APT Super High Roller - 8 Max - Day 1

Satanan Jungrungreangkit

Day 1 of the VND 120,000,000 APT Super High Roller has reached its climax with just two players remaining in the field from the 22 entries that were recorded. When play resumes tomorrow, Thailand's Satanan Jungrungreangkit will hold the slightest of chip leads over Australia's Julian Warhurst as the two battle it out with one of them taking home the APT pewter lion trophy and the VND 1,003,840,000 (~$42,430) first prize to go with it.

A star-studded field saw the likes of Superstar Challenge winner Alan Pham, APT Championships event winner Slade Fisher, APT Super High Roller Phu Quoc winner Nguyen Trung Quan. three-time APT title winner Yu-Chung Chang, and APT title holder Joshua Mccully all fighting it out for their shot at the trophy.

When the final table began, it was Mccully who put his foot down on the gas as he started to accumulate chips to move up the leaderboard. The Australian player won a big pot on a scary board after flopping a set of fives against the pocket nines of Yuhang Chen.

Joshua Mcccully

Warhurst found himself in a hole after getting his chips in holding pocket jacks and was up against the pocket aces of Yuhan Liu. However, a jack on the flop would give the Australian player a set to eliminate Liu and catapult Warhurst towards the money spots.

Mccully brought us down to the final five after he eliminated Chen with both players getting their stacks in pre-flop. Australia's Mccully held ace-king and was far ahead of the ace-deuce of Chen, and despite both players rivering trips, it was the kicker of the Australian that played to send Chen out in sixth.

Pham Duy Anh earned himself the unfortunate title of bubble boy after his pocket tens ran head first into the pocket aces of Mccully, who had laid a nice trap for the Vietnamese player to fall right into.

Nguyen Trung Quan

When the bubble had burst, it was Quan who fell first after he hit a full house holding seven-five, but had three-bet shoved the river into a bigger full house of Jungrungreangkit who held ace-deuce. Quan takes fourth for VND 286,810,000 (~$12,120).

It was Mccully who hit the rail next after he four-bet shoved his ace-four into the pocket tens of Warhurst and received no help from the dealer. Mccully wished his countrymate Warhurst good luck and will take home VND 430,210,000 (~$18,180) for finishing third.

When heads-up play began it was Jungrungreangkit who held a three-to-two chip advantage but the pendulum swung back in favor of the Australian after around thirty minutes of play before the Thai player made a huge bluff that so nearly cost him his tournament life. Jungrungreangkit had check-raised the flop, bet the turn, and shoved all in on the river and managed to get Warhurst to fold his hand before tabling queen-five for a total bluff.

Julian Warhurst

The two will return with near-even chip stacks and we can expect to see fireworks when play resumes.

The two remaining stacks can be found below.

Join us tomorrow from 12:15pm local time to see who has what it takes to be crowned the APT Super High Roller champion.

After 18 levels of play, Day 1 of the APT Super High Roller - 8 Max has come to an end.

The final two players have bagged up their chips and will come back tomorrow to determine who our champion will be.

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

Satanan Jungrungreangkit

Satanan Jungrungreangkit just made a huge bluff to end the day.

Julian Warhurst limped in pre-flop and Jungrungreangkit checked from the big blind.

On the 8♠ 6♠ 6♣ flop Jungrungreangkit checked it over to Warhurst who fired for 80,000. The Thai player came back with a raise to 225,000 and Warhurst took some time before making the call.

The turn brought a K♠ and Jungrungreangkit announced a bet of 350,000 which again was called by Warhurst.

A 7♥ completed the board and Jungrungreangkit used three time-bank chips before shoving all in! Warhurst had him covered and could win it all here if he called and was correct but looked in a lot of discomfort with the decision that was facing him. After some time, the Australian did eventually lay his hand down and was swiftly shown Q♣ 5♦ by Jungrungreangkit for a total bluff.

Warhurst seemed to have made a big laydown so that one has got to hurt.

There will be five more hands played before the two players bag up and come back tomorrow to play it out.

Unless....

Julian Warhurst limped from the small blind and Satanan Jungrungreangkit made it 150,000 from the big blind. Warhurst made the call to see a flop.

They both saw a flop of T♠ 5♠ K♦ and Jungrungreangkit led for 150,000 with Warhurst making the call.

The turn brought a 5♦ and Jungrungreangkit fired another bullet of 300,000 which was called by the Australian player.

On the 4♥ river both players slowed down and checked with Warhurst winning the pot with T♦ 7♠.

Satanan Jungrungreangkit limped from the small blind and Julian Warhurst checked his option.

They saw a flop of 2♥ 2♠ K♦ with Warhurst checking it over to Jungrungreangkit, who bet 50,000. Warhurst came back with a raise to 150,000 before Jungrungreangkit re-raised to 400,000. Warhurst decided that his hand was no good and threw his cards in the muck.

Latest chip counts

I'm not sure if its accidental or a strategy to slow the game down, but Satanan Jungrungreangkit is playing extremely slowly.

The Thai player forgets to put in his blinds almost every hand and counts chips one by one when sizing up a bet or a call.

It must be very frustrating for Julian Warhurst to play against this but he is keeping his composure.

Here are the stacks as heads-up play begins.

Joshua Mccully

Joshua Mccully has been eliminated in 3rd Place for VND 430,210,000 (~$18,180).

Mccully opened the button to 80,000 and Julian Warhurst put in a 3-bet to 250,000. The decision was back on Mccully who opted to shove for around 850,000, with Warhurst making the quick call to put his countrymate at risk.

Warhurst T♥ T♣ Mccully A♦ 4♦

Mccully was behind and at risk but probably didn't feel too pleased with Satanan Jungrungreangkit saying he had folded an ace.

The runout of J♠ Q♣ 5♣ 3♣ 6♠ would keep Warhurst ahead the entire way which sent Mccully to the rail in third.