Mike Takayama wins WPT Cambodia Super High Roller

The Super High Roller title came down between the top two Philippine players Mike Takayama and Marc Rivera. Both players quickly opted to evenly split the remaining cash then battled for the trophy. One hour in, Takayama doubled up and never looked back. He defeated Rivera on a flip with trips over on a board . This was Takayama’s fourth WPT title and second on a $10K buy in. He collected USD 158,587, his second largest live tournament career payout.

As for Rivera, the USD 158,586 payout deal was also his second largest live tournament earning though a far cry from his career best USD 2.1 Million win.

The Super High Roller event, featuring a costly USD 10,000 buy in, dragged in some of the most renowned players worldwide. Among the 66 entries were notable heavy-hittersDominic Nitsche, Daniel Neilson, Nam Hyung Kim (2023 WPT Australia SHR champion), and Masato Yokosawa (2013 WPT Korea champion), one of the few onsite with his name engraved on the illustrious Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup. Kim was eliminated early in Day 1 while Yokosawa went on to reach the final table, exiting in 6th place.

Making his debut appearance outside of home turf Viet Nam, Nguyen Trung Quan carried an overwhelming stack into Day 2 and further increased after delivering the bubble in Nguyen Quang Huy. He finished in 5th place.

The most impressive comeback was by Australia’s Yita Choong who dropped down to 7 bb at 10 left when he spiked a two-outer holding to survive Trung Quan’s . Choong went on to clean out Canada’s Aidan Tam in 10th place, then later exited in 3rd place. He five-bet shoved and ran into Takayama’s .

*Read up on the final day action via the live updates at the bottom of the page.

Date: January 22 to 23, 2024
Buy in: USD 10,000
Entries: 66 (45 unique)
Prize pool: USD 620,994
ITM: 10 places

*Heads up deal, played for trophy

For those just hearing of this inaugural festival, World Poker Tour (WPT) Season XXII kicked off on January 17 at NagaWorld Integrated Resorts in Phnom Penh, Cambodia running until January 30, 2024. It is the biggest festival by the brand in the region featuring at 44-game lineup.

The most anticipated event is theWPT Championship– the first WPT Main Tour in Southeast Asia – boasting aUSD 1 Million guarantee.This is the largest prize pool announced by the WPT in the region. Buy in is USD 3,500. Event runs January 25 to 29, 2024.

WPT Cambodia – News Coverage and Results
WPT Cambodia – Player of the Festival standings
WPT Cambodia – Player Guide
WPT Cambodia – Photos

Super High Roller – Day 2 live updates

Buy in: USD 10,000
Entries: 66 (45 unique)
Prize pool: USD 620,994
ITM: 10 places

*Heads up deal, played for trophy

15:50: Mike Takayama wins!
Level 23: 150K-300K ante 300K

It’s all over! Mike Takayama has won the Super High Roller! After doubling up a few levels back, Takayama kept his lead intact. The final hand, it was all in preflop, Takayama , Marc Rivera , the board ran out .

16:10: Mike Takayama doubles up
Level 22: 75K-150K ante 150K

With 1,125,000 in the pot, and action on a turn board , Mike Takayama shoves 5,685,000. Rivera tank-calls with . Takayama ahead with . The river doubles up Takayama.

Mike Takayama – 12,495,000 (27 bb)
Marc Rivera – 4,005,000 (83 bb)

16:00: Chip count update
Level 21: 75K-125K ante 125K

Chips in play: 16,500,000
Average stack: 8,250,000 (66 bb)

15:45: Chip count update
Level 20: 50K-100K ante 100K

Chips in play: 16,500,000
Average stack: 8,250,000 (82 bb)

15:20: Deal reached
Level 19: 40K-80K ante 80K

Players have decided to split the money and play for the trophy.

1st – USD 158,587
2nd – USD 158,586

15:15 Heads up!
Level 19: 40K-80K ante 80K

Chips in play: 16,500,000
Average stack: 8,250,000 (103 bb)

15:10: Yita Choong eliminated in 3rd place – USD 84,579
Level 19: 40K-80K ante 80K

Button Marc Rivera opens 160,000, small blind Yita Choong three-bets 560,000, big blind Mike Takayama four-bets 1,200,000, Rivera folds, Choong shoves, snap-call Takayama.

Choong
Takayama

The board runs out .

Heads up!

15:05: Samuel Wilkinson eliminated in 4th place – USD 58,777
Level 19: 40K-80K ante 80K

Small blind Samuel Wilkinson limps, big blind Marc Rivera raises, Wilkinson shoves, Rivera snap-calls. Wilkinson behind to Rivera’s , board runs out .

Marc Rivera 7,200,000 (120 bb)

15:00: Chip count update, 4 players
Level 19: 40K-80K ante 80K

Chips in play: 16,500,000
Average stack: 3,300,000 (41 bb)

14:50: Nguyen Trung Quan eliminated in 5th place – USD 42,656
Level 18: 30K-60K ante 60K

Nguyen Trung Quan can’t catch a break, having lost another pot to bring his stack down to 800,000. On the next hand, he defended the big blind against Yita Choong‘s 125,000 raise. At the flop , Nguyen check-called 85,000. On the turn , Choong bet 225,000 Nguyen check-raised all in, Choong called.

Nguyen
Choong

The river ended Nguyen’s run in 5th place.

Yita Choong – 4,000,000 (67 bb)

14:37: Yita Choong spikes turn for a double
Level 18: 30K-60K ante 60K

Button Yita Choong opens, Nguyen Trung Quan defends the big blind. At the flop , Choong bets 145,000, Nguyen raises 330,000, Choong four-bets 600,000, Nguyen shoves, Choong snap-calls.

Choong top pair
Nguyen two pair

The turn gives Choong the higher two pair then ships a double on the river .

Yita Choong – 3,260,000 (54 bb)
Nguyen Trung Quan – 1,050,000 (18 bb)

14:30: Chip count update, 5 players remaining
Level 18: 30K-60K ante 60K

Chips in play: 16,500,000
Average stack: 3,300,000 (66 bb)

14:20: Masato Yokosawa eliminated in 6th place – USD 32,385
Level 18: 30K-60K ante 60K

Masato Yokosawa had been nursing a short stack all day and finally sends it all in, three-bet shoving Marc Rivera. Easy call for Rivera with over Yokosawa’s . Board runs .

Macr Rivera = 5,200,000 (87 bb)

14:15: Marc Rivera cracks Nguyen Trung Quan’s aces
Level 18: 30K-60K ante 60K

Button Nguyen Trung Quan opens, big blind Marc Rivera defends. When the board completes , Rivera check-calls Nguyen’s every street bet – 125,000, 250,000, 475,000 – Nguyen shows , Rivera ships with trips.

Marc Rivera – 4,630,000 (77 bb)
Nguyen Trung Quan – 2,700,000 (45 bb)

14:04: Mike Takayama denies the bluff
Level 18: 30K-60K ante 60K

Utg+2 Mike Takayama opens 130,000, big blind Yita Choong defends, flop comes . Takayama c-bets 90,000, Choong check-calls. Both players check the turn . On the river , Choong leads out 475,000, Takayama tanks using two time-extensions then calls. Choong shows the bluff, Takayama wins it with .

Mike Takayama – 4,785,000 (80 bb)
Yita Choong – 2,070,000 (35 bb)

13:57: Chip counts, 6 remaining
Level 18: 30K-60K ante 60K

Chips in play: 16,500,000
Average stack: 2,750,000 (45 bb)

13:40: Marc Rivera doubles up through Nguyen Trung Quan
Level 17: 25K-50K ante 50K

Button Nguyen Trung Quan opens 100,000, big blind Marc Rivera calls. Heavy action on the flop . Nguyen c-bets 75,000, Rivera check-raises 225,000, Nguyen four-bets 700,000, , Rivera flats. On the turn , Rivera checks then snap-calls Nguyen’s shove.

Rivera trips
Nguyen two pair

The river fills up Rivera for the double up.

Marc Rivera – 3,560,000 (71 bb)
Nguyen Trung Quan – 2,615,000 (52 bb)

13:35: William Jia eliminated in 7th place – USD 25,790
Level 17: 25K-50K ante 50K

William Jia four-bets all in and Marc Rivera snap calls. Jia turns over then falls in 7th place to Rivera’s on a board .

Marc Rivera – 1,800,000 (36 bb)

13:25: Jhon Hendri eliminated in 8th place – USD 21,580
Level 17: 25K-50K ante 50K

Utg Sam Wilkinson opens 125,000, lojack Yita Choong three-bets 325,000, button Jhon Hendri all in for less, Wilkinson folds.

Hendri
Choong

The flip goes to Choong as the board runs . Hendri out in 8th place.

Yita Choong – 2,680,000 (54 bb)

13:20: Thomas Ward eliminated in 9th place – USD 19,027
Level 17: 25K-50K ante 50K

Utg+2 Nguyen Trung Quan opens 100,000, cutoff Thomas Ward shoves, big blind Mike Takayama calls, Nguyen folds.

Ward
Takayama

Board runs . Ward out in 9th place.

Mike Takayama – 4,300,000 (86 bb)
Nguyen Trung Quan – 4,400,000 (88 bb)

13:05: Mike Takayama with trips, Jhon Hendri down to 6 bb
Level 17: 25K-50K ante 50K

Utg Jhon Hendri opens, big blind Mike Takayama defends, Hendri bets the flop , Takayama check-calls. On the turn , both check, then Takayama fires 575,000 on the river. Hendri tank-calls. Takayama shows to ship it.

Mike Takayama – 3,300,000 (66 bb)
Jhon Hendri – 285,000 (6 bb)

13:00: Final table begins, chip update
Level 17: 25K-50K ante 50K

Chips in play: 16,500,000
Average stack: 1,833,333 (20 bb)

12:45: Yita Choong up again, Aidan Tam plunges and out in 10th place
Level 17: 25K-50K ante 50K

Battle of the blinds, small blind Yita Choong wakes up with and doubles up through big blind Aidan Tam with . Board was . Tam plunges to 2 bb and was eliminated on the next hand by Choong.

Final table!

12:40: Yita Choong spikes two-outer to survive
Level 17: 25K-50K ante 50K

Yita Choong all in for his last 385,000 gets lucky with spiking the two-outer against Nguyen Trung Quan’s on a board .

Yita Choong – 900,000 (18 bb)
Nguyen Trung Quan – 4,500,000 (90 bb)

12:30: Thomas Ward puts the heat on Marc Rivera
Level 16: 20K-40K ante 40K

From the button, Thomas Ward three-bet 200,000, initial raiser Marc Rivera calls, flop comes , Ward bets 135,000, Rivera check-calls. On the turn , Ward wins it on an uncalled 240,000 bet.

Thomas Ward – 1,570,000 (39 bb)
Marc Rivera – 1,000,000 (25 bb)

12:25: Marc Rivera shoves
Level 16: 20K-40K ante 40K

Utg Aidan Tam opens 80,000, cutoff Marc Rivera three-bets 225,000, Tam calls. At the flop , Tam leads out 100,000, Rivera shoves (935,000), Tam folds.

Marc Rivera – 1,470,000 (37 bb)
Aidan Tam – 1,540,000 (39 bb)

12:20: Chip count update, 10 players
Level 16: 20K-40K ante 40K

Chips in play: 16,500,000
Average stack: 1,650,000 (41 bb)

11:58: Aidan Tam sweats it
Level 16: 20K-40K ante 40K

Aidan Tam doubles up with staying ahead of chip leader Nguyen Trung Quan’s on a board that saw an open-ended flop .

Aidan Tam – 2,020,000 (51 bb)
Nguyen Trung Quan – 4,320,000 (108 bb)

11:55: Thomas Ward doubles up through Marc Rivera
Level 16: 20K-40K ante 40K

Thomas Ward wins the flip against Marc Rivera with spiking the king on the turn to overtake .

Thomas Ward – 1,375,000 (34 bb)
Marc Rivera – 1,250,000 (31 bb)

11:45: Nguyen Trung Quan on a rush
Level 16: 20K-40K ante 40K

After delivering the bubble, Nguyen Trung Quan continues to dominate the action, winning three consecutive pots to rise to 5,300,000 (133 bb).

11:40: Nguyen Quang Huy bubbles
Level 16: 20K-40K ante 40K

Short stacked Nguyen Quang Huy eliminated on the bubble with missing the board against chip leader Nguyen Trung Quan’s .

Nguyen Trung Quan – 4,200,000 (105 bb)

11:30: Cards in the air! Bubble time!
Level 16: 20K-40K ante 40K

Cards in the air for Day 2 of the Super High Roller! It is bubble time here with 11 players seated. Hand-for-hand action.

Chips in play: 16,500,000
Average stack: 1,375,000 (34 bb)
Opening blind: 20K-40K ante 40K