The 507-strong APT Phu Quoc Main Event Field Reduced to Final Nine Players; USA's Albert Gorelik Holds Commanding Lead

Ben Wilson / 1 Apr 2023

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The 507-strong APT Phu Quoc Main Event Field Reduced to Final Nine Players; USA's Albert Gorelik Holds Commanding Lead

APT PHU QUOC SCHEDULE | OFFICIAL RESULTS | IMAGES | WINNERS ** PHU QUOC, VIETNAM, March 31, 2023** – The final table is set in the APT Phu Quoc ₫30,000,000+3,000,000 Main Event with the 507-strong field reduced down to the last nine players.

Playing out at the Sapphire Conference Room at the luxurious Corona Resort & Casino just 48 players returned for Day 3, all looking at securing their place at the final table to win the lion's share of the ₫14,753,700,000 (~$619,655) prize pool.

It took eight 60-minute levels to whittle these 48-hopefuls down to the final nine players all of whom are guaranteed a payout of at least ₫258,190,000 ($11,100) – but all will be gunning for the **₫2,847,540,000 ($119,600) top prize** and the prestige of becoming the APT Phu Quoc 2023 Main Event champion.

MAIN EVENT FINAL TABLE

  1. Albert Gorelik (United States) – 5,075,000 – 85 Big Blinds
  2. Phachara Wongwichit (Thailand) – 1,590,000 – 27 Big Blinds
  3. Peter Kiem (United States) – 785,000 – 13 Big Blinds
  4. Julien Tran (Vietnam) – 1,240,000 – 21 Big Blinds
  5. Jacque Ramsden (United Kingdom) – 3,045,000 – 51 Big Blinds
  6. John Perry (Australia) – 2,310,000 – 39 Big Blinds
  7. Hayato Kitajima (Japan) – 2,200,000 – 37 Big Blinds
  8. Dong Chen (China) – 555,000 – 9 Big Blinds
  9. Satoshi Kuriga (Japan) – 3,480,000 – 58 Big Blinds

It is Albert Gorelik who will be returning in the box seat, and the US player will be returning with the chip lead and a stack of 5,075,000 – valued at a sizable 85 big blinds – when play resumes on level 27 with blinds at 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 big blind ante.

Gorelik is making his second final table appearance of the Series after finishing fourth in the ₫11M Event #20 Freezeout and is on the hunt for his first major title here in Phu Quoc. A seventh-place finish or above will grant Gorelik a career-best score and the American holds twenty-five percent of the chips in play – more than 1.5 million of the next closest rival Satoshi Kuriga.

Kuriga is no stranger to Asian Poker Tour final tables and boasts three APT titles including a High Roller and a Super High Roller. The Japanese player –one of two at the final table – is searching for his first major title and a fifth-place finish or better will see him make a career-best score. Kuriga is returning second in the counts with a stack of 3,480,000 – valued at 58 big blinds.

The UK’s Jacque Ramsden is returning third in the overall counts with a stack of 3,045,000 – valued at 51 big blinds. The Brit boasts two live titles and over $75K in live career cashes and is on the hunt for his first major title and maiden APT title. Having reached the final table Ramsden is already guaranteed a career-best score.

Australia’s John "Bert" Perry is making his APT debut a memorable one and will be returning fourth in the counts with a stack of 2,310,000 – valued at 39 big blinds. Perry boasts over $470K in live tournament winnings and has nine live tournament titles under his belt, including a High Roller title, and is on the hunt for his first major title. Only a first-place finish will grant the Aussie a career-best score.

Hayato Kitajima is the second of the final table's Japanese contingent and has already tasted success here in Phu Quoc having claimed his maiden APT title in the ₫44M Event #14 NLH/PLO – Single Day High Roller – 8 Max. Now the Japanese player is gunning for his first major title victory and will be returning fifth in the counts with a stack of 2,200,000 – valued at 37 big blinds. Only a first-place finish will grant Kitajima a career-best score.

Hayato Kitajima is the second of the final table's Japanese contingent and has already tasted success here in Phu Quoc having claimed his maiden APT title in the ₫44M Event #14 NLH/PLO – Single Day High Roller – 8 Max. Now the Japanese player is gunning for his first major title victory and will be returning fifth in the counts with a stack of 2,200,000 – valued at 37 big blinds. Only a first-place finish will grant Kitajima a career-best score.

Returning sixth in the counts with a stack of 1,590,000 (27 big blinds) is Natural8 Ambassador Phachara Wongwichit. With over $1.9 million in live tournament cashes, Wongwichit sits in third on the Thailand All-Time Money List and has four APT titles to his name, the latest of which came this Series in the ₫5.5M Event #6 Turbo.

Day 2 frontrunner Julien Tran is the only local left and boasts two APT titles. The Vietnamese player is on the hunt for his first major title; a fourth-place finisher or better will grant Tran a career-best score. Tran is returning seventh out of nine with a stack of 1,240,000 – valued at 21 big blinds.

A regular face on the APT circuit, Peter Kiem in on the hunt for his first live title and maiden APT title and boasts over $65K in live career cashes. A seventh-place finish or above will grant him a career-best score. The US player has his work cut out for him, however, and Kiem will be returning eighth out of nine with a stack of 785,000 – valued at 13 big blinds.

Last, but by no means least, is Ningbo native Dong Chen who boasts over $840K in live career cashes and has four live titles under his belt, including an APT title won back at the APT Taiwan 2019. Chen is making his second final table appearance of the Series having placed fourth in the ₫55M Event #19 Single Day High Roller – 8 Max and is gunning for his first major title.

The nine finalists will return for the fourth and final day – which gets underway at 12pm local time on Saturday, April 1 – where they will play down to a champion.

You read all the Main Event action as it played out via the APT blog, and follow the action as it happened via the Main Event Day 3 APT Live Stream.

For Main Event Final Table Draw please CLICK HERE

All prize pool and payout information can be found on the Official Results page.

Vietnam's Bien Mai Wins Inaugural Zodiac Classic – Sponsored by Natural8 – for ₫407M (~$17.5K)

Event #29 Zodiac Classic - Sponsored by Natural8 – winner Bien Mai.jpg Vietnam's Bien Mai claimed his second APT title in the Inaugural Zodiac Classic

The two-day ₫20,000,000+2,000,000 Event #29 Zodiac Classic – Sponsored by Natural8 played down to a thrilling conclusion with 25 of the 71-strong field (61 unique) returning for the second and final day, all looking to earn their share of the ₫1,377,400,000 (~$59,220) prize pool.

It was Vietnam's Bien Mai who earned the honor of becoming the inaugural Zodiac Classic champion, defeating Japan's Kaito Hirai heads-up to take the ₫407,180,000 (~$17,500) top prize claiming his second APT title in the process.

Hirai received ₫293,330,000 ($12,600) for his runner-up finish, with start-of-day chip leader Romain Morvan rounding out the podium and taking ₫190,660,000 ($8,200) for third.

A total of nine players claimed a place in the hallowed money spots, with the tournament paying out as follows:

ZODIAC CLASSIC RESULTS

  1. Bien Mai (Vietnam) ₫407,180,000
  2. Kaito Hirai (Japan) – ₫293,330,000
  3. Romain Morvan (France) – ₫190,660,000
  4. Trung Thuy Duong (Vietnam) – ₫143,870,000
  5. Kiale Matthews (Australia) – ₫111,740,000
  6. Ken Okada (Japan) – ₫86,600,000
  7. Paul King (Ireland) – ₫68,440,000
  8. Victor Em (Vietnam) – ₫53,080,000
  9. Yu Lei (China) – ₫41,900,000

All prize pool and payout information can be found on the Official Results page.

Double Stack Draws 134 Runners Generating ₫1.299BN (~$55.9K) Prize Pool; Australia's Tu Thanh Le Leads

Double Stack Day 1B chip leader Tu Thanh Le.jpg Australia's Tu Thanh Le Leads the Double Stack

The two starting flights of the inaugural ₫10,000,000+1,000,000 Event #33 Double Stack both played out on Friday, March 31, drawing a combined total of 134 entries (97 unique) and generating a ₫1,299,800,000 (~$55,900) prize pool.

Just 20 players survived the maelstrom of the respective starting flights to remain in contention for the ₫311,910,000 (~$13,400) top prize, although all remaining players are now in the money and are guaranteed a payout of at least ₫17,420,000 (~$750).

All prize pool and payout information can be found on the Official Results page.

Day 1A got underway at 12pm local time and saw 66 players in action, with Vietnam's Nhu Hai Le topping the counts after the nineteen 30-minute levels played out, bagging up a stack of 770,000.

Canada's Tyler Warken bagged the second largest stack of the opening flight, concluding play with 635,000 in chips, with Australia's Ken Quach (600,000) rounding out the top three.

However, it is Day 1B frontrunner Tu Thanh Le who will be returning with the overall chip lead after bagging 800,000 on the turbo flight.

Le led the 68 Day 1B entries, closely followed by Hong Kong's Kong Fung (760,000), putting him third in the overall pecking order.

The Philippines David Erquiaga (660,000) rounded out the top three Day 1B stacks and will be returning fourth in the overall counts.

DOUBLE STACK TOP TEN STACKS

  1. Tu Thanh Le (Australia) – 800,000
  2. Nhu Hai Le (Vietnam) – 770,000
  3. Kong Fung (Hong Kong) – 760,000
  4. David Erquiaga (Philippines) – 660,000
  5. Tyler Warken (Canada) – 635,000
  6. Kelvin Tang (Hong Kong) – 625,000
  7. Ken Chee Quach (Australia) – 600,000
  8. Matthew Bevin (Australia) – 595,000
  9. Sanjdorj Tsenddorj (Mongolia) – 585,000
  10. Egor Starovoitov (Russia) – 365,000

All 20 survivors will return for Day 2, which gets underway at 12:30pm local time on Saturday, April 1, and the tournament will play down to a champion.

For Event 33 Double Stack Day 1A Survivors please [CLICK HEREhttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UbWe-zs_l-_ese3RLtcE4O8YvcmN-FhE/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=113131028677636532653&rtpof=true&sd=truehttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EPMpaR55epduA3MWbEtCXdU9GUEQILZR/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=113131028677636532653&rtpof=true&sd=true) For Event #33 Double Stack Day 1B Survivors please CLICK HERE For Event #33 Double Stack Day 2 Draw please CLICK HERE

Duy Thuc Nguyen Claims Maiden APT Title in Event #34 Single Day High Roller – 8 Max for ₫803M (~$34.5K)

Event #34 Single Day High Roller - 8 Max champion Duy Thuc Nguyen.jpg Vietnam's Duy Thuc Nguyen won his maiden APT title in Event #34 Single Day High Roller – 8 Max

The ₫40,000,000+4,000,000 Event #34 Single Day High Roller – 8 Max drew a 71-strong field (53 unique) generating a ₫2,754,800,000 (~$118,450) prize pool.

It took just over twenty-five 30-minute levels for Vietnam's Duy Thuc Nguyen to claim the crown and the ₫803,030,000 (~$34,530) top prize.

Nguyen defeated Singapore's Jun Hao Wu to win his maiden APT title, with Wu receiving ₫578,510,000 (~$24,875) for his runner-up finish.

Vietnam's Quang Huy Nguyen finished third for ₫376,030,000 (~$16,160), with nine players making the money and the tournament paying out as follows:

SINGLE DAY HIGH ROLLER RESULTS

  1. Duy Thuc Nguyen (Vietnam) ₫803,030,000
  2. Jun Hao Wu (Singapore) – ₫578,510,000
  3. Quang Huy Nguyen (Vietnam) – ₫376,030,000
  4. Keng Yong Tan (Singapore) – ₫283,740,000
  5. Gen Nose (Japan) – ₫220,380,000
  6. Shunsuke Tokoo (Japan) – ₫170,800,000
  7. Natalie Teh (Malaysia) – ₫134,990,000
  8. Bat-Erdene Erdenebayar (Mongolia) – ₫104,680,000
  9. William Teoh (Malaysia) – ₫82,640,000

All prize pool and payout information can be found on the Official Results page.

SIDE EVENT ACTION

The UK's Robert Birss Wins Event #31 NLH – Crazy Pineapple – Turbo for ₫59.2M (~$2.5K)

Event #31 NLH - Crazy Pineapple - Turbo winner Robert Birss.jpg The UK's Robert Birss claimed his maiden APT title in Event #31 NLH – Crazy Pineapple – Turbo

Finishing up in the early hours of Friday morning, the ₫5,000,000+500,000 Event #31 NLH – Crazy Pineapple – Turbo saw 33 players in action (27 unique), all competing to win their slice of the ₫160,050,000 (~$6,880) prize pool.

It was the UK's Robert Birss who proved to be the principal pineapple player, defeating Japan's Gen Nose heads-up to take the ₫59,220,000 (~$2,550) top prize and claim his maiden APT title.

Nose received ₫40,810,000 ($1,750) for his runner-up finish, with Thailand's Akeelat Namsililert rounding out the winner's podium and taking ₫26,010,000 ($1,120) for third, with the tournament paying out as follows:

NLH – CRAZY PINEAPPLE – TURBO RESULTS

  1. Robert Birss (United Kingdom) – ₫59,220,000
  2. Gen Nose (Japan) – ₫40,810,000
  3. Akeelat Namsililert (Thailand) – ₫26,010,000
  4. Le Hoai Nam (Vietnam) – ₫18,810,000
  5. Keng Yong Tan (Singapore) – ₫15,200,000

All prize pool and payout information can be found on the Official Results page.

Australia's William Jia Takes Down Event #32 Turbo – 8 Max for ₫183M (~$7.8K)

Event #32 Turbo - 8 Max champion William Jia.jpg Australia's William Jia won his first APT title in the Event #32 Turbo – 8 Max

The ₫15,000,000+1,500,000 Event #32 Turbo – 8 Max played down to a thrilling conclusion in the early hours of Friday morning, with 34 players (28 unique) battling it out at the baize for a share of the ₫494,700,000 (~$21,270) prize pool.

Australia's William Jia took it down, defeating Event #27 champion Anton Lu to claim both his first live poker title and maiden APT title, taking the ₫183,030,000 (~$7,870) top prize.

Denied his second series title, Lu had to settle for the ₫126,150,000 ($5,425) on offer for second, with Thailand's Poopadsri Panitan rounding out the winner's triumvirate and taking the ₫80,390,000 ($3,450) third place prize.

A total of five players made the money, with the tournament paying out as follows:

TURBO – 8 MAX RESULTS

  1. William Jia (Australia) ₫183,030,000
  2. Anton Lu (Australia) – ₫126,150,000
  3. Poopadsri Panitan (Thailand) – ₫80,390,000
  4. Armon Van Wijk (Australia) – ₫58,130,000
  5. Michael Doyle (United Kingdom) – ₫47,000,000

All prize pool and payout information can be found on the Official Results page.

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