Jeju Open Mystery Bounty (1,520,000 KRW)

After battling through 28 levels and outlasting a field of 358 players. that pushed the total prize pool to KRW 250,027,200 (~USD 169,954), Australia's Joseph Kim hoisted his first poker trophy and scored the biggest live cash of his career. In addition to the champion's purse, Kim collected an additional 8 bounties worth KRW 10,200,000 (~$6,887) to bring his total payout to KRW 40,200,000 (~$27,148).

I'm very, very pumped. I was tired all day yesterday and today, but I'm feeling really happy now. It's been a bit back and forth, but luckily, I had a good hand.

Kim started Day 2 as 10th overall, but was massive chip leader at his table that allowed him to continuously chip up. A pivotal moment came in Level 19 when he knocked out two players vaulting him into 2nd in chips.

However, the final table draw was anything but good, sandwiched among three bigger stacks - two to his left and one to his right - until a game changing hand against the chip leader Tao Li reversed their roles. Kim extracted over 20 bb with the nut flush for a 40 bb swing.

Taking control with four players left, Kim called two all-ins delivering another double knockout with 3♠ 3♥ against their over cards A♦ J♠ and K♣ Q♣ .

So, with that hand, I put them both on high cards, and I figured they would have each other's outs. I had enough chips that even if I lost, I could recover. So I went for it, and it worked in my favor - I got both of them out. I guess you have to get lucky at some point.

Heads up against Linjian Liu proved challenging with plenty of all-ins that saw both players on the brink of elimination. KIm finally closed it, picking up K♠ K♦ in the big blind when Liu jammed 27BB into him with T♦ 7♣ .

With this victory, Kim intends to ride the momentum saying,

Today was the first tournament. Tomorrow, I’ll win the main event, and hopefully, I’ll do well in the other events. I plan to play four or five more events, before heading back to Australia. This trip turned out great! I didn’t come here specifically for this, but while I was in Seoul, I looked up tournaments and found this one. I’m really glad I came. The venue is very nice, and I’m staying at the hotel here, so it's easy to get back home.

Congrats to the champ and good luck on the upcoming events!

Bai is taking quite a gamble with 6♣ 2♦ , but is at least live, until the dealer flips over Q♣ A♥ 3♦ T♠ 8♦ , ending Bai's run early, who probably had higher hopes after punching his ticket to the final table as chip leader and handing out the first two eliminations.

Right the next hand, chip leader Yunpeng Bai opens 150,000 from under the gun and button Tao Li flats with A♣ T♦ to see the flop J♣ 6♣ Q♥ where he peels a 125,000 c-bet to hit top pair on the turn A♥ . Bai fires another 375,000, Li calls to complete the board K♣ and scoops the pot with a 1,000,000 bet against Bai's check with 6♥ 5♠ .

Under the gun Junpeng Bai opens 80,000 and calls Tao Li's 270,000 three-bet out of the button. Bai floats Li's 100,000 continuation on the flop 2♥ 9♠ 7♦ and takes over the reins with a 400,000 bluff Q♠ J♠ on the turn 9♥ that is enough to push Li off of A♥ Q♦ .

The flop 5♣ 4♠ 3♥ is still looking good for the shorties, but the turn A♥ has Yan drawing dead and Du is left with one out. No 5% special for Du puts Bai into a massive chip lead.

With the Final 9 determined, chip leader Yunpeng Bai is in a great spot to dominate the final table, having position on all the big stacks.

The dealer makes short work of Wang, hitting the felt 6♦ 5♦ T♥ 7♠ J♦ , and separates chip leader Bai further from the field.

Everything is looking peachy for the Japanese who finished runner up in the Nippon Series Kagawa Main Event last November, when the dealer tables J♦ 9♠ 2♠ J♥ before turning pear shaped on the river 6♣ , bringing his run to an end and giving Bai another chance to draw for a mystery bounty.

A huge clash just took place between Yu Han Su, who started the day as chip leader and Tao Li, who already has a few bounties to his name resulting in the biggest pot of the day so far. Tao Li started the hand with A♠ 2♥ and Yu Han Su had K♥ T♥ , the board ran A♥ J♣ Q♣ 2♦ 2♠ and both of them ended up with all their chips in the middle. Tao Li now sits at 846,000 and leads the pack.

Chang is in a good position to triple up when the turn falls A♠ , but the river 4♣ gives both opponents a flush, making Bai the new chip leader and gives him two tries to draw for the KRW 20M bounty.

Tao Li is already dreaming of drawing the biggest bounty when the dealer flips over Q♥ and A♦ for a runner runner two pair going to Yi Wei Chang.