APPT Main Event ($1,750)

In a heavily contested hand that shows a board of 2♣ 4♥ 8♣ J♥ 5♣ and with 30,000 already in the middle, China’s Zhang Lei checks and Kim Seongje of Korea unloads a 13,000 river bet that still gets called.

Kim shows K♥ J♠ for top pair on the turn. Zhang opts to muck and win gives the Korean some much needed artillery as the final level stretches on.

Santiago Soriano Ramos of Spain opens from the button for 5,500 only to get 3-bet shoved by China’s Zhang Lei who covers him from the BB. Ramos makes the call for his tournament life.

Zhang tables A♥ K♦ while Ramos shows he is coinflipping with Q♦ Q♣ .

The flop comes safe for the Spaniard: 8♦ 2♦ 2♣ but when the 4♦ arrives on the turn, concern creeps in and the nightmare is realized on the river when the 9♦ comes to give Zhang a higher backdoor flush and send Ramos to the sidelines for good in Day 1A.

Zhang keeps his six figure holdings secure for the moment.

Sameer Agarwal of India opens from the lowjack for 3,000 and gets calls from Vietnam’s Mai Bien in the hijack and Chinese player Zhang Lei in the BB.

The flop comes A♠ 3♥ 5♠ as all players check. The turn is the Q♠ and this time, Zhang leads out for 5,500 and gets a call from Agarwal. Mai folds. It is Heads Up to the river where the K♥ arrives. Zhang bets 7,000 and the Indian player surrenders.

Zhang remains in six figures.

From the +1 position, Vietnam’s Tran Minh Thang raises to 1,600 and gets called in the lowjack by Zhang Lei of China and a BB defense from former APPT Cambodia Main Event titlist Alexander Puchalski of Canada.

The flop goes 5♣ 6♦ 3♠ as all three players opt to check. The turn is the 9♦ as the Canadian takes the betting lead for 1,000. Tran folds but Zhang elects to call. It is Heads Up to the river where the 5♥ arrives. Puchalski bets 6,000 and gets no more resistance from his Chinese opponent.

Puchalski chose to join in the later stages of Day 1A and is already making his presence felt.

Vietnam’s Mai Bien opens from the hijack for 1,100 and gets 3-bet by Lei Zhang of China in the sb for 3,700. Mai calls.

The flop comes 4♠ 5♦ 4♥ as Ye CBets 2,500 and gets called by his Vietnamese opponent. The turn is the 9♥ and this time, the Chinese player more than triples the next barrel for 7,800. Mai still calls. The river is the Q♥ and now Ye unloads 15,000. Mai gives it a think through but eventually folds.