Yiheng Luo

The APT Jeju 2025 notched up another gear on its fourth day of the festival here in the Landing Casino in Jeju Shinwaworl Resort, Jeju, Korea.

Running from September 26 to October 5, the series hosts 100 events with KRW 4.9 billion (~USD 3.4 million) in guaranteed prize money.

One of the highly anticipated events of the series is the Baby Superstar Challenge that comes with a KRW 10,000,000 (~USD 7,170) buy-in.

A total of 64 entries ponied up the fee and generated a juicy KRW 571,392,000 (~USD 405,240) prize pool, making it the third largest attendance for this event held in the new era, and the largest the tour has ever run in Korea.

Only the top nine places would earn a share of the payout pie, with all eyes focused on the top prize of KRW 166,562,000 (~USD 118,130).

That champion's purse would eventually be awarded to Yihen Luo, who at one point in the final table was down to less than one big blind.

However, some timely double-ups to gave Luo the chip lead and saw the Chinese player ultimately emerge as the Baby Superstar Challenge champion and claim a tournament score over 417 percent larger than his previous career-best. Not bad for a single day event...

FINAL TABLE ACTION

It took five hours after registration closed before the double bubble burst on China's Hahoui Ma, whose elimination guaranteed the remaining field a place in the paying postions and the nine-handed final table.

Germany's Martin Finger was the first casualty of the final table when his pocket kings were outdrawn by the ace-ten suited of Xiaoyun Shi who hit trip tens to send Finger out in ninth place.

Paulis Plausinaitis of Lithuana survived some near eliminations, but his luck finally ran out when his king-jack couldn't improve past the ace-five of China's Mingcong Chen.

Seventh place fell to China's Guo Liang Wei in an unlucky manner. Wei made the right call on the flop with his king top pair against the bullying jam from the pocket eights of Mingcong Chen. However, Chen spiked his two-outer on the river to give him a set.

Joseph Cheong of the USA and China's Xiaochun Shi were eliminated simultaneously by Luo, who fulfilled his crazy comeback from less than a small blind to score a double KO when his kings held against the ace-queen of Cheong and the ace-jack of Shi. By virtue of stack size, Shi was out in sixth, while Cheong took fifth place.

Shengnan Wang was short-stacked most of the final table and managed to make a fourth place exit by avoiding all the shoving. His last play though wasn't rewarded when his dominant ace-jack was crushed by the ace-eight suited of Luo, whi hit running spades to make the nut flush.

Poseidon Ho of Taiwan had a prominent chip stack entering the final table, but only managed to go as high as third place, falling at the hands of Luo.

Mingcong Chen

The final heads-up took roughly an hour with both moving all-in on a flop where both players had paired their mid-pair nine. However, Luo held the better kicker to win the tournament and claim the top prize and title.

BABY SUPERSTAR CHALLENGE PAYOUTS

Yiheng Luo

Yiheng Luo Wins the Baby Superstar Challenge for KRW 166,562,000 ($118,130) after around an hour of heads up play.

The full recap will be posted shortly.

Mincong Chen

Mincong Chen and YiHeng Luo had built a pot of nearly 600,000, overlooking a flop that showed J 9 2

Small blind Chen checked his option to Luo, who pushed 225,000 across the betting line.

Chen took a moment before raising all-in for 1,400,000. Luo asked for a count and made a confident call.

Chen showed 9 7 pairing the nine. However, Luo showed Q 9 , also pairing the nine, but with a more dominant kicker.

The runout of T 4 did not improve Chen, crowning Luo as the Baby Superstar Challenge champion and leaving Mincong Chen to collect KRW 119,990,000 ($85,100)

Stay tuned. An entire recap of the event will follow.

YiHeng Luo raised to 300,000 and Mingcong Chen called.

The 4 5 9 flop was checked through to the T turn and again to the 2 river.

Chen bet 150,000 and Luo called. Chen showed K 4 and Luo mucked.

The momentum shifted further when Chen opened to 300,000 and Luo called.

The 8 T 4 flop was checked by Luo and Chen bet 200,000. Luo called taking them to the T turn.

Luo led out this time and bet 500,000 which Chen called.

Luo bet again on the T river and Chen used a time bank before mucking his hand.

Chen lost more chips after Luo opened to 300,000 and Chen called.

The 3 4 J flop saw Chen check, Luo bet 225,000 and Chen raise to 600,000. Luo made the call.

Chen checked the 5 turn and Luo moved all in for around 2,950,000 which more than covered Chen.

Chen went into the tank and threw his J Q into the muck.

The two players are on a short 15-minute break. They will return to play at 01:37 a.m.

YiHeng Luo limp-called the small blind after Mingcong Chen raised to 300,000.

Luo bet out on the T 8 7 flop, to 175,000 and Chen check-called.

A 3 turn saw both players check to the A river.

Chen bet 525,000 and Luo folded, passing a small pot to Chen.

A few hands later, Luo lost some more.

Luo limped and Chen checked.

Both checked the 2 T 5 flop to see the 6 turn.

Luo bet 150,00 and Chen called.

Both checked the K river to get to showdown and Chen showed 9 5 which was enough to make Luo muck.

Just before the break, Chen kept the slight lead but Luo wasn't far behind.

Mingcong Chen limped the small blind and YiHeng Luo checked the big blind.

The 2 9 7 flop was checked by Luo and Chen bet 100,000.

Luo made the call and the players saw the 5 turn.

Both checked to the Q river and Yi check-folded, after Chen bet 200,000.

Heads-up battle begins between Mingcong Chen and YiHeng Luo.

YiHeng Luo is ahead with around 8,000,000 to the 2,000,000 of Chen.

In the very first hand of heads-up, Mingcong Chen jammed all-in and was snap-called by YiHeng Luo.

YiHeng Luo: A 7

Mingcong Chen: K J

Luo was ahead and in good shapre to claim the championship.

The poker gods had other ideas and threw out a board of 8 Q J K 8 to give Chen two pair and an important double-up.

Poseidon Ho

YiHeng Luo shoved all-in from the small blind and Poseidon Ho risked his last 500,000 or so chips to defend the big blind.

YiHeng Luo: K 3

Poseidon Ho: Q 5

The flop arrived K 4 4 extending Luo's lead with a pair and leaving Ho drawing thin.

The 3 turn had Ho drawing dead and the A on the river was a formality to ensure the elimination of Ho in third place for KRW 78,000,000 ($55,320).

Mingcong Chen and YiHeng Luo were looking at a board that showed T 4 7 2

Chen check-called the 325,000 bet of Luo to open a A on the river.

Both checked for a showdown.

Chen tabled 5 4 for a pair of fours while Luo mucked.