Side Event wrap-up: Japanese win two more, Thailand’s Pouvarad takes down DST

INCHEON CITY, Korea – Just as the smoke was clearing from a record-breaking turnout from Day 1c of the Asian Poker Tour (APT) Korea Incheon 2022 Main Event, the three Side Events that went down also made significant noise and also helped in the player traffic issues at the Paradise City Hotel and Casino here.

Japan has dominated the competition thus far by now only having its players emerging as Main Event chip-leaders at the end of every session, but also by ruling the side events as all but two heading into yesterday (22nd October) had been logged on their ledger. 

They added two more to that list. 

In (Event #8) the second single-day NLH, the Land of the Rising Sun produced the first lady champion of these proceedings as Mayuko Morita got the win and the KRW18,542,000 (US$12,974) top prize after outlasting a field of 167 entries.  This is her first ever live trophy and live cash.

Mayuko Morita (JPN) becomes the first lady to snare a crown in these proceedings

Joining her in the podium finish were two of her fellow Japanese players in second placer Mori Kanta for KRW12,362,000 (US$8,650) and Seiya Kasabara in third for KRW8,594,000 (US$6,013).

The (Event #9) third of the KRW3.2M (US$2,237) single-day High-Rollers had Japan still going unblemished in the High-Rollers series with Jun Obara coming away with the victory and getting the KRW50,828,000 (US$35,566) winner’s purse. 

Obara, who has campaigned heavily in the WSOP and garnered several cashes, wins his first APT title and has Japan going 4-of-4 in the High-Rollers.

WSOP veteran Jun Obara wins his first ever APT trophy

Australia’s Yita Choong got second for KRW33,886,000 (US$23,711) while third went to Chang Yu Chung for KRW23,557,000 (US$16,483) and his second cash in this staging. 59 entries were tallied in this edition.

Finally, the Japanese run was broken when Subpakijbumrung Pouvarad emerged victorious in an all Thai duel in the highly-anticipated (Event #10) Deep Stack Turbo (DST), outlasting Jitrada Boonnak for his first ever APT crown.

Subpakijbumrung Pouvarad (THA) takes down the DST for his country’s first win here

Pouvarad also takes home his biggest haul of KRW10,137,000 (US$7,093) while Boonnak settled for the KRW6,757,000 (US$4,728) second prize. Japan’s Rikugo Chujo finished in third for KRW4,697,000 (US$3,287) in a field of 148 entries.

Three more Side Events run alongside Day 2 of the Main Event (which will still have its registration open until the end of the two levels) as two more DST variants in (Event #11) the Super Deep Stack Turbo (S-DST) and (Event #12) the Hyper Deep Stack Turbo (H-DST) along with (Event #13) the intriguing KRW1.5M (US$1,050) Turbo High-Rollers take flight.

Hostilities resume at 1:00PM (UCT+9).

Meanwhile, the much-awaited APT Players Party happens tonight at 10:00PM.