APT Kickoff - KRW 175,000,000 GTD - Flight B

Hong Ru Zhang

China's Hong Ru Zhang topped the count of Flight B in the KRW 600,000 APT Kickoff after bagging up 480,000 chips. There were 137 entries (123 unique) recorded with just 20 players making it through to Day 2. Combined with the earlier Flight A, the total number of entries stands at 288 (203 unique) with the prize pool sitting at KRW 175,000,000 and a first prize of KRW 35,060,000 (~$26,450).

Zhang had built up a stack early on but lost a huge flip holding ace-queen against Tae Hoon Han's pocket fives before winning back some of those chips in a later hand when his ace-six held against the king-queen of Han. A crucial hand then played out between three players that saw Zhang's pocket tens eliminate Han, who held king-four, and also scoop a big side pot against the ace-jack of Taiwan's Chao Ting Cheng which propelled the Chinese player into the chip lead.

Sixteen-time APT title holder Lester Edoc brings through the second-biggest stack of 444,000 as he looks to add another trophy to his cabinet. Edoc picked up chips after his pocket jacks eliminated Igor Kan after the Russian flopped a pair of eights holding king-eight but didn't manage to find any of his outs which sent the Filipino player well on his way toward the top of the leaderboard.

Lester Edoc

Chao Ting Cheng also brought through a respectable stack after bagging up 257,000. The Taiwanese player has two APT titles to his name to date and has racked up over $600,000 in live tournament cashes.

APT Taiwan Main Event Final Tablist Joshua Tan also qualified for Day 2 and will have 162,000 chips to play with. Malaysia's Tan finished ninth in the record-breaking Main Event in Taiwan and will be looking to continue that success here in Incheon.

Some notables to make it through were Naoki Yashiro (121,000), Marc Rivera (92,000), Sho Saika (78,000), and Andy Li (40,000).

The top ten stacks can be found below.

A full APT Kickoff Flight B Survivor List can be found by CLICKING HERE.

A full APT Kickoff Payout List can be found by CLICKING HERE.

Join us tomorrow from 12:15pm local time as the remaining players from both flights meet for the first time and play down to a champion.

Tianhang Zhang has a new title to his name - APT Kickoff Flight B Bubble Boy - perhaps not a title he will be proud of.

The rest of his chips went in the direction of Aleksei Sei after his A♣ K♠ couldn't hold on against the Russian's A♦ J♠ on the J♦ T♠ T♥ 7♠ 4♥ runout.

This left 20 players still with chips who bagged up and will come back tomorrow to play out Day 2 with the 22 survivors from Day 1.

There are 22 players remaining meaning play will stop once 2 more players are eliminated.

Chao Chiuan Lin opened to 25,000 from the cutoff and Chikara Nishimura called from the button.

Lin continued with another bet of 25,000 on the K♣ 4♣ 3♦ flop which got Nishimura to fold

Tae Hoon Han found himself short-stacked with just 20,000 chips after having well over 300,000 at one point in the day. With his final chips, he pushed them into the middle and Chao Ting Cheng reshoved for 143,000. Hong Ru Zhang was the next to act and he wanted to play for it all and called off the chips to put two players at risk.

Han K♣ 4♣

Cheng A♣ J♣

Zhang T♣ T♦

A huge pot that would see Zhang have over 700,000 chips if he were to hold on but he didn't manage to do so as the board ran out 6♥ A♠ 8♣ 5♥ 5♠ giving Cheng the pot and sending the one-time chip leader Han to the sidelines.

With just 20 spots on offer in Day 2 and 25 players remaining here in Flight B, we are getting into bubble territory.

After the two tangled in a big pot earlier that went Han's way, the war raged on with Zhang winning the next battle between the pair.

Both players got the chips in preflop with Zhang slightly in the lead and needing to hold on to stay alive.

Zhang A♣ 6♣

Han K♠ Q♥

They each flopped a pair but Zhang maintained his lead as the board ran 4♥ A♠ Q♣ 6♠ T♠ to earn him the pot.

Aleksei Sei

Kohei Kawai committed the last of his chips into the pot and was put at risk by Aleksei Sei.

Kawai A♦ 2♣

Sei A♠ K♥

Kawai did flop some extra outs but didn't manage to hit any of the cards he needed as the board ran out 8♦ 5♦ 3♥ 6♠ J♠ which meant he was eliminated.

APT regular Lester Edoc has been quietly going about his business here and now sits with a stack of around 340,000 after eliminating Russia's Igor Kan.

The board read 2♥ 8♥ 4♠ 2♣ 5♥ and Kan had top pair with K♦ 8♦ but that was no good against the J♦ J♠ of Edoc.

Tae Hoon Han

Tae Hoon Han opened up the action to 10,000 from under the gun and was three-bet by Hong Ru Zhang to 27,000. The action folded back around to Han who shipped all in for around 130,000 which sent Zhang deep into the tank. After what felt like an eternity, Zhang did make the call to put Han at risk.

Han 5♦ 5♣

Zhang A♥ Q♠

A huge flip that was over before it really began as Han flopped a set on the 8♣ 2♠ 5♥ board. Zhang would need running cards to drag the pot but the T♦ turn secured the chips for Han as the J♣ completed the board.