Main Event

Coming into the final table with the smallest stack of 15 big blinds, Hungary’s Hanusi Mate emerged as this year’s WPT Korea Championship Event winner, having outlasted the 1,065 entry field and besting the final nine from behind. Hanusi patiently waited for the right spots and overtook the lead only by the heads up battle against China’s Ma Li. It took nearly seven hours of final table play before Hanusi secured the overall victory with a final flip to knock his last opponent out and claim the KRW 434,936,000 (~USD 323,500) top prize, WPT Korea Main Event trophy, along with the inaugural WPT Korea Main Event Ring.

Final Table Results

Button Ma Li opened to 2,400,000 with A♦ Q♣ and called off small blind Zhang Chi’s 18,000,000 all-in. Zhang shows J♦ J♥ and is at risk for his tournament life. The board ran K♠ 4♣ 3♥ 2♠ A♣ with Ma spiking the river for the win.

Three players remain in battle for the Main Event glory with China’s Ma Li in the forefront.

Chip Counts

Remaining Payouts

Small blind Zhang Chi limped in with 9♦ 6♣ , followed by a check back from big blind Hanusi Mate with 9♥ 8♠ . Flop came 9♣ 3♥ 8♣ and saw Hanusi bet 1,000,000. Zhang check raised to 3,000,000 and Hanusi moved all-in for 11,000,000 total. Zhang gives it up and throws his hand in the muck.

Small blind Ma Li limped A♥ 4♦ and found big blind Zhang Chi put in a raise to 2,000,000 with 9♠ 5♣ . Ma answered with a three bet to 6,600,000 and Zhang folds.

Button Ma Li opened to 1,300,000 with 9♥ 6♥ and was called by small blind Zhang Chi with Q♦ T♣ . Flop came J♦ 4♦ K♥ and saw Zhang check call another 1,300,000. Turn 4♥ was checked through, revealing river 6♠ . Zhang led for 2,000,000, Ma with a call for the win.

Utg Hanusi Mate opened to 1,300,000 with A♥ K♦ , called by big blind Zhang Chi with 8♣ 6♠ . On flop 7♣ A♦ 8♠ , Zhang check called for 1,300,000 and headed to turn Q♥ . Action went check check and proceeded to river Q♥ . Hanusi fired 3,000,000, Zhang with a check fold.

Button Zhang Chi open shoved his big stack in with 2♠ 2♣ and saw big blind Dai Linghui call off with T♥ T♣ for his remaining 7,400,000. At a huge advantage, Dai was left in pieces after the flop 7♥ 8♠ 2♥ K♣ 7♣ quickly landed his opponent a set to eventually knock him out.

Button Dai Linghui opened to 1,100,000 with 7♠ 9♠ , joined by big blind Zhang Chi with Q♦ J♥ . On flop 2♦ 6♦ 3♦ , Dai continued for 600,000, check called by Zhang. Turn T♠ went check check, revealing river 8♠ . Zhang leads for 1,100,000, called by Dai. Dai with a straight, takes the boost and is back to 18 BB.

Zhang Chi defended his J♣ 9♦ on the big blind vs utg Hanusi Mate‘s 1,100,000 open and saw flop 9♣ 6♠ K♣ . Zhang check called another 1,100,000, revealing turn 2♠ . Both players checked it through and headed to river K♥ . Zhang this time, led for 2,400,000, Hanusi with a fold.

Button Zhang Chi opened to 1,100,000 with Q♥ Q♠ and saw big blind Dai Linghui fire a three bet to 2,600,000 with 7♣ 8♥ . Zhang answered with an all-in, leaving Dai no choice but to give it up.

Five players remain in the running for the Main Event title.

Chip Counts

Small blind Zhang Chi opened to 900,000 with Q♥ 6♦ , called by big blind Hanusi Mate with 8♦ 7♣ . Flop came 6♥ K♣ 8♠ and Zhang continued for 400,000. Hanusi bumped it up to 1,600,000 with Zhang calling behind. However on turn 9♠ , Zhang check folded after Hasuni moved all-in for 7,300,000.

Cutoff Zhang Chi opened to 800,000 with 5♥ 5♣ and called off big blind Aghayev Farhad’s 2,900,000 all-in. Aghayev shows A♦ 7♦ and is in for a flip for his tournament life. The board K♦ 8♣ 4♠ 3♣ Q♣ turned up on the felt with Zhang’s pocket pair holding up all the way.

Utg Ding Yayun open shoved 6,800,000 in with A♣ J♣ and was called by button Zhang Chi with A♥ K♦ . Dominated, Ding headed for the exit after the board 2♦ 6♠ 9♦ 2♠ Q♠ sealed her fate.

Small blind Ma Li opened to 2,000,000 with Q♥ T♦ and folded shortly after Zhang Chi stuffed his 4,600,000 stack with 6♠ 4♦ . Zhang picks up the 8 BB boost.

Folded to small blind Ma Li, she shoved once more with A♥ 7♥ and was called by big blind Zhang Chi with A♣ 8♠ . A potential chop, Zhang locked in the double after the board Q♣ 2♦ 4♥ T♠ K♣ ran on the felt.

After a grueling nine hours of play, the 45 runner pack drew down to its final nine players led by China’s Fang Po Wen. Fang stormed to the lead by the last level after a blind vs blind confrontation with Luo Jianming earned him a massive pot. Fang bagged a mighty 12,350,000 (61 BB) with Ding Yayun right on his tail with 12,175,000 (60 BB). All returning players are guaranteed a KRW 43,500,000 payout and a chance to claim the KR₩ 434,936,000 (~USD 323,500) top prize at stake.

Chip Counts

Remaining Payouts

13 players remain in contention for the Main Event title and KRW 434,936,000 top prize.

Chip Counts

Total chips in play: 53,250,000

Another all-in preflop situation saw small blind Tai Hsing Hsiung all-in for 700,000 with T♥ T♠ against button Zhang Chi’s A♦ 6♦ . The board ran Q♣ Q♠ J♦ 8♥ 4♦ , leaving Tai’s pocket pair holding up for the win.

Button opened and was met with two all-ins - Zhang Chi for 1,450,000 and Tai Hsing Hsiung for 2,175,000. Original raiser folds and Zhang shows A♠ K♣ up against Tai’s A♣ Q♠ . The board 3♦ 6♥ 4♠ 5♦ J♦ missed to pair either, earning Zhang the pot with ace-king high.

Button Luo Jianming opened to 100,000 and called small blind Zhang Chi’s 1,030,000 all-in with K♦ K♠ . Zhang is behind with Q♥ Q♠ but survived through after the board K♣ J♣ 3♥ 9♠ T♣ ran a runner runner straight to his queen.

Facing an utg open from Zhang Chi, Yoshimura Konosuke fired a three bet to 2,200 and was called by both Zhang and small blind Odaka Ryunosuke. Flop A♦ K♠ J♦ was checked to Zhang who bet 3,500, called by Odaka. Zhang raised it up to 18,000 with only Yoshimura continuing to turn Q♦ . Zhang moves all-in for 30,000 and claims the pot after Yoshimura gives it up.

On a board of K♠ 8♣ 3♠ K♥ 6♦ , Zhang Chi found himself in trouble with K♦ Q♦ as his opponent Chi Yanfei revealed 8♥ 8♦ for a full house. Chi scoops up the pot, knocking out Zhang of the Main Event games.