Mystery Bounty $100K GTD ($600)

After ten hours of play, Russia's Anton Poliakov defeated China's Xiaosheng Zheng in a dramatic cooler of Aces versus Kings to win the Mystery Bounty title! This was Poliakov's first ever live win.

"I feel really good! It's my first time to win! I played aggressive. When heads up began, I feel I was the tougher player."

Poliakov bulldozed at heads up, winning pot after pot. Along with the iconic PokerStars spade trophy, Poliakov earned an ICM payout of US$ 18,518 plus US$ 4,450 in bounties to lock up the largest event cash of US$ 22,968.

Prior to this event, Poliakov reached the final table of the NagaWorld Kick Off, finishing in 8th place. He also reached 5th at Win The Button.

Mystery Bounty Numbers

Buy in: US$ 600

Guarantee: US$ 100,000

Entries: 341

Prize pool: US$ 178,616

ITM: 52 players

Final 9 Payouts

1st Anton Poliakov - US$ 22,968

2nd Xiaosheng Zheng - US$ 22,332

3rd Sha Chengchun - US$ 18,400

4th Carsten Klug - US$ 11,000

5th Kyle Bao Diep - US$ 7,100

6th Kentaro Oe - US$ 5,900

7th Ilia Barkov - US$ 13,040

8th Ziad Zebib -US$ 4,235

9th Da De Titus Tay - US$ 2,791

Final Day Recap

Final day of the Mystery Bounty brought 52 players out of 341 total entries back in action at the NagaWorld Phnom Penh grand ballroom. With everyone guaranteed a piece of the US$ 178,616 prize pool, the race was to collect as many knockouts as possible for better odds at finding the US$ 11,500 top bounty prize.

During the first break, players took turns at the bounty wheel and on the 9th spin, Alan Turabayev won the lone APPT Main Event ticket worth US$ 1,650. Three spins later, the coveted top prize was pulled by Tetsuya Tsujisaka who went on to finish 17th for a total payout of US$ 12,900.

Just over five hours in, the final table was formed with Wei Tse Chang falling in 10th place on a cooler of K♠ K♦ over J♦ J♠ .

Among the finalists was the day's entering chip leader Kyle Bao Diep who went on to finish in 5th place. Carsten Klug delivered a crushing double elimination to 9th place Da De Titus Tay and 8th place Ziad Zebib, but was stopped in 4th place to follow Diep to the rail.

At three handed, Sha Chengchun could not keep up with the big stacks to settle for 3rd place. Zheng and Poliakov quickly struck an ICM deal with Zheng earning the bigger cut. The game continued for the trophy and remaining bounties.

Poliakov bulldozed through Zheng, winning seven out of ten hands before the final blow that gave him the win. Poliakov had A♥ A♣ , Zheng with K♥ K♠ . The board was jack-high.

With no bad beat on the board, Zheng goes bust in 2nd place for an ICM payout of US$ 19,482 plus US$ 2,850 in bounties for a total score of US$ 22,332.

Final race to the title is on!

Hand #113: Xiaosheng Zheng raises 225,000, gets re-raised to 600,000, Zheng opts to fold.

Hand #114: Tit for tat, Anton Poliakov raised 250,000 then folded to Xiaosheng Zheng's shove.

Zheng ships with trips as Sha heads out in 3rd place. Sha earns US$ 10,450 for his deep run plus bounties US$ 7,200 and US$ 750 for a total payout of US$ 18,400.

Hand #102: Xiaosheng Zheng raises then barrels down the board K♣ 3♦ 5♥ J♣ for 150,000 and 300,000. Caller Anton Poliakov folds to the turn bet.

Hand #103: Xiaosheng Zheng walks.

Hand #104: Anton Poliakov defends the big blind from Xiaosheng Zheng's raise then both keep it friendly on a board 7♠ 9♥ K♠ 8♠ . On the rive 9♦ , no more checking for Poliakov with a 375,000 bet laid out, Zheng tank folds.

Hand #100: Anton Poliakov min-raises from the button, small blind Sha Chengchun pumps it to 500,000, back to Poliakov who four-bets all in to push out the three-bettor Sha.

Hand #101: Sha Chungchen min-raises then folds to Anton Poliakov's shove.

Hand #99: Xiaosheng Zheng min-raises from the button and big blind Sha Chengchun defends. No bets land on the flop 8♣ 8♥ A♦ , Zheng bets 150,000 on the turn J♦ and Sha check-calls to buy the river 9♠ . Sha checks again, Zheng lays out 550,000, after a time bank, Sha frustratingly folds.

Klug fails to improve to bow out in 4th place. He earns US$ 8,050 for his deep finish plus US$ 2,950 in bounties to walk away padded up US$ 11,000.

Hand #96-97: From the button, Anton Poliakov raises 200,000 and goes to the flop T♣ A♣ 5♥ with big blind caller Xiaosheng Zheng. Poliakov c-bets 200,000 and wins the pot.

Following that hand, Poliakov min-raises again and button Sha Chengchun calls. Both check to the turn A♦ 6♥ 4♥ 3♠ . Poliakov value-bets 175,000 and claims another pot.

With Poliakov connecting on the river, he picks up a lucky double up.

Hand #82: Xiaosheng Zheng raises 160,000 from the button, Anton Poliakov defends his big blind. Zheng fires 150,000 on the flop 2♣ 6♣ 8♥ and Poliakov calls. Both check the 5♦ turn then Zheng goes back to betting for 460,000 on the river J♠ . Poliakov pays to see then mucks to J♦ T♣ pair on the river.

Hand #76: Sha Chengchun picks up another pot with an uncalled raise.

Hand #77: Battle of the blinds reaches the turn board K♦ 9♦ 5♣ A♣ . Small blind Xiaosheng Zheng bets 125,000, Carsten Klug calls, river is 6♣ . Zheng checks, Klug bet 300,000, Zheng folds.

Hand #78: Xiaosheng Zheng loses another pot, this time to Anton Poliakov who defends the big blind. Zheng c-bets the flop Q♠ A♥ Q♥ , Poliakov check-raises 275,000, Zheng gives it up.

Hand #79: Xiaosheng Zheng opens and gets no callers.

Hand #80: Xiaosheng Zheng defends the big blind then folds to Anton Poliakov's 175,000 c-bet on the flop A♥ 4♠ T♠ .

Hand #81: No callers to Sha Chengchun's raise.

Hand #75: On a limped pot, board is checked to the turn T♥ 6♥ 9♠ 9♣ . Small blind Anton Poliakov bets 60,000, Sha Chengchun calls. On the river 6♣ , Poliakov bets 60,000 again, Sha makes it 145,000, Poliakov tanks for one time bank then calls. Sha flips open a winning 2♣ 6♦ full house.

Hand #54: Xiaosheng Zheng raises and finds no callers.

Hand #55: Sha Chengchun limps from the small blind, and Xiaosheng Zheng checks it and both check to the turn 9♠ 2♦ K♣ 6♠ . Sha takes charge for 75,000, Zheng calls. When Sha bets 115,000 on the river 4♦ , Zheng decides to give it up.

Hand #56: No callers to Anton Poliakov's raise.

Hand #57: Button Xiaosheng Zheng raises 100,000, small blind Kentaro Oe makes it 250,000 to continue, Zheng is not interested and folds.

Hand #58: Xiaosheng Zheng raises 100,000 and gets some action from the big blind Anton Poliakov. Both check the flop to head to the turn 8♦ 5♣ 9♣ 3♠ . Following a check again from Zheng, Poliakov bets 150,000 and rakes it in uncontested.

Hand #59: Xiaosheng Zheg opens 110,000 and no callers this time.

Hand #60: Anton Poliakov min-raises, also no callers.

Hand #51: Kyle Bao Diep raises and finds no callers.

Hand #52: Anton Poliakov defends the big blind then calls Kentaro Oe's 125,000 c-bet on a flop 4♣ 4♦ 3♣ . Both then check the turn 9♥ for a free river 2♥ . Poliakov gives it a go for 200,000, Oe calls. Poliakov has K♣ 9♦ top pair to claim the pot.

Hand #53: After winning a pot, small blind Anton Poliakov limps in and gets to see the flop cheap with Kyle Bao Diep checking. Dealer felts J♣ 5♣ 9♥ , Poliakov bets 75,000 and Diep calls The turn 9♠ , Diep takes the reins for 155,000, Poliakov check-calls. The river 8♥ sees Diep fire 1,405,000, Poliakov tanks then gives up his hand.

Poliakov quickly improves on the window which holds for another boost.

Hand #38: Not long after doubling up, Anton Poliakov loses some of it to Xiaosheng Zheng by defending preflop then check-calling 100,000 and 260,000 on the turn and river of 8♦ 4♥ 3♣ T♦ T♠ board. Zheng shows K♠ T♣ trips.

Hand #32-33: Anton Poliakov shoves from the small blind and wins the big blind and ante. Immediately after, Ilia Barkov min-raises from hijack then snap-calls Poliakov's three-bet shove of 610,000.

Barkov K♠ K♥

Poliakov A♥ 8♠

When the board comes 3♠ A♦ 9♦ J♣ 4♠ , Poliakov is saved by the ace to stick around.

Hand #31: From cutoff, Kentaro Oe min-raises and is called by the blinds Carsten Klug and Anton Poliakov. All three proeed to check to the river A♣ 2♠ Q♠ 4♦ 3♥ . Klug leads out 350,000, Poliakov raises 260,000, Oe tosses it in the muck, Klug tank-calls and shows 4♥ 4♣ set. Poliakov mucks.

Hand #23: Button Kentaro Oe shoves for the nth time and the blinds fold.

Hand #24: On a board that completed 9♦ 3♣ K♠ A♣ T♥ , big blind defender Kyle Bao Diep check-calls 55,000 and 185,000 then checks the river with aggressor Anton Poliakov. Diep has K♥ J♣ which is good for the pot.

Hand #25: Kentaro Oe shoves from hijack for 655,000 and doesn't get a pass this time with chip leader Carsten Klug making the call. Oe has A♦ K♥ and is flipping against Klug's J♣ J♠ , board favors Oe running A♠ 7♣ 7♥ T♣ A♣ for a double up.

Hand #20: Carsten Klug three-bets 200,000 from hijack and initial raiser Ilia Barkov calls. Klug fires again at the flop 9♥ 3♦ 7♥ for 175,000, Barkov calls again then both check the turn 6♠ . When the 7♦ comes out on the river, Barkov takes charge with a 75,000, Klug calls. Barkov has A♣ K♦ air, Klug drags in the pot with his winning 8♠ 8♥ .

Hand #21: Sha Chengchun opens 60,000, big blind Kentaro Oe calls. No breaks for Sha who bets 40,000 on the flop A♠ 9♦ 9♣ , Oe check-folds after a time bank.

Hand #22: Anton Poliakov raises from ug+1, ilia Barkov calls from the big blind, then no action at the flop T♣ 4♦ 5♥ . The turn A♣ sees Poliakov light up with a 55,000 bet and claims the pot.

Hand #15: Small blind Kentaro Oe shoves and wins the big blind and ante.

Hand #16: Button Kentaro Oe shoves and still no callers.

Hand #17: Sitting on the button, Ilia Barkov min-raises and big blind Anton Poliakov wants to go post flop. Both players check the flop 5♦ 2♣ 6♠ then Barkov bets 130,000 on the turn Q♦ . Poliakov calls and buys the 4♥ river. Poliakov switches gears and leads out 100,000, Barkov calls.

Poliakov 9♣ Q♣ top pair is not good enough against Barkov's Q♠ 5♠ two pair.

Hand #2: Defending the big blind, Ziad Zebib calls the raise of 50,000 then folds to Sha Chengchun's 60,000 c-bet on a flop 6♠ K♠ A♥ .

Hand #3: Next hand, small blind Ziad Zebib calls Anton Poliakov's raise then both check to the turn 3♥ K♥ Q♥ 8♦ . Poliakov resumes for 60,000, Zebib check-calls. On the river 9♥ , Zebib switches up and leads out 50,000, gets called, and wins the pot with A♥ T♣ nut flush.

With a doozy low board, both land the straight with Zheng's much higher to survive aces and stay in the game.

Pohjalainen goes bust in 14h place and walks away earning US$ 1,600 plus the US$ 700 from the bounty spin.

Anton Poliakov defends his big blind and sees a flop 3♣ 7♥ 6♥ with two other players. He leads out 20,000 losing preflop raiser Xiaosheng Zheng while Da De Titus Tay calls. Poliakov checks the turn T♥ then calls Tay's 40,000 bet. Both pass up the river, Poliakov shows 4♠ 5♥ straight and wins the pot.

Utg Anton Poliakov raises 20,000, three players join to the flop A♣ J♦ 4♥ . Following two checks, hijack Xiaosheng Zheng bets 30,000, losing two players while Takashi Yagura check-calls from the small blind. On the turn 5♠ , Zheng bets 75,000 which is enough to claim the pot.