#16: APT Main Event - TWD 30,000,000 GTD - Final Day

Punnat Punsri

The record-breaking APT Taipei Main Event has been won by Punnat Punsri of Thailand. Punsri was the last man standing from the huge field of 1,434 entries and takes home TWD 11,210,400 ($365,270) for his first-place finish after defeating South Korea's Soo Bum Kim in a heads-up duel that stretched over four levels. Kim put up a valiant effort despite coming into heads-up play at a thirteen-to-one chip disadvantage and takes home TWD 6,375,500 ($207,730) for his runner-up finish.

The Main Event created a huge prize pool of TWD 62,594,100 ($2,039,630) which would be the highest-ever for a poker tournament in Taiwan and broke records for both field size and prize money for APT Main Events.

The day started with seventeen players still in contention with Punsri coming in as the day's chip leader. It took four sixty-minute levels to eliminate the eight players we needed to reach the final table with Natural8 Ambassador Kitty Kuo being one of them as she fell just short of the final table in sixteenth. Both Naoki Matsumoto and Chi Wang would be eliminated at almost the exact same time on the final two tables as they finished eleventh and tenth respectively.

As we reached the final table one of the first notable pots went the way of eventually runner-up Kim as he doubled with pocket queens against the ace-king of Joshua Tan. The Malaysian player would then be eliminated by Hong Kong's Tung Wing Wong when his pocket jacks couldn't overcome the ace-queen of Wong, taking home TWD 823,500 ($26,830) for his ninth-place finish.

Lester Edoc was attempting to make history and become the first player to take down three APT Main Event titles as he tangled in a pot with Chih Wei Fan. The Taiwanese player five-bet shoved pocket aces and Edoc made the call with pocket kings. Edoc wouldn't be able to hit his two outer and Fan took the pot worth over eleven million as Edoc tumbled down the leaderboard.

Chih Wei Fan

Fan would be the recipient of some chips later on as he eliminated the other Malaysian player at the table, Ben Loo, when his ace-king was no match for Loo's ace-queen. Loo had already won an APT title this series when he took down the Freezeout event for TWD 786,675 ($25,565) and adds TWD 1,074,500 ($35,010) to that total for his eighth-place finish in the Main Event.

It would be Fan to fall next in spectacular fashion when he six-bet shoved ace-five into chip leader Punsri, who was holding pocket aces. At the time of this hand taking place, Fan was sitting second in the leaderboard with himself and Punsri well clear of third and seemingly cruising along. There would be no miracle runout for Fan as all of his chips were sent Punsri's way and he would finish seventh for TWD 1,517,100 ($49,430).

Lester Edoc

There would be no third Main Event title for Edoc as he would be our next casualty in sixth. Edoc was sitting second in chips and open-shoved pocket jacks and running into eventual champion Punsri's pocket queens. The board would bring no help to the Filipino player but a payday of TWD 1,982,700 ($64,600) will surely help on the journey home.

Teng-Kuei Hsu had been very quiet throughout the final table and had managed to ladder up the pay jumps before his tournament came to an end. Tsu shoved all in with queen-ten and couldn't win a flip against the pocket eights of Wong and he was out in fifth for TWD 2,595,400 ($84,570).

Play wasn't four-handed for long as Kim Long Lam would be eliminated next at the hands of Punsri. Punsri had been very aggressive with his giant stack of chips and short-stacked Lam had to make a stand at some point and chose to do so with king-jack but running into the pocket queens of Punsri. The board brought no help for Lam and he finished just shy of the podium placing in fourth for TWD 3,311,900 ($107,910).

King Long Lam

Just three hands later Wong would join Lam on the rail, with Punsri being the guy to send him there. Wong shoved ace-queen with Punsri putting him at risk with king-jack in a pot that had the potential to bring us down to heads-up play. Wong would look good for the double-up until a king fell on the river giving the pot to Punsri and sending Wong home in the bronze medal position for career-high score of TWD 4,503,000 ($146,720).

When heads-up play began, Punsri held a thirteen-to-one chip advantage and it seemed like it was only a matter of moments before the Thai player would be crowned the champion. What ensued was a heads-up battle for the ages that spanned ninety-three hands across four blind levels.

Kim would find a double up to around thirteen million chips holding ace-three after he went all in pre-flop with Punsri making the call holding queen-jack. After many small pots and not a lot of action, Kim would double up again when he flopped top pair holding queen-ten and managed to hold against the pair and straight draw of Punsri. Suddenly, Kim was up to twenty million chips and right back in the running after being counted out by the majority of people in the room, including Punsri's huge rail.

Soo Bum Kim

Amazingly, Kim would soon be calling himself the chip leader when his turned two pair took down the rivered top pair of Punsri to send his stack up to thirty-two million which put the Korean on top of the leaderboard for the first time on the final table.

Punsri would then turn the pressure up as he won countless small pots and slowly managed to retake the chip lead and grind down the stack of Kim, giving him back a two-to-one chip advantage.

In the final hand of the night, Punsri and Kim would get all in on an all-diamond flop with Punsri having a pair and a flush draw holding nine-seven and Kim tabling pocket kings. Punsri wouldn't have to wait long to celebrate as the turn brought a fourth diamond on board leaving Kim drawing dead and giving the pot to the player from Thailand. Both players shared a handshake before Punsri celebrated with the rail that had been supporting him throughout the day. Punsri bags his third APT title, also taking home his third-highest cash along with the all-new lion APT Main Event trophy.

Punnat Punsri celebrates winning APT Main Event

This live reporting blog was presented to you by lifeofpoker.com.

A full tournament write-up is on the way.

While we get that written up don't forget to check out the APT Summer Series - Hanoi, Vietnam that starts on May 26th and will be held at the Grand Loyal Poker Club. For more information about the series click here.

Soo Bum Kim

Soo Bum Kim has been eliminated in 2nd place for TWD 6,375,500 ($207,730).

Punnat Punsri limped in pre-flop and Soo Bum Kim made it 1,600,000. Punsri made the call and both players saw a flop.

On a flop of J♦ 9♦ 4♦ flop Kim continued with his aggressive pre-flop line with a bet of 2,500,000. Punsri responded to that bet with an all-in shove. Kim immediately threw the rest of his time extension chips into the middle as he clearly had a difficult decision on his hands. Eventually, he did come to a decision and made the call.

Punsri 9♣ 7♦ Kim K♠ K♥

Could this be the moment Punsri won the title? This was a crucial hand for both players as the pot had ballooned to 36,000,000 which was the biggest pot of the tournament, and potentially the last.

Punsri needed a nine, seven, or a diamond with Kim looking to fade all of the Thai player's outs.

The crowd that had gathered were making a lot of noise and it all seemed to be coming from Punsri's rail.

"Diamond, diamond, diamond" they chanted.

The dealer was given the nod to deal the turn card.

2♦.

That's it! At the first time of asking, Punsri drills a flush on the turn to leave South Korea's Kim drawing dead. The rail erupted with a deafening roar that echoed around the Asia Poker Arena as Punsri had locked up the pot, and the title. The meaningless 9♥ completed the board with Kim and Punsri sharing an embrace before the Thai player celebrated with his entourage.

Kim finishes as runner-up and will be left wondering what could have been. He displayed incredible grit and heart as he battled back from that huge chip disadvantage at the start of heads-up play but ultimately the cards fell the way of Punsri.

#163 Punsri raised to 1,500,000 and Kim called. On a flop of K♥ T♥ Q♠ Punsri continued for 750,00 with Kim making the call. Both players checked the 2♣ turn. The river also was checked through on the 7♦. Kim won with T♣ 6♦.

#164 Kim limped and Punsri put in a raise and took it down.

#165 Punsri raised to 1,500,000 and Kim called. Punsri fired a bet on the J♣ J♥ 7♦ flop and won the pot.

#166 Kim raised to 2,100,000 only for Punsri to shove all in. Kim quickly folded.

#159 Punsri raised to 1,500,000 and Kim called. The flop came Q♥ 3♠ 4♠ with Punsri firing for 1,200,000. Kim folded his hand.

#160 Punsri got a walk.

#161 Punsri raised to 1,500,000 and Kim called. Both players checked the K♣ 8♠ Q♥ flop. On the 4♠ turn Kim bet 1,500,000 and Punsri called. Kim fired again on the 7♣ for 2,300,000. Punsri called and won with A♦ 8♥.

#162 Kim limped and Punsri checked Both players checked every street on the 6♦ 3♣ 6♦ T♥ K♠ board and Kim won at showdown with 3♠ 9♠.

#149 Punsri won with a raise.

#150 Punsri got a walk.

#151 Punsri raised to 1,300,000 before Kim 3-bet to 3,000,000. Punsri folded.

#152 Kim raised and won the pot.

#153 Punsri raised to 1,300,000 and Kim called. Both players checked the 3♥ 2♠ 6♥ flop. Kim fired 1,500,000 on the :9h turn with Punsri making the call. A J♦ completed the board and Kim bet again, this time for 3,000,000. Punsri put in a raise to 10,000,000. Kim folded without much hesitation.

#154 Punsri got a walk.

#155 Punsri raised to 1,300,000 and got called. On a flop of A♣ Q♦ Q♥ Punsri fired 500,000 with Kim then popping it up to 1,800,000. Punsri let his hand go.

#156 Kim limped in and Punsri checked. The flop came 8♠ 3♣ 2♦ and Kim took it down with a c-bet.

#157 Punsri opened to 1,300,000 with Kim making the call. On the J♣ 8♦ 7♥ flop Punsri fired for 1,000,000 and Kim made the call. The turn brought a 9♣ with Punsri firing a second bullet for 2,500,000 which got the job done.

#158 Kim limped pre-flop with Punsri checking his option. Kim bet 750,000 on the 5♠ T♠ 8♠ flop and Punsri folded.

Punnat Punsri

#144 Kim raised to larger sizing of 1,800,000 and got called. The flop came 7♠ K♣ T♣ and Kim bet 1,500,000 which earned him the pot.

#145 Punsri raised to 1,300,000 and Kim called. On the J♣ 9♦ 7♥, both players checked. They also checked the 5♠ turn. When a 3♣ fell on the river Kim bet 500,000 and got snap-called - losing to Punsri's Q♠ 5♣.

#146 Kim raised to 1,500,000 and got called. The flop came Q♥ A♣ 5♥ and Kim took it down with a c-bet.

#147 Punsri raised to 1,300,000 and Kim called. Punsri fired 750,000 on the A♦ 9♦ 3♥ flop and Kim put in calling chips. Both players checked the 2♥ turn card. They repeated their turn action on the river 3♠ and Punsri won with pocket sixes.

#148 Kim raised to 1,500,000, Punsri 3-bet to 5,000,000 Kim let his hand go.

#138 In another limped pot the flop came A♠ 3♠ 9♥. Kim bet 500,000 and Punsri made the call. On the 7♥ turn both players checked. Kim put out a bet of 1,250,000 on the Q♠ river and Punsri folded.

#139 Punsri raise for the first time in a while to 1,300,000 and Kim called. The flop came K♣ J♠ Q♦ and Punsri fired for 2,000,000. Kim made the call to see a turn. Both players slowed down and checked the 8♠ turn and the river 3♣ with Kim winning with J♥ T♦.

#140 Kim limped and Punsri raised to 2,000,000 to win this pot without contest.

#141 Punsri opened and won the pot.

#142 In another limp pot between the two players the board showed 2♣ 5♥ 2♣ 5♣ T♠ with both players checked all the way to the river before Kim fired a bet of 750,000. Punsri called and won with ace high.

#143 Punsri raised to 1,300,000 and Kim called. Punsri continued on the flop of 4♣ T♦ A♣ for 750,000 and Kim folded.

Soo Bum Kim is switching gears as he becomes our new chip leader in the Main Event.

#130 Kim limped in then folded to a raise. Kim is still stacking the chips from the hand he won previously.

#131 Punsri opened to 1,300,000 and Kim 3-bet to 2,800,000. Punsri folded.

#132 Kim limped in and Punsri checked. Both players checked on J♣ J♠ 4♥ flop. On the turn, Kim fired 500,000 and Punsri responded with a raise to 1,300,000 which got Kim to fold.

#133 Both players went to the flop without a raise and it showed J♣ 3♣ 2♠. Kim then took it down with a bet.

#134 Once again no raises were made pre-flop. The flop came Q♥ J♦ 7♠ and Punsri called a bet of 500,000 from Kim. On the T♣ turn both players checked to see a river. The river was a 9♥ and both players checked again. Punsri won with T♠ 7♦.

#135 No raises were made pre-flop once again, and Punsri took the pot down with a bet on the flop showing J♠ 2♣ 9♣.

#136 Limped pot between the two players again. The flop came K♥ 6♣ 2♣ and Kim took this one down with a bet.

#137 Punsri limped in, Kim checked. Punsri fired a bet on the K♠ T♥ 6♥ flop and Kim folded.

Soo Bum Kim

Punnat Punsri opened to 1,000,000 with Soo Bum Kim making the call.

On a flop of 9♠ 7♦ 2♣ Punsri continued for 1,300,000 once checked to and Kim put in call chips.

The turn brought an 8♠ and Kim checked again. Punsri fired a second bullet, this time to the tune of 3,000,000. Kim took his time before making the call and we saw a river.

Kim led for 7,000,000 on the Q♠ river with Punsri mulling over his options before finally putting in a single chip to signify a call.

Kim tabled 9♣ 8♦ for two pair and Punsri mucked his Q♥ T♦.

And with that, Kim is our chip leader! What a story this could be.