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The 2019 Asian Poker Tour (APT) Vietnam is fast nearing its finale and one of the most anticipated events of the series, i.e. the Championships Event, is now down to its last eight players.
Day 3 started with 34 players gunning to make it to the final table and among them were three Indian challengers Romit Advani, Kunal Patni and Madhav Gupta. All three pros managed to breach the money line but sadly fell shy of the final table. Advani was the first of the trio to depart in 18th place for ₹3.14 Lakhs. Patni (16th for ₹3.14 Lakhs) and Gupta (15th for ₹3,76 Lakhs) followed soon thereafter, bringing an end to Team India’s run in the Championships Event.
Korean pro Eunho Kwon amassed the largest stack of the day and is currently leading the way with 2,510,000 in chips. Close on his coattails are Slaven Popov (2,495,000) and Dragon Chinh (2,215,000).
34 players turned up for Day 3 with the money bubble looming overhead. Huu Dung Nguyen was the first elimination of the day with Phachara Wongwichit, Son Nguyen and Tuan Monaco following him out in quick succession.
Level 17 saw several more eliminations, while other players chipped up including Team India’s Kunal Patni and Madhav Gupta.
Patni doubled up through Day 2 chip leader Ajitpal Singh when the former banker jammed from the button with and Singh called from the big blind with . The board missed both players and Patni won the pot with his king-high kicker.
Gupta, in the meantime, got the better of Le Noc Khanh. Gupta 3-bet shoved with and Khanh called holding . Gupta found a king on the board and raked in a big pot at Khanh`s expense.
By level 18 the money line had been crossed with the bubble bursting on Andres Korn, whose were cracked by Eunho Kwon’s on the runout . However, since Korn had bubble protection, he received his buy-in back in the form of APT tournament credits.
Hong Kong’s Kwok Ting Shum was the first player to finish in the money when he was eliminated in 25th place for VND 71,186,000 (₹2,18,075).
During level 20, Romit Advani moved all-in with against Slaven Popov‘s . The board was of no help to Advani who busted out in 18th place for VND 102,508,000 (₹3,14,029).
A few hands later, Kunal Patni‘s were bested by Linh Tran‘s . The runout blanked out and Tran’s queen kicker spelled the end for Patni’s run in 16th place for VND 102,508,000 (₹3,14,029).
The very next player to be eliminated was also the sole Indian remaining in the field – Madhav Gupta. When Eunho Kwon raised to 40,000, short-stacked Gupta re-raised to 120,000. Kwon called to see the flop . Gupta moved all-in and Kwon called, putting Gupta at risk. Gupta tabled and Kwon revealed . The rundown missed both players and Kwon’s flopped pair of aces brought about Gupta’s exit in 15th place for VND 123,009,000 (₹3,76,833).
Following the eliminations of Ajitpal Singh (10th for VND 177,133,000 – ₹5,42,640) and Erik Billgren (9th for VND 212,560,000 – ₹6,51,170), the eight-handed final table was set up.
Other notables who finished in the money include Linh Tran (11th for VND 147,611,000 – ₹4,52,201), Chi Chung Ho (12th for VND 147,611,000 – ₹4,52,201), Nam Nguyen (13th for VND 123,009,000 – ₹3,76,833) and Nguyen Chi Thinh (14th for VND 123,009,000 – ₹3,76,833).
Korea’s Eunho Kwon will be coming into the final table in the chip lead with a stack of 2,510,000. Along with Bulgaria’s Slaven Popov (2,495,000) and Vietnam’s Dragon Chinh (2,215,000), they are the only three players above the 2 Million-mark.
1. Eunho Kwon – 2,510,000
2. Slaven Popov – 2,495,000
3. Dragon Chinh – 2,215,000
4. Stephen Schumacher – 1,430,000
5. Huidong Gu – 1,270,000
6. Ryusuke Kasawaki – 1,060,000
7. Lim Yo Hwan – 715,000
8. Le Ngoc Khanh – 690,000
The eight-player final table will resume tomorrow and play down to a champion.
Images & Content courtesy: Asian Poker Tour
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