APT INCHEON SCHEDULE | OFFICIAL RESULTS | IMAGES | WINNERS | PLAYER LISTS
INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA, September 3, 2023 – The APT Incheon, South Korea 2023 is officially the largest and richest South Korean poker festival in the tour's 15-year history, setting three new records in the process; The festival saw the largest & richest-ever Superstar Challenge play out, and broke two APT South Korea country records for both field size and prize pool in the Main Event and also in the Double Stack.
Playing out at the tournament tables of the luxurious Paradise City Casino, the ten-day 67-trophy-event series drew 6,967 entries in total, with 1,127 unique players from 40 different countries/regions competing for a massive KRW 8,567,468,300 (~USD $6,498,715) in prize money.
You can see a breakdown of prize money and player numbers HERE.
Just over a fifth (22%) of the Series prize money was awarded in the Main Event, which saw 563 unique players from 40 different countries/regions compete for a KRW 1,867,347,000 (~USD $1,411,975) prize pool – making it both the largest and richest South Korean Main Event in APT history.
It was Japan's Shoichiro Tamaki claiming the coveted 24K Golden Lion trophy and earning a career-best score of KRW 271,447,000 (~USD $206,030) top prize for his maiden major title victory.
For a breakdown of the Main Event by Country/Region please CLICK HERE and you can see a graphic HERE.
The record-breaking Superstar Challenge boasted the second largest prize pool, with the KRW 873,000,000 (~USD $657,970) purse accounting for a further 10% of the total prize money awarded and Singapore's Jun Hao Wu claiming a career-best victory and the KRW 177,660,000 (~$134,130) top prize.
This was closely followed by the APT High Roller, which boasted a KRW 813,199,500 (~USD $616,930) prize pool, accounting for a further 9% of the total prize money awarded.
It was Thailand's Thanisorn Saelor who claimed the coveted bronze APT High Roller lion trophy – more on that below – with the pewter lion APT Single Day Super High Roller trophy heading back to Europe with Serbia's Milos Petakovic.
You can view APT Incheon, South Korea 2023 Winners by County & Region HERE
Thailand's Thanisorn Saelor Wins APT High Roller for KRW 171.9M (~USD $130K)
Thailand's Thanisorn Saelor made his maiden tournament title win a memorable one, taming the coveted bronze lion APT High Roller trophy
Just 40 players out of a field of 207 returned for the second and final day of the KRW 4,500,000 APT High Roller – the second-largest in the tour's 15-year history.
With a sizable KRW 813,199,500 (~USD $616,930) prize pool up for grabs, in addition to the coveted bronze lion APT High Roller trophy and a top prize of KRW 171,939,500 (~USD $130,420) for the eventual winner, competition for the paying positions was fiercely contested.
With only the top 31 places paid out, nine of the returning players would be departing empty-handed; it was Bojan Berberovic who departed in the most unenviable position in poker, with the Serbian player getting the last of his stack in from the button with pocket eights only to see Big Blind Sechariah Quek wake up with pocket jacks.
Berberovic's elimination guaranteed all remaining 31 players a payout of KRW 7,160,000 (~USD $5,430), with the lion-taming competition then beginning in earnest.
It was Thailand's Thanisorn Saelor the man to claim that honor, defeating Uzbekistan's Veleriy Pak after a short two-hand heads-up battle that the Thai player came into with just under a 3-to-1 chip lead.
This win grants Saelor his maiden tournament title and a career second-best score, with his career-best coming in this Series' Superstar Challenge where he finished runner-up to Singapore's Jun Hao Wu.
The Thai player's victory makes him only the fourth ever player to claim the bronze lion APT High Roller trophy, with Saelor joining an exclusive club that features Natural8 Ambassador Phachara Wongwichit, and Vietnam's Ngoc Dai Nguyen, and Nguyen Hoang Long.
Pak came within touching distance of claiming two of the flagship lion trophies this Series, improving on his fourth-place Main Event finish by two spots and taking KRW 115,800,000 (~USD $87,840) for his runner-up finish – the third-best result of his career.
Natural8 Ambassador and Team Hot member Hua-Wei "Wei Wei" Lin rounded out the winner's podium, collecting KRW 81,650,000 (~USD $61,935) for third – granting the Taiwanese poker professional a career-best score.
Hong Kong's Jeffrey Lo, made a fourth final table appearance of the Series, adding a further KRW 66,190,000 (~USD $50,210) in winnings to his tally, which includes a trophy claimed in Event #33: Limit 2-7 & Badugi - Triple Draw.
Serbia's Milos Skrbic, who was on the hunt for his second title of the Series, was unable to convert his start-of-day chip lead into a win, finishing in fifth place for a KRW 52,370,000 (~USD $39,725) payout, with the final table paying out as follows:
APT HIGH ROLLER FINAL TABLE RESULTS
- 1st: Thanisorn Saelor (Thailand) – KRW 171,939,500
- 2nd: Veleriy Pak (Uzbekistan) – KRW 115,800,000
- 3rd: Hua-Wei Lin (Taiwan) – KRW 81,650,000
- 4th: Jeffrey Lo (Hong Kong) – KRW 66,190,000
- 5th: Milos Skrbic (Serbia) – KRW 52,370,000
- 6th: Wataru Kosugi (Japan) – KRW 39,770,000
- 7th: Wing Po Liu (Hong Kong) – KRW 29,030,000
- 8th: Kokwai Sim (Malaysia) – KRW 21,220,000
- 9th: Hiroshi Nishiyama (Japan) – KRW 17,570,000
Other notables to make the money but come up short of a place in the final nine included Superstar Challenge champion Wu (14th for KRW 12,040,000), bracelet winner Yan Shing "Anson" Tsang (15th for KRW 12,040,000), GG Poker Ambassador Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier (17th for KRW 10,820,000), and Mystery Bounty Hunter champion Dicky Tsang (23rd for KRW 8,780,000).
For APT High Roller Results please CLICK HERE
You can read all about the APT High Roller action via the APT Blog.
All tournament information can be found on the APT High Roller tournament page.
UK's Craig Cooper Wins the Max in Mini Main Event
The UK's Craig Cooper claimed his second Series title in the Mini Main Event
The final day of the last of the Series' marquee events – the KRW 700,000 Event #63: Mini Main Event - KRW 200,000,000 GTD – saw 54 players out of an initial field of 377 return to action.
All 54 returning survivors from the two starting flights were already guaranteed a payday of KRW 1,140,000 (~USD $865) from the KRW 230,384,700 (~USD $174,750) prize pool, but it was the silver lion silhouette trophy all were aiming for.
The final day got underway at 12.15pm local time, with blinds recommencing at 5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 big blind ante and the action playing out over thirteen 30-minute levels.
It was the UK's Craig Cooper who claimed the accolades, defeating Thailand's Nip Rakrattanatrai after a short heads-up confrontation.
Cooper clinched his second title of the Series and his third career APT title in total, in addition to making a career-best score of KRW 44,784,700 (~USD $33,970).
Rakrattanatrai received KRW 28,480,000 (~USD $21,600) for his runner-up finish, with China's Zeyu Chen rounding out the winner's podium and taking bronze and a payout of KRW 20,580,000 (~USD $15,610) for third place.
Former APT Cebu 2015 Main Event champion John Tech made his first Series final table appearance, locking up a sixth-place finish which was good for KRW 10,140,000, with the final table paying out as follows:
MINI MAIN EVENT FINAL TABLE RESULTS
- 1st: Craig Cooper (United Kingdom) – KRW 44,784,700
- 2nd: Nip Rakrattanatrai (Thailand) – KRW 28,480,000
- 3rd: Zeyu Chen (China) – KRW 20,580,000
- 4th: Shudong Guo (China) – KRW 16,640,000
- 5th: Chun Hu Gong (China) – KRW 13,170,000
- 6th: John Tech (Philippines) – KRW 10,140,000
- 7th: Yoshiko Azuma (Japan) – KRW 7,550,000
- 8th: Hideaki Ohashi (Japan) – KRW 5,470,000
- 9th: Cheuk Him Tsang (Hong Kong) – KRW 4,420,000
Taiwan's Fang Puyen narrowly missed out on making his first final table of the Series, banking KRW 3,660,000 for tenth place.
Other notables to cash but come up short of the final nine included start-of-day chip leader Masato Kashiwabara (11th for KRW 3,660,000),
the Philippines' Joseph Talamayan (21st for KRW 2,060,000), Hong Kong's Sparrow Cheung (33rd for KRW 1,370,000), and South Korea's Gary Moon who turned his free Main Event bubble consolation ticket into a 41st place cash, which was good for KRW 1,140,000.
For Event #63: Mini Main Event - Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Mini Main Event tournament page.
Natural8 Ambassador Yu Chung Chang Repeats Chance in Event #69: Last Chance High Roller
Natural8 Ambassador Yu Chung Chang claimed his second Last Chance High Roller victory
The KRW 3,000,000 Event #69: Last Chance High Roller does just what it says on the tin, offering the APT high roller contingent that last chance to get their hands on a trophy for the Series.
The tournament drew a stacked field of 85 entries (67 unique), who battled it out over twenty-seven 20-minute levels in an attempt to win some silverware and claim the lion's share of the KRW 222,615,000 (~USD $168,860) prize pool.
Notables in the running included Natural8 Ambassador and APT Main Event Taipei champion Punnat Punsri, and APT High Roller champion Phachara Wongwichit, who were joined by fellow ambassadors Yu Chung Chang, Danny Tang, and Kannapong "Tent" Thanarattrakul.
There were a whole host of high calibre players in the field, but it was Team Hot who ran the hottest, with Yu Chung Chang rising to the top of the tournament and claiming victory and the KRW 61,934,000 (~USD $47,000) top prize.
This is Chang's second Last Chance High Roller win in as many APT festivals, with the Taiwanese player scoring his fifth APT title in the process.
Chang defeated team mate Danny Tang heads-up, with the Natural8 Ambassador earning his second runner-up place, third final table appearence, and fourth cash of the Series – which was good for KRW 44,030,000 (~USD $33,400).
Japan's Tomoyuki Yoshimiya rounded out the winner's podium, taking KRW 28,830,000 (~USD $21,870) for third place.
Mystery Bounty Hunter champion Dicky Tsang made his third final table appearence of the Series, cashing in sixth place for KRW 13,740,000 (~USD $10,420).
While Punsri was unable to recreate the run of form that saw him victorious in Taipei, the Thai crusher followed up his deep run in the Main Event with his first final table of the Series, cashing in ninth place for KRW 6,420,000 (~USD $4,870).
A total of 11 players made the money, with the tournament paying out as follows:
LAST CHANCE HIGH ROLLER RESULTS
- 1st: Yu Chung Chang (Taiwan) – KRW 61,934,000
- 2nd: Daniel Tang (United Kingdom) – KRW 44,030,000
- 3rd: Tomoyuki Yoshimiya (Japan) – KRW 28,830,000
- 4th: Hayato Kitajima (Japan) – KRW 22,190,000
- 5th: Yoshitomo Ishii (Japan) – KRW 17,570,000
- 6th: Dicky Tsang (Hong Kong) – KRW 13,740,000
- 7th: Xixiang Luo (China) – KRW 10,810,000
- 8th: Taishi Okazaki (Japan) – KRW 8,450,000
- 9th: Punnat Punsri (Thailand) – KRW 6,420,000
- 10th: Chung Ching Cheung (Hong Kong) – KRW 5,630,000
- 11th: Vincent Li (Hong Kong) – KRW 5,630,000
For Event #69: Last Chance High Roller Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Last Chance High Roller tournament page.
China's XiaoHui Wang Clinches Maiden Title Win in Event #70: Micro Main Event
China's XiaoHui Wang claimed his maiden live tournament title in Event #70 Micro Main Event
Boasting almost the exact same structure as the Main Event (and the Mini Main Event), only at a fraction of the price, the KRW 500,000 Event #70: Micro Main Event drew a field of 145 entries (114 unique).
Players competed over thirty-one 20-minute levels to stake their claim to a share of the KRW 63,292,500 (~USD $48,000) prize pool, with 20 of them successful in their endeavors.
It was China's XiaoHui Wang who claimed the Micro Main Event crown, defeating Japan's Yashiro Naoki heads-up to take a KRW 15,182,500 (~USD $11,515) top prize, his maiden live tournament title and the fourth-best cash prize of his tournament career.
Naoki took silver and a payout of KRW 10,320,000 (~USD $7,830) for his runner-up finish, with compatriot Fumiya Takeuchi completing the winner's triumvirate and taking KRW 6,800,000 (~USD $5,160) for third, with the final table paying out as follows:
MICRO MAIN EVENT FINAL TABLE RESULTS
- 1st: XiaoHui Wang (China) – KRW 15,182,500
- 2nd: Yashiro Naoki (Japan) – KRW 10,320,000
- 3rd: Fumiya Takeuchi (Japan) – KRW 6,800,000
- 4th: Naoki Yamashita (Japan) – KRW 5,620,000
- 5th: David Sablan (United States) – KRW 4,510,000
- 6th: Jianbiao Zhong (China) – KRW 3,540,000
- 7th: Tianyou Liu (China) – KRW 2,650,000
- 8th: Koji Nagasaka (Japan) – KRW 1,960,000
- 9th: Kenichi Shirai (Japan) – KRW 1,520,000
Sunday Super Stack champion Bastien Joly came up just shy of the final table, taking KRW 1,270,000 for tenth place.
Other notables to cash but come up short of the final nine included Taiwan's Hung Sheng Lin (19th for KRW 850,000), and Australia's Matthew Bevin (20th for KRW 850,000).
For Event #70: Micro Main Event Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Micro Main Event tournament page.
OMAHA ACTION
Japan's Shion Ogawa Scores Second Series Omaha Title in Event #68: Limit Omaha Hi-Lo
Japan's Shion Ogawa scored his second Series Omaha title in Event #68 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo
The last of the Series Omaha tournaments – the KRW 300,000 Event #68: Limit Omaha Hi-Lo saw 18 players in the running, all looking to claim the largest slice of the KRW 4,714,200 (~USD $3,575) prize pool.
The action played out over twenty-three 20-minute levels and saw the Series' first double Omaha champion crowned, with Japan's Shion Ogawa taking the title and the KRW 1,974,200 (~USD $1,500) top prize, defeating Hong Kong's Kevin Choi heads-up.
Choi – who finished runner-up in the Superstar Challenge and was making his fourth final table appearance of the Series – was forced to settle for second place once again, taking KRW 1,320,000 (USD $1,000) for his deep run.
Japan's Tadashi Takei took third place and a payout of KRW 850,000 (~USD $645), with compatriot Kenji Kurashina the only other player to make the money, taking KRW 570,000 (~USD $430) for fourth place.
LIMIT OMAHA HI-LO RESULTS
- 1st: Shion Ogawa (Japan) – KRW 1,974,200
- 2nd: Kevin Choi (Hong Kong) – KRW 1,320,000
- 3rd: Tadashi Takei (Japan) – KRW 850,000
- 4th: Kenji Kurashina (Japan) – KRW 570,000
For Event #68: Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Event #68: Limit Omaha Hi-Lo tournament page.
SIDE EVENT ACTION
Hong Kong's Ka Chun Tsui Claims Maiden Tournament Title in Event #67: Midnight Tick Tock
Hong Kong's Ka Chun Tsui claimed his maiden tournament title in the Event #67 Midnight Tick Tock
Playing out in the early hours of Sunday morning, the last of the Series' Midnight Tick Tocks – the KRW 300,000 Event #67: Midnight Tick Tock (Levels decrease every hour 20/15/10/5) – drew a 91-strong field (75 unique).
The action played out over thirty levels, with players duking it out for a share of the KRW 23,832,900 (~USD $18,080) prize pool.
It was Hong Kong's Ka Chun Tsui who clocked the win, defeating Japan's Yoshitsugu Kaneko heads-up to claim a KRW 6,232,900 (~USD $4,730) top prize and his maiden live tournament title.
Kaneko collected KRW 4,390,000 (~USD $3,330) for his runner-up finish, with Hong Kong's Wai Tung Lo rounding out the podium and taking KRW 2,900,000 (~USD $2,200) for third place.
A total of 14 players made the money, with the final table paying out as follows:
MIDNIGHT TICK TOCK FINAL TABLE RESULTS
- 1st: Ka Chun Tsui (Hong Kong) – KRW 6,232,900
- 2nd: Yoshitsugu Kaneko (Japan) – KRW 4,390,000
- 3rd: Wai Tung Lo (Hong Kong) – KRW 2,900,000
- 4th: Carlos Shiu (Canada) – KRW 2,280,000
- 5th: Karen Talamayan (Philippines) – KRW 1,840,000
- 6th: Nathamet Keeratithanyawit (Thailand) – KRW 1,430,000
- 7th: Tsz HIin Cheung (China) – KRW 1,130,000
- 8th: Alan Lau (Hong Kong) – KRW 880,000
- 9th: Shota Masuda (Japan) – KRW 670,000
For Event #67: Midnight Tick Tock Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Event #67 Midnight Tick Tock tournament page.
Natural8 Ambassador Kannapong "Tent" Thanarattrakul Claims Second APT Title in Event #71: Hyper Turbo
Natural8 Ambassador Kannapong "Tent" Thanarattrakul claimed his second APT title in Event #71 Hyper Turbo
The KRW 1,000,000 Event #71: Hyper Turbo got underway at 5pm local time, drawing 42 entries (35 unique) and generating a KRW 36,666,000 (~USD $27,800) prize pool.
The action played out over twenty-one turbo-charged 10-minute levels, with Natural8 Ambassador Kannapong "Tent" Thanarattrakul the man to camp atop the tournament leaderboard and claim the KRW 12,456,000 (~USD $9,450) top prize.
Thanarattrakul defeated Japan's Masaki Nakamura heads-up to claim his first title, and second cash of the Series, doubling his APT titles and claiming his first New Era victory.
Nakamura received KRW 8,620,000 (~USD $6,540) for his runner-up finish, with the USA's Jeff Gross taking third place and his third cash of the Series for KRW 5,500,000 (~USD $4,170).
A total of six players made the money, with the tournament paying out as follows:
HYPER TURBO RESULTS
- 1st: Kannapong Thanarattrakul (Thailand) – KRW 12,456,000
- 2nd: Masaki Nakamura (Japan) – KRW 8,620,000
- 3rd: Jeffrey Gross (United States) – KRW 5,500,000
- 4th: Lee Anne Ball (United Kingdom – KRW 4,220,000
- 5th: Kwok Chun Yip (Hong Kong) – KRW 3,300,000
- 6th: Xingbiao Zhu (China) – KRW 2,570,000
For Event #71: Hyper Turbo Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Event #71: Hyper Turbo tournament page.
Japan's Daisuke Yamada Claims Maiden Title in Event #72: Short Deck - Hyper Turbo
Japan's Daisuke Yamada claimed his maiden APT title in Event #72 Short Deck Hyper Turbo
One of the final tournaments on the schedule, the KRW 500,000 Event #72: Short Deck - Hyper Turbo drew a field of 31 entries (22 unique), who fought it out for a KRW13,531,500 (~USD $10,260) prize pool.
The action played out over twenty turbo-charged 10-minute levels, with Japan's Daisuke Yamada the man to take it down.
Yamada bested Taiwan's Chao Ting Cheng heads-up to claim the KRW 5,001,500 (~USD $3,800) top prize and make his maiden live tournament cash one to remember.
Cheng took silver and a payday of KRW 3,450,000 (~USD $2,615) for his runner-up finish, with APT regular Hon Cheong Lee rounding out the podium and taking KRW 2,200,000 (~USD $1,670) for third.
A total of five players made the money, with the tournament paying out as follows:
SHORT DECK HYPER TURBO RESULTS
- 1st: Daisuke Yamada (Japan) – KRW 5,001,500
- 2nd: Chao Ting Cheng (Taiwan) – KRW 3,450,000
- 3rd: Hon Cheong Lee (Hong Kong) – KRW 2,200,000
- 4th: Sechariah Sheng Quek (Singapore) – KRW 1,590,000
- 5th: Tien Loon Ling (Malaysia) – KRW 1,290,000
For Event #72: Short Deck - Hyper Turbo Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Event #72: Short Deck - Hyper Turbo tournament page page.
Taiwan's Fang Puyen Scores Incendiary Title Victory in Event #73: Tick Tock BOOM!
Taiwan's Puyen Fang claimed his maiden APT title in Event #73 Tick Tock BOOM!
The final Tick Tock tournament of the Series, the aptly titled KRW 200,000 Event #73: Tick Tock BOOM! (Levels decrease every hour 15/10/5/2) exploded into action at 8pm, drawing 93 entries (67 unique).
The action played out over fourty levels, with level length decreasing every hour until it reached the two-minute threshold, with players competing for a KRW 16,237,800 (~USD $12,315) prize pool.
It was Taiwan's Puyen Fang who bit off the win, defeating Hong Kong's Yan Shing "Anson" Tsang heads-up to deny the bracelet winner a second Series title and claim his maiden APT title victory in the process.
Fang collected a KRW 4,287,800 (~USD $3,250) top prize, with Tsang – who was making his sixth final table appearance of the Series – taking KRW 2,990,000 (~USD $2,270) for his runner-up finish.
France's Ludovic Debord rounded out the winner's podium, taking KRW 1,970,000 (~USD $1,500) for third place.
A total of 13 players made the money, with the final table paying out as follows:
TICK TOCK BOOM FINAL TABLE RESULTS
- 1st: Puyen Fang (Taiwan) – KRW 4,287,800
- 2nd: Yan Shing Tsang (Hong Kong) – KRW 2,990,000
- 3rd: Ludovic Debord (France) – KRW 1,970,000
- 4th: Shobu Oda (Japan) – KRW 1,550,000
- 5th: Julien Rouxel (France) – KRW 1,250,000
- 6th: Kim Wah Chiu (Singapore) – KRW 970,000
- 7th: Ryan Park (United States) – KRW 770,000
- 8th: Makoto Watanabe (Japan) – KRW 600,000
- 9th: Yuthana Boonorm (Thailand) – KRW 450,000
For Event #73: Tick Tock BOOM Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Event #73: Tick Tock BOOM! tournament page page.