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 in Kyle 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’s Ji 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

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