Natalia Rozova

Natalia Rozova from Russia has won the Zodiac Classic at APT Phu Quoc for VND 1,550,470,000 (~$61,040). This is her second APT trophy after winning the Single Day Mystery Bounty at APT Hanoi in 2023.

Coming into the Final Day with a top ten chip count Rozova delivered a stellar performance throughout the whole day. Shortly after reaching the money she took over the chip leader and never had to look back from there.

In second place came Phuong Ngoc Nguyen who took home VND 1,053,010,000 (~$41,460). The Vietnamese player narrowly missed his third APT trophy after winning two titles at APT Jeju earlier this year.

The podium was completed by Hayato Kitajima from Japan, who was rewarded VND 694,470,000 (~$27,340) for his fifth final table showing of the series.

Final Table Results

The day began with 48 returning survivors from Day 1, but registration was still open for two more levels so in the end the total number of entries amounted to 148 (100 unique), creating a total prize pool of 6,460,200,000 (~USD 254,340), which got distributed to 20 players.

It took almost seven hours for the money to be reached, but from that point on the action went blow on blow. That's also when Natalia Rozova took over the chip lead of the tournament which she did not relinquish.

The final table action started furiously with William Teoh busting in the first hand (VND 155,040,000). In the same orbit, Youkan Li was unfortunate enough to run his Ace-King into Nguyen's Aces. The Chinese national took home VND 200,270,000.

Li's fellow countryman Tianhao Zheng (VND 270,680,000) was next in line to bury his hopes of a lion trophy. After making an aggressive move blind versus blind his stack was crippled and he busted shortly after.

Win Tan

With six players remaining action slowed down for the next couple of levels, with players now being deeper, carefully eying each other. The next bust-out only happened when The Hung Nguyen made an aggressive play against Win Tan. Sadly, for him it was not rewarded and he had to pack his bag in 6th place (VND 361,130,000).

After Vietnam's Ngo Khoa Anh got knocked out in 5th place, it was Tan's turn for an unsuccessful play with Ace-High, which cost him his chances for his second title this series in Phu Quoc. He finished in a respectable 4th place for VND 573,670,000.

Hayato Kitajima

With average stacks now being much shallower, and Rozova holding most of the chips, much less post-flop action could be observed three-handed.

The Russian player knew how to put her opponents under pressure, though when she jammed all-in blind versus blind against Japan's Hayato Kitajima the luck was on her side right at the right time. Kitajima took his bust-out bad beat like a real champ, acknowledging "that's poker". His third place for VND 694,470,000 surely will make him look back fondly at this APT Phu Quoc Series.

Phuong Ngoc Nguyen

After Kitajima's exit, it was a heads-up duel between Vietnam's Phuong Ngoc Nguyen and Rozova. The Russian woman came into the battle with a three-to-one chip lead and it took a bit more than one level for her to win all the chips.

The second place meant a career high-score for Phuong Nguyen, who can be proud of himself for his great achievment in the APT Zodiac Classic.

Zodiac Classic Champion - Natalia Rozova

Natalia Rozova has won the Zodiac Classic for VND 1,550,470,000 (~$61,040).

A full recap of the day's action will follow shortly.

Phuong Ngoc Nguyen

Natalia open-shoved all-in and Phuong Ngoc Nguyen snap-called.

Natalia Rozova: 5 4

Phuong Ngoc Nguyen: Q 3

Nguyen was ahead with queen-three and a better flush draw, but it was short-lived as the flop came 4 K K , improving Rozova to two pair against Nguyen’s one pair.

The dealer completed the runout with 5 3 , upgrading Nguyen to two pair, but it was still not enough to surpass Rozova’s hand.

Nguyen concluded his tournament in second place, earning VND 1,053,010,000 (~$41,460) for his efforts today.

Hayato Kitajima

From the small-blind Natalia Rozova put full pressure on Hayato Kitajima in the big-blind by putting him all-in for around 650,000. The Japanese player took a few seconds of deliberation time before making the call.

Hayato Kitajima: K Q

Natalia Rozova: Q 3

Kitajima was in a great spot to double up, but the flop destroyed all his hopes as it came down 3 3 2 .

The turn was the 4 and river T . Kitajima took his 3rd place bust out like a real champ. He was rewarded with VND 694,470,000 for his great run.

Win Meng Tan

Win Meng Tan was forced all in from the big blind with only 20,000 to start the hand, after Hayato Kitajima had dropped in a call from under the gun.

Win Meng Tan: 6 5

Hayato Kitajima: 7 7

Kitajima was comfortable with pocket sevens, which then improved to a set on the flop of J K 7 .

Tan needed some help on the turn, but the dealer delivered a dry runout of 3 A , leaving Tan drawing dead and exiting in fourth place with a payday of VND 573,670,000 (~$22,585).

Win Meng Tan opened the button to 80,000 and Phuong Ngoc Nguyen defended from the big blind.

On the flop of 5 T 2 , Nguyen check-called after Tan continued with a bet of 55,000.

The J fell on the turn, where Nguyen check-called again after a bet of 155,000 from Tan.

The 4 dropped on the river, where Nguyen checked to Tan, who fired out 285,000, leaving only 20,000 chips behind. Tan eventually made the call after tanking for a long time.

Tan tabled ace-high with A Q , and it was no match for a pair of jacks from Nguyen’s K J .

Ngo Khoa Anh

Natalia Rozova opened the button to 80,000 only to be jammed by Ngo Khoa Anh from the small blind. Rozova made the call.

Ngo Khoa Anh: A 8

Natalia Rozova: T T

Rozova held the lead with pocket tens against Anh’s pair of eights on the flop 6 4 8 .

The turn showed a board-pairing 4 , but it wasn’t helpful for Anh.

The bricky 3 came on the river to complete the board, sealing Anh’s end in fifth for VND 460,610,000 (~$18,135).

The Hung Nguyen

On a flop of 7 4 2 , there were around 170,000 chips in the middle.

Win Meng Tan checked from the big blind. The Hung Nguyen, in the cutoff, bet 75,000 and Tan put in a re-raise to 225,000. Nguyen went over the top and shoved all in for 580,000, Tan dropped in a call.

The Hung Nguyen: A 3

Win Meng Tan: A 8

Tan kept the lead on the flop and also picked up a flush draw.

The turn brought the T , Nguyen still had some outs to stay in the field.

The dealer delivered the 9 on the river, sealing Nguyen's finish in sixth place for VND 361,130,000 (~$14,220).

Natalia Rozova opened the hijack to 50,000 and Hayato Kitajima defended from the big blind.

On the flop of Q 2 9 , Kitajima check-called after Rozova continued with a bet of 35,000.

The Q hit on the turn, and the action went check-check.

The river brought the 6 , and Kitajima changed his strategy and bet 65,000, which Rozova snap-called.

Kitajima tabled two pair with T 9 , but it was not enough to beat the two pair from Rozova’s J J .