Russia’s Semen Kapitonov wins WPT Prime Cambodia Opener for US$ 35,000
After four days of competition, with a final day that ran over twelve grueling hours, Russia’s Semen Kapitonov clinched the WPT Prime Cambodia Opener for his first ever live tournament title. Kapitonov earned the higher cut of the three way deal, pocketing US$ 35,000, and the cool WPT side event trophy.
“This is probably only my 10th tournament in life, I’m a cash game player. So this was my first final table and first win. I cant believe it. I will definitely play more tournaments but I think I used up all my luck.”
When asked about his overall tournament experience at the Opener, Kapitonov shared,
“My background is I used to play high stakes cash games in Macau before it closed because of Covid. In cash, it’s easy. When you lose, you can just buy in again but playing here just a $500 tournament, it was much more stressful because when you risk, sometimes it is for your tournament life. Winning US$ 35,000 is okay but winning the tournament is more special.”
Event recap
The much awaited WPT Prime Cambodia kicked off with a four-day Opener that saw its guarantee smashed with 442 entries across four starters. With every heat bagging up at ITM, 56 players advance to the final day, each one already earning a minimum of US$ 900 from the US$ 214,370 prize pool.
When the field was cut to half, Day 1A chip leader Wanki Baik had already departed in 30th place while Singapore’s You Zhuang Chua cracked a player’s pocket Aces to jump way out front. Down to two tables, pressure was high to reach the final table. Day 1D chip leader Michael Kim Falcon bumped heads with Vietnamese high roller Hieu Ngo twice, first doubling up with a flush on the river then busting 14th on a three way. This sent Ngo soaring to second in chips. Chua eliminated Sweden’s Jonas Magdalinski (10th) to maintain his lead entering the final table.
The final table ran just under five hours. One hour in, Kapitonov doubled up through the leader Chua with 
dominating 
. At eight-handed, a mad three-way came down resulting inKyle Bao Diep tripling up and Jiazhi Zhong getting the boot. At the all in preflop, Diep had 
, Zhong 
, and Ngo with 
. The board spread 
.
Following the loss, Ngo soon joined the rail in 7th place. China’sJi Jun Xu who entered the final day with a commanding stack, couldn’t really get much going and finished in 6th place. Out next was Chua, losing his chips in two bad beat hands. The first one saw his 
cracked by Tomas Dedinas‘ 
on a board that ran 
then on his second all in it was a crushing defeat. Chua had 
, Minseong Cho had 
, a two-outer Nine found the river.
At three-handed, the players reached a deal awarding 2nd and 3rd the same prize money and 1st the largest plus the trophy. Kapitonov went on to eliminate Diep with a lucky flush on the river, then in a handful of hands, he drained out Cho with 
two pair over 
that bricked.
Buy in: US$ 550
Guarantee: US$ 150,000
Entries: 442
Prize pool: US$ 214,370
ITM: 56 players
Payouts
| Rank | Player | Flag | Payout | |
| 1st | SEMEN KAPITONOV | RUSSIA | $35,000* | |
| 2nd | MINSEONG CHO | KOREA, REPUBLIC OF | $28,865* | |
| 3rd | KYLE BAO QUOC DIEP | USA | $28,865* | |
| 4th | TOMAS DEDINAS | USA | $13,000 | |
| 5th | YOU ZHUANG CHUA | SINGAPORE | $10,110 | |
| 6th | JI JUN XU | CHINA | $8,395 | |
| 7th | TRONG HIEU NGO | VIET NAM | $7,030 | |
| 8th | JIAZHI ZHONG | CHINA | $5,670 | |
| 9th | JOSHUA KAI EN TAN | SINGAPORE | $4,310 | |
| 10th | JONAS MAGDALINSKI | SWEDEN | $3,655 | |
| 11th | FRANK JAMES LILLIS | IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF) | $3,655 | |
| 12th | RISHAB MALIK | INDIA | $3,655 | |
| 13th | MANH TRUONG NGUYEN | VIET NAM | $3,035 | |
| 14th | MICHAEL KIM FALCON | DENMARK | $3,035 | |
| 15th | KYOUNGWON PARK | KOREA, REPUBLIC OF | $3,035 | |
| 16th | WILLIAM NOBLE BOLTON | AUSTRALIA | $2,485 | |
| 17th | KAI YANG GU | SINGAPORE | $2,485 | |
| 18th | KYARR CHAN YAN | MYANMAR | $2,485 | |
| 19th | HIROKI MORISHITA | JAPAN | $2,070 | |
| 20th | JAE KYUNG SIM | KOREA, REPUBLIC OF | $2,070 | |
| 21st | THIRITH LY | $2,070 | ||
| 22nd | RAJU JARUPLAVATH | INDIA | $1,745 | |
| 23rd | LEONG JACK | SINGAPORE | $1,745 | |
| 24th | JIEWEI YANG | CHINA | $1,745 | |
| 25th | LOUIS BILODEAU | CANADA | $1,425 | |
| 26th | VAN HOANG NGUYEN | VIET NAM | $1,425 | |
| 27th | SAMUEL DAVID ADAMS | NEW ZEALAND | $1,425 | |
| 28th | DAZHANG CHEN | CHINA | $1,180 | |
| 29th | YOKE WEI WOON | $1,180 | ||
| 30th | WANKI BAIK | KOREA, REPUBLIC OF | $1,180 | |
| 31st | YU-CHUNG CHANG | TAIWAN, PROVINCE OF CHINA | $1,180 | |
| 32nd | DIWEI HUANG | SINGAPORE | $1,180 | |
| 33rd | DANIEL WEI XIONG CHIN | MALAYSIA | $1,180 | |
| 34th | DALE ANDREW TOWNSEND | AUSTRALIA | $1,180 | |
| 35th | HANNES THEO DANIEL | GERMANY | $1,180 | |
| 36th | SHANKAR KAILARSH | MALAYSIA | $1,180 | |
| 37th | ROCKY PIKE HAROLD BROOKS | SOUTH AFRICA | $1,040 | |
| 38th | PROMMIN TALORSPONG | THAILAND | $1,040 | |
| 39th | DANEIL HINH | AUSTRALIA | $1,040 | |
| 40th | ARMON VAN WIJK | AUSTRALIA | $1,040 | |
| 41st | ANSHUL RAJPUT | INDIA | $1,040 | |
| 42nd | MARC ANTHONY JOSEPH | SOUTH AFRICA | $1,040 | |
| 43rd | THOMAS KYUNG-CHUN LAERSEN | SWEDEN | $1,040 | |
| 44th | DUC KIEN TRAN | VIET NAM | $1,040 | |
| 45th | ANTON WIDJAYA | INDONESIA | $1,040 | |
| 46th | SUPAKIT ANUKOOLPITAKNIL | THAILAND | $900 | |
| 47th | DHAVAL MUDGAL | INDIA | $900 | |
| 48th | CHENGCAI PAN | CHINA | $900 | |
| 49th | YAO LOON TAY | SINGAPORE | $900 | |
| 50th | MANSOUR KHORRAMSHAHI | IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF) | $900 | |
| 51st | THANAKRIT LACHAIMA | THAILAND | $900 | |
| 52nd | ERIC D WASYLENKO | CANADA | $900 | |
| 53rd | VEELAPHAN SIEWLEE | CANADA | $900 | |
| 54th | TRENT WAYNE FECHTER | USA | $900 | |
| 55th | EDGAR ANTONIO ANTEZANA | SOUTH AFRICA | $900 | |
| 56th | JULIUS UMBRAZIUNAS | LITHUANIA | $900 |
*Three way deal
Stay tuned to Somuchpoker for updates on the ongoing WPT Prime Cambodia
For pics, head to the Somuchpoker FB page.
WPT Prime Cambodia schedule
WPT Prime Cambodia structures
A Quick Guide to WPT Prime Cambodia
Road to WPT Prime Cambodia
Experience WPT Prime Cambodia
WPT Prime Cambodia – Shuffle up and Deal`
WPT Prime Cambodia – Day 1 recap
WPT Prime Cambodia – Ashish Munot wins the SuperStack
WPT Prime Cambodia – Opener Day 1B and Deepstack Freezeout
WPT Prime Cambodia – Younghoon Joo and JK Sorn triumph
