---

APT Philippines 2016 – Seung Soo Jeon Too Good for Another

Korea’s Seung Soo Jeon became a two-time Main Event winner at the Asian Poker Tour joining Sweden’s Henrik Tollefsen

---

After nine days of Asian Poker Tour (APT) Philippines 2016 festivities at Resorts World Manila, the man who walked away with the biggest smile and a double fist pump was Korea’s Seung Soo Jeon. Defeating 180 entries in this $3,300 buy-in event, Soo Jeon took home the winner’s trophy, a Championship ring and $116,100 for first place.

It was a big day of Main Event Day 1a action with many well-known players taking to the felt at Resorts World Manila. 84 and 96 entries on each of the starting days created the $540,000 prize pool. Day 2 of the Main Event was ‘brutal’. From 123 players down to 32 at the end of the night, stacks rose, stacks fell; and everyone was vulnerable to the day’s madness.

Day 3 sped by and we were left with the Final 8 decided by the end of the night. The Final 8 had to have been the wildest roller coaster day of the Main Event. It began with New Zealand’s Thomas Ward entering the day with the largest stack and eventual champion Jeon not far behind. After Jeon won a series of early pots, he delivered the first casualty of the day by eliminating Canadian player Michael Lee in 8thplace. The next player to fall was Canadian Zackary Lazarus in 7th place.

Then it was the rise of the short stacks. Australia’s Chris Edgar doubled up three times, crossing the six-digit chip mark with A♣ Q♠ against Malaysian player, Kah Boon Teh’s K♠ 7♠. Shortly after, one of Jeon’s traps found its victim. Rivera bluffed on a board of A♥ 8♠ 9♠ 9♥ J♦. Jeon check-called with his A♣ 10♣, exposing Rivera’s 4♥ 3♠. This sent Jeon’s chips flying high to around 3.7m and Rivera back in the dumps again. Then Jeon’s monster stack took a big hit when he couldn’t push out Edgar from a pot, giving up over 1.2m of his chips and mucking at the called river bet. Edgar now had the chip lead with 3.1m chips. Of course, that didn’t last long either because more craziness ensued. Edgar called Teh’s shove with Teh holding K♠ 9♠ and Edgar with Q♣ Q♥. The board ran 5♥ 7♣ 2♥ 2♦ and a booming K♦ on the river for a sick double up that stunned everyone.

---

ALSO READ: Jun-Jul 2016 Cover Story – Numbers Game (Kunal Patni)

---

It was now high time for Rivera to get back in the game. He bluffed all in against short-stacked Bonanno and lost with 9♥ 2♥ against A♠ 10♠. He earned a double up with his K♣ 3♣ against Edgar’s A♣ Q♦ with two pairs on the board but despite having worked back some chips, he was eliminated in 5th place in another insanely sick hand. Rivera and Teh were in a hand together with a massive pot brewing. The board was already at4♠ 3♠ 8♣ 5♦ when Rivera shoved. Teh tanked for a long time and when he called, it was Rivera who was ahead with K♥ 8♥ and Teh with A♥ 5♥. When the 5♣ appeared on the river, the room erupted in disbelief again as Teh had trips.

Teh continued to soar, climbing to over 4.2m chips with pocket queens against Jeon and escalated further when he eliminated Edgar in 4th place in nothing less than dramatic fashion. Edgar had 7♥ 7♦ and Teh with A♠6♣. The board ran 8♣ 7♠ 10♣ giving Edgar a set, but with the turn of K♣ and river of 9♣, Teh won with a flush. Jeon climbed as well. He eliminated Bonanno in 3rd place with one of his traps. He limped in with ace-king, Bonanno shoved on the big blind with ace-jack, Jeon called, and won with two pairs.

At heads up, Teh was ahead in chips but Jeon grinded him down and then landed a massive pot with two pairs that Teh just could not get away from. The final hand saw Jeon trap Teh on a board of 3♦ 8♥ 8♠. He checked, then the turn of Q♠ was dealt. Teh bluffed all in and Jeon snap-called. Jeon had 8♣ 6♦ for trips and Teh was drawing dead with 9♥ 7♣. Teh continued to soar, climbing to over 4.2m chips with pocket queens against Jeon and escalated further when he eliminated Edgar in 4th place in nothing less than dramatic fashion. Edgar had 7♥ 7♦ and Teh with A♠6♣. The board ran 8♣ 7♠ 10♣ giving Edgar a set, but with the turn of K♣ and river of 9♣, Teh won with a fl ush. Jeon climbed as well. He eliminated Bonanno in 3rd place with one of his traps.

He limped in with ace-king, Bonanno shoved on the big blind with acejack, Jeon called, and won with two pairs. At heads up, Teh was ahead in chips but Jeon grinded him down and then landed a massive pot with two pairs that Teh just could not get away from. The final hand saw Jeon trap Teh on a board of 3♦ 8♥ 8♠. He checked, then the turn of Q♠ was dealt. Teh bluffed all in and Jeon snap-called. Jeon had 8♣ 6♦ for trips and Teh was drawing dead with 9♥ 7♣ earning Jeon the title of double APT Champion. The next APT event at RWM will take place from 14-22 September.

---

(This piece was originally published in Gutshot Magazine Jun-Jul 2016 edition, and you can take a look at such pieces in our repository of all past editions by clicking here)

---

---

More News

---