Live

Paradise City Incheon

South Korea, Incheon

APPT Korea 2026

2026.09.03 - 2026.09.14 Add to Calendar

Asia Pacific Poker Tour

Updates Chip Counts Info

Blind level

Level 29: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

Entries

1/171

Total Chips

5,130,000

Average

5,130,000

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 10:05:41 AM

Tomohiro Kawada Wins Paradise City Kickoff for KRW 14,996,000 (~USD 11,071)

Tomohiro Kawada

Tomohiro Kawada came to Korea chasing a poker title before fatherhood potentially put a dent in his travel schedule. Amazingly, it only took him two days to find what he was looking for.

The Japan native outlasted a 171-entry field and defeated Dong Yan heads-up in a back-and-forth battle to win the Paradise City Kickoff for KRW 14,996,000 (~USD 11,071) as part of a heads-up ICM deal, along with a seat into the APPT Korea Main Event valued at KRW 1,800,000 (~USD 1,329).

Paradise City Kickoff Final Table Results

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
1	TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	14,996,000	$11,071
2	DY Dong YanCanada	14,000,000	$10,335
3	BD Bo DouChina	8,490,000	$6,251
4	JK James KimUnited States of America	6,530,000	$4,808
5	AC Amarsaikhan ChinzorigMongolia	5,020,000	$3,696
6	MK Minkoo KimUnited States of America	3,865,000	$2,845
7	FW Furui WangChina	3,140,000	$2,311
8	SK Sato KodaiJapan	2,615,000	$1,925
9	AB Alen BakovicCanada	2,180,000	$1,605

Final Table

The victory is a major breakthrough for Kawada, who had just one previous live cash to his name for $181, according to The Hendon Mob. He has been playing poker for around four or five years after discovering the game through Japanese poker YouTuber Masato Yokosawa, and normally plays live just once or twice a month.

"I'm really honored that I won this tournament," Kawada said shortly after his victory. "I was really excited because this is first time to win bigger tournament in my life."

Kawada also had an especially good reason to make the trip to Korea.

"Maybe I'm going to have baby soon," he said. "So, if I have baby, it's not easy to come to Korea to play poker, right? That's why I came here with my crazy friends."

Day 2 Action

Just 25 players returned to Paradise City Resort to battle for the title, already having secured a min-cash for KRW 945,000 (~USD 695) and eager to make a run at the final table.

The early stages belonged to Amarsaikhan Chinzorig, who began the day as the clear chip leader with about 70 big blinds and quickly extended his advantage as he looked poised to run away with the lead.

Meanwhile, one of the day's best comeback stories came from Alen Bakovic, who started with just 48,000 chips - four big blinds. He managed to double up several times, however, including by winning a pivotal race holding pocket sevens against Kaiwen Wei's ace-king. From there he continued to climb, eventually reaching the final table.

Alen Bakovic

The soft-spoken James Kim emerged as the other major force, eliminating Wei early on before later picking up pocket kings to send Maxim Lykov to the rail. Seemingly unstoppable, he also eliminated Zhentao Long on the final-table bubble, flopping two pair with king-nine against Long's pocket eights to take a commanding lead heading into the final table.

Final Table

Kawada admitted afterward that the final table was difficult, particularly because he felt the other players were more experienced than him.

"It was really tough because maybe other players are really good at playing poker compared to me," he said. "They try to raise, raise, raise, three-bet, four-bet, so it was really tough."

Rather than trying to match the aggression, Kawada opted for a much simpler approach.

"I just wait and I just, yeah, I just stayed patient for strong hands!"

That patience paid off almost immediately.

Bakovic, riding high from his unlikely comeback, opened the action and was squeezed by Kawada. Bakovic four-bet shoved with ace-king, only to run into Kawada's rockets. It was a nightmare cooler for Bakovic and he was unable to improve to become the first casualty of the final table.

Kodai Sato followed in eighth after getting all in with queen-nine against Bo Dou's aces. Dou ended up flopping a set and then turning quads, ending Sato's run.

Kodai Sato

Kawada then picked up another knockout by calling a three-bet shove from Furui Wang, who held ace-queen, with a dominated queen-eight. An eight on the flop put Kawada ahead, and Wang could not recover to exit in seventh.

Following Wang out the door shortly thereafter was Minkoo Kim, who took a stand against James Kim's open with pocket sevens against queen-nine. A nine on the turn gave James the lead, and the river failed to bring one of the remaining sevens.

Amarsaikhan Chinzorig, who had started Day 2 as the overwhelming chip leader, consistently bled chips at the final table and eventually shoved his stack into the middle preflop holding king-jack. Kim called with ace-ten and Chinzorig found no help to bust in fifth.

Amarsaikhan Chinzorig

Kim then appeared to be pulling away again, climbing to more than two million in chips as a result of the hand. But his fortunes soon changed after calling a three-bet shove from Dou, who held on with a dominating ace-king against Kim's ace-ten to score a big double-up.

It only got worse for Kim from there, as he suffered a massive cooler against Yan only to find himself all in the very next hand with ace-four against Kawada's queen-five. Kawada caught a queen and a frustrated Kim was sent out in fourth.

Short on chips himself, Dou committed his stack with queen-six preflop and fell to Yan, who made a runner-runner straight holding jack-ten - setting up a heads-up duel between Yan and Kawada.

James Kim

Heads-up

Kawada began heads-up with a nearly 2:1 chip lead, and the two players traded the advantage several times before agreeing to an ICM deal that guaranteed each player KRW 14,000,000 (~USD 10,335), leaving the title, trophy, and an additional KRW 996,000 to play for.

Yan initially maintained the lead and even doubled through Kawada with pocket fives against pocket threes. But Kawada soon fought his way back by scoring a dramatic double-up with king-jack against Yan's ace-four.

Tomohiro Kawada and Dong Yan

Left short from the previous hand, Yan open-shoved with queen-ten preflop and was called by Kawada holding the best-possible matchup against Yan's hand - pocket queens.

The runout brought no miracle for Yan and he was forced to settle for a runner-up finish, securing the title for Kawada after a hard-fought battle.

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 8:59:53 AM

Tomohiro Kawada Wins APPT Paradise City Kickoff for KRW 14,996,000 (~USD 11,071)*

Level 29: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

Tomohiro Kawada

Tomohiro Kawada has overcome a 171-entry field and defeated Dong Yan heads-up in a back-and-forth battle to win the APPT Paradise City Kickoff and claim the KRW 14,996,000 (~USD 11,071)* first-place prize as part of an ICM deal, along with his first-ever Spadie trophy.

The victory is a milestone event for Kawada, who had only one cash, according to The Hendon Mob, for just USD 181. Additionally, Kawada earned a seat into the APPT Korea Main Event, valued at KRW 1,800,000 (~USD 1,329).

Stay tuned for a recap of the final day and some words from our champion.

*Denotes heads-up deal

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
1	TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	14,900,000	$11,071

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 8:57:58 AM

Dong Yan Eliminated in 2nd Place for KRW 14,000,000 (~USD 10,335)

Level 29: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

Dong Yan

After dropping to around 750,000 in a previous hand, Dong Yan open-shoved and Tomohiro Kamada snapped it off to see if the event could be brought to its conclusion:

Dong Yan: Q♠ T♦

Tomohiro Kamada: Q♥ Q♣

Yan was dominated by Kamada's ladies, and found little in the way of help on the 9♥ 5♥ 6♠ 6♥ 4♥ runout, awarding him the runner-up position and Kawada the Paradise City Kickoff title!

Player	Chips	Progress
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	5,130,000(51 BB)	790,000
DY Dong YanCanada	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
2	DY Dong YanCanada	14,000,000	$10,335

Level 29: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 2/171

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 8:47:08 AM

Kawada Doubles Through Yan

Level 28: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Tomohiro Kawada

After jousting back and forth with Yan taking the lead, Tomohiro Kawada shoved on the button for 2,170,000 and was called by Dong Yan to be put at risk.

Tomohiro Kawada: K♠ J♠

Dong Yan: A♦ 4♣

Yan held the lead with his ace, and the 7♦ 8♥ T♠ flop and 8♣ turn left him one card away from victory.

It wasnt meant to be, however, as the J♠ struck lightning on the river - pairing Kawada's jack to award him the massive double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	4,340,000(54 BB)	1,560,000
DY Dong YanCanada	790,000(10 BB)

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 8:41:01 AM

ICM Deal Reached

Level 28: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Tomohiro Kawada and Dong Yan

Tomohiro Kawada and Dong Yan have agreed to a deal, wherein both players will receive a guaranteed KRW 14,000,000 (~USD 10,335).

They will now battle for the PokerStars Spadie trophy and an additional KRW 996,000 (~USD 735).

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 8:31:31 AM

Yan Making a Comeback

Level 28: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Dong Yan has won a series of smaller pots by forcing folds from Tomohiro Kawada, largely by open-shoving preflop or over the top of an open by Kawada.

The two players are taking a brief break as they discuss a potential ICM deal.

Player	Chips	Progress
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	2,780,000(35 BB)	-750,000
DY Dong YanCanada	2,350,000(29 BB)	750,000

Level 28: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 2/171

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 8:13:13 AM

Kawada Back in Front

Level 27: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Tomohiro Kawada

Tomohiro Kawada raised to 125,000 and called a three-bet to 280,000 from Dong Yan.

Kawada called a 150,000 bet from Yan on the T♦ 5♥ Q♦ flop and then both players checked on the J♣ turn.

Yan fired a hefty bet of 550,000 into the middle after the 4♠ fell on the river and Kawada responded by announcing he was all in.

Yan snap-folded and with that pot, Kawada has re-taken the lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	3,530,000(59 BB)	1,100,000
DY Dong YanCanada	1,600,000(27 BB)	-1,100,000

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 8:03:24 AM

Kawada Pulls Back to Nearly Even

Level 27: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Tomohiro Kawada limped on the button and Dong Yan checked his option.

Both players checked on the 2♠ Q♠ J♦ flop and then Yan led out for a bet on the 9♠ turn. Kawada raised and Yan called.

The 3♣ completed the board and Yan check-called a 400,000 bet from Kawada, who showed A♦ Q♦ for top pair, top kicker.

Yan couldn't beat it and mucked - awarding the large pot to Kawada.

Player	Chips	Progress
DY Dong YanCanada	2,700,000(45 BB)	-830,000
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	2,430,000(41 BB)	830,000

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 7:52:30 AM

Yan Doubles Through Kawada

Level 27: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Dong Yan

After trading several small pots back and forth, Tomohiro Kawada raised on the button and Dong Yan shoved for 1,765,000 total. Kawada called with a covering stack and a showdown was held.

Dong Yan: 5♣ 5♠

Tomohiro Kawada: 3♣ 3♥

"Ahhh!" a disappointed Kawada let out after seeing his small pair was against a higher pair.

The board ran out 9♦ T♥ 6♠ 7♣ 4♦ - keeping Yan's fives best to award him the double-up and a large chip lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
DY Dong YanCanada	3,530,000(59 BB)	1,830,000
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	1,600,000(27 BB)	-1,600,000

Level 27: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 2/171

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 7:37:00 AM

Yan Strikes First

Level 26: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Tomohiro Kawada raised to 100,000 on the button and Dong Yan defended his big blind.

Both playsers checked on the 7♥ 5♦ T♥ flop and then Kawada called a 150,000 bet from Yan on the 2♣ turn.

Yan sized up for a bet of 250,000 after the 3♣ filled out the board and Kawada laid his hand down.

Player	Chips	Progress
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	3,200,000(64 BB)	400,000
DY Dong YanCanada	1,930,000(39 BB)	-1,070,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 7:36:56 AM

Heads-Up!

Level 28: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Dong Yan and Tomohiro Kawada

After outlasting 171 entries, Dong Yan and Tomohiro Kawada are now heads-up in the Paradise City Kickoff event.

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 7:36:36 AM

Bo Dou Eliminated in 3rd Place for KRW 8,490,000 (~USD 6,251)

Level 26: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Bo Dou and Dong Yan

Button Bo Dou jammed his remaining 265,000 and Dong Yan called from the small blind. Big blind Tomohiro Kawada considered it but ultimately folded.

Bo Dou: Q♦ 6♥

Dong Yan: J♦ T♦

Dou was safe on the 3♥ 8♥ Q♠ flop, pairing his queen. The A♣ turn was ominous, however, giving Yan an up-and-down straight draw.

The K♠ river completed Yan's straight, and he gave an emphatic "Sorry" to Dou as he collected his chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
DY Dong YanCanada	1,700,000(34 BB)	1,150,000
BD Bo DouChina	busted	-1,200,000

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
3	BD Bo DouChina	8,490,000	$6,251

Level 26: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 2/171

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 7:14:52 AM

James Kim Eliminated in 4th Place for KRW 6,530,000 (~USD 4,808)

Level 25: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

James Kim

Tomohiro Kawada opened to 80,000 on the button and just behind him, James Kim moved all in for his last 310,000 from the small blind.

It was folded back to Kawada, who said, "Let's gamble!" before placing calling chips into the middle.

James Kim: A♣ 4♦

Tomohiro Kawada: Q♥ 5♥

Kim held a slight lead with his ace and looked poised to double after the 9♦ J♠ 2♦ flop kept him ahead. However, the Q♣ appeared on the turn - pairing Kawada and leaving Kim drawing to just three outs.

The 6♥ river wasn't one of them and the once chip-leader Kim had to settle for a fourth-place finish.

Player	Chips	Progress
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	2,800,000(70 BB)	750,000
JK James KimUnited States of America	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
4	JK James KimUnited States of America	6,530,000	$4,808

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 7:09:09 AM

Kim Coolered

Level 25: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

Button Dong Yan opened before James Kim jammed his covering stack from the big blind. Yan's ears perked up as soon as he heard the confirmation, and couldn't toss the call in quick enough:

Dong Yan: A♣ A♦

James Kim: A♠ K♦

Kim's steam appeared to have ran out as he jammed right into Yan's aces, and found no help on the 3♣ 8♥ 5♠ 5♥ 4♦ runout.

Dong's 895,000 stack doubled, and Kim slipped to around 300,000, less than 10 big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
DY Dong YanCanada	1,850,000(46 BB)	1,070,000
JK James KimUnited States of America	290,000(7 BB)	-710,000

Level 25: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 4/171

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 4/171

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 6:31:57 AM

Kawada Extends His Lead

Level 24: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

Tomohiro Kawada opened to 60,000 first to act and Dong Yan defended his big blind.

Kawada called a 55,000 lead from Yan on the 7♣ 6♥ 4♣ flop and an 80,000 barrel from Yan on the 7♠ turn.

Yan slowed down and checked on the 2♠ river, prompting Kawada to take the initiative with a bet of 150,000.

Yan wanted nothing to do with it and slid his cards into the muck, conceding the pot to Kawada, who now sits with just over two million in chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	2,050,000(68 BB)	200,000
DY Dong YanCanada	780,000(26 BB)	-220,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 6:25:09 AM

Dou Doubles Through Kim

Level 24: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

Bo Dou

James Kim raised from the small blind before snap-calling Bo Dou's jam for 575,000 from the big blind.

Bo Dou: A♠ K♦

James Kim: A♥ T♦

"Okay, you win," Kim said as he saw Dou's cards.

Kim was indeed right, as the dealer fanned the 9♠ Q♠ K♦ flop, leaving Kim drawing to a jack only.

The 5♦ 5♥ runout was safe for Dou, who scored the full double through Kim.

Player	Chips	Progress
BD Bo DouChina	1,200,000(40 BB)	540,000
JK James KimUnited States of America	1,000,000(33 BB)	-580,000

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 6:21:25 AM

Kawada's Queen is Good

Level 24: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

Tomohiro Kawada

Tomohiro Kawada raised to 60,000 from the small blind and James Kim called in the big blind.

Kawada continued for 60,000 on the T♦ 6♠ 8♦ flop and then called after Kim raised to 150,000.

Kawada check-called a 250,000 bet from Kim on the Q♥ turn and then both players checked down on the 2♣ river.

Kawada revealed Q♦ 9♦ for a turned pair of queens and Kim re-checked his hole cards before sending them into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	1,850,000(62 BB)	625,000
JK James KimUnited States of America	1,580,000(53 BB)	-520,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 6:10:39 AM

Amarsaikhan Chinzorig Eliminated in 5th Place for KRW 5,020,000 (~USD 3,696)

Level 24: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

James Kim and Amarsaikhan Chinzorig

James Kim opened from the cutoff before start-of-day chip leader Amarsaikhan Chinzorig jammed his remaining 515,000 from the button. Big blind Dong Yan mulled over the decision for a while before deciding the price was too high. Kim quickly put in the call and the two players tabled their hands:

Amarsaikhan Chinzorig: K♠ J♦

James Kim: A♦ T♦

"I fold pocket nines," Yan said.

Kim continued his run of good form by flopping top pair and the nut flush draw when the dealer fanned 6♦ A♥ 9♦. Yan looked sick.

Chinzorig found no reprieve on the 2♣ A♠ runout and headed to the payout desk in fifth place. Players at the table commented that Yan would've rivered a full house and tripled up, much to his dismay.

Player	Chips	Progress
JK James KimUnited States of America	2,100,000(70 BB)	500,000
DY Dong YanCanada	1,000,000(33 BB)	-100,000
AC Amarsaikhan ChinzorigMongolia	busted	-400,000

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
5	AC Amarsaikhan ChinzorigMongolia	5,020,000	$3,696

Level 24: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 5/171

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 6:05:18 AM

Yan Pays Kim Off

Level 23: 10,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

Dong Yan raised to 55,000 on the button and James Kim defended his big blind.

Both players checked on the 4♦ 8♠ 7♣ flop and 7♥ turn, but Kim bet 80,000 after the T♠ completed the board and Yan quickly called.

Kim tabled 7♠ 6♦ for trip sevens and Yan sent his cards into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
JK James KimUnited States of America	1,600,000(64 BB)	300,000
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	1,225,000(49 BB)	-225,000
DY Dong YanCanada	1,100,000(44 BB)	80,000
BD Bo DouChina	660,000(26 BB)	-40,000
AC Amarsaikhan ChinzorigMongolia	400,000(16 BB)	-245,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 5:54:32 AM

Minkoo Kim Eliminated in 6th Place for KRW 3,865,000 (~USD 2,845)

Level 23: 10,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

Minkoo Kim

James Kim raised to 60,000 from middle position before Minkoo Kim, the table short stack, jammed his remaining 190,000 from the small blind. Kim swiftly put in the call.

Minkoo Kim: 7♣ 7♥

James Kim: Q♠ 9♣

"One time!" Minkoo requested as he turned over his cards.

The J♦ T♣ 3♣ flop was safe but did give James and open-ender. The 9♥ turn instantly put the table chip leader ahead, leaving Minkoo drawing to two outs. The T♦ river was neither of those outs and Minkoo hit the rail in sixth.

Player	Chips	Progress
JK James KimUnited States of America	1,300,000(52 BB)	150,000
MK Minkoo KimUnited States of America	busted	-250,000

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
6	MK Minkoo KimUnited States of America	3,865,000	$2,845

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 5:48:31 AM

Yan Doubles Through Kim

Level 23: 10,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

Dong Yan

Bo Dou opened to 50,000 first to act and was called by Dong Yan in the cutoff and James Kim in the small blind for a three-way pot.

Action checked to Yan, who bet 80,000 on the Q♦ 3♦ 6♣ flop. Kim responded by moving all in, which got a tank fold from Dou and a quick call from Yan to put himself at risk for 430,000 total.

Dong Yan: A♦ Q♠

James Kim: 7♦ 4♦

Yan held the lead, but needed to fade a lot of outs against Kim's combo draw.

The T♣ turn and 4♥ river bricked out for Kim, however, and Yan was awarded the double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
JK James KimUnited States of America	1,150,000(46 BB)	-90,000
DY Dong YanCanada	1,020,000(41 BB)	405,000
BD Bo DouChina	700,000(28 BB)	-155,000

Level 23: 10,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 6/171

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 5:33:43 AM

Furui Wang Eliminated in 7th Place for KRW 3,140,000 (~USD 2,311)

Level 22: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

Furui Wang

Tomohiro Kawada raised to 40,000 from the button before calling Furui Wang's three-bet shove for 140,000.

Furui Wang: A♠ Q♥

Tomohiro Kawada: Q♠ 8♠

Wang was in great shape to double up, needing to fade only spades and eights to stay in the game.

The 8♥ K♣ 4♠ flop was not what the Chinese player wanted to see, pairing Kawada's eight and leaving Wang needing to catch an ace or running cards.

The 7♥ 4♥ runout didn't help Wang, and he was sent to the rail as the third final table elimination.

Player	Chips
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	1,450,000(73 BB)
FW Furui WangChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
7	FW Furui WangChina	3,140,000	$2,311

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 5:24:38 AM

Kodai Sato Eliminated in 8th Place for KRW 2,615,000 (~USD 1,925)

Level 22: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

Kodai Sato

Bo Dou opened to 75,000 first to act and it was folded around to Kodai Sato, who tanked from the big blind before ultimately deciding to call all in for his remaining short stack to put himself at risk.

Kodai Sato: Q♠ 9♠

Bo Dou: A♣ A♠

It was unfortunate timing from Sato, who found himself crushed against the preflop nuts of Dou.

The T♠ 4♦ A♦ flop left Sato drawing to runner-runner, but the A♥ turn further improved Dou to quads to leave Sato drawing dead.

A meaningless Q♦ completed the board, making Sato's elimination in eighth place official.

Player	Chips	Progress
BD Bo DouChina	855,000(43 BB)	85,000
SK Sato KodaiJapan	busted	-45,000

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
8	SK Sato KodaiJapan	2,615,000	$1,925

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 5:17:31 AM

Alen Bakovic Eliminated in 9th Place for KRW 2,180,000 (~USD 1,605)

Level 22: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

Alen Bakovic

Alen Bakovic raised to 40,000 from middle position and next-to-act Bo Dou flat-called. Cutoff Tomohiro Kawada then three-bet to 120,000, before Bakovic four-bet jammed his remaining 260,000. Dou looked a little sick but ultimately folded, and Kawada snapped it off:

Alen Bakovic: A♦ K♥

Tomohiro Kawada: A♠ A♣

Bakovic was in a world of pain running into Kawada's bullets, needing some help from the dealer to stay in the game. Dou admitted he folded jacks and was feeling better about his decision.

The K♣ 8♥ 8♠ flop offered some hope, with the 8♦ turn giving both players a boat. Bakovic called for another king but the 5♦ river bricked, ending the Canadian player's run in ninth place.

Player	Chips
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	1,200,000(60 BB)
BD Bo DouChina	770,000(39 BB)
AB Alen BakovicCanada	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
9	AB Alen BakovicCanada	2,180,000	$1,605

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 4:49:47 AM

Final Table Set

Level 22: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

Back Row L-R: Dong Yan, Furui Wang, Alen Bakovic, Tomohiro Kawada, James Kim. Front Row L-R: Amarsaikhan Chinzorig, Kodai Sato, Bo Dou, Minkoo Kim

Player	Chips	Table	Seat
JK James KimUnited States of America	1,240,000(62 BB)	50	1
FW Furui WangChina	215,000(11 BB)	50	2
AC Amarsaikhan ChinzorigMongolia	645,000(32 BB)	50	3
SK Sato KodaiJapan	45,000(2 BB)	50	4
AB Alen BakovicCanada	350,000(18 BB)	50	5
BD Bo DouChina	730,000(37 BB)	50	6
MK Minkoo KimUnited States of America	250,000(13 BB)	50	7
DY Dong YanCanada	615,000(31 BB)	50	8
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	715,000(36 BB)	50	9

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 9/171

Level 22: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 9/171

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 4:47:34 AM

Payouts 10-13

Level 21: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
10	ZL Zhentao LongChina	1,895,000	$1,395
11	ML Maxim LykovRussia	1,895,000	$1,395
12	RM Ryo MichihataJapan	1,650,000	$1,214
13	MS Mai SatoJapan	1,650,000	$1,214

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 4:43:11 AM

Zhentao Long Bubbles Paradise City Kickoff Final Table

Level 21: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

Zhentao Long

Small blind Zhentao Long jammed his 226,000-chip stack into big blind James Kim, who, after a short moment of deliberation, put in the call:

Zhentao Long: 8♥ 8♦

James Kim: K♣ 9♣

Kim continued his hot streak with a solid flop of 9♦ A♣ K♦, leaving Long trailing and needing to hit one of the two remaining eights in the deck.

The 3♥ turn nor 5♠ river were those cards, and Long bubbled the final table as Kim extended his chip lead to well over 1.3 million in chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
JK James KimUnited States of America	1,330,000(83 BB)	360,000
ZL Zhentao LongChina	busted	-110,000

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 4:36:58 AM

Wang Comes From Behind to Double Through Kim

Level 21: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

Furui Wang

Furui Wang raised to 100,000 from under the gun, leaving himself just 15,000 behind. It was folded to Minkoo Kim, who said, "I hate this," before announcing he was all in with a covering stack.

Wang used up his one allotted time bank and then put his remaining chips into the middle.

Furui Wang: A♣ J♠

Minkoo Kim: A♠ Q♣

"I still hate it," Kim said upon seeing he had Wang dominated.

Kim's pessimism was warranted, as the board ran out J♦ 5♥ K♥ 8♦ K♣ - pairing Wang's jack to award him the double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
MK Minkoo KimUnited States of America	350,000(22 BB)	210,000
FW Furui WangChina	230,000(14 BB)	5,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 4:28:02 AM

Kim's Cowboys Send Out Lykov

Level 21: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

Maxim Lykov

Maxim Lykov jammed his remaining 167,000 and James Kim called from the button.

Maxim Lykov: K♦ Q♦

James Kim: K♣ K♥

Lykov was in desperate shape, and no help came on the 7♦ 9♥ 9♠ flop, with the A♥ turn leaving the Russian player drawing dead.

The inconsequential J♥ landed on the river and Lykov was eliminated in 11th place, leaving the remaining field on the final table bubble.

Player	Chips	Progress
JK James KimUnited States of America	970,000(61 BB)	160,000
ML Maxim LykovRussia	busted	-265,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 4:24:01 AM

Lucky Kim

Level 21: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

James Kim

James Kim and Kodai Sato limped in from the hijack and cutoff, as did small blind Alen Bakovic, and Zhentao Long checked his option in the big blind.

There were four checks when the dealer fanned the Q♥ K♥ 3♥ flop, taking the players to the A♣ turn where Kim led for 40,000. Sato then raised to 80,000 and the blinds stepped aside, and Kim added in the extra chips.

The 7♥ completed the board and Kim checked; Sato then said "I cannot bet!" checking it back and turning over A♦ 8♦. Kim flicked over A♠ 9♦, having just pipped the Japanese player with his nine kicker.

After doubling Bo Dou in an earlier level, Kim has chipped back up to a similar stack level as he had previously.

Player	Chips	Progress
JK James KimUnited States of America	810,000(51 BB)	-10,000
AB Alen BakovicCanada	495,000(31 BB)	-30,000
SK Sato KodaiJapan	165,000(10 BB)	-115,000
ZL Zhentao LongChina	110,000(7 BB)	-20,000

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 4:21:00 AM

Chinzorig Wins a Race to Felt Michihata

Level 21: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

Amarsaikhan Chinzorig

Ryo Michihata moved all in for 142,000 first to act and action folded to Amarsaikhan Chinzorig, who tossed in a single chip to indicate a call from the big blind.

Ryo Michihata: 3♠ 3♥

Amarsaikhan Chinzorig: A♣ J♠

It was a flip for Michihata's tournament life, but the 6♥ K♥ A♦ 8♣ Q♠ runout paired Chinzorig's ace, eliminating Michihata in 12th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
AC Amarsaikhan ChinzorigMongolia	850,000(53 BB)	-20,000
RM Ryo MichihataJapan	busted

Level 21: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 13/171

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 13/171

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 3:50:37 AM

Kodai Sato Eliminates Mai Sato

Level 20: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

Mai Sato

Mai Sato moved all in for her last 50,000 on the button and was called by Kodai Sato in the big blind with a covering stack.

Mai Sato: K♦ J♠

Kodai Sato: A♣ T♦

Mai Sato's cards were live, but the 9♠ 2♥ 6♣ T♠ 3♥ runout favored Kodai Sato with a pair of tens, eliminating Mai Sato a few spots shy of the final table.

Player	Chips	Progress
SK Sato KodaiJapan	280,000(23 BB)	20,000
MS Mai SatoJapan	busted	-120,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 3:40:40 AM

Bakovic Fades the Royal Flush

Level 20: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

Bo Dou

Bo Dou raised to 24,000 from middle position before calling cutoff Alen Bakovic's 52,000 three-bet.

Both opted to check the 6♥ A♦ J♦ flop to the T♦ turn, where Dou led for 28,000, prompting a quick call from Bakovic.

The 7♣ landed on the river and both checked it down, with Dou turning over K♦ T♠ for a pair of tens, but was pipped by Bakovic's A♣ 4♣ for top pair. Dou made note of his Royal Flush draw before ceding the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
BD Bo DouChina	810,000(68 BB)	545,000
AB Alen BakovicCanada	525,000(44 BB)	25,000

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 3:38:59 AM

Payouts 14-17

Level 20: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
14	DW Daisuke WatanabeJapan	1,435,000	$1,056
15	SK So KonishiJapan	1,435,000	$1,056
16	ZL Zeping LiChina	1,250,000	$920
17	EP Eetu PorkkaFinland	1,250,000	$920

Level 20: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 21/171

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 3:33:20 AM

Yan Collects Watanabe's Crumbs

Level 19: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Daisuke Watanabe

A short-stacked Daisuke Watanabe shoved for his last 15,000 on the button and was called by Dong Yan in the small bllind and Amarsaikhan Chinzorig in the big blind.

Yan check-called a 15,000 bet from Chinzorig on the 4♠ 3♥ 5♥ flop and then both players checked down on the 6♠ turn and 5♦ river.

Yan tabled 6♣ 3♣ for sixes and fives, which got a muck from Chinzorig after showing a 3x. Watanabe could only show A♦ 8♣ for ace-high and was eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
AC Amarsaikhan ChinzorigMongolia	870,000(87 BB)	-55,000
DY Dong YanCanada	660,000(66 BB)	60,000
DW Daisuke WatanabeJapan	busted	-97,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 3:22:49 AM

Do Sends Li Out

Level 19: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Zeping Li

Zeping Li shoved his remaining 15,000 from under the gun and received calls from cutoff Mai Sato plus blinds Kodai Sato and Bo Dou.

On the 6♣ 9♣ 4♦ flop Sato checked before Dou bet 40,000, prompting folds from both opponents and leaving Li and Dou to show down.

Zeping Li: K♠ 8♦

Bo Dou: J♣ 9♠

Li called for a king, but the turn was the T♠, offering some extra outs in the form of a gutshot.

The 6♥ river blanked, though, and Li was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
BD Bo DouChina	265,000(27 BB)	191,000
SK Sato KodaiJapan	260,000(26 BB)	178,000
MS Mai SatoJapan	120,000(12 BB)	22,000
ZL Zeping LiChina	busted	-269,000

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 3:22:34 AM

Payouts 18-21

Level 19: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
18	YN Yashiro NaokiJapan	1,085,000	$798
19	CK Changsoo KohSouth Korea	1,085,000	$798
20	YS Yuya SatoJapan	1,085,000	$798
21	KI Koki IwahashiJapan	945,000	$695

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 3:10:06 AM

Yan Doubles Through Porkka

Level 19: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Dong Yan

Dong Yan opened on the button and just behind him, Eetu Porkka moved all in from the small blind. Yan quickly called all in for 291,000 total after it was folded back to him and cards were revealed.

Dong Yan: Q♣ Q♥

Eetu Porkka: 5♣ 5♠

Yan's ladies were well out in front, and the Q♦ 3♣ A♣ 9♣ A♠ runout needlessly improved him to a full house to be awarded the double up while knocking Porkka down to just 75,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
DY Dong YanCanada	600,000(60 BB)	264,000
EP Eetu PorkkaFinland	75,000(8 BB)	-113,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 3:09:30 AM

Hard to Flop Better

Level 19: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Maxim Lykov

Small blind Minkoo Kim jammed his covering stack into Maxim Lykov, who quickly committed his final ~120,000.

Maxim Lykov: A♠ 9♠

Minkoo Kim: A♦ T♦

Lykov looked in trouble, but those fears quickly dissipated when the 7♠ 8♠ 9♠ flop was fanned, giving Lykov the nuts and a straight flush draw for good measure.

"Ohhhhh!" was the collective sound from the table.

The inconsequential 4♦ K♥ turn and river completed the board and the Russian was awarded a little more breathing room.

Player	Chips	Progress
ML Maxim LykovRussia	265,000(27 BB)	170,000
MK Minkoo KimUnited States of America	140,000(14 BB)	-88,000

Level 19: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 21/171

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 2:54:08 AM

Bakovic's Rise Continues

Level 18: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

Alen Bakovic

So Konishi raised to 16,000 from the cutoff and called a three-bet of 41,000 from Alen Bakovic, who was on the button.

Konishi proceeded to check-call bets from Bakovic on every street. First for 38,000 on the K♦ 5♦ J♣ flop, then for 80,000 on the A♠ turn, and finally for another 80,000 (leaving himself about 20,000 behind) on the 5♥ river.

Bakovic tabled A♣ K♥ for aces and kings, and Konishi nodded his head in acknowledgement before sending his cards into the muck.

Bakovic, who entered Day 2 as one of the short stacks, has had a stellar showing so far and currently sits with about 500,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
AB Alen BakovicCanada	500,000(63 BB)	420,000
SK So KonishiJapan	165,000(21 BB)	-219,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 2:48:33 AM

Amarsaikhan Keeps Climbing

Level 18: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

Chinzorig Amarsaikhan

Start-of-day chip leader Chinzorig Amarsaikhan is still leading the field with well over 100 big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
AC Amarsaikhan ChinzorigMongolia	925,000(116 BB)	65,000
MK Minkoo KimUnited States of America	228,000(29 BB)	70,000
FW Furui WangChina	225,000(28 BB)	45,000
ZL Zhentao LongChina	130,000(16 BB)	-37,000
ML Maxim LykovRussia	95,000(12 BB)	-96,000
BD Bo DouChina	74,000(9 BB)	-82,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 2:40:36 AM

Payouts 22-25

Level 18: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
22	KW Kaiwen WeiUnited States of America	945,000	$695
23	RH Ryu HiroiJapan	945,000	$695
24	MH Masayuki HoriJapan	945,000	$695
25	YM Yusuke MizunoJapan	945,000	$695

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 2:38:49 AM

Kim Sends Wei Out

Level 18: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

Kaiwen Wei

James Kim opened to 18,000 on the button and it was folded to Kaiwen Wei, who moved all in for approximately 150,000 from the big blind.

Kim didn't like it, but he eventually convinced himself to put calling chips into the middle with his monster stack to put Wei at risk.

Kaiwen Wei: 4♣ 4♥

James Kim: K♣ 7♠

Kim's marginal holding was in decent shape against Wei's baby pair, and Kim's gamble paid off after the K♥ T♣ J♣ 8♥ 7♣ runout left him with two pair to eliminate Wei from contention.

Player	Chips	Progress
JK James KimUnited States of America	820,000(103 BB)	160,000
KW Kaiwen WeiUnited States of America	busted

Level 18: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 23/171

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 2:33:10 AM

Cruel End for Hiroi

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Ryu Hiroi

Tomohiro Kawada raised to 12,000 from the cutoff before button Ryu Hiroi three-bet jammed his remaining 85,000. After double-checking his own stack, Kawada made the call and flicked over his hand:

Ryu Hiroi: K♥ J♥

Tomohiro Kawada Q♥ J♠

Kawada made the "tsk" sound as he saw his holding dominated, and stood up from his seat for extra luck.

The 8♣ T♠ 2♦ flop did offered Kawada some extra outs in the form of a gutshot, but Hiroi was still ahead.

The 9♦ turn, however, completed Kawada's straight and left Hiroi needing to catch up. Unfortunately for the short stack, the 5♦ river bricked and he was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	455,000(76 BB)	79,000
RH Ryu HiroiJapan	busted	-115,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 2:15:36 AM

Lucky Sevens for Bakovic

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Alen Bakovic

James Kim limped from middle position, as did hijack Kaiwen Wei. Small blind Alen Bakovic then raised to 34,000, leaving 2,000 in his stack. Kim flatted before Wei three-bet jammed to 156,000. Bakovic committed his remaining chips and Kim got out of the way.

Alen Bakovic: 7♥ 7♦

Kaiwen Wei: A♥ K♦

"I had pocket twos," Kim said.

"I would've preferred that," joked Bakovic.

Fortunately for Bakovic, he managed to fade Wei's Big Slick on the T♠ 3♠ 9♣ Q♣ 3♥ runout to score the double and get his head more above the waterline.

Player	Chips	Progress
JK James KimUnited States of America	660,000(110 BB)	-27,000
KW Kaiwen WeiUnited States of America	120,000(20 BB)	-48,000
AB Alen BakovicCanada	80,000(13 BB)	32,000

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 2:08:45 AM

Chinzorig Lightens the Field

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Masayuki Hori opened to 12,000 on the button and was three-bet to 36,000 by Amarsaikhan Chinzorig from the small blind. Action folded back to Hori, who moved all in for a bit over 100,000 total. Chinzorig quickly called and a showdown was held.

Masayuki Hori: A♥ 4♦

Amarsaikhan Chinzorig: A♦ J♣

Chinzorig had Hori dominated, and the 3♦ 7♣ 8♣ 5♥ K♣ runout changed nothing - eliminating Hori early in Day 2 and giving the overall chip leader a nice boost to his stack.

At another table, Yusuke Mizuno was also eliminated.

Player	Chips
AC Amarsaikhan ChinzorigMongolia	860,000(143 BB)
MH Masayuki HoriJapan	busted
YM Yusuke MizunoJapan	busted

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 25/171

Dan O'HairDan O'Hair

9/4/2026, 1:55:23 AM

Shuffle up and Deal

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

The returning 25 players have taken their seats and action is underway!

Callum JuryCallum Jury

9/4/2026, 1:11:31 AM

25 Return to Battle for Paradise City Kickoff Title

Level 20: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

Twenty-five players return for the final day of the Paradise City Kickoff, playing down to a winner to claim the top prize and the APPT Trophy. The top three finishers will also receive an APPT Korea Main Event seat.

All players have secured a min-cash going into today's finale, but will be looking to climb the ladder when play resumes at 11:00 AM.

Topping the counts is Amarsaikhan Chinzorig of Mongolia, who bagged in from Flight B with 843,000, a comfortable lead over Flight A chip leader James Kim, who returns with 687,000.

Top 10 Counts

Player	Chips
AC Amarsaikhan ChinzorigMongolia	843,000(70 BB)
JK James KimUnited States of America	687,000(57 BB)
SK So KonishiJapan	384,000(32 BB)
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	376,000(31 BB)
DY Dong YanCanada	336,000(28 BB)
ZL Zeping LiChina	269,000(22 BB)
ML Maxim LykovRussia	191,000(16 BB)
EP Eetu PorkkaFinland	188,000(16 BB)
FW Furui WangChina	180,000(15 BB)
KW Kaiwen WeiUnited States of America	168,000(14 BB)

So Konishi (384,000) and Tomohiro Kawada (376,000) round out the top four, with Dong Yan (336,000) and Zeping Li (269,000) also well positioned heading into the day.

At the other end of the counts, Yusuke Mizuno returns as the short stack with just 28,000.

Stay tuned to Somuchpoker to catch all the action, double-ups, bustouts and the eventual champion of the Paradise City Kickoff event!

SMPSMP

9/4/2026, 12:28:26 AM

Final Day

Chip Counts

Player	Chips
AC Amarsaikhan ChinzorigMongolia	843,000
JK James KimUnited States of America	687,000
SK So KonishiJapan	384,000
TK Tomohiro KawadaJapan	376,000
DY Dong YanCanada	336,000
ZL Zeping LiChina	269,000
ML Maxim LykovRussia	191,000
EP Eetu PorkkaFinland	188,000
FW Furui WangChina	180,000
KW Kaiwen WeiUnited States of America	168,000
YS Yuya SatoJapan	168,000
ZL Zhentao LongChina	167,000
MK Minkoo KimUnited States of America	158,000
BD Bo DouChina	156,000
CK Changsoo KohSouth Korea	150,000
RH Ryu HiroiJapan	115,000
KI Koki IwahashiJapan	113,000
MH Masayuki HoriJapan	107,000
RM Ryo MichihataJapan	100,000
YN Yashiro NaokiJapan	98,000
MS Mai SatoJapan	98,000
DW Daisuke WatanabeJapan	97,000
SK Sato KodaiJapan	82,000
AB Alen BakovicCanada	48,000
YM Yusuke MizunoJapan	28,000