Shintaro Sato

After a marathon Day 4 inside the LES A Casino, the APT Jeju Classic Main Event has reached its final table, capping off yet another record-setting chapter in Korean poker history.

The Main Event drew a huge 1,718 entries, officially surpassing the previous benchmark of 1,693 set just four months earlier and making it the largest poker tournament ever held in South Korea. The turnout generated a KRW 3,414,009,600 (~USD 2,370,840) prize pool, marking the second-largest Main Event prize pool ever awarded by the APT in Korea, and further cementing Jeju’s place as one of the tour’s most reliable record-breaking stops.

From that historic field, only nine players now remain, each guaranteed at least KRW 42,910,000 (~USD 29,800), with the eventual champion set to collect KRW 579,649,600 (~USD 402,535) and add their name to a growing list of APT Main Event winners. With multiple records already secured before a single card is dealt at the final table, the stakes could hardly be higher.

Eleven demanding levels were required to reach the final nine, with mounting pressure as pay jumps increased and the bubble approached. By the time play concluded, Japan’s Shintaro Sato had surged into the chip lead, bagging 17,175,000 chips, good for nearly a quarter of those in play.

Final Table Chip Counts

Behind Sato, the final table shapes up with a clear upper tier. Romania’s Christian Tabac sits closest to the summit with a stack that keeps maximum pressure on the leader, while Zu You Wang and Lei Zhang give China two serious contenders inside the top four.

With plenty of chips in play and no one yet out of reach, the early stages of the finale promise room for maneuvering rather than immediate desperation.

The dynamic shifts sharply further down the counts. William Li occupies the middle ground with workable depth, while Quang Minh Nguyen and Haohui Ma return needing momentum to climb the ladder.

At the short end, Arita Naohiro faces an immediate uphill task, and Yuefeng Pan arrives at the final table in extraordinary circumstances, left with just a single green chip after a brutal late collapse, creating one of the most extreme short-stack situations seen at an APT Main Event final table.

Quang Minh Nguyen

Among the final nine, Nguyen has a chance to make APT history. After winning the APT Super High Roller in Taipei last year, Nguyen now has the opportunity to become the first player to capture two Mega Lion trophies. While he returns to the final table as one of the shorter stacks, another deep run would add a unique milestone to an already impressive APT resume.

Day 4 Action

The day began with 47 hopefuls all looking to make their way into the final nine. Within just a few hands, Kevin Tang picked up pocket sevens and dispatched Shojiro Morita as the first elimination of the day, who couldn't catch up with his pocket fives.

Though he bagged the chip lead, the day didn't start well for Sato as he four-bet bluffed the turn with pocket threes and was called by the king-jack of Yixi Tang, who had turned trip jacks. No three came on the river, and Sato's stack was dented in the opening level.

Ma and Nguyen both made it to the final table, but perhaps Ma can count himself lucky after a clash between the two earlier in the day. During Level 31, Ma had his stack in the middle with pocket nines and was up against the pocket queens of Nguyen. Just as it seemed his day would be over, Ma flopped a set and turned quads to ignite his run to the final table.

Haohui Ma

With sixteen players remaining, it was Pan who was at the top of the counts with a huge stack, but he will start the final table with only one of the smallest denomination chips in play in his stack after a late clash with Sato.

Both Sato and Pan had flopped a pair of kings and checked to the turn, where Pan bet big. Pan bet again on the river, leaving himself just the one chip behind, and Sato called with a superior kicker to take the pot and earn the chip lead.

Yuefeng Pan

The bubble finally burst after thirty-two hands of hand-for-hand play, underlining just how much was at stake in a Main Event defined by its sheer scale. Yasuhiro Yamamoto’s elimination in tenth place officially set the final table, bringing an end to one of the longest and most pressure-filled days of the tournament.

Final Table Payouts

All nine finalists have locked up KRW 42,910,000, with pay jumps increasing steadily as the table shortens. A six-figure payout in USD only comes into play from fourth place onward, while the eventual champion will earn KRW 579,649,600 and claim the APT Gold Lion trophy, along with a seat at the APT Championship Main Event in November.

With records already secured, the APT Jeju Classic Main Event now turns its attention to crowning a champion. Sato returns with the chip lead, but with deep stacks throughout the table and extreme short stacks in play, the finale promises volatility from the opening hand.

APT Main Event Gold Lion Trophy

Play will resume with the clock rolled back to Level 34 (125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 big blind ante) to ensure the final table begins with an average stack of at least 30 big blinds. Cards will be in the air at 11:15 AM with the Main Event final table streamed live, allowing fans to follow every hand as the record-breaking tournament plays down to a champion.

One final table remains. One trophy is still unclaimed. And in a tournament that has already rewritten the Korean poker record books, one last milestone is left to be set.

That's the final table set!

Stay tuned for a recap of Day 4 to see how it all unfolded.

Yasuhiro Yamamoto

Yasuhiro Yamamoto shoved for 600,000 from under the gun and Zu You Wang called from the big blind.

Yasuhiro Yamamoto: Q 6

Zu You Wang: 9 6

Yamamoto was in a commanding position to remain in contention, but the 6 2 9 flop gave Wang two pair and the lead.

A queen is what Yamamoto needed, however it was Wang that improved further as the 9 turn gave him a full house. There was no card that could save Yamamoto, but a Q did give him a little needle as he made his exit in tenth.

Shintaro Sato

Mihai Tabac raised to 1,000,000 from under the gun and was called by Shintaro Sato from directly behind and Yuefeng Pan in the small blind for a three-way pot.

Action checked through on the K 9 T flop, but Pan led out for 2,300,000 after the T paired the board on the turn. Tabac got out of the way and Sato called.

The 3 completed the board and Pan bet 200,000, leaving himself a single t-25,000 denomination chip behind. Sato just called and Pan turned over K J for kings-up with a jack kicker.

Sato revealed K Q for the same two pair with a queen kicker and was sent the pot, leaving Pan far and away the short stack with just a fraction of a big blind.

The remaining 10 players are heading on a 10-minute break.

Haohui Ma

Haohui Ma was all in again for 750,000 from the button and Arita Naohiro shoved the small blind for 8,000,000. Zu You Wang was in the big blind and called off his stack of around 6,000,000.

Haohui Ma: Q T

Zu You Wang: J J

Arita Naohiro: 2 2

Wang woke up with pocket jacks at a great time and was poised to more than double up. Ma was at risk and needed to beat both of his opponents in order to survive.

The flop of 9 7 Q was all Ma as he flopped a queen to take the lead. A 7 on the turn offered no assistance to anybody, and neither did the K river, meaning Ma tripled, Wang doubled, and Naohiro's stack took a pounding.

Haogui Ma shoved all in for 450,000 in the cutoff and Zu You Wang shoved from the small blind.

Haohui Ma: 8 7

Zu You Wang: 6 5

Ma was no doubt thankful to Wang for shoving and pushing out the big blind. It may not have mattered, though, as Ma made a flush on the Q Q A J 2 board to survive.

Zu You Wang

Arita Naohiro limped in from the small blind and Zu You Wang made it 1,000,000 from the big blind. Naohiro then shoved 4,200,000, and Wang snap-called.

Arita Naohiro: J J

Zu You Wang: A K

It was a flip, and one that Naohiro needed to win otherwise he would be the final table bubble boy.

The flop of Q 9 2 was no help to Wang, and neither was the 4 turn. Only an ace or a king could bring the around the final table, but the 2 fell on the river, keeping Naohiro alive.

William Li just checked back the nut flush, and he was right to do so!

Li opened the cutoff and Christian Tabac called from the big blind.

The flop came 6 5 4 and both opted to check to the 7 turn. Tabac led out for 400,000, Li made it 1,800,000, and Tabac called.

When the 4 hit the river, Tabac checked it over, and after some time thinking, Li checked it back.

Tabac then revealed a full house with 6 4 , and Li showed his A 8 for the nut flush before it got mucked.

Shintaro Sato

Shintaro Sato opened to 600,000 from the cutoff and called a three-bet to 2,300,000 from Quang Minh Nguyen, who was in the big blind, for an inflated heads-up pot.

Sato then called an 800,000 bet from Nguyen on the K 6 2 flop and an 850,000 bet from Nguyen on the A turn.

Both players checked on the J river and Nguyen showed 9 9 .

Sato let out a sigh of relief as he tabled K Q for a pair of kings and was awarded the massive pot.

"Would you have folded if I shoved?" Nguyen inquired.

"I don't know!" Sato replied.