Daeyoung Park

When the cards went in the air on the final day of the APT National Cup - Sponsored by DeepRun, Daeyoung Park was sitting tenth in chips with 1,205,000. By the time they stopped flying, he was the last man standing.

Park navigated a record-breaking field of 2,940 entries; the largest APT tournement ever played, defeating Yoong Shen Ding heads-up following an ICM deal to take home TWD 3,548,400 (~USD 113,730), the silver lion silhouette trophy, and a USD $10,000 APTC Main Event seat.

APT National Cup Final Table Results

*Reflects ICM deal

Final Day Action

148 players returned to their seats, already guaranteed a share of the TWD 28,929,600 (~USD 927,230) prize pool. Early on, the stacks were still playable and the eliminations came gradually, with familiar faces falling throughout the morning session.

Chien Chih Weng

Chien Chih Weng provided one of the early talking points, finding herself down to just 35,000 with a pay jump looming. She committed her stack from the small blind and was called by Ding in the big blind, who tabled pocket threes against her jack-seven. A jack on the flop kept her alive, and a seven on the river sealed the double; a small moment that would prove significant later, allowing her to ladder up to a 14th place exit for TWD 195,700 (~USD 6,270).

Rob Hollink was among the more notable casualties as the field thinned, running his king-queen into the ace-jack of Chia Ta Tsai and hitting the rail. Akshay Nasa came agonisingly close to the final table, only to run ace-four into Sunny Cheung's pocket aces and earn the unwanted title of final table bubble boy.

The Final Table

Top L-R: Li Chiang Lu, Sunny Cheung, Yongwon Jo, Yoong Shen Ding, Chu Yang Chiang Bottom L-R: Hsi Yung Du, Quang Trinh Do, Daeyoung Park, Wing Yin Szeto

With the final nine set, it was Quang Trinh Do who became the first to fall. After being crippled by Hsi Yung Du when a four on the turn gave Du a pair to overtake Do's ace-five, Do committed his last 125,000 in the very next hand and ran jack-four into Wing Yin Szeto's pocket nines, exiting in ninth for TWD 305,500 (~USD 9,790).

Szeto himself didn't last much longer. With a short stack, he found himself forced all-in from the big blind against Park's pocket eights, his pocket sixes unable to improve on a clean runout, ending his run in eighth for TWD 379,700 (~USD 12,170).

Wing Yin Szeto

Cheung was next to go, and in unfortunate fashion. With ace-high and the nut flush draw on the flop against Ding's king-eight, Cheung looked well placed for the double. The turn brought Ding a gutshot, and the river completed it: a runner-runner straight in the cruelest fashion sending Cheung out in seventh for TWD 541,400 (~USD 17,350).

A floor ruling played a central role in Li Chiang Lu's exit in sixth. Ding had attempted to min-raise without realising Lu had already put in a full raise, and when he tried to fold after his verbal announcement, the floor ruled his hand live and forced the raise to 10,400,000. Lu moved all-in and the two showed down, with Ding's queen-nine finding a pair on the turn to overtake Lu's pocket sevens. Lu departed in sixth for TWD 737,400 (~USD 23,635).

Li Chiang Lu

Hsi Yung Du fell in fifth when his ace-ten ran into Ding's dominating ace-queen, finding no help on the runout and taking TWD 1,018,600 (~USD 32,650) with him.

Four-handed, it was Yongwon Jo — the hooded mystery man who had been one of the most entertaining characters of the day — who bowed out in dramatic fashion. Park check-called Jo's continuation bet on the flop before immediately shoving the turn. Jo called off around 20,000,000 with ace-ten, only to see Park table king-nine for a pair. The river changed nothing, ending Jo's day in fourth for TWD 1,313,900 (~USD 42,110).

Yongwon Jo gave nothing away all day

Chu Yang Chiang went deep and fought hard, doubling through both Lu and Jo at key moments to stay alive, but ultimately couldn't overcome the two big stacks three-handed. He departed in third for TWD 1,733,700 (~USD 55,570).

Heads Up

When heads-up play began, the stacks were closely matched, with Park holding a marginal edge. The early exchanges were measured, with both players probing rather than committing, and Ding edged ahead after picking off a pair on the river to take one of the first meaningful pots.

Yoong Shen Ding

Park clawed back steadily, winning a succession of small pots and keeping the pressure on before a pivotal moment swung things dramatically in his favour. With Ding whittled down to around 20,000,000, Park shoved the button and Ding called with ten-eight suited against Park's eight-seven. Ding flopped top pair and looked set to double, but the turn and river both came tens — Park had made quads and suddenly held a commanding lead.

Park and Ding Agreed to an ICM Deal

With the stacks close enough to deal, the two players agreed to an ICM arrangement before continuing to play for the title, trophy, and APTC seat. After the handshake, Park picked up exactly where he left off, opening repeatedly and watching Ding fold, bleeding his stack away hand by hand. Ding made a stand with ace-king against Park's pocket jacks and flopped the nut flush to double back into contention.

It wasn't to be for Ding, however. In the final hand, he got his chips in ahead with ace-ten, looking good against Park's ace-six, only for Park to spike a six on the flop and river the nut flush to seal the win.

From tenth in chips at the start of the day to champion by the end of it: Daeyoung Park takes the title, the trophy, and everything that comes with it – including his maiden live tournament title and a career-high score almost 21,120 percent larger than his previous best result. Not bad for a couple of days of poker...