GOP Main Event - Flight D Day 2 - Reg. Open Till Start Plays to ITM (60 Mins) - NT$ 21,000,000 GTD

Kazuki Okamoto on the bubble

Dramatic bust on the bubble! 

Action opened with Billy Alfonso raising from the button and out of the big blind, Kazuki Okamoto committed his last 39,000 to place himself at risk of falling on the bubble. 

Kazuki Okamoto: 3 ♦️ 3 ♣️

Billy Alfonso: K ♠️ J ♦️

Celebration erupted at Okamoto's side of the table when the flop ran Q ♠️ 6 ♣️ 3 ♠️ that gave him the set. Then a scare card came on the turn in the form of the 9 ♠️ which gave Alfonso a load of outs. 

Okamoto now needed to dodge spades and tens to survive. The river came and with it the crushing 10 ♦️, to complete Alfonso’s runner-runner escape and send Okamoto out on the bubble to bring Flight D to a close.

Chiayun Wu limped in from hijack then big blind Andy Tsai defended his big blind with a raise to 100,000. Wu called and the flop came Q ♦️ J ♥️ A ♠️. Tsai continued for 82,000 and still Wu stuck with him and called.

On the turn 5 ♣️, Tsai backed down and checked, Wu fired a big bet of 275,000, Tsai tanked for three time-banks before folding face-up. He showed Q ♣️ 5 ♦️ two pair. 

The field is down to 26 players which means, it is bubble time. The tables are now going hand-for-hand until the bubble is delivered.

Chung Hsin Chen open-shoved 128,000 and got called by small blind Long Hin Shiao to be in danger of elimination. 

Chung Hsin Chen: A ♠️ 8 ♦️

Long Hin Shiao: 10 ♣️ 10 ♥️

Chen only had the ace to help him survive the hand but there was no such luck as the board ran Q ♣️ 2 ♥️ Q ♥️ 8 ♣️ 4 ♦️ to end his day on the soft bubble.

With registration for Flight E now officially closed, the Main Event drew a combined field of 555 entries to eclipse the NT$ 21,000,000 guarantee. As a result, all ITM finishers are now assured a share of the boosted NT$ 21,617,280 (~US$ 684,700) prize pool.

At present, 63 players have already secured their seats for Day 2, with Flight E still in progress. A further 14 players are set to advance into the money round, rounding out the final group of qualifiers.

All in preflop with Jimmiy Johan behind both in chips and in kicker against Billy Alfonso. The board offered no help either bite the dust a few spots from the money..

Jimmy Johan: A ♦️ Q ♥️

Jimmy Johan: A ♦️ Q ♥️

Board: 9 ♠️ 7 ♥️4 ♥️ A ♠️ K ♠️

Yuan Tu Wen

Kazuki Okamoto can't get it going to watch his stack dwindle. It dropped further in a hand against Yuan Tu Wen to drop to just seven big blinds.

The hand opened with Okamoto raising 40,000 and only Wen called defending his big blind. At the flop 10 ♠️ 2 ♠️ 5 ♥️, Wen led with a bet of 32,000 and Okamoto called. 

Action switched on the turn 9 ♦️ with a check from Wen answered with a 100,000 bet from Okamoto. Wen called and the river came K ♠️.

Wen slid out a tower of orange chips that well covered Okamoto's stack who then folded before the clock ran out. 

Heng Zhe Hu

Heng Zhe Hu opened from under the gun and watched as everyone folded down the orbit until it reached the small blind Edgar Asehan who shoved his big stack. Hu was not happy but called for his tournament life nonetheless.

Heng Zhe Hu: J ♦️ J ♥️ 

Edgar Asehan: K ♠️ Q ♠️

Hu was ahead but still sweat it out as he was flipping. When the board ran 8 ♠️ 10 ♣️ A ♥️ 3 ♠️ 5 ♥️, Hu's pair to stood tall to double through. Hu looked over at Asehan and commented, “bro, don't do that, no ICM.”

Jae Yoon Kim

Wutikrai Phraikhieo jammed his last 133,000 and Shun Hei Lee called out of the small blind. Next to act, Jae Yoon Kim on the big blind three-bet all in for 305,000 to send the action back to Lee. 

Lee didn't react as fast this time and after using up two time banks, he opted to fold and it was showtime. 

Wutikrai Phraikhieo: 2 ♦️ 2 ♥️

Jae Yoon Kim: A ♠️ K ♣️

Wutikrai Phraikhieo

Phraikhieo was at risk but had a pair that survived the flop 10 ♦️ 8 ♥️ 8 ♦️. On the turn, the A ♣️ came out putting Phraikhieo far behind Kim's top pair. With the river 8 ♠️ that ended Phraikhieo's run just four spots to the money. 

Kai Yang

No action until the small blind Chulho Park jammed and was quickly called by big blind Kai Yang. 

When they showed, it was the best Park could hope for with his K ♣️ 8 ♣️ for a flip against Yang's 2 ♦️ 2 ♣️.

Big cards came up on the flop Q ♠️ 9 ♥️ 10 ♦️ then the 2 ♠️ joined the spread for a set to Yang. Only a jack for Park to stay alive but it was not to be as the river paired the board with 10 ♥️ for Yang to collect and eliminate Park. 

Soohyeok Lee

Everyone folded to the small blind Soohyeok Lee, he shoved. Big blind Jintae Yang tanked then risked his tournament life. 

At showdown, Yang was ahead holding 7 ♣️ 7 ♦️ against Lee's 5 ♦️ 5 ♥️ and was in great shape for a full boost. The board ran a clean Q ♥️ K ♦️ Q ♣️ until the turn found the 5 ♠️ giving Lee the set. The river 3 ♦️ was no help to Yang and he quickly headed out. 

Andy Tsai “Andy Stacks”

The field is down to four tables with 32 players remaining. Billy Alfonso has since dropped out of the 2M range while a new leader has emerged. 

Famous GGPoker live streamer Andy Tsai aks “Andy Stacks” is the current frontrunner with 2,687,000. His latest pick up was against Chulho Park who tried to bluff out the leader.

Park opened 32,000 from under the gun and Tsai raised to 100,000 out of hijack. Park called and both players went hunting at the flop. 

 No bets landed until the board was 4 ♥️ 8 ♠️ 5 ♦️ 5 ♥️. Park led for 85,000 and Tsai called. When the 3 ♠️ arrived on the river, Park banged out a larger 190,000 bet that sent Tsai into the tank. 

After a minute or so, Tsai called. Park showed A ♠️ Q ♠️ bluff, Tsai had a pair in the hole, the 7 ♣️ 7 ♦️, to drag in the pot. 

Another 15-minute break at Flight D with 34 players remaining. Still a long way to go until they bag up with the average currently at 40 big blinds. Only 25 are slated to advance.

Toshimitsu Kobashigawa

Billy Alfonso opened for 25,000 and Kazuki Okamoto wanted in and raised it up to 75,000. Out of the small blind Toshimitsu Kobashigawa shoved and Alfonso made the call while Okamoto stepped aside. 

Toshimitsu Kobashigawa: A ♦️ Q ♠️

Billy Alfonso: Q ♥️ Q ♣️

The board quickly dropped an ace for Kobashigawa to overtake and with the runout completing J ♦️ A ♥️ 4 ♥️ 5 ♠️ 6 ♠️, he survived against the hot-handed chip leader. 

Billy Alfonso after getting a bluff through

Jinsoo Kim and Billy Alfonso met again with Kim kicking off the action from lojack with a raise to 25,000. Alfonso was the lone caller at hijack. 

At the flop of K ♣️ 8 ♣️ 7 ♠️ Kim continued for 35,000 and Alfonso matched up to see the turn 2 ♠️. Again Kim dipped in his stack and pulled out 50,000 which Alfonso called.

Action heated up on the river 2 ♦️ with Alfonso taking the reins after Kim checked, laying out an 80,000 bet. Kim answered with a raise to 250,000, and Alfonso stood up while tossing his time-banks out front. After two were spent, Alfonso announced all in with his massive stack. 

Kim was stunned in disbelief, shaking his head while assessing the board. Restless in his seat, Kim dusted all of his remaining eight time-banks and still without a decision, his hand was deemed a fold. 

Alfonso jumped out of his seat and revealed A ♠️ 4 ♠️ bluff. 

Jinsoo Kim

Jinsoo Kim and Billy Alfonso built a pot of 142,000 preflop then proceeded to keep it friendly until the river A ♠️ 7 ♣️ Q ♣️ 8 ♠️ 2 ♣️. 

Kim took a stab for 30,000 then faced a raise from Alfonso for 75,000. Kim took over a minute to make a decision then three-bet to 230,000. Alfonso called and showed A ♦️ 9 ♠️ top pair saying he couldn't fold.

Kim had him out-kicked with A ♣️ 10 ♣️ which played to ship a big pot. 

On a board showing 2 ♥️ 8 ♣️ A ♥️ 10 ♦️ J ♣️ and a hefty 390,000 in the pot, Chi Wen Sung went all in for 260,000 sending Sangjun Jung straight into the think tank. 

Jung had Sung covered if he called but after three time banks spent, Jung opted otherwise and open-folded A ♠️. Sung was asked to show, and opened 10 ♥️.

Li Chih Feng

Li Chih Feng has been draining out and finally shoved but got no callers. On his next one, Edgar Asehan gave him action. 

Li Chih Feng: 8 ♣️ 8 ♠️

Edgar Asehan: A ♥️ 9 ♥️

The board avoided Asehan's overcards running out 7 ♥️ Q ♣️ J ♣️ 6 ♠️ K ♠️ for Feng to stay in the game. 

James Patrick Casement opened then four-bet all in for 320,000 and still wasn't able to push out Soohyeok Lee. 

Casement was at risk with A ♥️ Q ♦️ flipping against J ♠️ J ♦️.

The flop improved Lee to a set with cards landing K ♦️ J ♥️ 6 ♦️, but Casement had a draw that connected on the turn 10 ♣️.

One card to come, Lee called out for his outs and it was heard with the 6 ♥️ pairing the board to dust Broadway with a full house. 

Middle position Kiyoung Kim and big blind Chien Chiao Tseng had already built a pot of 76,000 before the flop came running 4 ♠️ 5 ♦️ 6 ♣️. 

Tseng checked, Kim bet 50,000, then Tseng answered with a big shove of 425,000. Kim was well covered and went deep in the tank. After burning through five time banks, Kim open-folded J ♦️ J ♥️.

 It was the right decision with Tseng revealing his 6 ♠️ 5 ♠️ two pair.

Eng Loong Choi

Eng Loong Choi kicked off the hand with a raise to 20,000 and big blind Simon Hoffmann defended to go hunting down the streets.

Choi continued for 10,000 on the flop J ♦️ 2 ♠️ A ♣️ and another :35,000 on the turn K ♠️. Hoffmann check-called both to fill up the board with a river card 3 ♥️.

With 134,000 left, Choi went all in, Hoffmann gave it a bit of thought then tossed his hand in the muck.

Toshimitsu Kobashigawa three-bet jammed and open-raiser Carlos Chang attempted to clean him out. Kobashigawa flipped over A ♣️ 8 ♣️ and Chang was headed in that direction with A ♥️ K ♥️. 

However, the poker gods had other plans as it quickly paired up Kobashigawa's kicker card that held throughout the board 8 ♠️ 3 ♦️ Q ♥️ 7 ♠️ 10 ♦️. 

Jaegeol Cho

At middle position, Kiyoung Kim had 65,000 out front and was tanking on Jaegeol Cho's button shove of 209,000. After a minute of restlessness, he called and the frustration continued with his kicker behind. 

Jaegeol Cho: A ♥️ K ♠️ 

Kiyoung Kim: A ♣️ Q ♦️

No bad beat cards found the board 5 ♥️ 6 ♣️ :9h; 7 ♥️ K ♦️ instead Cho further improved on the river to secure a double up. 

Vincent Li could not keep his stack intact and at the start of the new level, he was down to just 63,000. He put it all on the line and found one caller in Jimmy Johan out of the small blind. 

Vincent Li: A ♠️ 9 ♦️

Jimmy Johan: Q ♣️ J ♣️

Li had the slight edge with the ace but Johan's cards were live. One of them quickly paired up on the flop and held through the runout K ♣️ J ♠️ 5 ♥️ 7 ♥️ 10 ♠️ to eliminate Li.

Another 15-minute break with 44 players remaining and just 25 to advance to the money round.

Jin Woo Jung faced off against Billy Alfonso once again and this time, he attempted to take control with a raise only to be met with a three-ber. Jung went all in with over 200,000 and still wasn't able to induce a fold. 

Jung was in need of help with K ♣️ 3 ♣️ behind Alfonso's A ♦️ 9 ♦️. The board offered no help and bricked to send Jung out on a bad gamble. 

Billy Alfonso

Billy Alfonso was teetering on the edge and finally crossed the seven digit marker after taking charge in a hand against Jin Woo Jung. 

Raising the minimum from under the gun, Alfonso continued the barrage after Jung called on the button. 

On the flop 9 ♦️ 8 ♦️ 2 ♠️, Alfonso bet 30,000, and another 55,000 on the turn 4 ♥️. Both were called by Jung to take them to the river where the 9 ♣️ paired the board. Alfonso fired once more, albeit a larger 125,000 bet, and this was enough to claim the pot through sheer aggression. 

Billy Alfonso was teetering on the edge and finally crossed the seven digit marker after taking charge in a hand against Jin Woo Jung. 

Raising the minimum from under the gun, Alfonso continued the barrage after Jung called on the button. 

On the flop 9 ♦️ 8 ♦️ 2 ♠️, Alfonso bet 30,000, and another 55,000 on the turn 4 ♥️. Both were called by Jung to take them to the river where the 9 ♣️ paired the board. Alfonso fired once more, albeit a larger 125,000 bet, and this was enough to claim the pot through sheer aggression. 

With a pot of around 240,000 and a board showing 2 ♥️ 4 ♦️ Q ♣️ J ♥️ 5 ♠️, Kuo Kai Ma's shove sent Chulho Park tanking. It took two time banks before he decided to call for his tournament life. 

Ma flipped over K ♠️ 8 ♣️, Park excitedly turned over K ♥️ Q ♥️ for the better kicker. 

Wongyu Kang looked down at A ♣️ K ♣️ and gave it a bump to 16,000. Two spots over, Kai Yang pumped it up more to make it 47,000 to with J ♦️ J ♣️ on hand. 

Action back on Kang, he four-bet but before the count Yang snap-shoved and Kang snap-called for his tournament life. 

Upon revealing, it was fifty-fifty for Kang however the board refused to grant it running a low 4 ♠️ 7 ♠️ 2 ♥️ 7 ♦️ 4 ♣️ to end his run and Yang to catapult to 950,000. Yang is now one of the biggest stacks in the field.

Juhyung Son

Two players have distanced themselves from the pack with uber-massive stacks. Juhyung Son is the frontrunner with 1,270,000 and Alfonso is closing in on seven digits with 955,000.

Edgar Asehan

First to act Edgar Asehan opened and a fews spots over Li Chi Feng three-bet to 50,000. Following several folds, button player Kim Enriquez tossed in his short stack of 36,000 and action was back on Asehan after the blinds got out of the way. 

Asehan shoved and isolated the action after Feng backed down.

Kim Enriquez: A ♠️ K ♠️

Edgar Asehan: 10 ♣️ 10 ♥️

Asehan was slightly ahead at the flip and surged further ahead with a set on the flop J ♠️ 5 ♦️, then Enriquez turned the Q ♥️ for Broadway and overtook. 

Asehan still had outs to avoid losing the hand, and one of them appeared on the river with the Q ♠️ pairing the board for a full house and takedown. 

Down to just 82,000, Yu Ying Lin three-bet all in and initial raiser Chung Hsin Chen tossed in the one-chip call. 

Yu Ying Lin: A ♥️ Q ♥️

Chung Hsin Chen: K ♣️ Q ♦️

Lin was in good shape for a double up with top kicker which held on a board of 2 ♣️ 10 ♦️ Q ♣️ J ♣️ 10 ♥️. 

From early position, Luke Brendan min-clicked only to see his next door neighbor Jaehyeok Ha three-bet to 36,000. 

Everyone folded around to the big blind Tao Chu who defended with a four-bet to 100,000. Brendan quickly let go while Ha gave it a bit of thought before letting go as well. 

Late entry player Chiayun Wu was down below half stack then doubled up through Soon Jo Kwon to return to where he started the day. 

Wu was all in with A ♣️ 5 ♣️ and won the flip against Kwon's 4 ♦️ 4 ♥️ with a full house dealt immediately on the flop. By the turn, Kwon was drawing dead. 

Sangjun Jung

A big pot of 87,000 was already weighing down the middle of the felt with two players fueling it further on the flop Q ♦️ 10 ♣️ 9 ♦️. 

Huang Yu Chen started it off with a 35,000 bet from under the gun position and button player Sangjun Jung called. 

The turn 6 ♠️ slowed down Chen giving Jung the reins which he used to slide out 75,000. Chen called and the final card was tabled, the A ♥️ on the river.

Again Chen led with a check while Jung spent one time-bank before betting 135,000. Chen assessed the board for over a minute and decided to pay up to see Jung's hand. 

Jung flipped over A ♦️ Q ♣️ two pair and it was good to claim the big pot and rise to rise to the upper ranks. 

First 15-minute break of the day with 80 players remaining. When they return, the hunt continues for one of the 25 spots to ITM.

As shared by Vincent Li, under the gun opened 10,000, small blind Jin Woo Jung flat, and Li joined in out of the big blind. 

After the flop laid out 9 ♠️ 2 ♠️ 2 ♣️, the blinds checked to Yang who continued for 28,000 that only Li called.

Taking them to the turn 9 ♥️, Li switched gears and led for 26,000, Yang called to complete the board with a river K ♦️. 

Pedal to the metal for Li with a shove of 95,000, Yang snap-called and showed A ♥️ A ♦️. Li had him beat with 2 ♥️ 4 ♥️ full house to double through and more.

From early position, Long Hin Shiao min-raised then was challenged for all of his chips by Kok Beng Tan who three-bet shoved. 

After taking over a minute to decide, Shiao risked it and he was flipping with overcards against Tan's made pair.

Long Hin Shia: A ♦️ Q ♦️

Kok Beng Tan: 7 ♠️ 7 ♦️

The flop of 9 ♦️ 6 ♦️ J ♥️ increased Shiao's chances to survive, and with the turn Q ♥️ he improved to a bigger pair. The river K ♠️ ensured Shiao's win to double up into decent health. 

Li Chih Feng and Jaegeol Cho were the last two players battling for a pot that ballooned to 102,500 by the time the board reached the river 10 ♣️ 5 ♣️ 10 ♥️ 3 ♠️ J ♥️. 

First to act on the big blind position, Feng fired a bet of 90,000 that sent Cho tanking until two time banks were spent before he decided to call. 

It was the right decision as Feng was caught bluffing with A ♥️ 4 ♠️. Cho scooped up the pot with a winning Q ♥️ Q ♠️. 

Following a min-raise from Ching En Chen on the button, small blind Dong Jae Lee jammed his last 62,500 hoping to steal the pot but big blind Gyeonbyeong Lee reraised to isolate the action. 

Dong Jae Lee: A ♣️ 9 ♣️

Gyeongbyeong Lee: A ♥️ Q ♥️

Dong Jae Lee did not like his odds and expressed it saying “ay yay yay”, but as the flop ran 3 ♥️ K ♣️ J ♣️ it was Gyeongbyeong's turn let out “ay yay yay” with a flush draw on the board. 

The sweat for both players ended when the turn 6 ♠️ and river 4 ♥️ completed the board. Dong Jae Lee missed the flush and packed up and left as Gyeongbyeong Lee raked it in. 

Plenty of action preflop starting with an early raise that was called, followed by button player Jen Li Liu three-betting 40,000 then small blind Edgar Asehan four-bet to 80,000. Everyone checked back to Liu who went all in another 90,000. Asehan snap-called and showed the nuts. 

Jen Li Liu: K ♥️ K ♠️

Edgar Asehan: A ♠️ A ♥️

With both players holding the same suits, Liu was in a world of hurt, needing for a miracle to stay in his seat however none were given as the board ran 8 ♣️ 7 ♥️ 5 ♠️ Q ♥️ 6 ♥️. 

Maggie Weng

With everyone folding to the button Soonjong Suh, he went all in for his last ten big blinds and was denied the steal with Maggie Weng calling from the small blind. 

Soonjung Suh: A ♥️ 8 ♠️

Maggie Weng: K ♠️ 9 ♠️

Suh was ahead but not for long. Weng paired up on the flop and it held throughout the board 10 ♠️ 9 ♥️ 10 ♣️ 2 ♣️ Q ♠️ to send Suh packing up and out. 

Piet Pape

Piet Pape entered the day with a substantial stack but lost a large portion of it but has now recovered with aces giving paying in full. 

The hand opened with a min-raise from Chulho Park, Pape three-bet to 20,000, then Jin Woo Jung squeezed to 100,000. Park got out of the way while Pape announced all-in for his tournament life for a total of 135,000. Jung topped up and they flipped them over.

Piet Pape: A ♠️ A ♦️ 

Jin Woo Jung: K ♣️ Q ♥️

Pape was far ahead and scooped the pot after the board ran out 7 ♠️ 2 ♠️ 3 ♣️ J ♠️ Q ♦️

Maria Cristina Argao

Maria Cristina Argao opened 10,000 from hijack and big blind Sangjun Jung defended to bring the action to the flop 8 ♣️ J ♣️ 9 ♥️.

Jung checked to the aggressor Argao who continued to represent with a bet of 12,000 that was called again. 

On the turn 5 ♣️, Jung checked like previous then Argao cranked it up all the way, moving all in for her last 84,000. This sent Jung into the think tank until he burned through a time-bank before surrendering his hand. 

Joshua Figuerres

Joshua Figuerres is one the flight's last second registrants and quickly put all of his chips on the line. Eng Loong Choi had him covered and they went flipping. 

Joshua Figuerres:  A ♥️ K ♣️

Eng Loong Choi: J ♥️ J ♣️

With a king on the flop 9 ♠️ 7 ♦️ K ♥️, Figuerres jumped ahead and held on through the runout 8 ♥️ 8 ♣️ to secure a double up as Choi took a big dip.

Chen Yu Hung

Catching the action on a board showing 5 ♠️ 3 ♦️ 9 ♥️ 8 ♣️ and a hefty 91,500 in the pot, Nishant Sharma checked then Sam Hung put him on the ropes with a shove. 

Sharma was well covered and after several seconds, he opted not to risk it to award Hung the pot uncontested.

Shun Hei Lee

Shun Hei Lee continued where he left off yesterday, taking charge of the table. In a recent hand, he raised from under the gun and big blind Wutikrai Phraikheo defended to head down the streets.

Lee was unrelenting, firing 12,000 at the flop 9 ♠️ 2 ♦️ 7 ♦️ and 20,000 on the turn 2 ♣️, both of which were called by Phraikhieo to reach the river where the 9 ♦️ appeared. 

With two pair on the board, Lee was unfazed, betting 58,000, Phraikhieo counted out his remaining stack then opted to let go of his hand. 

That's it! Cards are back in the air at Flight D which means registration has officially closed. Another 38 jumped in today to bring the flight total to 184 entries. The race is now for a spot at ITM which is 25 players. Good luck to all!

The Gods of Poker Taipei Main Event kicks off today, January 15 with Flight D registration still open until the start of Level 3 at 12:30 PM. Players that sign up will enter with 120,000 in chips, equivalent to 30 big blinds. 

Once the clock starts running for Level 3, Flight D registration ends. The remaining players continue on until ITM is reached. With its deep structure, blinds increase every 60 minutes, giving players plenty of time to maneuver.

At 6:00 PM, Flight E joins on the floor. This is the last flight offered with registration closing at 9:30 PM. Level 1 blinds run at a 60 minute pace and Level 2 blinds run at a 120 minute pace. Once Level 3 starts, blinds increase at a faster 20 minute pace. 

Returning to the felt today are the 81 players that survived Flight D - Day 1. You can track their action via the live updates right here.