HomeAfter 177 final day hands, the first Asian Poker Tour CHAMPIONSHIPS EVENT winner of 2020 emerged! Harry Duong made the host country proud by overcoming a loaded final table to secure his career second APT championship title and VND 1,330,000,000 (~US$ 57,400).
The Championships Event was the second featured tournament of APT Kick-Off Vietnam 2020. It drew 160 entries at VND 38,500,000 (~US$ 1,700). Only 16 (ten percent of the field) were guaranteed a piece of the VND 5,820,000 (~US$ 250,500). The bigger cuts were claimed today. You can relive the Final 8 race via our media channels APT Twitch and APT YouTube.
For previous days action, head to our Live Reports.
Payouts
1st Harry Duong – Vietnam – VND 1,330,000 (~US$ 57,400)
2nd Terry Tien Thanh Nguyen – Vietnam – VND 1,253,000,000 (~US$ 54,000)
3rd Michal Polchlopek – Poland – VND 718,600,000 (~US$ 31,000)
4th Xiao Yu Cheng – China – VND 519,030,000 (~US$ 22,300)
5th Hwang Sang Yeon – Korea- VND 388,150,000 (~US$ 16,700)
6th Peng Yang – China – VND 299,570,000 (~US$ 12,900)
7th Nguyen Thanh Binh – Vietnam – VND 237,890,000 (~US$ 10,200)
8th David Erquiaga – Philippines – VND 193,820,000 (~US$ 8,300)
Final 8 players
Final 8 recap
The final 8 race got underway with Michal Polchlopek bringing in the largest stack. However, as the day progressed, no action was seen from the Polish player. Instead it was Vietnam’s Terry Tien Thanh Nguyen igniting the felt. On the opening hand, Terry won 11 bbs worth off Xiao Yu Cheng‘s stack on a called bluff. At hand #10, Terry crippled David Eruquiaga from 35 bbs down to just 8 bbs. Again it was on a called bluff.
From the button, Erquiaga J♠ 9♠ limp-called sb Terry’s 82k bet. Terry had A♦ 10♦. At the flop 10♥ 6♥ 8♦, Terry check-called 80k. On the 4♣ turn, Terry check-raised 175k to make it 402k. Erquiaga called. On the river, Terry check-called 275k.
David Erquiaga – 8th place
The next hand was a three-way jam. Erquiaga A♦ K♦, Terry A♠ K♠, Peng Yang A♣ Q♠, a queen showed up on the flop and held. Erquiaga out in 8th place, Peng tripled up.
Before the next elimination, Xiao Yu Cheng banked a huge double up with A♦ 6♦ nut flush to Nguyen Thanh Binh’s 3♥ 3♠ set. On a five-way limped pot, the flop was 3♦ 10♦ 5♦, action folded to button Binh with a 105k bet, sb Xiao check-raised to 300k, called only by Binh. The Q♥ turn Binh called Xiao’s 200k bet. On the river 7♣, Xiao bet 400k, Binh used two (60 second) time banks before calling. Fifteen hands later, Binh A♠ Q♥ fell to Harry Duong‘s A♥ A♣.
Nguyen Thanh Binh – 7th place
Despite tripling up earlier, Peng Yang still went no further than 6th place. On a board K♦ J♦ 10♦ 4♥ J♠ with progressive bets, Terry pushed on the river and Peng risked it. Terry had 7♦ 4♦ flush to Peng’s Q♠ 9♠. This gave Terry the overwhelming chip lead.
Peng Yang – 6th place
At five remaiing, Michal Polchlopek joined the action. His stack was down to 14 bbs when he found a double off short stacked Hwang Sang Yeon. It was Q♥ 8♠ out-drawing A♥ 9♦ on a board J♠ 4♣ 10♦ Q♣. Hwang was down to 2 bbs which also went to Polchlopek.
Hwang Sang Yeon – 5th place
Polchlopek continued to drag in chips winning six consecutive hands to climb up to second rank. On the opposite end was Harry Duong who dropped to 17 bbs after giving up a big pot to Terry at hand #91. The board completed 4♣ 9♦ 9♥ 9♣ 5♣. With 600k already in the pot, Duong bet 145k holding the nut flush A♣ 7♣, Terry raised to 450k with A♦ 3♣. Duong couldn’t pull the trigger and was auto-folded when time ran out and no time banks remaining.
Several hands later Duong nearly fell to Terry with his A-7 dominated by A-10 but ended up on a split pot. At hand #117, he was back in the game winning a big pot against Terry with Q♠ J♣ to Q♣ on a board 9♣ 5♠ 4♥ Q♥ A♠. His jack kicker played.
Three hands later, Duong stormed to the chip lead railing Xiao Yu Cheng in 4th place. Xiao had K-Q to Duong’s A-8. Though not needed, Duong paired his eight to ensure the bust.
Xiao Yu Cheng – 4th place
With over 50 bbs at his disposal, Duong began to grind down Polchlopek and Terry bringing them to 13 bbs each. Polchlopek took a stand with 3♠ 3♦ but to no avail. Duong had A♥ 10♦ that found an ace on the turn.
Michal Polchlopek – 3rd place
With the fall of Polchlopek, it was guaranteed to be a Vietnamese victory with both Duong and Terry from the host country. Duong was ahead 6:1 in chips. On the heads up hand #7, Terry doubled up but still behind 3:1.
Harry Duong
Terry Tien Thanh Nguyen – 2nd place
Both players showed aggression at every hand that big pots were being exchanged. At heads up hand #17, Terry took the lead but immediately lost control on the next hand on a successful bluff by Duong. The board completed 7♦ 2♥ K♥ 4♥ 5♣. Action was Duong raised to 250k from the button, Terry called. On the flop, Terry check-raised to bump it up from 200k to 500k. On the turn, Terry check-called 700k, then on the river Terry check-folded to Duong’s shove. Duong had A♥ J♣ bluff, Terry with K♦ Q♣ top pair.
From there, it was downhill for Terry. He managed to double up again but lost a large portion of it on a failed bluff. By heads up hand #40, it was over. Duong had A♠ J♠, Terry A♦ 2♦, the board bricked.
Congratulations to Harry Duong for his incredible victory! Duong joins the exclusive group of players with more than one APT championship title. Back in 2012, Duong won the APT Asian Series Cambodia Main Event.