Superstar Challenge

At the break, the final three players agreed to an ICM deal, bringing play to an early conclusion. With the largest stack at the time, John Costiniano is officially awarded the victory.

With Dohyeok Kim firmly in the driver’s seat, he continues to grind to climb to 7,500,00 until John Costiniano puts a stop to it. Kicking off the hand with a 260,000 raise out of the small blind seat, Kim defends his big blind.

At the flop 10♦ 2♦ 9♠, both players check for a free turn card of J♠. No more checking for Costiniano who sends out 425,000, Kim answers with a shove, Costiniano snap-calls with his trap holding 10♥ 9♦.

Costiniano is still not out of the woods with Kim’s J♥ 8♥ top pair backed by outs. The river 6♥ isn’t one of them to pay a costly double up.

Down to 13 big blinds, Yu-Chung Chang is all in holding A♣ Q♠ and is flipping against caller Do Hyeok Kim who has 8♦ 8♣.

The board brings no partners for Chang’s big cards, instead running 10♦ K♥ 6♦ K♣ 2♠ to end his run in 3rd place.

Hogyun Kang widens his range with a raise of 200,ooo holding 6♠ 3♠. Next to act John Costiniano calls with K♠ Q♠, and after the blinds fold, the dealer spreads a flop of A♠ K♣ 7♥.

Kang continues to represent with a bet of 200,000 again and Costiniano sticks around having hit second pair. The turn 5♥ gives Kang a gutshot and fires 500,000 but still doesn’t scare away Costiniano who calls again.

Kang finally slows down on the river Q♥ while Costiniano goes the other direction with a bet of 700,000 to earn the pot without a showdown.

Yu-Chung Chang A♣ 9♥ looks down at an ace and gives it a min-raise, button player Dohyeok Kim K♣ 10♣ calls, and it’s a three-way with John Costiniano10♥ 8♦ defending his big blind.

The flop d 7♦ 6♠ 5♠ brings a bit more action with a bet of 250,000 from Kim that only Costiniano calls for his open-ended. The turn 2♠ sees Kim fire another 500,000 and that does the job with Costiniano folding in frustration.

Level 21 is underway with blinds of 50K-100K ante 100K. Only four players remaining.

From under the gun, Dohyeok Kim has 10♥ 10♣ good for a min-raise. Out of the small blind, John Costiniano has A♦ 4♦ and fires a three-bet of 460,000. The action gets heavier with big blind Yu-Chung Chang firing a four-bet jam with A♠ A♣ for a total of 1,2,00,000.

Kim can’t believe it and folds while Costiniano gives it a lengthier decision. After using up two time extensions, he emerges with a call to put Chang’s tournament life on the line.

Chang is ahead and in prime shape for a huge double up. The flop runs a clean 6♦ 5♣ 9♥, with the 9♣ turn changing nothing. The river A♥ seals Chang the win with the best kicker.

Out of the small blind, Hogyun Kang looks down at A♣ K♦ and raises 240,000. Big blind John Costiniano defends with 10♦ 9♥ and they go hunting at the flop which spreads 2♥ K♦ 4♦

Kang lands top pair and continues for 150,000, Costiniano calls and they go another around to the turn J♦. Kang bets again for 250,000 and Costiniano flats to complete the spread with the 6♣.

Kang dips in his stack once more and counts out 700,000. Costiniano tanks before letting go of his hand.

Dohyeok Kim with 3♥ A♥ opens 160,000 on the button and big blind John Costiniano defends on the big blind with 9♥ 2♥. The flop of J♣ 2♣ K♠ gives Costiniano a pair to check-call Kim’s 120,000 c-bet.

On the turn 10♠ Costiniano checks again and faces another barrel from Kim for 340,000. Costiniano tanks then gives up his hand.

Seunghyuk Jung Q♥ 10♥ opens with a jam for 1,000,000 from under the gun and Do Hyeok Kim tanks with A♥ J♥ then folds. Next one over is the chip leader Hogyun Kang who doesn’t spend any time thinking about what to do and snap-calls with Q♦ A♦.

After the blinds fold, the dealer lays out the board K♣ 2♥ Q♣ 2♠ 7♥ which ends Jung’s run in 5th place.

John Costiniano min-raises from under the gun and Yu-Chung Chang tanks before raising to 600,000. The bet doesn’t scare Costiniano in the least and snap-shoves. Chang snap-calls for his tournament life.

Yu-Chung Chang: A♦ 10♦

John Costiniano: A♥ J♥

Costiniano has a point higher however it has no clout against Chang’s diamond that find buddies on the board K♦ 5♦ 6♠ 9♦ 4♠. With his flush, Chang doubles up to 30 big blinds.

Seunghyuk Jung is down to just six big blinds when he gets dealt 8♥ 8♦. He goes all in and big blind Dohyeok Kim donates, calling with 10♣ 4♥ .

With no hits on the board for Kim, K♠ 3♠ A♥ 5♠ J♣ , Jung returns to double digit big blinds.

Level 20 is underway with blinds of 40K-80K ante 80K. Only 5 players remaining.

Smal blind Seunghyuk Jung Q♦ 4♣ limps in on the small blind and Dohyeok Kim 7♣ 2♣ checks for a cheap look at the flop 5♣ Q♣ 10♠. Both players improve with Jung landing top pair and gives it respect with a 60,000 bet. Kim tests him with a 155,000 raise. Jung calls and they both check the turn 9♠.

The river 8♣ is checked again by Jung while Kim fires a 350,000 bet for his flush. Jung folds.

Dohyeok Kim has 10♠ 10♦ and decides to limp it from the small blind. Hogyun Kang also has a pair 6♦ 6♣, and tests Kim with a bet of 210,000. Kim calls and to take it to the flop K♥ 4♦ 3♥.

Kang continues for 125,00 and Kim check-calls for the turn 7♠. Again Kim checks and Kang checks back. The river A♣ scares both players to opt to check.

Kim takes down his first decent pot of the day.

Everyone folds to the small blind Kristof Segers and he looks down at 10♣ 9♣ and goes all in only to run into big blind John Costiniano’s Q♥ Q♠.

The flop of 5♥ 9♠ 8♠ improves Segers though still behind the ladies. The turn6♠ changes nothing, and with the river 4♥, Segers run ends in 6th place.

Everyone folds to Hogyun Kang A♠K♣ on the small blind who min-raises. Big blind Kristof Segers10♥ 8♠ defends and they proceed to check it all the way to the river2♠ 7♥ 5♠ 10♣A♦ where Kang bets 400,000. Segers counts out the chips and eventually decides to pay to see Kang’s winning hand.

Hogyun Kang 2♥ 2♦ raises to 125,000, Nirunrut Rachburom 8♥ 8♣ flats, then Teeraphat Rangkatekarn A♣ 7♣ three-bets all in for 395,000. Kang defends with a call and Rachburom joins as well risking her tournament life.

A duck on the window all but seals the double knockout and the two Thailand players are eliminated on a board of A♠ 4♠ 2♥ 7♦ 4♦ with Kang’s boat far ahead.

Rachburom finishes in 7th place for TWD 277,000 and Rangkatekarn takes 8th place for TWD 242,000.

Level 19 is underway with blinds of 30K-60K ante 60K. Only 8 players remain on the hunt for the title and the TWD 2,160,000 top prize.

Down to just 135,000, Hon Cheong Lee puts it all on the line holding 7♦ 7♠ and big blind Hogyun Kang makes the easy call with J♦ 4♥.

With Kang looking for a jack to trim the field, the board doesn’t give it however it runs 10♣ 9♥ 10♠ K♥ K♦ to reduce Lee to playing the board. Kang’s jack plays to boot Lee out in 9th place.

Kristof Segers opens the minimum and is challenged with a three-bet to 300,000 by Seunghyuk Jung. Segers four-bet jams his 495,000 stack and it’s a no-brainer snap call from Jung.

Kristof Segers: Q♥ Q♣

Seunghyuk Jung: A♣ Q♦

With the board running 3♦ 3♥ 9♠ 7♠ 5♠, Segers dodges the ace to double through.

Seunghyuk Jung opens from early position for 100,000 and two spots over at hijack, Hogyun Kang flats with A♣ A♦ and it’s a three-way with Hon Cheong Lee defending on the big blind with A♥ 3♦.

When the flop comes J♦ Q♥ 10♣, action is checked to Kang who bets 100,000 and only Jung continues with him to the turn 5♥.

Again Jung checks to Kang, he maintains control with a bet of 250,000. Jung tanks then shoves for a total of 835,000. Kang opts to fold his aces.

On the second hand of the day, Teeraphat Rangkatakern open-jams and now, for hands later, he open-jams again. Seunghyuk Jung calls the cards go on their backs.

Teeraphat Rangkatakern: 10♥ 10♦

Seunghyuk Jung: J♦ J♠

Jung doubles up again when the board runs 5♣ 8♥ 7♠ Q♣ 8♠.

Immediately following the hand, Rangkatakern is dealt A♣ A♠ and jams. No one calls and he shows them the hand.

Hogyun Kang K♣ 8♥ min-raises on the button and Nirurut Rachburom K♦ 2♥ defends her big blind.

The flop comes 8♦ K♥ Q♠, and Kang continues for 75,000. Rachburom check-calls and they go to the turn9♣ where Kang barrels another 105,000. With her top pair, Rachburom calls again to complete the board with the 4♥ river.

Rachburom checks again, Kang is unrelenting firing a 400,000 bet. Rachburom tanks then finds a fold to preserve her chips.

First hand of the final table opens with a 105,000 raise from the chip leader John Costiniano K♥ 9♠out of the hijack seat and big blind Seunghyuk Jung calls with K♦ 7♣. As one of the shortest stacks, entering with only six big blinds, it is no surprise to see Jung jam on a flop of 2♠ 7♥ 2♦ with top pair.

Easy call for Costiniano as it only costs him another two big blinds. With the turn 5♣ and river K♣. Jung quickly doubles up.

Shuffle up and deal! Final table is underway. Blinds continue at 25K-50K ante 50K with 36 minutes remaining in the clock.

The final 9 players are guaranteed a piece of the TWD 6,220,800 prize pool. At the minimum is TWD 220,000 and for the champion, the TWD 2,160,000 top prize awaits. Spectators can follow the race via the livestream in the Players Series YouTube channel. Action resumes 6:50PM. Livestream is on a 30-minute delay.

Payouts