Korean-Canadian Ryan Yu made Asian Poker Tour history by becoming the first-ever winner of the APT’s Asian Series Jeju, claiming the title by besting 166 players on his way to his landmark achievement.
It wasn’t a breezy final table, to say the least, but through sheer skill and some timely plays, Yu was able upend a competitive field that included a strong Chinese and Japanese contingent that included Chinese players Tan Zhi Xiong, Xiang Li, Xiaoyong Liao, and Chen Cao, as well as Japanese players Takuya Kato and Yoichi Uesugi. Yu entered the final table in second place with 823,000 in chips, trailing only Xiong who at that time was in full command with 913,000 in chips.
But as the final table ensued, it looked more and more like Yu was a man on a mission. It certainly helped his cause that some excellent players hit the rail as soon as the final table bgan, including perennial APT finalist Casey Kastle (8th – $5,700), Chen Cao (7th – $6,800), and Yoichi Uesugi (6th – $8,300). From there, Yu built up his chip stack, eventually assuring his spot in the heads-up showdown to determine the first winner of the Asian Series Jeju. The field eventually whittled down to the final two players with Xiaoyong Liao (5th – $10,100), Xiang Li (4th – $12,200), and Zhixiong Tan (3rd – $16,700) getting eliminated in succession.
With only Japan’s Takuya Kato left in his sights, Yu slowly went to work, and while it didn’t come easy – the Japanese was pretty stellar in his own right – Yu eventually put the finishing touches on his victory, winning $36,100 and more importantly, staking his claim as the first ever winner of the APT’s Asian Series Jeju tournament.
Despite finishing second, Kato still went home with a pretty decent haul, bagging $29,100.
In the end, though, it was Ryan Tack Yu who everybody will be talking about. With his first tournament win under his belt, it’s safe to say that his name will be mentioned in the APT circuit for quite some time.
