2015 ACOP: Sukonthachartnant scoops High Roller

What a whirlwind we just witnessed!

It was the final seven who showed up to do battle in the 2015 ACOP High Roller today and after less than three hours of play a champion has emerged.

That honour goes to Thailand’s Phanlert Sukonthachartnant who just pocketed an impressive HK$4,890,600 (US$652,080) and the illustrious trophy.

Sukonthachartnant started the day as our chip leader and didn’t hesitate to bulldoze his way through the final table. Ultimately heads up play was reached before the first break of the day, with Sukonthachartnant maintaining the chip advantage of 8,375,000 to opponent Stanley Choi’s 7,375,000.

Players were relatively deep but that didn’t seem to slow things down. The final hand brought fireworks on a flop of 7♠10♣9♥. Choi lead for 400,000 before Sukonthachartnant raised it up to 850,000 in chips. Another click-back from Choi saw the price set at 1,300,000 and with a call from Sukonthachartnant players went to the turn.

It was then that all the money went in to reveal it was Sukonthachartnant’s pocket queens up against Choi’s queen-jack for an open-ended straight draw. Sukonthachartnant needed to fade a king or an eight to seal the victory and managed to do just that as the dealer brought the 6♣ river.

Moments before the heads up clash commencedBefore heads up began, however, the bustouts were flying thick and fast. Germany’s Fedor Holz was the first to hit the exit after finding himself on the wrong end of a flip early into proceedings. His final hand began with Phanlert Sukonthachartnant raising to 180,000 in chips before Holz pushed all in. Sukonthachartnant made the call to put the German at risk and the two tabled their cards.

Holz: 3♠3♣
Sukonthachartnant: K♦7♦

It was a coinflip and Holz faded danger on the J♥Q♣Q♦. It did present some counterfeit opportunities but the dealer turned the safe 4♣. The river, however, landed the 7♠ to pair Sukonthachartnant and eliminating Holz in seventh place. He collects HK$889,000 (US$118,533) for his efforts.

Sukonthachartnant would soon claim another knockout as he sent Australian Stevan Chew to the rail. Chew moved all in preflop over Sukonthachartnant’s open and found himself needing help with A♦J♦ against his opponent’s Q♥Q♣. The J♣5♣8♠ flop gave him some extra outs but the Q♦ turn meant Chew was drawing dead. The inconsequential 8♦ river rolled off and Chew was sent to the cashier for a HK$1,037,000 (US$138,267) payday.

6th place – Stevan ChewNext to go was Aleksandar Denisov. After arriving 45 minutes late he would outlast two opponents but that would be as far as he could go. With a stack of 620,000 and the blinds at 50,000/100,000, Denisov moved all in from the button with K♣8♣ but Stanley Choi made the call in the big blind with A♥4♥. The board ran out A♦K♠3♦J♣2♦ to eliminate Denisov in fifth place for HK$1,185,000 (US$4158,000)

Two hands later, and it was Anton Astapau joining the rail. Choi was on the button and threw out a bet amount that wasn’t enough to raise, so he was ruled to a call. Wang Zuo folded the small blind, but Astapau decided to move all in for one million in chips from the big blind with K♥10♥. He’d fallen for the trap as Choi snapped it off with A♥A♣. The board bricked out 2♣9♥7♦8♠4♦ and Astapau would leave us in fourth place, scoring himself HK$1,630,000 (US$217,333).

4th place – Anton AstapauThe action didn’t slow down as the very next hand Zuo was all in from the button for 1,150,000 holding A♣J♣. Again it was Choi in the thick of things as he made the call in the big blind with Q♣Q♦. Zuo caught a jack on the J♠3♥8♣ flop, but the 4♠ turn and Q♠ river would leave him two short of victory but HK$2,074,000 ($US276,533) richer.

And then it was on to the heads up clash that ended as quickly as we should’ve expected from the action here this afternoon. Congratulations to Sukonthachartnant – our ACOP High Roller champion!