Mystery Bounty Hunter - VND 1,500,000,000 GTD - Sponsored by Natural8 - Final Day

Alex Lee

The VND 9,000,000 + 1,000,000 Mystery Bounty Hunter - Sponsored by Natural8 has been won by Alex Lee of Singapore. Lee takes home VND 359,490,000 (~$15,310) for his win after topping the field of 320 entries (222 unique) defeating Sweden's Daniel Brugman in a heads-up battle that spanned four levels. Eventually, Lee would emerge victorious to claim the lion's share of the VND 2,793,600,000 (~USD $118,980) prize pool and earn his second APT title.

There were 46 players who managed to bring a stack into Day 2 with Japan's Akinobu Kirishima leading the pack as the players embarked on their bounty-hunting journey. The bounties on offer ranged in value from VND 5,000,000 all the way up to a juicy VND 200,000,000 (~USD $8,500).

It took just six thirty-minute levels to shrink the field to the final nine with Kanchan Sharma (40th), Kang Chen (17th), Jaekyung Sim (14th), and Lester Edoc (10th) all falling short of the final table. The opening levels weren't without action though, as the extra incentive to win bounties created the action all spectators were hoping for.

In the opening level of play, it was Vietnam's Van An Chu who took an early chip lead as he scored a double knockout after flopping trips with five-deuce and getting it all in against Sharma's flush draw. Hien Minh was also in the hand, albeit severely short-stacked, but it was Chu that rivered a full house to take the pot and pick up two bounty chips, which he could claim at any time. Chu opted to claim his bounties early, and what a decision that proved to be as not only did he pull the biggest bounty on offer of VND 200,000,000, he also bagged himself a VND 75,000,000 prize to go with it, much to his delight but the dismay of the rest of the field.

Level twenty-four proved to be a wild one as six players were eliminated in the space of just twenty-two minutes to bring us to the final table bubble, with the unlucky tenth place finisher being none other than two-time APT Main Event champion, Edoc. Edoc would fall to eventual champion Lee when his ace-king came up short of the Singaporean's queen-jack, with the latter turning trip queens to seal the hand and send us to the final table.

It would be overnight chip leader Kirishima who would exit the final table first. After losing a flip with pockets tens against the ace-jack of Ka Chun Tsui which left him crippled, he got his last chips in with jack-ten but was dominated by the ace-ten of Lee. No help would arrive for the Japanese player and he took ninth for VND 36,880,000 (~$1,570).

Kuo-Wei Lee would be the next to fall as he shoved king-queen and was put at risk by the ace-ten of Brugman. Lee flopped top pair but was undone by the turned straight of the Swedish player and took eighth for a payday of VND 44,990,000 (~$1,920).

Kuo-Wei Lee (left) & Ting Yu Lin (right)

Ting Yu Lin was unfortunate not to eliminate Tsui when the pair clashed in a hand that resulted in Lin becoming the short stack at the table. Lin would shove with ace-king and be called by the ace-jack of Tsui but wouldn't be able to hold on as his opponent flopped trips to leave him with just over a single big blind. Despite winning a few hands and increasing his chance of a remarkable comeback, he would eventually be eliminated at the hands of Chu when his king-queen couldn't crack the ace-deuce of the Vietnamese player, taking seventh for VND 61,220,000 (~$2,600).

Just moments after Lin's elimination, it would be Jimmy Theophile to hit the rail next as he shoved with ace-queen and was flipping against the pocket sevens of Tsui. Both would catch a piece of the board as Theophile flopped the nut flush draw and Tsui had middle set, but Tsui would manage to hold on meaning Theophile was out in sixth for VND 83,350,000 (~$3,550).

We had seen Chu make some audacious plays throughout the day, including a hand where he four-bet shoved ace-five and managed to take down the ace-king of Bao Sheng Woon with a river five. Chu would repeat that pre-flop action by four-betting all in with queen-jack and getting snapped off by Brugman's pocket kings. Brugman would have his opponent drawing dead by the turn but Chu can still be happy after claiming VND 305,000,000 in bounties to go along with his VND 109,170,000 (~$4,650) prize for fifth.

Van An Chu shows off his two big bounties

Tsui would be next to fall, shoving his last ten big blinds into the middle with eight-nine but was outpipped by the nine-ten of Brugman. The Swedish player's ten high would manage to hold onto the lead throughout the hand meaning Tsui exited in fourth for VND 138,490,000 (~$5,900).

Japan's Kaito Hirai was no stranger to the bounty format of poker as he won the Mystery Bounty Hunter event at APT Phu Quoc earlier in the year for VND 261,960,000 (~$11,265). Unfortunately for Hirai, he would fall just shy of another victory when his ace-deuce was defeated by the ace-six of Lee, despite turning a pair of deuces to take the lead in the hand, Lee managed to river a straight which brought us to heads-up play and left Hirai heading to the payout desk to claim VND 171,130,000 (~$7,290) for his podium finish.

It was Brugman who started the heads-up duel as a slight chip leader holding a three-to-two chip advantage. After a lot of pressure from the Swedish player, Lee found himself at a four-to-one chip deficit and it looked likely the title would be heading Brugman's way. Lee managed to win a few pots before scoring a big double-up when he flopped bottom two pair holding six-three and held on against the top pair of Brugman who had queen-eight.

Daniel Brugman

The two battled it out with chips going back and forth before Brugman shoved from the small blind holding king-ten and Lee made the call with ace-six. Both player's stacks were very similar, but it was Brugman who was at risk and behind. No help would arrive as Lee's ace high managed to fade the outs of Brugman, and he was our Mystery Bounty Hunter champion.

Brugman had to settle for second place and a payday of VND 228,290,000 (~$9,720), but also picked up seven bounties for an additional VND 40,000,000. Lee managed to bag six bounties himself which added VND 65,000,000 to his payout and of course, he takes home the all-new APT lion silhouette trophy.

Join us tomorrow for Day 1A of the APT Main Event that will kickoff at 12pm local time. As always, live coverage will be right here for you to follow.

See you tomorrow.

Daniel Brugman

Daniel Brugman has been eliminated in 2nd place for VND 228,290,000 (~$9,720).

Daniel Brugman open-shoved from the small for 4,200,000 and Alex Lee contemplated for just a moment before making the call.

Brugman K♥ T♥ Lee A♠ 6♠

It was Brugman at risk but if he could find a way to win this pot he would hold a colossal chip lead.

The camera crew prepared themselves for the runout. When given the go ahead, the dealer put out a flop.

5♣ 8♣ 4♦

No help for Brugman but Lee did pick up a gutshot straight draw.

The dealer knocked on the table twice as she prepared to deal the turn.

J♦

Lee was one card away from victory if he could just fade a king or a ten on this river.

Two more thumps of the table later and the dealer was ready to reveal the river.

2♠

Lee has done it. He wins the Mystery Bounty Hunter as Brugman has to settle for second.

A great run from the Swedish player but it's Singapore's Lee who will take the trophy and the bragging rights that come with it.

A full tournament write up will follow shortly.

As play resumes, the counts are as follows.

The remaining two players are on a 15-minute break.

While they take some time away from the table, some more blue chips will be introduced into play as all of the pink chips, worth 5,000 each, will be removed from play.

Alex Lee limped from the small blind and Daniel Brugman checked.

On an A♦ 9♦ 3♠ flop. Brugman check-called a 160,000 chip bet from Lee.

Both players checked the 9♠ turn and Brugman open-shoved the 6♦ river, with Lee folding.

The very next hand, Brugman raised to 320,000 and picked up the blinds and ante of Lee.

A lot of the recent pots are all being won pre-flop.

In the latest hand, Alex Lee opened to 320,000 and Daniel Brugman called.

On a flop of K♠ 5♠ A♦ both players checked their option.

The turn brought an 8♠ and Brugman check-called a 225,000 chip bet from Lee.

Both players checked on the 4♦ river and Lee took the pot with K♣ Q♦.

Alex Lee

On a 6♠ 8♦ 3♣ flop Alex Lee and Daniel Brugman both got their stacks in after a bet, a raise, and a shove.

Lee 6♥ 3♦ Brugman Q♥ 8♣

Lee had flopped two pair with Brugman having top pair.

Brugman could win the tournament here if he could improve but the runout wasn't in his favor as the 9♣ and J♠ completed the board, giving the pot to Lee who now takes over as the chip leader.

Alex Lee opened to 240,000 and Daniel Brugman made the call.

On a flop of T♣ 8♣ 8♥ Brugman checked and Lee fired for 125,000. Brugman came back at Lee with a raise to 425,000, and Lee made the call.

The turn brought a 6♦ and both players elected to check.

Brugman fired 550,000 on the 5♦ river with Lee quickly calling.

Brugman mucked his hand and Lee managed to win the pot without revealing his cards.

Daniel Brugman opened to 240,000 and Alex Lee shoved all in.

Brugman asked for a count, which was 1,945,000. After some deliberation he let his hand go.

Daniel Brugman

Alex Lee opened to 240,000 and Daniel Brugman made the call.

On the K♥ 9♥ Q♦ flop, both players decided to check and see a free turn card.

The action came to life on the 3♦ turn as Lee fired for 180,000 and Brugman raised to 550,000. Lee stuck around and made the call to see a river.

The river brought a 6♥ and Brugman shoved all in, with Lee facing a decision for his tournament life. Some moments went by before Lee decided to fold.

"Lucky river for you" said Lee.

Brugman raked in the pot and has a big chip lead now.