majestic Lion's roar echoes for Junjie He in the largest APT Korean Main Event yet
The Asian Poker Tour (APT) Main Event in Incheon, South Korea, concluded with a thrilling final table, culminating in Junjie He's victory. With a total prize pool of over $2 million, the tournament attracted 1,281 entries.
He started the final table with the largest stack, controlling almost 25% of the chips in play. The first few hands saw two eliminations, narrowing the field to nine players competing for the $350,000 first prize and the Golden Lion trophy.
The heads-up match between Junjie He and Kouki Okumiya was a short one, lasting only two hands. The hand that led to Kuroda Kiyoto's elimination, placing third, was particularly noteworthy. Kiyoto raised preflop with Aces, only to be called by Okumiya with Kings. The flop favored Okumiya, and the runout gave the pot to him, eliminating Kiyoto.
In the final hand, both players were dealt a king. He held Ace-King, while Okumiya had King-King. He called Okumiya's four-bet jam, securing a 95% lock to win the 24K Gold Lion trophy. The turn sealed the win for He, with Okumiya needing runner-runner to win.
With his victory, He took home a prize of $275,140, while Okumiya finished in second place, receiving a prize of $228,130. All three finalists, including Kuroda Kiyoto who finished in third place, received a $10K seat to the APT Main Event in Taipei in November.
After his win, He expressed his excitement and gratitude, stating that he always believed in doing the right things and that this win was great proof of that. The remaining three players agreed to an ICM chop, leaving $25,000 and the trophy to play for. The final hand of the APT Incheon Main Event was played on Saturday, with the tournament concluding in just over four hours.
