ACOP Main Event standings so far
Players took to the tables for the long awaited, history-making Asian Championship of Poker Main Event this week to battle it out for one of the sport’s biggest, richest and enigmatic titles in the game today. Players were asked to pony up HKD$100,000 each for the buy-in which generated a staggering HKD$4,752,000 first place prize while a further HKD$10,000,000 was on offer for those who finished in the top 25. Two opening Day 1 flights kicked-off the Main Event as players from all over the world competed for one pokers biggest prizes. Day 2 was tasked with bringing the crowd down further to 72 with the final day aiming to reduce the field further until a winner emerges.
Keith Ferrera would finish on top for Day 1a which would see 93 players commit HKD$100,000 and play through four 90-minute levels to eliminate 16 players going into Day 1b. Ferrera would end with over 100,000 in chips while many other well-known and respected players survived. The likes of Terry Fan, Ami Barer, Bryan Huang, Tom Alner, Deniis Huntly, Jarred Graham and Michael Kanaan all lived to fight another day at the Main Event.
The 16 players who unfortunately hit the rain included an equally star-studded line-up as 10-time WSOP bracelet winner Johnny Chan, Juicy Li, Ken Wong and Tetusya Tsuchikawa all bowed out of the tournament at the first hurdle.
Day 1b saw an improved crowd with 110 players taking to the felt with 92 surviving as Satrya Teja lead the way with over 80,000 in chips to take into Day 2. Another impressive pack of talented players managed to navigate the tables with Randy Lew, Celina Lin, Xing Zhou Billy “the Croc” Argyros and Lee Nelson all managing to make it comfortably into Day 2.
Day 2 began with most players eager to get things going early as 169 players took their seats to battle over five 90-minute levels. Of the original 203 players who had entered the tournament from Day 1a, 72 would survive to the final day as Kevin Schulz would finish chip leader with over 300,000 in front of him.
Notable survivors through to the final days play are the likes of; Aaron Lim, Terry Fan, Randy Lew, Aidan Tam, Keith Ferrera and Naoya Kihara while Celina Lin, Hryan Huang, Vivan Im, Tom Alner and Lee Nelson all succumbed to elimination.
Top 10 Chip Stacks at the end of Day 2
1- Kevin Schulz – 311,600
2- Jonathan Depa – 254,200
3- Yoshitaka Okawa – 194,400
4- Chane Kampanatsanyakom – 186,100
5- Aidan Tam – 184,000
6- Edward Chun Ho Yam – 179,700
7- Peter Ping San Chan – 174,700
8- Chenxiang Miao – 162,400
9- Yat Wai Cheng – 158,000
10- Tore Lukashaugen – 157,000
Play will resume on Thursday with the field being trimmed once again, edging that little bit closer until a winner prevails. Play is expected to be tight as the players will be fighting tooth and nail for every hand to secure a final 25 place, where they are guaranteed HKD$198,000 for their Main Event efforts. The winner of the Main event will have their life instantly changed as not only will they win over HKD$4 million but also go down in history as one of the biggest winners of a Main Event tournament outside of the WSOP.
For full details on the latest news and results from the Asian Championship of Poker 2013 stay tuned to FTR.