Tony Lin Wins KPC 5M High Roller for KRW 134 Million After Heads-Up Deal

Tony Lin added another KPC trophy to his collection on Day 5 of the KPC Poker October Series, as the action continued at LES A Casino in Jeju, South Korea.

Lin agreed a heads-up deal with Zhengqing Zhao to take the 5M High Roller title and KRW 134,120,000 (~USD 99,940), while Zhao collected KRW 130,000,000 (~USD 96,870) after starting the final table as the shortest stack.

Elsewhere on the KPC schedule, Manuel Martin Fritz bagged the King's 60K Super High Roller Day 1 chip lead, while the KPC Main Event closed its Day 1 flights with 1,082 entries and a KRW 1,215,303,000 (~USD 905,600) prize pool.

Tony Lin Wins 5M High Roller

The KRW 5,000,000 (~USD 3,726) buy-in event generated a KRW 745,154,000 (~USD 555,300) prize pool from 167 entries, comfortably clear of its KRW 420,000,000 guarantee.

Sean Ooi arrived at the final table with 5,950,000 after a Day 2 in which he was among the shortest stacks near the bubble, holding just a few hundred thousand chips when the average was around 1.5 million.

He made his move in the first elimination hand, three-betting an Aleksandras Rusinovas open and just calling when Siyoung Lee four-bet from the button. Ooi check-called the flop and snap-called Lee’s turn shove, showing pocket aces against kings. The aces held, sending Lee out in ninth and Ooi up to 14 million.

Lin then took over. He moved in from the small blind with pocket threes, and Rokas Asipauskas called off his last 1,600,000 from the big blind with ace-nine suited. Lin's threes held, sending Asipauskas out in eighth.

Marius Kudzmanas followed in seventh when his king-queen bluff on a deuce-eight-ten board ran into Lin's pocket fours, and Lin climbed to around 11 million.

Barely a hand later, Nevan Chang moved all in over a Lin three-bet with pocket nines and was called by Lin's pocket queens. A queen on the flop sent Chang out in sixth and pushed Lin to 17 million.

Rusinovas moved all in for his tournament from the button with ace-eight offsuit and was called by Ooi's ace-king in the big blind. No eight arrived, and Rusinovas departed in fifth.

Hyunyeong Kang was next, limping with pocket queens as Lin checked his option with four-three offsuit. A three on the flop and another on the turn gave Lin trips, and Kang moved all in on the turn only to be snapped off and left drawing to the last two queens. No help came, and Kang finished fourth.

Ooi's comeback run ended in third. Lin moved all in on the button with king-seven of diamonds, Ooi called with ace-ten offsuit, and a king in the window left Ooi needing an ace that never came. He collected KRW 80,000,000 (~USD 59,610).

That left Lin holding 39 million to Zhao's 11 million heads-up, and the pair agreed a deal that handed Lin the title.

Lin Targets Two More KPC Titles

"I feel great! I feel that every time I come to KPC, things go pretty smoothly for me," Lin said. "I will definitely come to every single stop of the KPC series."

Lin credited his composure at the table to his routine away from it. "It's very hard for anything to shake my composure," he said. "As long as I get good sleep, rest well, and exercise properly, my mindset stays level."

He also had a message for players chasing their first final table. "Never complain about bad luck," he said. "Luck can win you a hand, but it won't win you a career."

Lin made it clear the 5M High Roller is not the last title he is chasing in Jeju. "My next goal is to win the USD 60K buy-in event starting soon at KPC, as well as the KPC Main Event," he said. "I hope to secure three championship trophies here."

5M High Roller Final Table Results

*Heads-up deal

Fritz Bounces Back to Lead King's 60K Super High Roller

The USD 60,000 buy-in King's 60K Super High Roller drew 50 entries on Day 1, building a USD 2,808,000 prize pool. Thirty players survived to Day 2.

Fritz finished on top with 2,345,000 despite busting his first bullet. Holding ace-jack, the Austrian moved all in for 53,000 over a Fabian Gumz raise and was called by ace-queen of clubs. A queen on the river sealed it for Gumz, but Fritz re-entered and went on to lead the field.

Ethan "Rampage" Yau bagged 1,540,000 but was on the wrong end of a river call against Wai Kiat Lee. After Lee raised and Yau defended his big blind, Yau bet the jack turn and the nine river on a seven-six-four flop. Lee called both streets with ace-jack, and Yau showed ace-three as Lee took the pot. Lee finished the day with 1,270,000.

Quan Zhou (1,579,000) also finished among the leaders, while Hugues Girard (973,000), Sean Ooi (887,000), Mehdi Chaoui (782,000), Matas Cimbolas (664,000), Toby Joyce (565,000), Punnat Punsri (529,000) and 25K winner Lei Yu (526,000) are all through. Lin, who named the 60K as his next target after his 5M win, will return with 317,000.

KPC Main Event Smashes Guarantee with 1,082 Entries

The KRW 1,300,000 (~USD 969) KPC Main Event closed registration after six Day 1 flights with 1,082 entries, building a KRW 1,215,303,000 (~USD 905,600) prize pool, well clear of its KRW 880,000,000 guarantee.

Wednesday's final two flights added 429 entries. Lee Wee Liew led Day 1E with 639,000, while King's Debut ninth-place finisher Wei Lin topped the turbo Day 1F with 543,000. King's Debut champion Yan Wen Yee (241,000) and Martin Sedlak (238,000) also advanced from Day 1E.

A total of 105 players will return for Day 2, led by Day 1D leader Huixiang Xia on 876,000, with Yue Mou (684,000) and Liew (639,000) close behind.

KPC Main Event Day 2 Top 10 Chip Counts

Thursday, October 15 Schedule

Players can view the complete KPC Poker October Series schedule on Somuchpoker.

Images and data courtesy of KPC.