HomeAPT Vietnam 2018 awarded its first trophies here at Pro Poker Club with the CoinPoker Super High Rollers and the Monster Stack both wrapping up its two-day run. Here are the results and a brief recap on the final action.
Victor Chong wins the CoinPoker Super High Rollers
After years of hunting down that elusive first title, Victor Chong has finally done it. The Malaysian pro captured his first-ever live tournament career win at the CoinPoker Super High Rollers event and was awarded the lion’s share VND 1,204,870,000 first prize to go with it.
Victor Chong
The CoinPoker Super High Rollers event was the largest buy-in tournament of the festival open to anyone interested for a fee of VND 107,500,000. A total of 33 signed up – 26 players, 7 re-entries – to amass a very healthy prize pool of VND 3,201,000,000.
Midway through the first day, Chong shipped in his first big pot, a double up against Gao Wenling with K-K staying ahead of A-K. He proceeded to close the day in the lead with the last two remaining Indian players, Sahil Agarwal and Raghav Bansal forming the top three.
At the final day, Chong remained strong, reaching the final 8 as one of the dominant stacks. With the money still two spots away, it took some time before the next player was knocked out. Getting the boot was Indian pro Bansal with Chong gobbling up all of his chips in two hands. The first run-in was a winning pair of jacks turned set over A-5, then the rest of it with K-Q over 7-7 that found a king on the turn. This brought on the bubble round with 7 remaining.
Sahil Agarwal bubbles
Once again it was Chong delivering the bad news. After Agarwal doubled up Wu Kui Song with A-Q no good against A-A, Chong sent short stacked Agarwal out with 10♦ 5♦ pair over A♦ 8♥ on a board of 8♦ 6♣ 10♣ 3♣ 4♣. With 6 remaining and the money ensured, Chong was in full command with a monstrous lead.
Final 6 players
Thus continued the great wall of Chong, stacking up towers after knocking out a couple of more players: Pete Yen Han Chen (5th) and Huu Dung Nguyen (3rd).
He entered the heads up round with a huge chip advantage of 9.085M against USA’s pro Dylan Wilkerson with 4.115M. The battle for the title didn’t last long. It took only 17 hands for Chong to ship it all in. The first big pot was at hand #7. With blinds at 60K-120K ante 120K, Chong raised to 350K and Wilkerson called. At the flop and turn A♠ 8♣ A♦ 10♠, no bets by either. On the 10♥ river, Wilkerson checked, Chong fired a 1M bet, Wilkerson called then mucked at seeing Chong’s K♥ K♣.
Heads up: Dylan Wilkerson vs Victor Chong
Another ten hands later, the final hand arrived. Wilkerson K♣ 3♣ and Chong 6♥ 6♠. The board dried out running 8♦ 4♥ 5♦ Q♥ J♣.
Congratulations to Victor Chong on his first-ever victory!
Payouts
1st Victor Chong – VND 1,204,870,000
2nd Dylan Wilkerson – VND 741,450,000
3rd Huu Dung Nguyen – VND 485,280,000
4th Chun Tsun Ming – VND 336,250,000
5th Pete Yen Han Chen – VND 245,430,000
6th Wu Kui Song – VND 187,710,000
Duong Vi Khoa wins the Monster Stack
The festival opener was the VND 11,000,000 buy-in Monster Stack event, one of the most highly attended APT tournaments. Alike all of its predecessors, this edition did not disappoint bringing in a big field of 194 entries. After a swinging final table, Vietnam’s Duong Vi Khoa seized the title and VND 328,523,769 in winnings.
Duong Vi Khoa
The Monster Stack event saw 33 players earn a cut of the VND 1,881,800,000 prize pool. This was reached after Japan’s Tomomitsu Ono eliminated a short stacked player with his K♠ 10♠ straight on a board of J♣ 5♦ 8♠ A♠ Q♥.
For a large part of the final day’s race, India’s Sajal Gopta held a commanding lead. He eventually made it to the final table however after experiencing major swings to his stack, he bowed out in 4th place.
Sajal Gopta
It wasn’t only Gopta that seesawed, nearly every player at the final table was vulnerable. Amanpreet Singh went from chip leader to busting out in 6th place all in just several hands; Nguyen Phuong jumped in and out of the hole numerous times before falling in 3rd place; and Tony Ngeow Chung Fai, he held the lead multiple times until Vi Khoa was finally able to stop him in 2nd place. The hand that crippled Tony was K♦ 5♠ losing to 6♣ 6♥ with no hits on the board. Tony pushed his short stack on the next hand and Vi Khoa sent him out with J♥ 4♥ victorious over 10♠ 4♠ on a final board 10♦ J♠ 8♦ 5♠ Q♦.
Final 8 payouts
Prizepool: VND 1,881,800,000 – Buyin: VND 11,000,000 – Entries; 194 – ITM: 33
1st Duong Vi Khoa – VND 328,523,769 (deal made)
2nd Tony Ngeow Chung Fai – VND 291,243,157 (deal made)
3rd Nguyen Phuong – VND 265,853,093 (deal made)
4th Sajal Gopta – VND 137,390,000
5th Tran Van Quan – VND 103,840,000
6th Amanpreet Singh – VND 81,160,000
7th Kazuma Inotsume – VND 65,370,000
8th Anthony Hope – VND 54.070,000
APT Player of the Series
At every APT festival, we award the APT Player of the Series to the top three players in points. The winner earns the grand prize: APT POS Cup, an exclusive watch, customized ring, and US$800. For 2nd and 3rd, they each win a trophy plus $100. With the completion of the Monster Stack event, currently in the lead at the APT POS standings is Duong Vi Khoa. The CoinPoker Super High Rollers event is not included in the race.
Full APT Vietnam 2018 schedule