HomeAPT Korea Seoul 2019 saw the final 25 players out of 180 total entries return to Grand Walkerhill Paradise Casino for Day 3 of the Main Event. With the bubble round approaching, the first goal was to reach the money of 18 places and slice a cut of the KRW 209,520,000 (~USD 177,000) prize pool.
Despite only seven players needed to fall for the money to flow, it still took three hours. From there, the players battled it out for a Final 8 seat.
ITM – 18 players
Another three hours later, the finalists were established. Maintaining his command was USA’s Calvin Sungwon Lee (seat 2) who entered the day as chip leader and closed up top again with a hefty 1,148,000. Lee was the only player to amass seven-digits at bagging time.
Exactly one year ago, he won the PLO High Rollers event right here in the same location. This will be the furthest he has gone at an APT Main Event.
Final 8 players – by seat
Seat 1: Nozaki Koichi – Japan – 653,000
Seat 2: Calvin Sungwon Lee – USA – 1,148,000 (chip leader)
Seat 3: Haruta Koichi – Japan – 818,000
Seat 4: Saito Go – Japan – 200,000
Seat 5: Jaepil Geoffrey You – USA – 621,000
Seat 6: Edgar Eui Kim – Hong Kong – 156,000
Seat 7: Pak Aleksander – Uzbekistan – 433,000
Seat 8: Choy Wai Tak – Hong Kong – 453,000
The only player in the lineup left in contention for a second APT major title is USA’s Jaepil Geoffrey You. You won the APT Korea Incheon 2018 – Championships Event – for his single largest score of USD 44,000. He bagged up 621,000.
Three Japanese players found their way as well into the final day. Holding the largest stack was Koichi Haruta with 818,000. This earned him second rank. Haruta is having a great run at the series with two cashes under his belt excluding the Main Event. He placed 3rd at the High Rollers #1 and 2nd at the High Rollers Single Day #1. He is currently running 2nd in the APT Player of the Series leaderboard.
As for Koichi Nozaki, he finished Day 3 in third position with 653,000 in chips. Nozaki has stats from different parts of the world. Through the years he has also cashed at various APT events however this is the deepest he has gone at the tour’s Main Event. The third Japanese player in the list is Saito Go with 200,000. Go doesn’t have much experience at the APT however he is proving to be a strong contender. He kicked off the series in 2nd place at the Monster Stack.
Hong Kong’s Edgar Kim is back at the APT having finished 13th at the tour’s previous Main Event in the Philippines. For a fighting chance, he will have to boost his short stack of 156,000. On the flip side of where Kim is, we have fellow countryman Choy Wai Tak with a healthy 453,000. Choy is coming off a strong runner-up finish at the HKPPA Main Event in Taiwan. This will be his first cash at the APT and first appearance at an APT Main Event final table.
To complete the list of Final 8 contenders is Pak Aleksander from Uzbekistan with 433,000 in chips. This is the deepest Pak has gone at any APT event. He is looking to pick up his first major career title.
When players return tomorrow, they will be hunting down several things: the APT Main Event Golden Lion Trophy, APT Championship Ring, and above all, the KRW 54,364,000 (~USD 46,000) first prize.
Resuming blinds: 6K-12K ante 12K (Level 22)
Total chips in play: 4,500,000
Average stack: 562,500
Here’s a look at the payout breakdown:
1st KRW 54,364,000
2nd KRW 36,242,000
3rd KRW 25,135,000
4th KRW 18,198,000
5th KRW 13,609,000
6th KRW 10,503,000
7th KRW 8,341,000
8th KRW 6,796,000
The Final 8 race begins at 130pm local time on Tuesday, June 4.
Payouts 9th – 18th
9th Uesugi Shintaro – Japan – KRW 5,663,000
10th Timothy Wanki An – USA – KRW 4,719,000
11th Hoiwai Tam – Hong Kong – KRW 3,933,000
12th Masaki Fujitani – Japan – KRW 3,933,000
13th John Joseph Barcomb – USA – KRW 3,277,000
14th Tetsuya Tsuchikawa – Japan – KRW 3,277,000
15th Yoichi Uesugi – Japan – KRW 3,277,000
16th Michal Mrakes – Czech Republic – KRW 2,731,000
17th Morikazu Ojiri – Japan – KRW 2,731,000
18th Tzu Wei Wang – Taiwan – KRW 2,731,000