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
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