Zhendong Li Tames Pewter Lion on APT Debut in Tour's Richest Korean APT Super High Roller

China's Zhi Yuan Xu Wins APT's Largest & Richest Korean Mystery Bounty Hunter - Sponsored by Natural8, China's Yanfeng Wang Wins Richest-Ever Sunday Super Stack

Ben Wilson / 28 Apr 2024

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Zhendong Li Tames Pewter Lion on APT Debut in Tour's Richest Korean APT Super High Roller

APT JEJU 2024 SCHEDULE | OFFICIAL RESULTS | IMAGES | WINNERS | PLAYER LISTS

JEJU, SOUTH KOREA, April 28, 2024 – The first of the APT Jeju 2024's award-winning flagship lion trophies has been tamed, with China's Zhendong Li making his APT tournament debut one to remember, claiming the lion's share of the richest APT Super High Roller ever to play out in the country.

Playing out at the tournament tables of the world-class Landing Hotel & Casino, located in the luxurious Jeju Shinhwa Resort, just nine players out of the 67 total entries (53 unique) returned to action, all guaranteed a share of the KRW 831,872,000 (~USD 603,900) prize pool.

However, all remaining players had just one objective in mind; claiming the title, trophy, and the largest APT Super High Roller first place prize ever awarded in Korea.

While the field was not the largest, it was packed with some of the Asia-Pacific's top tournament players including bracelet winner Weiran "Kevin" Pu, APT Incheon High Roller champion Thanisorn Saelor, APT Taipei 2023 Main Event finalist Chih Wei Fan, China's Xixiang Luo, Hong Kong's Jeffrey Lo, and Malaysia's Anson Ewe – the latter of whom returned in the chip lead with a sizable 140 big blinds with which to make his play for the title.

APT SUPER HIGH ROLLER FINAL TABLE

SHR Finalists.jpg Top Row: (L-R): Xixiang Luo, Weiran Pu, Yuzhu Wang, Thanisorn Saelor. Bottom Row: (L-R) Jeffrey Lo, Anson Ewe, Chih Wei Fan, Chongxian Yang, Zhendong Li

It proved to be the field of dreams for APT newcomer Li, who had just one prior cash on his poker resume before this event. The Chinese player put on an engrossing final table performance, with his unorthodox style of play flummoxing some of his more experienced competition.

Li found himself heads-up for the title against seasoned Hong Kong tournament grinder Jeffrey Lo, who put on a short-stacked poker masterclass to reach this point after returning as the start-of-day short-stack with just 10 big blinds.

The two opted to flatten the payouts with an ICM deal that saw them both lock up a KRW 187,730,000 (~$136,300) payday, with the duo then playing it out for the remaining KRW 41,722,000 (~$30,300) in cash, plus the all-important trophy & title.

It was Li who emerged victorious, coming into the match with a slender six big blind lead which he extended to just over a 3-to-1 lead 18 hands into the battle after pushing Lo off a sizable pot.

The Chinese player cemented the win seven hands later after Lo's daring three-barrel bluff backfired, with Li calling him down with a turned top pair to claim a career-best KRW 229,452,000 (~$166,600) top prize.

While Lo will be understandably disappointed to have come so close to the title himself and come up short, the Hong Kong native will not be unhappy with banking the second-largest score of his playing career, with the tournament paying out as follows:

APT SUPER HIGH ROLLER RESULTS

PlaceNameCountryPrize
1Zhendong LiChinaKRW 229,452,000
2Jeffrey LoChinaKRW 187,730,000
3Anson EweMalaysiaKRW 113,550,000
4Xixiang LuoChinaKRW 85,680,000
5Chih Wei FanTaiwanKRW 66,550,000
6Weiran "Kevin" PuChinaKRW 51,580,000
7Chongxian YangChinaKRW 40,760,000
8Thanisorn SaelorThailandKRW 31,610,000
9Yuzhu WangChinaKRW 24,960,000

For APT Super High Roller Results please CLICK HERE.

All tournament information can be found on the APT Super High Roller Final Day tournament page.

You can follow the action in more detail via the APT Blog. You can also watch the action as it played out via the APT Super High Roller Live Stream using the following links:

China's Zhi Yuan Xu Wins APT's Largest & Richest Korean Mystery Bounty Hunter - Sponsored by Natural8

Event #8_ Mystery Bounty Hunter champion Zhi Yuan Xu.jpg China's Zhi Yuan Xu claimed his maiden APT title in Event #8: Mystery Bounty Hunter - Sponsored by Natural8

The APT's largest-ever Korean-based Mystery Bounty Hunter tournament has crowned a champion.

The second of the day's record-setting events – the KRW 1M Event #8: Mystery Bounty Hunter - Sponsored by Natural8 - KRW 300,000,000 GTD – saw 73 players from an initial field of 511 entries (297 unique) return to action.

All returning survivors were guaranteed a KRW 1,016,000 (~USD 800) share of the KWR 292,803,000 (~USD 212,640) prize pool – the richest the tour has awarded in Korea.

With the mystery bounties kicking in, and the top bounty of KRW 30,000,000 (~USD 21,830) up for grabs there was all to play for.

It was China's Zhi Yuan Xu who claimed the accolades, taking away a KRW 42,355,000 (~USD 30,750) top prize after cutting a three-way ICM chop, with opponent's Junjie He and Che Chun Chu locking up KRW 39,205,000 (~USD 28,460), and KRW 37,561,000 (~USD 27,270) respectively, with the trio then playing it out for the remaining KRW 11.4 million in bounties.

In addition to claiming the title and trophy, Xu earned a further KRW 12.4 million (~USD 9,000) in bounties, collecting four scalps on his way to victory – making this the second-largest score of his poker career.

While Xu took the glory, it was seventh-place finisher Hao Zhang of China who pulled the biggest bounty, scalping seven players in total on his way to the final table for an additional KRW 37 million (~USD 26,860) in bounty payouts.

Third-place finisher Chu collected the most scalps, busting nine players in total to take a further KRW 12.5 million (~USD 9,075) in bounty payouts.

For all Mystery Bounty Hunter Bounty Awards please CLICK HERE

MYSTERY BOUNTY FINAL TABLE RESULTS

PlaceNameCountryPrize
1Zhi Yuan XuChinaKRW 42,355,000
2Junjie HeChinaKRW 39,205,000
3Che Chun ChuTaiwanKRW 37,561,000
4Stephen HoneyUnited KingdomKRW 20,086,000
5Andrei KimRussiaKRW 15,752,000
6Chih Hsiang ChihTaiwanKRW 12,374,000
7Hao ZhangChinaKRW 9,236,000
8Man Lok ChanMacauKRW 6,396,000
9Hsien-Lee ChuTaiwanKRW 5,051,000

Notables to cash but come up short of a place in the final nine included former Mystery Bounty champion Jereld Sam (42nd for KRW 1,225,000, former APT Manila Main Event champion Feng Zhao (45th for 1,225,000), Germany's Manig Loeser (51st for KRW 1,225,000), and APT Taipei 2023 Mystery Bounty champion Kiwanont Sukhum (70th for KRW 1,106,000).

Mystery Bounty Hunter Results can be viewed on the OFFICIAL RESULTS SPREADSHEET.

For more in-depth coverage of how all the Mystery Bounty Hunter action played out check out the APT Blog.

All tournament information can be found on the Mystery Bounty Hunter Final Day tournament page.

China's Yanfeng Wang Wins Richest-Ever Sunday Super Stack for KRW 259M (~USD 37K)

Event #17_ Sunday Super Stack champion Yanfeng Wang.jpg Yanfeng Wang claimed his maiden live tournament title in the richest-ever Sunday Super Stack

All the APT record-breaking action was not exclusive to the Super High Roller and Mystery Bounty Hunter tournaments, with the KRW 1.1M Event #17: Sunday Super Stack setting a new APT prize pool record for the tournament, and a new APT country record for field size.

The tournament drew a respectable 270 entries (218 unique), making it the largest of the tour's Korean-based Sunday Super Stack events.

This generated a KRW 259,281,000 (~USD 188,240) prize pool – the richest in the tournament's history – with the action playing out over thirty-three 20-minute levels.

It is China's Yanfeng Wang who will be etching him name into the APT record books, defeating compatriot Hui Tang heads-up to claim a career-best KRW 51,981,000 (~USD 37,740) top prize, earning his maiden live tournament title in the process.

Tang took KRW 34,560,000 (~USD 25,090) for his runner-up finish, with Japan's Keita Kitamura completing the winner's podium and collecting KRW 25,280,000 (~USD 18,350) for third place.

Singapore's Jereld Sam followed up his cash in the Mystery Bounty Hunter with his first final table showing of the series, cashing in ninth place for KRW 5,420,000 (~USD 3,935).

A double bust out on the money bubble saw 40 players make the paying positions, with places 39 & 40 chopping a min cash, with the final table paying out as follows:

SUNDAY SUPER STACK FINAL TABLE RESULTS

PlaceNameCountryPrize
1Yanfeng WangChinaKRW 51,981,000
2Hui TangChinaKRW 34,560,000
3Keita KitamuraJapanKRW 25,280,000
4Hattori MasatoJapanKRW 20,410,000
5Xiao LiuChinaKRW 16,000,000
6Zong Chi HeTaiwanKRW 12,110,000
7Jie WuChinaKRW 8,890,000
8Shinya NakaiJapanKRW 6,530,000
9Jereld SamSingaporeKRW 5,420,000

China's Dongsheng Xia (10th for KRW 4,540,000) narrowly missed out on a place in the final nine, with other notables to cash but come up short of the final table including Hong Kong's Ka Chun Tsui (27th for KRW 2,280,000), New Zealand's Tae Hoon Han (33rd for KRW 1,790,000), and France's Alexandre Viard (40th for KRW 895,000).

For Sunday Super Stack Player List please CLICK HERE

For Sunday Super Stack Results please CLICK HERE

All tournament information can be found on the Sunday Super Stack tournament page

SIDE EVENT ACTION

Philippines Marc Rivera Wins Second Series Title in Event #18: Single Day High Roller

Event #18_ Single Day High Roller champion Marc Rivera3.jpg Marc Rivera bagged his second title of the series in Event #18: Single Day High Roller

Marc Rivera demonstrated just why he sits at #1 on the Philippines' All-Time Money List, overcoming a stacked field in the KRW 4M Event #18: Single Day High Roller.

The action kicked off at 11:15am local time and attracted 92 entries (75 unique), generating a KRW 321,264,000 (~USD 233,240) prize pool.

In addition to Rivera, the field boasted poker luminaries the likes of Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, Germany's Manig Loeser, the USA's Christian Harder, triple bracelet winner Yan Shing "Anson" Tsang, and Natural8 Ambassadors Phachara Wongwichit, Punnat Punsri, and Yu Chung "Nevan" Chang to name but a few.

However, Rivera would not be denied, triumphing over Tsang heads-up to claim the KRW 84,314,000 (~USD 61,210) top prize – earning his second title of the series and fourth career APT title in the process.

Tsang, who finished second in the All-Star Challenge on the opening day of the festival, was once again forced to settle for second best, earning KRW 59,110,000 (~USD 42,915) for his runner-up finish.

It was Wongwichit who rounded out the winner's podium, collecting KRW 39,030,000 (~USD 28,335) for third-place.

Fellow ambassador Chang (5th for KRW 24,740,000) also made a final table showing, as did Loeser (6th for KRW 19,280,000).

Hong Kong's Tsz Him Chan narrowly missed out on making the final table, cashing in 10th place for KRW 7,390,000, with US crusher Harder (11th for KRW 7,390,000) also making the money and the tournament paying out as follows:

SDHR RESULTS

PlaceNameCountryPrize
1Marc RiveraPhilippinesKRW 84,314,000
2Yan Shing "Anson" TsangHong KongKRW 59,110,000
3Phachara WongwichitThailandKRW 39,030,000
4Guangcheng ChenChinaKRW 30,680,000
5Yu Chung "Nevan" ChangTaiwanKRW 24,740,000
6Manig LoeserGermanyKRW 19,280,000
7Wing Po LiuHong KongKRW 15,260,000
8Chunqing WangChinaKRW 11,890,000
9Junqiang LyuChinaKRW 9,000,000
10Tsz Him ChanHong KongKRW 7,390,000
11Christian HarderUnited StatesKRW 7,390,000
12Xianchao ShenChinaKRW 6,590,000
13Fei WangChinaKRW 6,590,000

For Single Day High Roller Player List please CLICK HERE

For Single Day High Roller Results please CLICK HERE

All tournament information can be found on the Event #18: Single Day High Roller tournament page.

All the remaining side event action from Day 3 of the festival will be posted to the APT Jeju 2024 News Section on Monday, April 29, although all results are available by clicking on the respective tournament in the APT Jeju 2024 Schedule.

You can catch up on the side event action from Day 2 of the festival (Saturday, April 27) HERE.

For further information, please contact Press@APT.Poker or visit www.APT.Poker.

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