which left the American player out in fifth and he took home KRW 69,840,000 (~$52,630) for his efforts.

Ceesvin had been quietly going about his business on the final table and had laddered his way to the final four before he shoved all in with king-eight and was put at risk by the ace-jack of Choi. The Singaporean got no help from the board which left him out in fourth for KRW 89,920,000 (~$67,760).

Abraham Ceesvin

Play had been paused for the final three players to discuss a deal which was agreed in around twenty minutes and guaranteed each of them a lump sum and left KRW 19,949,000 (~$15,060) to play for. Since a deal had been made, as per the tournament rules, the level times were cut in half meaning the climax to the event would be played with fifteen-minute blind increases.

In the very first hand after the deal was made, Wu bet-called the river with a pair of tens holding ten-eight to pick off the bluff of Saelor who held ace-jack for just ace-high. That hand dethroned the Thai player from the top of the leaderboard and his chip stack would soon hit zero after he called a turn shove from Choi with ace-king high and was in trouble against the queen-ten of the player from Hong Kong who had flopped a pair of tens. The river wouldn't come to Saelor's rescue which meant he was out in third for a score of KRW 201,798,700 (~$152,360).

It took just ten hands of heads-up play for a champion to be crowned after Wu shoved all in with ace-seven over the raise of Choi and the player from Hong Kong called it off with queen-ten suited. The board ran out in Wu's favor as he flopped a pair of sevens which eliminated Choi in second and he took home KRW 177,510,000 (~$134,020) for his runner-up finish.

Kevin Choi

That left just one man standing, Jun Hao Wu.

Congratulations to Wu on his second APT title and the extra KRW 19,949,000 (~$15,060) that was left on the table.

This live reporting blog is brought to you by Life of Poker.

Jun Hao Wu has won the Superstar Challenge and takes home KRW 177,660,000 (~$134,130) for his victory.

A full write-up of the day's action will follow shortly.

Kevin Choi

Kevin Choi has been eliminated in 2nd place for KRW 177,510,000 (~$134,020).

Hand 56 Kevin Choi raised to 900,000 from the button and Jun Hao Wu shoved all in for 9,000,000. Choi didn't look too comfortable but did call to put himself at risk.

Wu A♠ 7♦

Choi Q♣ T♣

This pot was for the tournament as the two had very even stacks but it was Singapore's Wu who had the chance to win the Superstar Challenge here as he had slightly more chips than his opponent.

The dealer fanned a flop of 3♥ 9♣ 7♥ which brought no help to Choi and improved Wu to a pair of sevens.

Choi picked up some more outs on the 8♥ turn as now any queen, jack, ten or six would earn him the pot and a huge double up. If Wu could fade those outs then he would be our champion.

When the 5♠ landed on the river it meant Wu's pair of sevens was good for the pot and Choi was out in 2nd place.

Hand 51 Jun Hao Wu raised to 750,000 and Kevin Choi called. On the 7♥ 8♥ Q♦ flop the action went check-check and a 6♠ fell on the turn. Choi led for 1,000,000 and Wu folded.

Hand 52 Kevin Choi limped in and Jun Hao Wu made it 1,100,000 which got Choi to quickly fold.

Hand 53 Jun Hao Wu limped from the button and Kevin Choi checked behind. They saw a flop of 2♥ T♣ 5♣ with the action checking to the 5♥ turn card. Both players checked again with the A♥ completing the board. Choi check-folded to the 600,000-chip bet from Wu.

Hand 54 Kevin Choi made it 900,000 and won the pot.

Hand 55 Jun Hao Wu opened to 750,000 and won the pot.

Hand 47 Jun Hao Wu limped from the button and Kevin Choi made a three-bet to 800,000. Wu quickly folded.

Hand 48 Kevin Choi made it 500,000 from the button and Jun Hao Wu made the call. On the 9♦ 3♥ 2♠ flop, Wu checked and Choi fired a bet of 260,000 with the Singaporean coming over the top with a raise to 900,000 which won him the pot.

Hand 49 Jun Hao Wu limped in preflop and Kevin Choi checked his big blind. The flop came down 5♥ 4♠ 8♣ and Choi check-called a bet of 250,000. The turn brought a 7♣ and Choi checked again with Wu fired 875,000 into the pot which got Choi to fold.

Hand 50 Kevin Choi made it 500,000 to go and Jun Hao Wu defended his big blind. On the 5♠ J♦ 8♥ flop, Wu checked and Choi bet 300,000 which was quickly raised to 1,000,000 by the Singaporean. Choi wasn't done just yet and made the call to see a 2♥ turn which Wu kept up the aggression on with another bet of 2,100,000. Choi quickly folded.

Chip counts going into heads-up play.

Thanisorn Saelor

Thanisorn Saelor has been eliminated in 3rd place for KRW 201,798,700 (~$152,360).

Hand 46 Kevin Choi opened to 400,000 on the button and Thanisorn Saelor made a three-bet to 1,200,000, which Choi called without much hesitation.

On the 2♥ 5♥ T♣ flop, Saelor checked and Choi bet an even 1,000,000 chips which was quickly called by the Thai player.

The 3♣ hit the turn and Saelor checked for a second time. Choi then shoved all in for 2,300,000 effective and was called off by Saelor.

Saelor A♥ K♣

Choi Q♣ T♠

Is that a first misstep from Saelor? He gets it in with two overcards and a gutshot and needs to get there otherwise he will be out in third.

The river 6♦ isn't what the player from Thailand needed and he was sent to the rail.

Hand 42 Thanisorn Saelor made it 400,000 and Jun Hao Wu called from the big blind. They saw a flop of 2♠ 9♠ T♦ which was checked through as was the 7♠ turn. A K♥ fell on the river and Wu check-folded to a bet of 900,000 from Saelor.

Hand 43 Kevin Choi opened to 400,000 from the button and Thanisorn Saelor called from the big blind. Both checked the 2♠ T♥ A♠ 6♠ 3♠ board and Choi took it with J♦ T♦.

Hand 44 Jun Hao Wu opened to 400,000 and Thanisorn Saelor called. Kevin Choi three-bet squeezed to 1,400,000 which earned him the pot.

Hand 45 Thanisorn Saelor raised to 400,000 and folded to the shove from Jun Hao Wu.

Hand 39 Saelor Thanisorn opened to 320,000 and Jun Hao Wu defended his big blind. On the T♣ 2♥ 5♠ flop both players checked to see a Q♥ turn. The action went check-check again and the 9♠ fell on the river. Wu fired a bet of 440,000 and Saelor shoved all in for 7,900,000. Wu dropped in all of his time-extension chips before making the call with T♦ 8♦ which was good as Saelor showed A♠ J♣ for just ace-high.

Hand 40 Jun Hao Wu made it 500,000 from the small blind and Thanisorn Saelor made the call. On the 8♣ 7♠ 5♠ flop, Wu check-folded bet of 300,000 from Saelor.

Hand 41 Thanisorn Saelor limped from the small blind and Kevin Choi checked his big blind. It was checked to showdown on the J♠ A♥ 6♦ T♦ A♠ board and Saelor won with K♥ 7♦.