Ultra Stack Championship Winner Gyeongbyeong Lee

The TWD 25,000 Ultra Stack Championship has concluded with a new champion crowned.

South Korea's Gyeongbyeong Lee outlasted a massive field of 1,867 entries (1,042 unique) comprised of the most diverse mix of nations ever to play in an APT tournament, with a total of 49 different countries and regions represented at the felt.

Lee saw off all comers to take home the TWD 6,917,200 (~USD 223,135) first place prize, the prestigious APT Lion Trophy and an APTC Main Event ticket worth TWD 311,000 (~USD 10,000).

With such an overwhelming turnout, the event built a prize pool of TWD 40,327,200 (~USD 1,300,880), more than doubling its guarantee.

Lee entered the final table with an average stack and, during four-handed play, faced a daunting 9:1 chip disadvantage against eventual runner-up Thailand's Wutikrai Phraikhieo.

After the first ICM deal attempt fell through, Lee doubled up through Phraikhieo, beginning a remarkable comeback. Using his skill and timing, he steadily chipped away at Phraikhieo’s lead.

With one more failed ICM deal attempt paving the way, Lee ran the table to seize the title outright in an unforgettable finish.

Final Table Payouts

Thoughts About the Victory (via the aid of a translator)

I joined so many APT events trying to win a championship, and finally in Ultrastack I won. Please congratulate me.

I was just feeling good and tried to keep my composure the whole time. I just kept focusing on the game, and I didn’t really have any big emotions. First of all, I was running really well, so I felt great. Because I was playing a bit tight, I thought my opponent might fold, so I made a smaller bet. But the opponent called, so that felt good. I was just lucky.

When there were three players left and I became the chip leader, I figured the others would play tighter because of the bubble jump. So I played aggressively, and it worked out really well, leading to a good result. I was lucky. It feels like just one step in the entire journey.

I’ve been playing poker for about ten years now, and instead of focusing on the results, I’m trying to focus more on the process. Winning the trophy of course feels great, but I’m happier knowing I worked hard

Final Day Action

A total of 260 players returned to the felt all in the money. Eliminations piled up quickly, with several notable players making deep runs before falling short of the final table.

Among those who bowed out on the way were Punnat Punsri (37th), Kim Soobum (41st), David Erquiaga (45th), Natural8 Ambassador Hua-Wei Lin (46th), Shixiang Khoo (69th), Andrew Kelsall (84th), and Jennifer Cassell (96th).

The final table was set in Level 36, eight hours after the day began. Birger Larsen (10th) and Weicong Sng (11th) burst the final-table bubble simultaneously. Larsen’s ace-jack and Weicong’s queen-ten were no match for Lo, who covered both players and held king-five suited, rivering a flush to knock them both out.

Final Table Action

Action immediately started the moment the players started the final table. On the very first hand American Alan Julian Jiuang, ran into Phraikhieo’s aces holding ace-three offsuit. The aces held and Jiuang exited the tournament in ninth place with a goodie bag of TWD 516,400 (~USD 16,660).

Not long after, Filipino Jan Jason Leoncio put his tournament life on the line with pocket nines against Taiwan’s To Hao Liao, who held king-ten offsuit. Despite flopping a set, Liao went runner-runner for a straight on the river, sending Leoncio out in brutal fashion. He pocketed TWD 676,100 (~USD 21,810) for eighth place.

Pocket aces don’t show up often, but a second pair appeared when Taiwan’s Po Hao Liao ran his ace-ten offsuit into Hao Chuang’s rockets. Unable to crack the aces, Liao headed to the payout desk to collect TWD 959,000 (USD 30,935) for his seventh-place finish.

Asish Kumar Ghosh

It took some time before the next elimination, but it was India’s Asish Kumar Ghosh. After losing his stack in a previous hand with Lo, Ghosh found himself short and shoved king-nine offsuit into Phraikhieo’s ten-eight suited, which improved to a full house. Ghosh didn’t leave empty-handed, earning TWD 1,254,500 (~USD 40,470) for his sixth place finish.

Homegrown Hao Chuang exited shortly after Ghosh when his ace-king offsuit couldn’t overcome Phraikhieo’s pocket deuces. Hot on Ghosh’s heels to the payout counter, Chuang collected TWD 1,564,600 (~USD 50,470) for 5th place.

Down to four players, Wai Kit Lo from Hong Kong found himself in a tough spot in the battle of the blinds calling Lee's eight-four suited with king-nine offsuit. Lee flopped a flush, winning the hand and sending Lo home with TWD 1,927,700 (~USD 62,180) for a fourth place finish.

Teeraphat Rangkatekarn

Thai national Teeraphat Rangkatekarn became the next casualty. Rangkatekarn made a stand with queen-three offsuit, calling Lee’s shove with king-deuce suited, which proved enough to send him out in third place. He collected TWD 2,665,400 (~USD 85,980).

After countless clashes between the champion and Phraikhieo, it all came down to one final hand in heads-up.

Lee shoved all-in with seven-four suited, and Phraikhieo snap-called with five-three offsuit. The flop delivered a flush for Lee, sealing the championship and ending Phraikhieo’s incredible run in second place with TWD 3,831,000 (~USD 123,580).

A rollercoaster of chips, tension, and heart-stopping action finally crowned a champion. Congratulations to all!

Wutikrai Phraikhieo

Immediately after Teeraphat Rangkatekarn was eliminated, Wutikrai Phraikhieo awkwardly asked Gyeongbyeong Lee if he wanted to deal. This got a laugh from Lee who pointed to his enormous stack.

The first heads-up hand was then dealt. Lee quickly shoved and Phraikhieo called. When they showed, both had low cards.

Wutikrai Phraikhieo: 5 3

Gyeongbyeong Lee: 7 4

The first three cards A 3 T all but sealed it as Lee completed a flush.

With the turn 7 it was all over for Phraikhieo as the meaningless river A was dealt.

Teeraphat Rangkatekarn

With both of his opponents in survival mode, Gyeongbyeong Lee muscled with his massive stack. Teeraphat Rangkatekarn finally took the risk and was behind at the showdown.

Teeraphat Rangkatekarn: Q 3

Gyeongbyeong Lee: K 2

Rangkatekarn had hope with live cards however the board refused to heed his call, coming down 7 7 8 5 4 to end his bid for the title in 3rd place.

Wutikrai Phraikhieo Back In The Hunt

Wutikrai Phraikhieo, after being left as the short stacked moved all in from the button for his last 9,500,000 and was looked up by Gyeongbyeong Lee.

Wutikrai Phraikhieo: Q 4

Gyeongbyeong Lee: A 6

The flop from heaven came for Phraikhieo of 5 7 Q to soar him into the lead, and he just needed to dodge an ace to get a double up. The turn brought the 7 and when the river bricked out with the 6 Phraikhieo got a full double up and more.

Two hands later, Phraikhieo again moved all in and was now looked up by Teeraphat Rangkatekarn.

Wutikrai Phraikhieo: Q 7

Teeraphat Rangkatekarn: 2 2

Another miracle flop came for Phraikhieo of 7 4 4 and now he just needed to dodge a deuce for another double up. The Q came on the turn, and when the 4 dropped on the river, the pot was sent to Phraikhieo.

After a bunch of raises that found no callers, and some walks, Wutikrai Phraikhieo and Teeraphat Rangkatekarn went head-to-head twice for all of their chips.

The first hand was a three-bet push all-in from Phraikhieo with 27,000,000. Rangkatekarn had exactly the same amount and called. When they showed, both had ace-rag that led to a split pot.

The next one was a lot more exciting. Phraikhieo jammed for 28,000,000, Rangkatekarn called with less for 23,000,000.

Teeraphat Rangkatekarn: 8 8

Wutikrai Phraikhieo: A K

This time it was a flip with Rangkatekarn needing his pair to hold. With the board running T 9 4 Q 7 , he did just that as Phraikhieo plunged to less than two big blinds.

On the next hand, Phraikhieo was on the big blind and was forced all-in. He tripled up to 11,000,000. Still three players remaining.

No deal was arranged at the second attempt and play has now resumed.

Play has been paused again for the remaining three players to discuss the numbers again.

Meet Your New Chip Leader Gyeongbyeong Lee

Wutikrai Phraikhieo made it 4,800,000 to play from the button and Gyeongbyeong Lee made the call from the big blind.

The flop came 3 T J and the action went check-check.

The turn brought the T and Lee led out for 5,500,000. Phraikhieo made the call.

The dealer peeled off the Q as the river and Lee pushed out a bet of 13,000,000. Phraikhieo tossed in two time banks before he made the call and sent his cards into the muck when Lee tabled T 2 for turned trips and was pushed the monster pot to take over the chip lead.

Wai Kit Lo

Before Wai Kit Lo entered the final table he was running red-hot, knocking out multiple players to set up the final table. But unlike the rush he experienced, the momentum went on a full halt at the final table that by four-handed, his final hand was dealt.

From the small blind Gyeongbyeong Lee jammed, Lo gave it a moment's thought then called for his tournament life.

Wai Kit Lo: K 9

Gyeongbyeong Lee: 8 4

When the cards were on their backs, Lo was ahead until the all-club flop distinguished all of his hopes as the board ran out 2 Q 3 J 3 .