Kevin Choi

The KRW 700,000 Korea National Cup has crowned its champion in whirlwind fashion at Paradise City Casino. The Final Day maintained a solid pace, before the final duel between Kevin Choi and Ka Chuen Yip where both players opted to test their luck and move all-in blind in back-to-back hands.

It was Choi who proved to be the most fortuitous of the two, coming from behind to win both flips and clinch his third career APT live title and the third largest score of his poker career.

Choi entered the final table as the chip leader but it was Yip who brought the chip lead into the heads-up match.

However, two coin flips put paid to that with Choi running out four to a flush in the first, and out flopping Yips ace-seven with king jack in the second to snag the KRW 78,084,378 (~$56,055) top prize and coveted silver lion silhouette trophy.

Yip earned KRW 47,710,000 (~USD 34,250) for his runner-up finish, claiming the largest score of his poker career in the process.

It was start-of-day chip leader Min Sung Lee of Austria rounding out the last of the podium places, the KRW 34,080,000 (~USD 24,465) on offer for third representing the second-best result on his poker resume.

The tournament drew a total of 707 entries, generating a hefty KRW 408,304,378 (~USD 293,112) prize pool, making it both the largest and richest Korean-based opening event in tour history, with the final table paying out as follows:

Korea National Cup Final Table Results

Day 2 started with 100 survivors who had bagged up a stack from Day 1 flights. All of whom had locked up a minimum cash of KRW 1,110,000 (~$ 800).

Final Table Action

Japan’s Miwa Koji was the first to bow out at the final table. Entering with the shortest stack, Koji hoped to ignite an underdog sparkle and moved all in with pocket fours.

However, the deck had other plans as his sailboats ran aground against Jie Zheng’s Bullets. When the board delivered another ace, Koji’s fate was sealed.

A 15-minute break ensued after Koji’s departure with the eliminations creating a tornado of cards and chips when the play resumed.

The first post-break casualty was China’s Junjie He, who committed all his chips with king-five only to be confronted by Yip’s king-queen. No help arrived, and He was sent to the rail in eighth place for KRW 7,780,000 (~USD 5,585).

In what felt like an elimination sequence synced with the remaining chip counts, Zheng was next to go, moving in with pocket nines but took a spot on the rail with Choi spiking trip aces on the runout. Zheng earned a payday of KRW 11,400,000 (~$8,185) for his seventh place finish.

Chang Liu

Chang Liu was next out shoving with ace-queen but collided with Peerapon Iamjamrat's pocket fours. The Thai player held on a clean runout, sending Liu to the rail in sixth place for KRW 15,770,000 (~USD 11,320).

Level 31 had already claimed three victims, but the action was far from over. With King-Jack in hand, Japan’s Ryo Fujita launched a sizable raise, leaving just 200,000 behind.

However, Yip looked him up with pocket sixes, which held firm to extinguish Fujita’s title hopes and send him to the rail in fifth place for KRW 20,540,000 (~USD 14,745).

The tempo of eliminations slowed after the chaos of the last previous level, and it took several orbits on Level 32 before two more contenders saw their deep runs come to an end.

Thailand's Peerapon Iamjamrat had entered the day as one of the shortest stacks and laddered his way up the leaderboard but could go no further than fourth place when his Queen-Nine was outkicked by Yip’s ace nine, with the Hong Kong player hitting top pair to seal the deal, bringing the Thai player’s impressive National Cup journey to a close for a KRW 25,810,000 (~USD 18,530) pay day.

Min Sung Lee

Overnight chip leader Min Sung Lee saw his 600,000 start-of-day stack get him within touching distance of the trophy but the Austrian-based player was unable to go the distance.

Holding Ace-Nine, Lee found himself up against Yip’s Pocket Jacks and received no help from the board, his deep run ended in third place; good for KRW 34,080,000 (~US$24,465).

After a brief 10-minute break, the final duel was over in the blink of an eye. With both players shoving blind, the title came down to a pure roll of the dice — a test of who fortune chose to favor in that final moment.

On just the second shove of the heads-up match, Choi paired a jack on the board to beat Ka Chuen Yip’s Ace-Seven, finishing the duel efficiently. Yip had to settle for the runner-up position together with the KRW 47,710,000 (~$34,250) payout.

That left just one man standing with Kevin Choi capturing the title in the APT's richest Korean-based opening event for KRW 78,084,378 (~$56,055). Congratulations Kevin!

Kevin Choi wins the Korea National Cup for KRW 78,084,378 (~$56,055).

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

Ka Chuen Yip

There seemed to be a tacit understanding between both players as they kicked off the final heads-up in dramatic fashion, purely to see who the Fortuna favored that day.

With both players shoving blind, the final hands came down to pure chance. After just two quick all-in confrontations, it was Yun Choi who emerged victorious, claiming the trophy.

First hand:

Yun Choi: 8 7

Ka Chuen Yip: J 3

Board: Q 7 2 A 4

Second hand:

Yun Choi: K J

Ka Chuen Yip: A 7

Board: J 4 2 T Q

The heads-up stage is about to begin — here’s how the chips stack up.

Both players are now on a short 10-minute break before returning to battle.

Stay tuned to see who will capture the massive KRW 78,084,378 (~$56,055) payday and the coveted Korean National Cup title .

Min Sung Lee

From the button, Min Sung Lee moved all-in for 1,800,000. Ka Yip made the call, and Yun Choi got out of the way.

Min Sung Lee: A 9

Ka Yip: J J

The board ran out Q 8 7 T T , busting Min Lee in an impressive 3rd place.

Peerapon Iamjamrat

It folded around to Peerapon Iamjamrat in the small-blind, who, as the shortest stack, desperately needed some chips. So he moved all-in for 1,525,000 chips. Big-stack Ka Yip quickly made the call.

Peerapon Iamjamrat: Q 9

Ka Yip: A 9

The board ran out A J 8 3 3 , busting Iamjamrat in 4th place.

Ryo Fujita

Ryo Fujita raised to 1,350,000 from the cutoff, leaving only 200,000 behind. Ka Chuen Yip called on the button.

Both players saw a flop of 7 Q 4 , and Fujita shoved his remaining chips. Yip snap-called.

Ryo Fujita: K J

Ka Chuen Yip: 6 6

Fujita still had hopes to stay alive; however, the dealer quickly dealt a runout of 4 8 , sealing Fujita's fate in fifth place.

Chang Liu

Peerapon Iamjamrat open-shoved from under the gun for 1,670,000 and Chang Liu called off his 1,635,000 in the cutoff, putting himself at risk.

Chang Liu: A Q

Peerapon Iamjamrat: 4 4

Iamjamrat's sailboats held the dominance on the J 5 J flop. The turn brought more hope for Liu to stay alive as it revealed a 9 , giving him a flush draw.

However, the river bricked out a 2 , ending Liu's run in sixth for a decent payout of KRW 15,770,000 (~$11,320).

Jie Zheng

The players are busting quickly at this final table. The next player to fall is Jie Zheng who put his tournament life at risk after calling the open jam from the small-blind Yun Choi. Zheng had around 2,400,000 chips with Choi having him covered.

Jie Zheng: 9 9

Yun Choi: A J

The flop came out great for Choi, who flopped trips on A A K .

Only a 9 could keep Zheng alive but no help arrived on the 5 turn and 7 river to eliminate him in 7th for KRW 11,400,000.

Junjie He

It folded around to the button Ka Yip, who put full pressure on the blinds by moving all-in.

The small-blind folded, but Junjie He in the big-blind went into the tank. Eventually, he decided to put his remaining 800,000 chips at risk.

Junjie He: K 5

Ka Yip: K Q

He desperately needed a 5 to keep his dream of the trophy alive.

The A 8 7 J 9 board did not bring any support for him and He hit the rail in eighth for KRW 7,780,000.