Tuesday, April 3, 2018 12:48 AM Local Time
Joseph Cheong
It was a long day of poker for Joseph Cheong. To begin he started off the Planet Hollywood Main Event, eventually busting in 8th place for $22,436. Immediately after he registered for the $2,200 High Roller where he very quickly got to work building a stack from the starting stack of 25,000 chips. By the end of the first level of play today, Cheong had already built up to nearly 100,000. From there, it was all uphill. By the time the final table was reached, Cheong was right in the middle of the pack, sporting a stack of right around 400,000.
This is the second ring of Cheong's career. Oddly enough, he recently lost his first one, but now earned another to replace it. "It feels good," he said. "Like redeption."
Hyon Kim led the way as the final table started and he did much of the work eliminating Ankush Mandavia, Dylan Wilkerson (who also made two final tables today), and Michael Benko with ease, being the first player to breach 1,000,000 chips. Cheong got short for a bit but eventually got most of his stack in against Patrick Colceri holding pocket kings against Colceri's tens. Cheong held and was able to nearly double to right around 250,000. He then took a massive pot from Eric Baldwin when Baldwin missed a straight draw and Cheong shoved the river.
Steve Foutty was eliminated just after dinner break bringing the field down to four players and from there it was The Joseph Cheong show. Cheong dominated four-handed play with some very aggressive moves, constantly putting pressure on his three opponents. He was able to climb over 1,000,000 chips and he wouldn't fall back below that mark. After several hours of four handed play, Cheong sprung and dispatched of his final three opponents in quick fashion.
"I had a decent stack at the beginning of the final table," Cheong recalled. "Enough that I just sat there and played patiently. And I just got a little heater started. And when I got chips I just started pushing the action."
Eric Baldwin was the first of the final four to fall. He ran pocket nines into Cheong pocket aces. Next to go was Hassan Tahsildar who called Cheong's under the gun shove with king-eight, but Cheong was holding ace-queen and spiked and ace to eliminate Tahsildar. Hyon Kim was able to survive until heads-up play, but was at a severe chip disadvantage. Kim doubled early when Cheong shoved on the button with ten-five of diamonds and Kim held with king-queen, but just a few hands later, Cheong and Kim got it in again and Kim was holding the worst of it with queen-jack while Cheong had king-ten. Cheong held on through the flop and turn and spiked a king for good measure on the river to take down the pot and to win the tournament. For his victory, Cheong wins $65,399 and a WSOP Circuit ring.
Final Table Results:
1 - Joseph Cheong - $65,399
2 - Hyon Kim - $40,422
3 - Hassan Tahsildar - $28,780
4 - Eric Baldwin - $20,906
5 - Steve Foutty - $15,487
6 - Michael Benko - $11,691
7 - Patrick Colceri - $8,933
8 - Dylan Wilkerson - $7,044
9 - Ankush Mandavia - $5,614
Tuesday, April 3, 2018 12:28 AM Local Time
Joseph Cheong From Earlier Today in the Main Event
Joseph Cheong whittled Hyon Kim down to just a few hundred thousand by relentlessly shoving on the button and shoving over Kim's opening raises and limps.
Cheong shoves the button again and Kim takes one look at his cards and calls for roughly 300,000.
Cheong:
Kim:
The board comes down and that gives Cheong the winning pair of kings. For his victory Cheong will take home $65,399 and a WSOPC ring which he has been looking for to replace one that was recently stolen from him.
For his runner-up finish, Hyon Kim takes home $40,422.
Tuesday, April 3, 2018 12:16 AM Local Time
From the button Joseph Cheong moves all in with a covering stack. Hyon Kim calls all in from the big blind for his last 360,000.
Cheong:
Kim:
The board runs out and Kim doubles to over 700,000 while Cheong is left with right around 1,900,000.
Hyon Kim - 780,000
Joseph Cheong - 1,900,000
Tuesday, April 3, 2018 12:12 AM Local Time
Joseph Cheong moves all in from under the gun and action folds to Hassan Tahsildar in the big blind who calls for right around 300,000.
Cheong:
Tahsildar:
The board comes and that's it for Tahsildar who is eliminated in 3rd place for $28,780. This leave Cheong and Kim heads up with Cheong holding a massive chip advantage.
Joseph Cheong - 2,100,000
Hassan Tahsildar - Eliminated
Tuesday, April 3, 2018 12:10 AM Local Time
Eric Baldwin moves all in before the flop for right around 600,000. Joseph Cheong calls from the small blind.
Cheong:
Baldwin:
The board runs out and that gives Cheong a set. Baldwin hits the rail in 4th and will collect $20,906 for his run in the high roller.
Joseph Cheong - 1,800,000
Eric Baldwin - Eliminated
Tuesday, April 3, 2018 12:01 AM Local Time
Hyon Kim shoves all in on the button for 280,000. Eric Baldwin raises from the small blind and Hassan Tahsildar folds quickly leaving the two heads up.
Kim:
Baldwin:
The board comes giving Kim a pair of kings and the win.
Hyon Kim - 600,000
Eric Baldwin - 650,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 11:45 PM Local Time
Level: 25
Blinds: 15,000/30,000
Ante: 30,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 11:31 PM Local Time
Players are now on a 15-minute break and will return soon.
Monday, April 2, 2018 11:20 PM Local Time
From the small blind Joseph Cheong shoves all in with a covering stack. Kim thinks for a while then calls off his remaining 249,000 chips.
Cheong:
Kim:
The board runs out which gives Kim the winning two pair and allows him to double to just over 500,000.
Hyon Kim - 510,000
Joseph Cheong - 1,200,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 11:01 PM Local Time
Hyon Kim opens with a raise to 62,000 and Joseph Cheong calls from the big blind.
The flop is and Cheong checks, than calls a bet of 65,000 from Kim.
On the turn, both player check.
The river is the and Cheong leads with a bet of 135,000. Kim thinks for a bit then calls. Cheong shows for trips while Kim flashes his aces that are no good.
Joseph Cheong - 1,350,000
Hyon Kim - 345,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 10:50 PM Local Time
Level: 24
Blinds: 12,000/24,000
Ante: 24,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 10:50 PM Local Time
Eric Baldwin shoves for roughly 370,000 from the cutoff and Hassan Tahsildar give him an instant call. Both other players fold.
Tahsildar:
Baldwin:
The board runs out and Baldwin doubles up with his queen kicker playing.
Eric Baldwin - 780,000
Hassan Tahsildar - 340,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 10:39 PM Local Time
Eric Baldwin limps in on the button. Hassan Tahsildar calls from the small blind and Joseph Cheong checks from the big.
The flop come down and Tahsildar and Cheong both check. Baldwin bets 26,000 and Tahsildar moves all in for 221,000. Cheong folds but Baldwin snap calls.
Baldwin:
Tahsildar:
Baldwin fails to catch up on the turn of the river so Tahsildar doubles up again.
Hassan Tahsildar - 490,000
Eric Baldwin - 320,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 10:32 PM Local Time
Hassan Tahsildar raises to 70,000 from the small blind and Joseph Cheong calls from the big.
Both players check on the flop to see the on the turn. There, Tahsildar bets 50,000. Cheong raises, making it 175,000 and Tahsildar calls.
The river is the and Tahsildar checks. Cheong moves all in which prompts a snap fold form Tahsildar.
Joseph Cheong - 1,500,000
Hassan Tahsildar - 270,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 10:28 PM Local Time
On a flop of Hassan Tahsildar manages to get all the money in against Hyon Kim.
Kim:
Tahsildar:
The board completes with the and the and that allows Tahsildar to double to over 500,000 chips.
Hassan Tahsildar - 560,000
Hyon Kim - 475,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 10:27 PM Local Time
Eric Baldwin raises to 40,000 on the button. From the big blind Joseph Cheong makes it 160,000. Action is back on Baldwin and he calls.
the flop comes down and Cheong shoves all in with a covering stack. Baldwin has about 370,000 behind. He thinks for a about 30 seconds before letting go of his hand. Cheong takes down the pot and moves over 1 million chips.
Joseph Cheong - 1,200,000
Eric Baldwin - 370,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 10:21 PM Local Time
After a raise from Joseph Cheong Hassan Tahsildar moves all in for 164,000. Cheong calls.
Tahsildar:
Cheong:
The flop comes down giving Tahsildar the lead and he holds on through the on the turn and the on the river, allowing him to double up.
Hassan Tahsildar - 350,000
Joseph Cheong - 890,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 10:13 PM Local Time
Level: 23
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 20,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 10:01 PM Local Time
Three players limp in before the flop and Eric Baldwin checks his option in the big blind.
Action checks around to Joseph Cheong on the flop and he bets 22,000. Hyon Kim and Hassan Tahsildar both call.
The turn is the and this time all three players check to see the on the river. There, Kim bets 110,000 and no one calls, allowing him to take down the pot.
Hyon Kim - 980,000
Monday, April 2, 2018 9:40 PM Local Time
Steve Foutty moves all in from the cutoff for 167,000. Eric Baldwin moves all in over the top from the button. Everyone else folds.
Baldwin:
Foutty:
The board runs out which is dry for both players, meaning that Baldwin's king kicker will play and he takes down the pot and while Foutty is eliminated in 5th place. For his run he will collect $15,487.
Eric Baldwin - 490,000
Steve Foutty - Eliminated