HomeINCHEON CITY – After a two-year title drought, Tai Hsing Hsiung of Taiwan navigated from being fifth at the start of the day to champion in (Event #18) the Monster Stack tiff of the Asian Poker Tour (APT) Korea Incheon 2022 staging by besting a field of 207 entries at the Paradise City Hotel and Casino here.
Tai Hsing Hsiung (TPE) picks up his third APT title and eighteenth APT cash
Tai had two victories during APT Taiwan 2020 just a week apart from each other in the single-day NLH and later one of the High-Rollers events and many figured that it would just be a matter of time before he won his third.
It took more than two years.
This win will also mark Tai’s eighteenth cash on tour and comes out as his biggest as he pockets KRW27,804,000 (US$19,661) after a deal was made in the Heads-Up portion with eventual runner-up Yuki Sugiyama of Japan who went on to receive KRW22,984,000 (US$16,253).
Tai and Yuki Sugiyama (JPN) made a deal in the Heads-Up duel and battled for the trophy
The final hand had disaster written all over it on the part of Sugiyama in an All-In Preflop (AIPF) situation having A♦ 10♠ but having to go up against the A♠ K♣ of Tai.
The Flop had A♣ 7♠ 2♠ while the Turn produced a 9♠. The miracle 3-outer never came on the River as the 5♥ sealed the deal and the Taiwanese delegation celebrated their second title in these proceedings.
Finishing third was erstwhile chip-leader Jason Lee of Australia who got KRW14,124,000 (US$9,988).
Meanwhile, WSOP Bracelet winner Motoyoshi “Falcon” Okamura claimed victory in (Event #17) the 2-day KRW4M (US$2,771) High-Rollers against fellow Japanese competitor Yosuke Nakazawa.
Motoyoshi “Falcon” Okamura (JPN) now adds an APT trophy to his vast collection of accolades which includes a WSOP Bracelet won in 2021
Okamura, who bested a field of 846 to claim victory in (Event #72) the US$1,500 NLH/PLO 8-handed tourney in the 2021 WSOP for US$$209,716, got KRW39,612 (US$39,612) while Nazkawa, who made headlines during APT Philippines 2022 for being the “Bubble Protected” Bubble Boy in the Main Event, settled for the KRW35,991,000 (US$25,456) second place purse.
Germany’s Kilian Loffler finished third for KRW24,264,000 (US$17,162).
With two more events still ongoing before this staging officially closes, the much-coveted Player of the Series (POS) is still up for grabs.
Who will take it down? Find out later.