Peng Chen

The KRW 3,000,000 Zodiac Classic - Sponsored By Natural8 has crowned its champion, with Peng Chen from China emerging victorious at the top of the podium after he outlasted a field of 238 entrants (187 unique) to claim the top prize of KRW 131,792,000 (~$96,940), along with the coveted APT lion silhouette trophy.

APT Jeju continues to break records and the prize pool of KRW 623,322,000 (~USD 458,390) is the richest the Zodiac Classic has generated in South Korea. Prize pool records usually go hand-in-hand with the largest first prize and this is no exception as the winner's purse also sets a new APT country record for the tournament.

Chen faced off against Hong Kong’s Jason Chau in a heads-up match that lasted just two hands and saw the Chinese native come out on top.

Final Table Results

Day 1 witnessed a total of 158 entries (136 unique), with 98 players successfully bagging up a stack to carry through to Day 2. However, the number of entries grew to 238 as registration remained open for an additional two levels at the beginning of Day 2. There would be 31 players securing the min-cash of KRW 5,490,000 (~$4,040). Germany’s Samuel Tebege earned the unfortunate title of bubble boy after his pocket nines succumbed to the ace-king of eventual champion Chen.

After the money bubble burst, it took an additional four 30-minute levels to reach the final table, with Chen being the one to burst another bubble when his king-ten held up against the queen-eight of China’s Zejun Liu.

On the very first hand of the final table, Chau scored a double knockout after being dealt pocket aces, which held up against the kings of Yuzhu Wang and the ace-queen of Vietnam’s Tran Trung Hieu. A clean runout for Chau’s rockets spelled the end of Hieu in ninth place, earning KRW 13,460,000 ($9,900), and Wang in eighth place, taking home KRW 16,270,000 ($11,970), as Wang had slightly more chips at the start of the hand. This favorable cooler for Chau propelled him into the chip lead, a position he held for the majority of the final table.

Yuzhu Wang

Before the dust had even settled from that double elimination, another player was knocked out in the same orbit. This time, it was China’s Jianming Luo who headed to the cashier’s desk in seventh place after his ace-jack was unable to beat the pocket queens of Hsing Hsiung Tai. Luo earned KRW 22,250,000 (~$16,324) for his deep run.

It took significantly longer for the next player to exit the tournament due to several short stack double-ups. However, unfortunately for China’s Longxaing Xu, he was the next to visit the payout desk. After losing a few pots and becoming severely short stacked, he found himself at risk with king-two against Chen's king-queen. A queen on the flop sealed his fate, and he exited the tournament, collecting KRW 30,480,000 (~$22,420) for finishing in sixth place.

Tsu Lin Tsao of Taiwan secured a score of KRW 40,140,000 (~$29,525) for his impressive fifth place performance in this event. Tsao remained short stacked from the time the money bubble burst until his elimination when he three-bet jammed ace-king out of the big blind and couldn’t find any help against the pocket sevens of Tae Hoon Han.

Hsing Hsiung Tai

Finishing just shy of a podium finish was Taiwan’s Tai. He briefly held the chip lead with four players left after hitting a straight on the river against Chau's top and bottom pair. However, a few hands later, Tai found himself in another significant pot against Chau, but this time it was Chau who miraculously rivered a flush to survive, leaving Tai's stack in life support mode. Ultimately, Tai three-bet shoved with ace-six and ran into Chau's pocket kings. Tai would have to settle for KRW 50,740,000 (~$37,320) for his run in the tournament.

When three-handed play began, Chau held close to fifty percent of the chips in play, but a few ill-timed bluffs reduced that number to around forty percent. In the biggest pot of the tournament, Chen four-bet shoved with ace-queen from the button, only to be called by Chau's pocket sevens. A queen in the window catapulted Chen into the chip lead, a position he maintained until the end. His next victim and third-place finisher, earning KRW 62,580,000 (~$46,030) was Han of New Zealand. Han hit a king on the flop with big slick against Chen's pocket queens, but a brutal two-outer on the river abruptly ended Han’s tournament.

At the start of heads-up play, Chen held about a four-to-one chip advantage. But in the second hand, Chen managed to outdraw Chau’s king-nine with jack-seven, securing the title of APT Jeju, Zodiac Classic - Sponsored By Natural8 champion. Chau took home KRW 88,760,000 ($65,285) for his second-place finish, while Chen claimed a whopping KRW 131,792,000 ($96,940) along with the silhouette lion trophy for his masterful performance.

Join us tomorrow at 11:15 AM local time for coverage of both the APT Main Event Final Day and Day 1 of the APT High Roller.

Sai Hang Chau

Sai Hang Chau has been eliminated in 2nd place for KRW 88,760,000 (~$65,285).

On the second hand of the Heads-up, Chau open-shoved for 2,000,000 and was at risk after Peng Chen made the call.

Chen J 7

Chau K 9

The board ran 3 7 6 3 A , Chen hit a seven on the flop which held to win, eliminating Chau in 2nd place.

Tae Hoon Han

Tae Hoon Han has been eliminated in 3rd place for KRW 62,580,000 (~$46,030)

Tae Hoon Han open-shoved all in for 900,000, and Peng Chen made the call in the big blind to put him at risk.

Han A K

Chen Q Q

The board ran 6 K J J Q Chen spiked a queen on the river and eliminated Han in 3rd place.

Peng Chen wins the Zodiac Classic -Sponsored By Natural8 for KRW 131,792,000 (~$96,940).

A full recap of the day's action will follow shortly.

Here are the chip counts going into heads-up.

When we got to the table Peng Chen had four-bet shoved from the button over a Jason Chau three-bet from the big blind. Chau called and the cards were revelaed.

Chau 7 7

Chen A Q

This pot was for 5,700,000 and Chau had a chance to enter heads-up play with an overwhelming chip advantage. However, the 3 4 Q flop catupulted Chen into the lead with a pair of queens. The 2 turn and 2 river cemented the full double for Chen.

_Hsing Hsiung Tai _

Hsing Hsiung Tai been eliminated in 4th place for KRW 50,740,000 (~$37,320).

Sai Hang Chau opened to 160,000, and Tai shoved Allin for 950,000. Tai snap called.

Tai A 6

Chau K K

The board ran J Q 4 8 8 no help for Tai and he will be eliminated by Chau in 4th place.

Jason Chau

When we got to the table Jason Chau had bet out 500,000 on a board of 7 J 8 Q . He was met by a shove all in for about 2,400,000 by Jsing Hsiung Tai. Chau was visibly distressed by how the action had unfolded. Eventually, he made the call for his remaining 1,300,000 million.

Chau A K

Tai Q J

Tai was ahead but Chau had a lot of outs going to the river. The river came the 6 giving Chau the flush. With that he had just won the biggest pot of the tournament. Tai was now the shortest stack at the table.

The action started with Peng Chen opening up for 125,000 in the button and was 3-bet by Sai Hang Chau of 250,000.

Chen did not slow down the action and put in the 4-bet of 600,000. Chau tanked for a minute and tossed his hand into the muck.

Hsing Hsiung Tai

Jason Chau opened win a min-raise from the button and Hsing Hsiung Tai defended from the big blind.

Tai checked the 6 5 4 flop and Chau fired a continuation bet of 125,000. Tai then check-raised to 375,000 with about 650,000 behind. Chau immediately shoved all in for around 4,000,000. After deliberating for almost a minute, Tai made the call for the rest of his stack.

Tai K 7

Chau A 4

Tai had a lot of outs available for him to stay alive, but the A turn was not one of them and he was left needing either a three or an eight to make a straight. The river was the 3 giving Tai the straight and keeping him alive in the tournament. Chau is still chip-leading with four left, but had he faded that river he would have had over 60% of the chips in play.